SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

IDIOM OF THE DAY: UP AND RUNNING

If something is up and running, it has started and is functioning successfully.

Example: “once we finish the troubleshooting, your cell phone will be up and running.”

PRONUNCIATION - ENGLISH CONSONANT SOUNDS

We divide consonants in ‘voiced’ and ‘voiceless’. A voiced sound is one in which the vocal cords
vibrate. If you put your hand on your throat, you will feel vibration. A voiceless sound is one in
which your vocal cords do not vibrate.

Voiceless Voiced
Consonants Consonants Example
(vocal cords do (vocal cords
not vibrate) vibrate)
/p/ pills - rope /b/ bills-robe She threw away her own pills and wrapped
herself in her new robe.

/t/ cart - seat /d/ card - seed Jane put the seeds in her cart and paid for
them with her card.
/k/ class- back /g/ glass- bag I put in my bag the glass I need for my art
class.

/f/ few- leaf /v/ view- leave A few saw the view of the beautiful leaf.

/θ/ thank- /ð/ this-breathe Thank you for participating in this breathing
breath exercise in which you need to take deep breath
and relax.
/s/ sip - price /z/ zip - prize There’s a price to pay when winning a prize.

/ʃ/ pressure - /ʒ/ pleasure - No pressure; it would be my pleasure helping

wish beige you with this.

/ʧ/ choke -rich /ʤ/ joke - ridge Please be careful not to choke when I tell you
my joke about the rich man that lived at the
Blue Ridge Mountains!
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Let’s go through the rest of the consonant sounds of English. These consonants are all voiced,
but they have no voiceless pair. Make sure that you feel the vibration in your vocal cords as you
say them.

/m/ mom-from- Mom got a lemon pie from the store.

lemon
/n/ none –fun – any None of them were any fun!

/ŋ/ spring –going- I’m going to bring new things for spring’s garage sale.
bring
/l/ will- love- yellow I will always love this yellow dress!
/r/ four- red-card The player got four red cards during the game!
/w/ lower – win – Please be quiet or I won’t win this game, and I will get a lower
quiet score!
/y/ mayor- yes - Yes, this young man became the new mayor for New York city.

The Consonant H
This final consonant sound is voiceless and does not have a “voiced pair” that it corresponds to.

/h/ behave- happy- Who is this happy kid who always behaves?
who

ENGLISH VOWEL & DIPTHONG SOUNDS

In English, vowels are classified as front, middle and back vowels. This classification refers to the
place a specific vowel is articulated in the oral cavity. For example, /i/ is a front vowel because
the front part of the tongue goes up in the front of the mouth, and /u/ is a back vowel because
the back of the tongue goes up in the back of the mouth.

/i/ eat, read, feet Eat, read and rest your feet.

/I/ it, this, fill It’s important that you fill out the application.

/ɛ/ men, said, get He said the men are eager to get the new phone.

/ae/ add, answer, ma’am Ma’am, let me add these comments, and I’ll answer your
question.
/ɑ/ stop, lot, dollar You need to stop and count a lot of dollar bills right now.

/ɘ/ submit, focus, She suddenly focused on what she was doing and submitted
suddenly her request.
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

/ɔ/ all, thought, also He also thought about all the good times he had in Miami.

/ʊ/ full, took, look He looked around and took the bag full of groceries.

/u/ fool, cool, soup Don’t be a fool, and let the soup cool.

Diphthongs1 consist of two different vowel sounds that are closely joined together and treated
as one vowel. They are represented by two phonetic symbols. To create this sound, move your
tongue smoothly from one vowel position to another. The following vowels are diphthongs: /eɪ/
as in take, /oʊ/ as in boat, /aɪ/ as in time, /aʊ/ as in house, and /ɔɪ/ as in boy.

/eɪ/ late, , main, The main problem is that the maintenance people came
maintenance late.
/oʊ/ so, those, post, So, did he post all those comments?

/aɪ/ time, expedite, China Don’t waste time and expedite the delivery to China.

/aʊ/ found, download, town He found a map of the town, and downloaded it to his
computer.
/ɔɪ/ choice, avoid, enjoy Avoid eating junk food and enjoy the many healthy
choices you have.

1
(Information adapted from Mastering the American Accent. Barrons, 2009)
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Performance:
Phonetic Tic Tac Toe, Take each square by giving three words that use that phoneme

/ɪ/ /æ/ /θ/

/ʃ/ /v/ /eɪ/

/w/ /aɪ/ /I/

Performance:
Using the fake name generator website, practice collecting and spelling back information
(account verification)
https://www.fakenamegenerator.com/gen-random-us-us.php
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Numbers and Vocabulary

In your job, you will likely use many different types of numbers in different ways.

