电话沟通去掉了口型、手势和表情,所以显得格外困难。真正有用的不是「更专心地听」,而是更擅长确认。
确认听到的内容
- Sorry, could you repeat that?
- Sorry, I didn't quite catch that.
- Could you speak up a little?(说大声一点)
- Sorry, the line's breaking up.
- Did you say fifteen or fifty?
最后这一条比看起来更重要:-teen 和 -ty 是听觉上最容易混淆的一对,而在电话里几乎难以区分。具体数字一定要反复确认。
复述以确认
用复述关键信息来代替单纯的「yes」:
So that's Thursday the twelfth at two, is that right?
Let me just read that back to you.
可靠地报读字母
在信号不好的时候,字母的发音很容易混在一起:B、C、D、E、G、P、T、V 听起来都很像,M 和 N 也是如此。
这时可以用单词来代替:
«Novak» — N for November, O for Oscar, V for Victor, A for Alpha, K for Kilo.
不一定要用标准的军用字母表。任何容易理解的单词都可以:B for Bravo 或 B for Baker 效果一样好。关键是不要只念出一个孤零零的字母。
还有一些实用说法:
- Double L.(两个 L)
- All one word.
- With a hyphen.
- Capital M.
当你听不懂对方的口音时
语速和口音是和词汇完全不同的问题,而且可以直接说出来:
- Sorry — could you slow down a little? It's a bad line.
- I'm struggling to hear you, sorry.
- Would you mind saying that once more? I want to make sure I've got it right.
把原因归结为信号不好,而不是自己的英语水平,是保住面子的标准做法——而且在电话里,这通常也确实是事实。
自动语音菜单
录音系统语速很快,而且用词高度固定:
| 你会听到 | 意思 |
|---|---|
| Press 1 for… | 选择某个选项 |
| Please hold. · Bear with us. | 请稍候 |
| Your call is in a queue. | 你正在排队等候 |
| All our operators are busy. | 继续等待 |
| This call may be recorded. | 标准提示,无需任何操作 |
| Please say your date of birth. | 需要口头回答的问题 |
如果没有合适的选项,说 operator 或 speak to an adviser,或者直接按 0,通常都能转接到人工客服。
留言与接听留言
- Could I leave a message?
- Could you ask him to call me back?
- My number's… — I'll say it twice.
- Can I read that back to you?
掌控通话节奏
- Bear with me a moment.
- I'll just put you on hold.
- Sorry, I think we got cut off.
- Can I call you back in five minutes?
- I can't hear you very well — could I call you back on a landline?
在群组通话或视频通话中
没有视觉信号,说话的顺序很容易乱套。英语中有一些简短固定的说法专门用来应对这种情况:
- Sorry, you go ahead.(两人同时开口时)
- Can I just come in here?(礼貌地插话)
- Sorry, I think you're on mute.
- Did we lose him?
- Just to check everyone can hear me?
- I'll drop off and rejoin.
如果和别人同时开口,通常的做法是一方立刻让步:sorry, after you。正是双方都在犹豫,才会造成那种尴尬的僵局。
当情况实在太糟糕时
换一种沟通方式并不丢人,反而往往显得更专业:
The line's terrible — could you email me the details instead?
要在通话过程中确认,而不是事后才发现问题。 每一个听错的号码、姓名或日期,之后都可能变成代价高昂的错误,而当场确认只需要三秒钟。从来没有人会因为对方问了一句 sorry, was that fifteen or fifty? 而觉得他不专业——但预订错日子的人,大家都会记得。
一通问题不断的电话
A: …so we'll deliver on the fifteenth.
B: Sorry, the line's breaking up — the fifteenth or the fiftieth… sorry, fifty? Fifteen?
A: The fifteenth. One-five.
B: Got it. And the name for the delivery?
A: Novak. N-O-V-A-K.
B: Sorry, was that B or V? Could you spell it with words?
A: V for Victor. November, Oscar, Victor, Alpha, Kilo.
B: Perfect. So that's the fifteenth, under Novak. I'll confirm by email.
确认数字、确认字母,再加上书面确认——短短一通电话里用上了全套技巧。
自我检测
下面的测验涵盖确认信息、报读字母,以及 -teen / -ty 这个陷阱。