Lesson 7: Complaints and Customer Service
Practice expressing complaints politely yet firmly, requesting replacements or refunds, and navigating a brief dispute in real-life customer service situations.
About this lesson
In this lesson, you will learn how to describe problems with a purchased product or service, file a complaint, and insist on a resolution — all while maintaining a professional tone. You will practise key phrases for polite requests (Konjunktiv II), vocabulary related to warranties and returns, and how to argue your position effectively in a short exchange with customer service staff.
40 minutes
What you'll learn
- Use polite yet assertive requests with Konjunktiv II (könnte, würde, hätte).
- Apply core complaints vocabulary: Garantie, Rückerstattung, Umtausch, Mangel, Kulanz.
- Describe a problem and prior experience using Perfekt/Präteritum, and propose solutions or deadlines.
- Respond to a refusal and hold a brief, well-reasoned discussion while keeping a professional tone.
- Complete and understand the standard components of a formal complaint letter (Anrede, Betreff, Schluss).