When you are dealing with larger numbers, it can become more complicated, but there are
some things to keep in mind. First, look at a few examples and notice the patterns:

1,000 One thousand

2,000 Two thousand
10,000 Ten thousand
11,000 Eleven thousand
20,000 Twenty thousand
21,000 Twenty-one thousand
30,000 Thirty thousand
85,000 Eighty-five thousand
100,000 One hundred thousand
999,000 Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand
1,000,000 One million
100,000,000 One hundred million
1,000,000,000 One billion
250,375,245,561 Two hundred fifty billion, three hundred seventy-five million, two
hundred forty-five thousand, five hundred sixty-one.

There are a few things to notice here.

--First of all, the numbers are still left in their singular form when expressing numbers like this.
For example, you would say “thirty thousand people,” NOT “thirty thousands people.”

--Second, depending on the context, Americans often group numbers in different ways, and this
can cause confusion for people not familiar with the language. Here are a few ways to say
different numbers, including some expressions involving decimals and currency:

NUMBER and example of use HOW IT’S SAID

3,500 (in a population statistic)
4,650,000 (population statistic)
$119.25 (amount on a bill)
5729 (unspecified use)
867-5309 (telephone number)
“three thousand five hundred” OR “thirty-five hundred”
“four million six hundred fifty thousand” OR “four point
six five million”
“one hundred nineteen dollars and twenty-five cents” OR
“one nineteen twenty-five”
“five thousand seven hundred twenty-nine” OR “fifty-
seven twenty-nine” OR “five seven two nine”
“eight six seven five three oh nine” (or “zero nine”)
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

10,067.05 (unspecified use) “ten thousand sixty-seven point oh five” OR “ten

3.975% (interest rate)
1937 (year)
401-K (type of savings account)
110th (name of street)
52nd (number of event)
421st (number of a division)
1,000,000th (ranking)
43rd (unspecified ranking)
thousand sixty-seven and five one-hundredths”
“three point nine seven five percent”
“nineteen thirty-seven”
“four oh one K”
“one hundred (and) tenth street”
“fifty-second”
“four hundred twenty-first”
“one millionth”
“forty-third”

Exercise 1: Read the numbers you find in the sentences.

-The movie was first premiered at the Charles Theater in 1882.

-Fred's Office Supplies turned an incredible profit of $24,817,919 in this past quarter.

-I'm sure you will find that the ATU 578.4 is a remarkable machine.

-Athletes from over 70 countries will be participating in the next meet to be held on the 13th of
September.

-Peter won the bean counting contest with a guess of 14,440 beans.

VOCABULARY

1. Calculate 9. Cost 17. In advance

2. Prorated 10. Status 18. MRC
3. Charges 11. Switch 19. In arrears
4. Credit 12. Rate 20. To be billed
5. Features 13. Current 21. Apply
6. Bill 14. Monthly 22. Remaining
7. Cycle 15. Daily 23. Prior
8. Schedule 16. Regardless
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

How to calculate prorated charges and credits

Scheduling changes
Changing your plan or features may result in prorated charges or credits if the change is effective in the middle
of your bill cycle. To avoid prorated charges, schedule plan or feature changes to start on the first day of your
next billing cycle.

Calculating a mid-cycle change

Answer these questions to calculate your charges when adding a new plan or feature between bill cycles. Next
we’ll work through each part using an example.
What’s the daily cost of your old and new plan or feature?
How many days was each plan or feature active? Once you know how much a plan or feature costs per day,
and how many days it was active, you can calculate prorated charges and credits.
Here’s an example that ties the calculations together. Say you switched from a $45 monthly plan to a new $60
rate plan, and you made the change 10 days into your current bill cycle.

Calculate the daily rate of your old and new plan.

Since bill cycles are set at 30 days, always divide by 30, regardless of the calendar month.
Old plan: $45 / 30 days = $1.5 daily rate
New plan: $60 / 30 days = $2 daily rate

Calculate the partial charge for new plan. Multiply the daily rate by the number of days your new plan was
active. If you changed plans ten days into your bill cycle, it means your new plan was active for 20 days.
20 days with new plan: 20 * $2 daily rate = $40 prorated charge for new plan

Calculate partial credit or charge for old plan, and pull it all together. Most customers are billed in advance for
monthly recurring charges, but some accounts are billed after the fact, which is known as being billed in
arrears.

If you’re billed in advance (most customers): Since you already paid $45 for the full month of your old plan,
we’ll apply a credit for the days you weren’t using it. In this example, your old plan was only active for 10 days,
so we’ll give you a credit for the remaining 20 days: $1.5 daily rate * 20 days = $30 credit.

