Help Me Out With a Phone Call Please!

[PlasticGalaxy]

A quick statement that's kind of related: I have awful social skills. My parents say I'm uninentionally witty and charming but I'm really just a big mess of social awkwardness.

Anyway. I'm hoping to call my LFS tomorrow and ask about some things before I head over later on in the week. I'd like to ask them about rocks, plants, new fish and other bits and bobs. How should I go about asking all these things?

Scoff at me for my lack of social skills if you want but I'm really just looking for a bit of advice here. I was never good at speaking anyway, so some help would be really nice if anyone could provide.

What should I say? How should I start? Should I have an order to asking these things?
Any help would be nice! Thank you!

 

[Sgooosh]

hello
i woudl like to ask some wuestions about (whatever)
ask about fish first, plants, rocks then other stuff, thats my order when i ask

very very simple

 

[PorshaF]

I think you should start with the new fish, you're enthusiastic about them. It should help break the ice and you'll be more excited about that that you may not pay much mind to being nervous. Are you getting more loaches? ? you're going to do great! I believe in you!

 

[Sgooosh]

I think you should start with the new fish, you're enthusiastic about them. It should help break the ice and you'll be more excited about that that you may not pay much mind to being nervous. Are you getting more loaches? ? you're going to do great! I believe in you!

yea thats a good idea, lets the employee get into the convo

 

[UnknownFishies]

Start out with a simple hello and then get straight to the point. It’s alright if you ask a lot of questions. I would personally start out by saying “Hello, I was wondering what new fish you have in stock” They respond by listing fish in stock and if you like a fish they listed then ask how much they are and how much they got in stock. Add on to your original question with a little chit chat and you should be good.

 

[Circus]

I believe in you! Talking to people over the phone is hard (gives me near crippling anxiety) so having a list of the questions you want to ask is good. I usually write my list out so I don't forget anything.

I usually start out with "Hello, do you have so and so in stock? Do you have *specific kind of rock* ? How much is it by the pound?" My LFS sell their rocks by weight.
Although, if this store has a Facebook page, a lot of stores will list new arrivals there.

 

[Colin_T]

What do you need/ want to know about those items?
We can answer questions too and we won't try to sell you anything.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I think you should start with the new fish, you're enthusiastic about them. It should help break the ice and you'll be more excited about that that you may not pay much mind to being nervous. Are you getting more loaches? ? you're going to do great! I believe in you!

yea thats a good idea, lets the employee get into the convo

Thank you! I didn't think about that, actually! If they have kuhli loaches, I'd definitely like to get some. I was hoping for some more upside down catfish... They only had two in stock last time (I bought both) and I'd like to get a couple more. That and I'd like an update on their black corys...

Start out with a simple hello and then get straight to the point. It’s alright if you ask a lot of questions. I would personally start out by saying “Hello, I was wondering what new fish you have in stock” They respond by listing fish in stock and if you like a fish they listed then ask how much they are and how much they got in stock. Add on to your original question with a little chit chat and you should be good.

I was thinking "Hi, I was just calling to ask a few questions?" Or something like that... Not sure!

I believe in you! Talking to people over the phone is hard (gives me near crippling anxiety) so having a list of the questions you want to ask is good. I usually write my list out so I don't forget anything.

I usually start out with "Hello, do you have so and so in stock? Do you have *specific kind of rock* ? How much is it by the pound?" My LFS sell their rocks by weight.
Although, if this store has a Facebook page, a lot of stores will list new arrivals there.

Ooh, I didn't think about the Facebook aspect... I'll have a look. Think they're pretty disconnected from social media and e-mails though, so we'll see...

What do you need/ want to know about those items?
We can answer questions too and we won't try to sell you anything.

Honestly I was just hoping to see if they had any fish I was looking for in stock...

I do have one question though: should I keep my pearl gourami? All three are female, so I might try and get a male to have a go at breeding them.

 

[OliveFish05]

Hi! My mom always makes a little list, she writes down the little things she wants to ask about on a notebook and then sits with it in her lap as she asks her questions. If you were calling your LFS with questions, it will probably go something like (I know you don’t use pounds and $ over there, but I am not good at working out metric units)

Phone:
Ring ring ring ring ring

Employee:
Hi this is the blah blah blah fish department how can I help you?

You:
Hi I was just calling with a few quick questions. Do you know when your latest shipment of fish came in, and what was included in the shipment?

Employee:
Yes our latest shipment came in on blah blah blah, our next one will be in on blah blah blah, we received fish, fish, fish, fish, plant, plant, plant, plant, this rare item, and we just stocked back up on this so and so fish

You:
Wonderful! Do you know what kinds of plants you currently have in stock?

