Chapter 3 - 8

08 Service Encounter

Listen to a conversation between a student and a university employee. Fill in the diagram with the information that you hear.

M: Hi, I need to sell my books back. I have a huge stack of them.

W: OK, let’s see what we can do. Um… I can take all of them back except this one.

M: Oh, you mean my biology book?

W: No, your Fundamentals of Psychology textbook.

M: You can’t take that one back? But it’s still in really good condition. I made sure to take care of it so that it would still be worth a lot.

W: It is in very good condition, but I’m afraid that the university just won’t take it back. I’m sorry. Sometimes books just aren’t bought back.

M: But why wouldn’t the university want it back? It was brand new when I bought it, and it was the most recent edition. It even still has the CD-ROM that I didn’t even use. It was really a pretty good book.

W: I know, but that doesn’t mean we can take it back.

M: Well, why wouldn’t the bookstore want it?

W: The textbook companies issue new additions at different times, and they probably just released a new one. Even if your book was the most recent edition when you bought it, that doesn’t mean it’s still current. A lot of publishing companies offer new additions very frequently.

M: This book cost me $115, and I only used it for one semester. Isn’t there anything else I can do with it? Can you give me any suggestions?

W: I understand why you’re upset, but maybe there is another option that you can check into.

M: Really? What’s that?

W: The university bookstore has a textbook trading website that allows students from all branches of the university to get into contact with one another and exchange books.

You just post the textbook information, what class it was used for, and how much you believe it’s worth. You should also include a list of textbooks you’d be willing to trade it for, and the classes they are for.

Then you can browse and look for someone who has a book you want and who also needs the book you have. It works very well.

M: It sounds like a good idea, but what if I don’t want to actually trade it, I just want to get cash for it?

W: If you get on the website, you’ll start out at the homepage. You have to input your student ID number so that the university knows you’re using their website. Then you are required to post your textbook profile−that’s the textbook information I was talking about.

But then you choose whether you’d prefer a trade or a straight buy. If you click the straight buy, the website organizes the offers you receive for your textbook over a certain period of time.

The only catch is, at the end of the time period, you have to take the highest offer, no matter how unreasonable you may think it is.

M: Well, I guess that would be OK. I would still be getting more than I would get for it otherwise. I just can’t believe I actually have to do that or trade it.

I never would have thought that the bookstore wouldn’t take it back.

W: That’s just the way things go sometimes. Here, let me write that website down for you. And remember to put the little number on the back of the book on the textbook profile. It’s near the barcode.

A lot of textbooks have similar titles, and if you forget the number, it can be hard for students to determine if it’s the right book other students are looking for.

M: Thanks, I’ll remember that. Do you have any other tips?

W: Well… sometimes a picture of the book’s cover can help, too. Students can do a search for the subject, then browse through pictures. If someone sees the book’s picture, they know it’s the right one, and they’ll usually bid on it right away.

M: Great. Thanks for all your help. I’m definitely going to try out that trading website.

W: Sure. If you have any problems, you can come by and ask me. See you later.

1) Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

You can’t take that one back? But it’s still in really good condition. I made sure to take care of it so that it would still be worth a lot.

Why does the student say this: But it’s still in really good condition.

2) Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

If you click the straight buy, the website organizes the offers you receive for your textbook over a certain period of time. The only catch is, at the end of the time period, you have to take the highest offer, no matter how unreasonable you may think it is.

Why does the woman say this: the only catch is.

3) Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

Here, let me write that website down for you. And remember to put the little number on the back of the book on the textbook profile.

What does the woman imply when she says this: here let me write that website down for you.