Being Tactful

So usually when we’re trying to get information from somebody whether it’s calling the airport because you lost your phone or maybe you’re calling the owner of an apartment because maybe you’d like to take a look or maybe you need to call about some tickets that you booked and you have a question.

Whatever.

You probably never talked with that person before.

The person you’re calling and so it’s very important to be tactful being tactful is doing things in a way which is respectful of others or or polite.

So let’s look at a couple of really common phrases we can use when we want to ask for information in a tactful way or ask for information tactfully.

So we could say I’m wondering instead of saying I want to know.

Or tell me now you can sometimes say Could you please tell me.

That’s fine.

Could you please tell me if that’s totally OK.

But sometimes if we say yes I want to know it can be a bit too too direct.

Right.

Do you think you could tell me so instead of saying please tell me which is again OK.

Do you think you could tell me.

It’s very this is very soft soft.

So this one I’m wondering I’m wondering if you could give me some information about the tickets the prices for the tickets for tomorrow’s concert at your venue a venue is where a concert is held.

I’m wondering do you think you could tell me the prices for Section C for the venue tomorrow and whether or not you have any tickets still available.

Do you think you could tell me.

That’s very very polite.

So you have to keep in mind that one might be in some cases too polite.

OK.

I’m trying to find out now.

This is maybe when you would have asked several people before and not been successful you might use this one.

Yeah I’m trying to find out whether there are still any tickets available for the concert tomorrow.

But the last person I called didn’t know.

So they gave me your number.

I’m trying to find out if there are any tickets still available.

OK.

I’d like to know.

I’d like to know.

Yeah.

I’d like to know if there are any tickets still available for the concert tomorrow night especially in Section C.

OK this is a way to ask even though you’re saying I’d like to know you’re not really asking a question but after you say what it is you’d like to know.

That means please tell me.

So by using I’d like to know even though it isn’t a question they’re going to tell you what you’d like to know if they know it.

So it’s kind of suggested there.

It doesn’t have to be a question and it’s the same for it’s the same for this one.

Right.

This is a question do you think.

OK.

But these three one two three are all statements that are ways to say what we want in a polite way and then we get the information back.

I’m inquiring about.

I’m inquiring about this one actually uses the word for today’s topic.

Yeah I’m inquiring about whether or not whether or not there are still tickets available for tomorrow’s for tomorrow’s concert.

Yes there are.

Oh that’s great.

Now I’m wondering if you have any tickets available still in Section C in Section C.

Oh yes we do actually.

Oh that’s great.

Well that’s great.

I’d like to know I’d like to know the price of the tickets if that’s possible.

So you can use these even if it’s within one phone call within one situation you can use several of these as a way to get that information in a very polite way.

And when you show others respect when you are tactful when you express things in a way which is a little less direct then usually people want to help you and they may even go out of their way for have room to write this out of their way to help you.

That means they might do more than they would normally do because you’re being so so polite so respectful of their time right.

Sometimes we can use a couple other phrases we could say someone goes above and beyond above and beyond for you or above and beyond what you you expect them to do right.

Or they they go the extra mile.

These two both mean that someone or you are willing to do more than what normally you or they would do.

And for whatever reason you’re a very helpful person.

So if someone remembers that person later let’s say they worked and called five people to get me my tickets and it was not easy for them.

They didn’t have to do that.

I could say well thank you for going the extra mile for me to get these tickets.

Really means a lot to me.

I really appreciate that.

It means a lot to me.

Aw thank you for going above and beyond.

Aw she really went above and beyond to get me those tickets.

I was really grateful all of these are common and basically the idea is when we have or or need to make an inquiry we should be tactful.