Employee: (will either say)
Yes let me go check for you! (Comes back in a minute or two)
We currently have amazon sword, Red Ludwigia, Water Sprite, a variety of floating plants, etc, etc, etc
(OR they will say)
No sorry I am not sure what we have right now

You:
Ok, thank you! Do you know if you have so and so fish in stock, and if so what the price would be on that?

Employee
Let me put you on hold while I go check that for you!
(a minute or two later)
Unfortunately we do not have any right now, but we can put that on the list to order in our next shipment and give you a call when we get them in?

You:
That would be wonderful! The name is blah blah blah my phone number is blah bkah blah and I would be interested in purchasing 12 of those!

OR THE EMPLOYEE WILL SAY

Employee:
Hi yes we currently have those in stock, they are $3.39.

You:
Thank you, do you by any chance offer a discount if I buy a certain number?

Employee:
No unfortunately not, I’m sorry.

You:
Oh that’s alright! Do you know if you have so and so rock or driftwood in stock at this time and how much it is per pound?

Employee!
Yes we have it, it is $3 per pound

You:
Alright wonderful! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions, I appreciate it! Goodbye


The biggest thing to remember is that THE EMPLOYEE IS THERE TO HELP YOU because you are their CUSTOMER. Speak clearly, but not loud, and be polite and nothing should go wrong!

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Hi! My mom always makes a little list, she writes down the little things she wants to ask about on a notebook and then sits with it in her lap as she asks her questions. If you were calling your LFS with questions, it will probably go something like (I know you don’t use pounds and $ over there, but I am not good at working out metric units)

Phone:
Ring ring ring ring ring

Employee:
Hi this is the blah blah blah fish department how can I help you?

You:
Hi I was just calling with a few quick questions. Do you know when your latest shipment of fish came in, and what was included in the shipment?

Employee:
Yes our latest shipment came in on blah blah blah, our next one will be in on blah blah blah, we received fish, fish, fish, fish, plant, plant, plant, plant, this rare item, and we just stocked back up on this so and so fish

You:
Wonderful! Do you know what kinds of plants you currently have in stock?

Employee: (will either say)
Yes let me go check for you! (Comes back in a minute or two)
We currently have amazon sword, Red Ludwigia, Water Sprite, a variety of floating plants, etc, etc, etc
(OR they will say)
No sorry I am not sure what we have right now

You:
Ok, thank you! Do you know if you have so and so fish in stock, and if so what the price would be on that?

Employee
Let me put you on hold while I go check that for you!
(a minute or two later)
Unfortunately we do not have any right now, but we can put that on the list to order in our next shipment and give you a call when we get them in?

You:
That would be wonderful! The name is blah blah blah my phone number is blah bkah blah and I would be interested in purchasing 12 of those!

OR THE EMPLOYEE WILL SAY

Employee:
Hi yes we currently have those in stock, they are $3.39.

You:
Thank you, do you by any chance offer a discount if I buy a certain number?

Employee:
No unfortunately not, I’m sorry.

You:
Oh that’s alright! Do you know if you have so and so rock or driftwood in stock at this time and how much it is per pound?

Employee!
Yes we have it, it is $3 per pound

You:
Alright wonderful! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all my questions, I appreciate it! Goodbye


The biggest thing to remember is that THE EMPLOYEE IS THERE TO HELP YOU because you are their CUSTOMER. Speak clearly, but not loud, and be polite and nothing should go wrong!

Ahaha, thank you so much! This is really helpful actually, I really can't stand unpredictable situations, so this is great!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

When I call my LFS, they always answer:

“Movie Vault and PETropilis, this is **** how may I help you?”

Then I’ll usually say, “Good morning, (or whatever time of day it is) I was wondering... How much your Bettas are? Do you have this type of plant in stock. Do you have any loaches by chance?”

All of those are just examples. ^

Conversations over the phone, with me and my LFS, usually don’t last more than 30 seconds, because all I need to know is the cost of 1 or 2 things.

——

It may help to write out what you want to say, before calling.

Good luck!

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

When I call my LFS, they always answer:

“Movie Vault and PETropilis, this is **** how may I help you?”

Then I’ll usually say, “Good morning, (or whatever time of day it is) I was wondering... How much your Bettas are? Do you have this type of plant in stock. Do you have any loaches by chance?”

All of those are just examples. ^

Conversations over the phone, with me and my LFS, usually don’t last more than 30 seconds, because all I need to know is the cost of 1 or 2 things.

——

It may help to write out what you want to say, before calling.

Good luck!

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind!

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Just write down a list of questions(in point form) that you want to ask.

And go straight to the point when they pick up your call to prevent wasting of time.

 

[Colin_T]

ring ring

yeah ghostbusters, what do ya want?

 

[Sgooosh]

ring ring

yeah ghostbusters, what do ya want?

*theme song plays*