In summary, after this rate plan change your next bill would have one credit and two charges:
One prorated credit for your old plan: -$30
One full month of charges billed in advance for new plan: +$60
And a partial charge for the days that your new plan was active prior to the next bill cycle: +$40

If you’re billed in arrears, then you’ll have two partial charges based on the amount of time each plan was
active during the bill cycle. In this example, you’d see a $40 charge for the 20 days you used your new plan and
$15 for the days you used your old plan.
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

EXERCISE:
Use the following concepts to role-play situations to calculate prorated charges:

Billing cycle:
Service/feature start date:
Price:
Prorated charges:

Billing cycle:
Service/feature start date:
Price:
Prorated charges:

Billing cycle:
Service/feature start date:
Price:
Prorated charges:
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Understanding Your Phone Bill

Your telephone and account number.

What is my total amount due? When is it due?

The Amount Due box includes the total of any unpaid previous balance and any new charges. Bills are due the
20th of the month. You will be charged a late fee if your balance is not paid by the date shown in
theDelinquent After box.
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

What is included in the Customer Detail Section?

New charges are listed in three key sections: Monthly Service, Other Charges/Credits and Toll (individual long
distance carrier charges).
Monthly Service consists of your basic service charges and any additional recurring services you subscribe to.
This information is detailed on page 2 of your bill.
Other Charges/Credits includes any service order charges, any partial charges for services added or removed
and any adjustments applied to your account during the current month. This section will also list any optional
calling plan savings (the toll detail, if applicable, will appear on a separate page for each carrier). Other
Charges/Credits information is detailed on page 2 of your bill.
Toll charges include each individual’s long distance carrier’s detailed charges, which will follow on separate
pages.
Please call the customer service office you have further question regarding your bill – (315) 328-4411.

Here are the basics about telephone service and how telephone service charges are incurred:
Basic Services
Your local phone bill includes a basic monthly charge for the dial tone that enables you to make and receive
calls, maintain the connection between your home and Nicholville Telephone Company’s central office, be
listed in the telephone book, get a copy of the directory.

Local calling charges

You have a "flat rate" local telephone plan in which your monthly service charge includes the ability to make
an unlimited number of calls to other phones located near you.
As a Nicholville Telephone Company customer your local calling area is:

New telephone numbers are emerging daily. If you have a question about whether a phone number is located
in our local calling area, please contact the customer service office at (315) 328-4411.

Local toll
Sometimes called "regional", local toll calls are made to places that are not close enough to be in your local
calling area but not far enough away to be handled as long distance calls.
Nicholville Telephone Company does not provide local toll service at this time. As a Nicholville Telephone
Company customer, you must select an outside local toll service provider.
Local toll calls are those made beyond the local calling area and within the (315) area code.
Charges for these calls vary depending on your local toll service provider.
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Long distance

There are many ways that you can make long distance calls. Most consumers have a regular, or
"presubscribed" long distance carrier. When you dial "1" plus the area code and the phone number, the access
code for the presubscribed carrier is automatically entered and the call is billed at the rates that company
charges.

In most parts of the country there is competition for long distance service. Calling plans can vary widely, not
only in rates but in the geographic areas they cover, and companies may offer more than one plan to choose
from. There may be a monthly fee in addition to the charge for each long distance call and there may be a
minimum monthly charge.

You can also make long distance calls using a "dial-around service." You manually enter another company's
access code (such as 10-10-XXX), then "1", the area code, and the phone number. That company will then bill
for the call based on its own rates. Look at ads for dial-around services carefully - the prices they quote may
only apply if you talk for a certain number of minutes, or the rates may vary depending on time of day or
where you are calling, and there may also be a monthly fee added.

Calling cards, which are like charge cards for telephone calls, are available from many companies. You can use
them from your home phone, a pay phone, a phone in a hotel room, or somewhere else. The charges might be
billed through your local phone company or directly by the calling card company. Depending on your calling
card company, the cost of some calls could include a surcharge in addition to the per-minute rate. There may
also be a monthly fee. Be aware that some phone companies may not accept calls made with cards issued by
other companies.

Collect calls are charged to the bill of the person whose number is being called. They can be made through a
local or long distance operator or through services offered by other companies. The rates vary according to
which company provides the service. For instance, if you call collect through an operator at a pay phone, the
cost is set by the company that provides service to the phone you're using. If you make a collect call from the
same phone through another company's 800 number collect call service, the call is billed at that company's
rates.

Pay-per-call services
These are information and entertainment services provided through 900 numbers, some 800 numbers, and
certain international phone numbers.
The rates can vary from as little as a few cents to several dollars per minute. Some pay-per-call services are
billed at a flat rate for each call.
Charges for pay-per-call services provided through 900 and 800 numbers are set by the service providers, not
the telephone companies. They will appear on a separate page in your phone bill.

