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Service Industry

Service Industry

Date: Sep 26 2008

Themes: Food, Work

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

In countries that tip, waiters and waitresses truly do depend on the kindness of strangers. A big part of their income comes from tips.

But people in the service industry also depend on their customers to get them through the day. It’s hard to be on your feet serving people all day and if those people are mean to you, it can be horrible. But if your customers understand your job is hard, it can make it a lot easier.

Listen to Beren and Devan talk about being waitresses.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Devan

Beren

Beren

Devan:  So, Beren, we’re both in the service industry. We both wait tables for a living. Do you ever feel like customer service people don’t get the appreciation they deserve?

Beren:  Totally. I’ve also noticed that people who have never worked customer service jobs don’t tip. And they seem to underappreciate more than anybody else.

Devan:  It’s true. That’s why I think that everybody’s first job should be a customer service job so that way they understand. When I go to restaurants, I’m a lot more patient and I tip better because I know how hard it is and I know what they have to deal with and it seems like you can always tell when you wait on someone and they get real impatient with you and they leave you a really bad tip, you just know that they’ve worked in the industry before in their lives.

Beren:  Exactly, I’ve noticed too that it tends to be like, at least where I work, the older people tend to tip less than all the young people. And they also tend to be more friendly or understanding if something takes a while and you’re like, “Sorry, your plate’s going to be five minutes later,” you know? They seem to be more understanding.

Devan:  The older thing is also a bit of a generational difference, too. Like my grandma, if she tips ten percent, she thinks that’s a really good tip because, you know, when she was younger that would be considered a really great tip. So she doesn’t know. She’ll be like, “Oh, you were so nice, I’m going to leave you a big, $3 tip.”

Beren:  Yeah, I had to talk to my mom about her tipping strategy because she was definitely a 6-10%-er on really great service. Like, “Uh, mom, no. That was like $60, really, really great server. Multiple water refills without asking and she went above and beyond and she overtipped. She probably tipped like 25% but it was pretty cute because she’s never worked a service job in her life either.

Devan:  Yeah. So when I go out with my grandparents now, I always bring a little extra cash on hand so when they walk out I can slip a few more bucks on the table.

Beren:  Well, back in their day, hamburgers only cost 10 cents!

Devan:  It’s true.

 

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Discussion

Devan and Beren agree that people who have worked in the service industry are better customers. Devan even thinks that everyone should work in the service industry at some point just so they’ll understand what it’s like.

In addition to people who have never worked in a restaurant or bar, Beren says that older people tend to tip poorly. The customs are different now. Beren had to explain to her mother that she wasn’t tipping enough for great service at a restaurant and Devan adds a little bit to the tips her grandmother leaves when they go out.

Have you ever worked in the service industry? Did you like it?

 

Comments

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tranlinh0411

Viet Nam

I can understand all! YEAHLaughing

08:45 AM Sep 28 2008 |

anmi

anmi

China

I have worded in service for a long time so i know how difficulty to be a waitress or a waiter!

 

08:01 AM Sep 28 2008 |

FranklinO

United States

Hello,

I just wanted to say how well you write in English.  I teach English in Istanbul, and is not often we find students who can write this well.   Keep up the good work!

Franklin

Kadikoy

07:12 AM Sep 28 2008 |

karoomy

karoomy

Saudi Arabia

nice lesson

03:25 AM Sep 28 2008 |

javadkordi

javadkordi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

ok

02:45 PM Sep 27 2008 |

shelley Liu

China

Wonderful!!!

02:03 PM Sep 27 2008 |

shelley Liu

China

Wonderful!!!

02:03 PM Sep 27 2008 |

lulu927

lulu927

China

i'd like to tip if i have enough money

12:55 PM Sep 27 2008 |

leo*

leo*

China

Cool!!!

09:39 AM Sep 27 2008 |

羽鳞玉心

China

Agree  with ….

04:13 AM Sep 27 2008 |

1 person likes this

pbenipal

Canada

excellent

03:08 AM Sep 27 2008 |

janneth patricia vinasco

Colombia

  I can understand how hard can be  customer service jobs because I´m a teacher in a high school and although we share culture ,Knowledge ,wisdom,patience and love with our hundreds of students ,our profession is underappreciated in my country. But I love to be a real server .  

02:56 AM Sep 27 2008 |

lisa lv

lisa lv

China

tip,good,but in china not have this custom.But i agree that it's better to everyone to undertake Service

Industry first,so i think customer will smile to all the people,no matter what career.I know the feeling,

because my job is a little alike service(my job is foreign trade business).Customer is god for my career.

 

02:42 AM Sep 27 2008 |

pbenipal

Canada

I have never worked in food service industry. But I can say that working in this field must be hard. Because they have to deal with all kind of people; patient and impatient. Thus, waiters/waitress Smiledeserve tip.

02:22 AM Sep 27 2008 |

bbbfish

bbbfish

China

we’re both in the service industry.i have a part-time job in McDonald’s.i like that job,because i lie M cDonald’s

01:21 AM Sep 27 2008 |

airdwindle

airdwindle

China

Here we dont tip,because we dont have the customs.

However I dont mind tipping Wink

12:03 AM Sep 27 2008 |

DricaBr

DricaBr

Brazil

Beren voice is a little annoying.
And the repetetion of the word” like ” to tell a exemple.
I hate when I have to speak with a person that uses ‘like’ for every setence I imediately assume that I am speaking with a teenager.

06:57 PM Sep 26 2008 |

DricaBr

DricaBr

Brazil

Not only elderly people tip less,  people from different country too, tend to tip as they tip in their own country.

Exemple: latinos tend  to tip 10%, too.

06:57 PM Sep 26 2008 |

Tieu_Boi

Viet Nam

Why dont I download this dialogue?

06:14 PM Sep 26 2008 |

Totto

Totto

Sudan

Tipping someone really good depends on the service they do.  If  I am not satisfied with the service, I do not think i will tip that much. However, if it  I am satisfied with it, i will definetly tip a great deal.

Yes, I agree the generational difference plays a big part in tiping someone.

03:35 PM Sep 26 2008 |

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