Shadowing Practice: Reading Test 1 - Seccion 2 Good customer service in retail. - Learn English Speaking with Video
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24 sentences
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1
Good customer service in retail.
2
Without customers, your retail business would not exist.
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It stands to reason, therefore, that how you treat your customers has a direct impact on your profit margins.
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Some customers just want to browse and not be bothered by sales staff.
5
Try to be sensitive to how much help a customer wants.
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Be proactive in offering help without being annoying.
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Suggest a product that naturally accompanies what the customer is considering or point out products for which there are special offers,
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but don't pressure a customer into buying an item they don't want.
9
Build up a comprehensive knowledge of all the products in your shop, including the pros and cons of products that are alike but that have been produced under a range of brand names.
10
If you have run out of a particular item, make sure you know when the next orders are coming in.
11
Negativity can put customers off instantly.
12
If a customer asks a question to which the answer is, no, do not just leave it at that, follow it with a positive,
13
for example, we're expecting more of that product in on Tuesday.
14
Meanwhile, if you see a product in the wrong place on a shelf, don't ignore it, put it back where it belongs.
15
This attention to presentation keeps the shop tidy, giving the right impression to your customers.
16
Likewise, if you notice a fault with a product, remove it and replace it with another.
17
When necessary, be discreet.
18
For example, if the customer's credit card is declined at the till,
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keep your voice down and inquire about an alternative payment method quietly so that the customer doesn't feel humiliated.
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If they experience uncomfortable emotions in your shop, it's unlikely that they'll come back.
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Finally, good manners are probably the most important aspect of dealing with customers.
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Treat each person with respect at all times, even when you are faced with rudeness.
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Being discourteous yourself will only add more fuel to the fire.
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Build a reputation for polite, helpful staff and you'll find that customers not only keep giving you their custom, but also tell their friends about you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Reading Test 1 - Seccion 2 Good customer service in retail”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: customer, product, shop. This video has 24 sentences and 358 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:07. The speaker talks at a natural 169 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| discourteous adjective | /dɪsˈkɜːtɪəs/ | Impolite; lacking consideration for others. |
| discreet adjective | /dɪˈskɹiːt/ | Respectful of privacy or secrecy; exercising caution in order to avoid causing embarrassment; quiet; diplomatic. |
| humiliate verb | /hjuːˈmɪliˌeɪt/ | To cause to be ashamed; to injure the dignity and self-respect of. |
| inquire verb | /ɪnˈkwaɪɹ/ | To ask (about something). |
| negativity noun | /ˌnɛɡ.əˈtɪ.vɪ.ti/ | The characteristic of being pessimistic or contrarian. |
| proactive adjective | /pɹoʊˈæk.tɪv/ | Acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty. |
| rudeness noun | The property of being rude. | |
| tidy adjective | /ˈtaɪ.di/ | Arranged neatly and in order. |
| browse verb | /bɹaʊz/ | To scan, to casually look through in order to find items of interest, especially without knowledge of what to look for beforehand. |
| accompany verb | /əˈkʌm.pə.ni/ | To go with or attend as a companion or associate; to keep company with; to go along with. |
| polite adjective | /pəˈlaɪt/ | Well-mannered, civilized. |
| shelf noun | /ʃɛlf/ | A flat, rigid structure, fixed at right angles to a wall or forming a part of a cabinet, desk, etc., and used to display, store, or support objects. |
| likewise adverb | /ˈlaɪkˌwaɪz/ | In a similar manner. |
| alike adjective | /əˈlaɪk/ | Having resemblance or similitude; similar; without difference. |
| quietly adverb | /ˈkwaɪ.ɪt.li/ | Producing little or no noise. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| build up verb | To erect; to construct. |
| come back verb | To return to a place. |
| point out verb | To identify among a group of similar subjects, or in a scene where the subject might not be readily seen or noticed, with a gesture of the body. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be bothered · have been produced · is declined |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have been produced · have run |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, doesn't, they'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shelf /ʃɛlf/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: humiliate /hjuːˈmɪliˌeɪt/, negativity /ˌnɛɡ.əˈtɪ.vɪ.ti/, accompany /əˈkʌm.pə.ni/, uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like discourteous, discreet, humiliate.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.