Chapter 4 - 4

04 Service Encounter

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

W: Hi, can I help you with something?

M: Yes, Uh, my mom called and told me she sent a package to me using express mail, and I should have gotten it today. But it wasn’t at my dorm, and it was supposed to be delivered there.

So I thought maybe the mail center got it by mistake. It’s kind of important, too−it’s my birth certificate. I really hope it isn’t lost.

W: Yeah, I uh… I see what you mean. You don’t want to lose that. Well we usually get packages fairly early in the morning. I checked the storeroom earlier, and there wasn’t a package back there.

Plus, all the packages we receive are entered into the computer system, and there aren’t any packages mentioned in today’s records. Hmm. It’s your birth certificate, you say?

M: Yeah. My mom put it in one of the big document envelopes with the bubble wrap inside them. I think she may have sent it registered mail.

W: Wait, I’m confused. I thought you said she sent it express. The kind of mail service she used could affect when it’s delivered maybe she sent it the wrong way, and it will be here tomorrow.

M: I don’t think so. She did send it by express mail, but I think she also registered it so that if it was lost, there would be a record of it.

W: I’m really not sure what to tell you. Did you check with the dorm staff? Maybe they have it.

Maybe you should verify that none of the other dorms have received it in error. Maybe it was delivered to the wrong one or something.

M: That could take a while. How many dorms are there in all, again?

W: Uh, let’s see. There’s Davis Dorm, there’s Winters Hall, um… Fairbanks, Underwood, Parsons… you’re right, there are quite a few.

I think there are close to seven. But I really think that might be your best option. I really don’t know of anything else for you to do.

M: I guess I’d better get started, then. It’s going to be a long day. I sure wish they would have just delivered it to my dorm.

W: Well, there’s no need for you to walk around the whole campus from dorm to dorm. I have a list of the dorm phone numbers.

Try calling them, first. Then, if one of them has it, you can just go to that, one instead of walking all over.

I’ll bet one of them got it. Do you know what day your mom sent it?

M: I think she mailed it on Tuesday, but it may have been Wednesday, I guess.

W: Either way, if she melted express, you should have gotten it by now. I’d definitely checked the dorms. Here is that directory of phone numbers.

In fact, I’ll bet you’ll find it there. This has happened in the past and the missing package always shows up at a different dorm.

So I wouldn’t worry, but now you know what to check, OK?

M: OK, well, thanks.

W: Good luck. I’ll keep my eyes open here, too, just in case it shows up. Actually, let me write your name and number down so that I can contact you if I find out anything.

M: Sure. It’s Brian masters, and my dorm phone number is 555=4281. Thanks for your help.

1) What can be inferred about the student when he says this:

It’s kind of important, too−it’s my birth certificate. I really hope it isn’t lost.

2) What is the woman’s attitude toward the package when she says this:

Yeah, I uh… I see what you mean. You don’t want to lose that.

3) How sure is the woman that the man will find the package?