Confirming Information

So far in our hotel dialogue we’ve finalized the number of guests dates room type any preferences and answered any questions.

OK now we need to get down to the personal information because that’s what’s needed in order to make the booking actually put it into the system so that when you arrive here able to actually check in check in is what you do when you get to the hotel.

The reason you usually don’t do that at the very beginning is because they’re probably not ready to write down that information.

So generally they will ask that toward the end.

Different places are different but I used to actually do this job it was one of my first jobs and I had to take reservations over the phone very often take bookings over the phone every day.

And this is how it went step by step.

We had a step guide that we had to follow as receptionists.

Anyway let me just get your personal information so I can finalize the booking.

So I’ve got everything down but I need to connect it to something so that we can maybe call you if there are any problems or charge you if you don’t show up for example for the first night.

OK let me get let me get could also say just like we’re ordering in a restaurant could I have could I have.

That’s fine too.

Let me get your personal information so I can finalize finalized means to make something final.

It’s a verb form any sort of process that has steps and then you want to make sure these steps are finished.

We could say we should finalize this before we go on to the next thing.

Let’s finalize it.

Very useful verb.

OK let me just get your personal information so I can finalize the booking.

Could I have your full name and phone number now.

Full name is generally first name middle name last name in English the last name is the family name first name is the given name and the middle name is also given names who have family name and a given name given name is the one that is given to you.

Family name is the one that you get because of your family.

So my family name is pretty and my given name is Luke.

Ok.

Sure.

That means all right.

No problem.

It’s Luke pretty.

Now most people know how to spell Luke.

Generally it’s either spelled l UK E or L you see if I have a French accent maybe I have to spell it l you c and because that’s how it’s sometimes spelled in France but because I have an American accent they will write down probably l U.K.

e because that’s how it’s spelled in America typically.

OK.

So last name.

Last name my last name is weird.

I need to spell that because a lot of people think my last name is pretty.

Actually it’s PR I d d y.

But if you say it pretty pretty pretty it’s pretty much the same pronunciation as pretty.

Because when we say pretty actually we usually say that as a light D.

Pretty pretty pretty basically exactly the same.

OK.

So I need to be very careful and I need to spell out each letter.

And when you want to do that over the phone does it add it it added that it added a you will spell out the letter say the letter and then another word that starts with the same letter just so it can’t be confused.

Can we do that with as in this is the phrase we use as in OK.

Sure.

It’s loop pretty last name P as in Penguin pup of a penguin are as in Rhino.

I as in India d as In dog D as in dog you only use the same one if it’s two letters that are the same y as in yellow the phone number is 4 1 9 7 5 2 7 3 8 3.

And again I could write that with the parentheses around it like that.

OK let me repeat the number back to you.

We should we should do these gotta write the rolls again.

Receptionist guest receptionist guest all right.

So the receptionist says Let me repeat the number back to you.

Now there’s going to be a mistake for 1 9 7 5 3 7 3 8 3 OK.

So it’s actually 2.

Right now if somebody gets a number wrong and you want to correct them don’t say the whole number again.

If you say no no no it’s 4 1 9 7 5 2 7 3 8 3.

You say the whole thing again you’re going to get into a situation where they’re confused they’re confused about which one was wrong.

It’s it’s difficult because it’s on the phone being on the phone with someone can be confusing.

For example hearing pretty and pretty pretty and pretty can be very difficult right.

So that’s why we use this as in sort of structure to clarify it.

And then when we have a mistake with numbers we use when we want to correct something only three numbers not the whole thing.

You can use the wrong number in the middle or the wrong number at the end or at the beginning but you need to stress it stressed the wrong number.

And then the right number and the other two should be unstressed unstressed like this.

No sorry not 7 5 3 it’s 7 5 2 No sorry not 7 5 3 it’s 7 5 2.

That means all of the other numbers are correct.

You don’t need to change them.

OK.

Got it.

OK.

I see.

I see.

So that’s how we do that on the phone.

This is a way to clarify when a mistake has been made.

And another very important thing is when you’re dealing with Americans don’t use for example double double to double six triple three.

Don’t do that.

Don’t do that you will confuse American English speakers a great deal avoid it just say the number one by one one by one.

OK so let’s move on.

The receptionist says.

Got it means I understand the number.

I’ve got all that information.

Got your name and I need your credit card information or credit card number to hold the room hold the room.

That’s the purpose of a booking.

It needs to be held usually hotels have the policy of charging you for the first night not all the nights but the first night.

If you don’t show up if you make the booking and then you don’t cancel 24 hours before then they’re going to charge you for the whole first night.

Sort of as a punishment or a fee.

Sure it’s.

And then you say the number.

And what’s the expiration date.

It’s done Ed.

And the code on the back it’s OK.

So there’s that code on the back.

There’s the expiration date when you want to say that very simply just use it or it is very very basic stuff.

But they will usually get those three details from you your name your phone number sometimes your email address to send you maybe a confirmation confirmation and they will also get your credit card info in case you don’t show up and they need to charge you.

They need to reserve it for you so that they don’t lose a bunch of money not being able to put other people in a room where nobody is going to stay.