Customer Service Collocations

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

United's initial response — a statement that apologised for having to re-accommodate customers — made the situation worse. The phrase became a global punchline, and the chief executive was forced to issue a second apology days later.

Grammar Reference · Customer Service Collocations

Verb + noun

Certain verbs pair exclusively with certain nouns in professional English. Issue an apology, not make an apology in formal contexts.

Noun + noun

Two nouns combine where the first modifies the second: service recovery, customer retention, brand reputation. Word order is fixed.

Adjective + noun

Some adjectives attach strongly to specific nouns: genuine complaint, textbook case, net promoter score. Substituting synonyms sounds unnatural.

Common errors

Avoid translating collocations directly from your L1. Do a complaint ✗ → make a complaint ✓. Resolve a problem, not solve a problem in service contexts.

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Customer Service Collocations

1.Oscar Munoz had to a second apology after the initial statement failed.

2.The airline could not the reputational damage once the video went viral.

3.Companies that invest in customer see profits rise faster than those focused on acquisition.

4.The Chewy agent a refund and then sent the customer flowers and a portrait.

5.A single tweet can millions of potential customers in under an hour.

6.The Ritz-Carlton case is a example of employee empowerment done correctly.

02Exercise 2 — Find and Correct the Error

find the error · rewrite the sentence

1.The airline did a formal apology but customers found it unconvincing.

2.Chewy solved the complaint by sending the customer a hand-painted portrait.

3.The company spent too many resources on customer gaining rather than keeping.

4.Staff at the Ritz-Carlton can expense up to 2,000 dollars for settle a dispute.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

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