Describe a review you read about a product or service – Cue Card # 765
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- Last Updated: Monday, 30 May 2022 12:01
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
Describe a review you read about a product or service.
You should say:
- where you read this review
- what the product or service was
- what information the review gave about the product or service
and explain what you did as a result of reading this review.
[Instruction: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer:
I don’t really rely upon any kind of product reviews that much before buying anything mainly because such reviews don’t always give us a clear picture of a particular product or brand. But, still, about a few months ago, I decided to go over some reviews before deciding to buy an air cooler.
Of course, the air cooler, I was trying to buy, was made by one of the most prestigious and reliable electronics companies in my country, which meant the product didn’t really need any kind of introduction or favourable reviews or opinions to pursue its customers. But, still, I decided to read the reviews because one of my friends had insisted that I better read some of the product reviews, no matter the products were made by some famous brands or some unknown brands. I read the review online – on a famous product comparison website in my country.
Anyway, as I started to read some of the product reviews of the so-called “prestigious and reliable” company, I noticed that most of the reviews came negative, contrary to what I actually had anticipated. Initially, after reading those reviews, I thought that they were just some “mad” customers for whatever the reasons that might be, but as I started to read a bit more carefully with a critical mind, I found out that most of those people, who left their reviews, were rather knowledgeable about how an air cooler should have performed under what kinds of weather. To my surprise, I found that they were also familiar with a lot of engineering details or features of many parts of an air cooler, which meant that they were not just saying something out of some “speculation”.
In the end, I didn’t really buy the air cooler of the so-called popular and reliable company as I thought that most of the negative reviews on that particular product were authentic and supported by facts and data. Besides, after reading those reviews, I also came to know about what core factors really to consider before buying an air cooler or, for that matter, any other electronics products. So, I am glad that I decided to read those reviews.
Part: 3
Discussion topics: Online reviews
Q. 1) What kinds of things do people write online reviews about in your country?
Answer: Just like in many other parts of the world, where the internet is available, online reviews are gaining huge popularity in my country as well, especially, in service-oriented industries like hotels, restaurants, tourism and transportation, perhaps because these industries have a better online presence in my country. To a lesser extent, of course, some non-perishable items, like clothing, furniture, electronic appliances and home appliances, that are sold online, are also able to generate online reviews to help customers make an informed decision.
Q. 2) Why do some people write online reviews?
Answer: To put it simply, some people like to offer online reviews for the same reasons that motivate them to leave offline reviews. And the reasons, of course, are either that they are frustrated or upset about using certain products and services, or they are really excited about using them. Sometimes, some people write online reviews also because they have made it their habit. But, for whatever reasons that they might write those reviews, the end result is pretty much the same: creating awareness among the prospective customers at the end of the day.
Q. 3) Do you think that online reviews are good for both shoppers and companies?
Answer: Yes, I do think that online reviews are good and positive things for both the customers and companies for more than one reason. The primary reason, of course, is it doesn’t only inform the customers or shoppers about the possible benefits or drawbacks of using a certain product or service but it also forces the companies to amend their ways of doing business for better, and fixing the possible flaws with their products and services. Besides, it also helps build a trusting relationship between the customers and companies that is mutually beneficial for both parties.
Topic: Customer service
Q. 4) What do you think it might be like to work in a customer service job?
Answer: No doubt, it is a tough question to answer since customer service isn’t exactly like any other job. Having said that, however, a customer service job can be both rewarding and challenging, depending on what kinds of customers we are dealing with. If the customers are fairly rational and don’t like to complain too much about the choices they make in life, then perhaps this job can be rewarding. On the other hand, if customers don’t like to leave an inch from their demands of receiving it “all”, then the chances are that a customer service job is a very challenging one.
Q. 5) Do you agree that customers are more likely to complain nowadays?
Answer: Well, from what I have seen so far with my personal life experience, I can easily agree with the fact that customers indeed are more likely to complain these days, primarily because people, in general, are expecting more out of their life in whichever manner possible. Besides, it is also possible that customers nowadays are more aware of their “rights” as customers, and as a result of this, they think that it is absolutely okay to complain about the products and services that they pay for.
Q. 6) How important is it for companies to take all customer complaints seriously?
Answer: In my opinion, it is absolutely important that companies consider all customer complaints valid and serious if they really want to stay in the competition. After all, tons of other companies are also trying their best to gain their – the same customers that are – businesses at the same time, and just a simple customer service blunder can make that happen. Now, while all companies would do good to take all kinds of customer complaints rather seriously, customers should also be well-advised not to complain indiscriminately.