Miscellaneous services
Miscellaneous services can include caller ID, call waiting, voice mail, paging, and even Internet and other non-
telephone services.
Charges for miscellaneous services will appear on the phone bill under your local monthly service charges.
Before you pay your bill, read it carefully and make sure that you are only being charged for services you have
authorized.
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Fees, surcharges, and taxes

In addition to the charges you pay for the services you use, you'll find various fees, surcharges, and taxes on
your bill. Taxes go straight to the government. Some fees and surcharges billed by telephone companies cover
the costs of carrying out government-mandated programs, others are intended to recover portions of their
operating expenses. Companies may use different terms to describe these charges.

Directory assistance
Your monthly local service charge does not include calls for directory assistance. There is an additional charge
for each call to directory assistance.
You will be charged by your long distance company for any long distance directory assistance calls you have
made using their operators.
Many local and long distance companies have begun to provide nationwide directory assistance services, with
rates that vary from company to company. You may be allowed to request more than one listing in each call to
directory assistance. Know what each company charges for directory assistance before placing the call. And if
the directory assistance operator offers to complete the call for you, be aware that there may be an additional
charge for this service.

Lifeline surcharge
Some states collect a lifeline surcharge to assist low-income consumers. New York State does not collect a
lifeline surcharge and so you will not be charged as a Nicholville Telephone Company customer.
As of July 1, 2000, low-income consumers who subscribe to Lifeline service will not be billed for the subscriber
line charge or the universal service fee.

Subscriber line charge, or End-user common line charge

This is a fee that the Federal Communications Commission allows local phone companies to charge to recover
a portion of the costs of completing long distance calls on their local networks.

Taxes
There is a federal excise tax assessed on telephone service.
You may also be charged state and municipal taxes depending on where you live.

Telecommunications relay service

Some people who have hearing or speech disabilities use a special type of text telephone, called a TTY, to
place calls.
This fee, which is charged to all customers, covers the cost of providing a "translation" service for calls
between TTYs users and people using traditional voice telephone. It also helps to subsidize the cost of
specialized telecommunications equipment for people with specific disabilities.

Universal service fees, Universal connectivity charge, Telephone assistance

Long distance companies, and most local providers, charge this fee as part of a federal program to subsidize
local telephone service for low-income consumers or those who live in areas where the cost of providing
telecommunications services is exceptionally high.
It also covers discounted communications services for schools, libraries, and rural health care facilities.

911 surcharge
This is collected on behalf of state or local governments to cover the cost of providing 911 access to
emergency services.
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

Listening Strategies - Guidelines to Effective Listening

-Pay attention to content, not to the customer’s attitude. Judge the material, not the delivery.

-Put aside emotional concerns. If you disagree with what is being said, hold your judgment or answer until the
customer has finished saying everything.

-Listen to ideas, not just to facts and words.

-Watch for clues of important information.

-Keep your mind open even if you hear emotional words.

-Be prepared to ask questions in case you need to clarify information.

-Don't stop listening or taking notes during discussion periods.

-Work on listening instead of pretending to listen.

-Resist external distractions such as someone talking or things happening around you.

LISTENING

Listen to the following phone call. Discuss with your classmates the following questions. (Contact US track 2)

1. What is the customer’s reason for calling?

2. How does the agent show empathy? Which words/phrases does she/he use?
3. If you were the agent, would you ask more questions to clarify? Which ones?
4. As the agent, what would you have done differently?
5. At end of the call, was the customer satisfied? Were the issues solved?
6. From 1 to 10, how would you grade the agent’s performance? Explain why.

QUIZ
1. The name of the company is Athletic Aroma Coffee. (true/false)
2. The caller is interested in opening a new coffee shop. (true/false)
3. Customer's phone number is (573) 692 6218 (true/false)
4. Mailing address: 273 Rock Port Ave. Sheldon, MO 65020 (true/false)
5. She was the owner of another business years ago (true/false)
 SYKES ACADEMY DAY 1

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS - COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

Asking for repetition

Sorry, could you repeat that?
I didn't quite catch that.
Could you speak up, please?
Could you say that again, please?

Asking for clarification

Would/Could you spell that, please?
Can I read that back to you?
What do you mean by…?
What does…mean?
Sorry, I'm not with you.
Sorry, I don't follow you.
Could you give me some more details, please?
Could you let me have some more information?
Could you explain that in more detail?
Could you clarify that?
Could you be more specific, please?

Solving a problem
Sorry, it's bad line. Can I call you back?

Summarizing the call

Let me go over what we've agreed.
Let me just summarize…