Hello, and welcome to “Under Pressure Enterprises”, Customer Service Department. This is Kelly. How may I help you?

HEWITT: Yes, I’m calling about one of your rice cookers I just purchased. (Example)

CR: What seems to be the problem, sir?

H: Seems? There’s no seeming about it! The blasted thing shoots hot steam all over the place, that’s what! It nearly scalded my hand when I went to open it. Why it could have killed the cat or something. It could have exploded and killed my wife and me!

CR: Sir, sir, please calm down. As long as the steam escapes the cooker, it won’t explode.

H: So you’re telling me there’s no problem! Are you calling me a liar?

CR: Sir, no one is calling you a liar.

H: Yes! So I demand a full refund!

CR: Under Pressure will be happy to refund your money, sir. Now I just need some basic information.

H: OK, OK. Sorry. I do tend to get a little hot under the collar. My wife tells me to slow down… So, what do you need to know?

CR: Sir, don’t worry. I just need to ask you the model number of the cooker.

H: {[Hmmm… where are my glasses? Ah, here! Let’s see… ah. It’s R242. ][1]}(Q1)

CR: R242. OK, and how much did you pay for the product?

H: {[89.99 (Q2) pounds.][2]} It was on sale, I guess I should tell you.

CR: Thank you, that’s honest of you. Now, where did you buy the cooker? Which store and which branch?

H: At that big Electric Life appliance store downtown.

CR: {[The City Centre Branch?][3]} (Q3)

H: That’s the one.

CR: And you say the problem is that the steam escapes?

H: Yes, it does!

CR: No problem, sir. If there’s steam escaping, clearly the cooker is broken or defective. {[So we have an R242 cooker with an escaping steam (Q4) problem. ][4]}It was bought from Electric Life’s City Centre Branch for 89.99. Is that correct?

H: Yes, that is correct.

CR: Oh, I nearly forget. When did you buy the cooker?

H: Just as soon as my wife got the crazy idea she’ll live longer if she stops eating good English food: roast beef and mash. No, all she says she wants is rice and vegetables and sauces you’d not soak your feet in!

CR: Sir, sir! When did you buy it?

H: Oh, there I go again. Let’s see… we bought it just six months ago! We hardly used it either. But six months? Is that too long? I mean for the warranty?

CR: Very well, that’s well within the warranty period. Now, what’s your name and address?

H: Name and address! What for?

CR: Sir, it is company policy. If you want your money, you must in form me. {[Money you say? Oh, my name is Herbert Hewitt and my address is 84 Park Road. ][5]}(Q5)

CR: Is that here in Coventry?

H {[Yes. The postal code is B0241DJ (Q6). ][6]}But I don’t think sending things in the mail is very secure or very efficient. I mean…

CR: Don’t worry, Mr. Hewitt, don’t worry. {[We can credit the money to your credit card (Q7). ][7]}You do have one, don’t you?

H: Yes, that’s how we paid for the cooker.

CR: Oh, yes. We still have the number on computer. I only need to ask your card’s expiry date.

H: I’m afraid I never give that sort of information out. I mean, once you have that, anyone could go charging things and…

CR: Sir! I said your expiry date, not your card’s password.

H: Oh, er, yes. Foolish me. Of course, you didn’t say “password”. Let’s see. {[That will be April 2008. (Q8)][8]}

CR: April 2008. Very well, your card still has nearly two months left to go. {[We’ll get that refund (Q9) right to you, probably by five o’clock this evening.][9]}

H: You had better! If I don’t get my money… wait, wait. Yes, I know I’m losing my temper again. I really am sorry. I haven’t had my medicine today.

CR: And sir, just one more question for our record. How often do you go shopping at the City Centre Branch?

H: Oh, well it’s hard to say. {[I suppose maybe once a month (Q10). ][10]}But I can tell you this, if I don’t get my refund, I’ll never shop there again! (He hangs up the phone.)

CR: (sigh) I think it’s time to start looking for another job!

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