Apologizing for Mistakes at Work｜Useful French Phrases for Business
Izumi French Garden
Responding to Customer Inquiries｜French for Business Communication
Izumi
In business settings, you may receive inquiries from customers by phone, email, or in person.
Expressions such as “Please hold for a moment,” “I will check with the person in charge,” or “I will provide you with information about …” are essential for polite and reassuring communication.
In this lesson, I will introduce some basic French phrases useful for customer interactions and explain the key grammar points.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour, j’aimerais avoir des informations sur vos services, s’il vous plaît.
（Hello, I would like some information about your services.）
Bonjour, bien sûr. De quel service s’agit-il exactement ?
（Hello, of course. Which service are you referring to exactly?）
C’est au sujet de la livraison. Combien de temps cela prend-il ?
（It is regarding the delivery. How long does it take?）
La livraison prend généralement deux à trois jours ouvrables.
（Delivery usually takes two to three business days.）
Très bien, je vous remercie pour ces informations.
（Very well, thank you for this information.）
Je vous en prie. N’hésitez pas à nous recontacter si vous avez d’autres questions.
（You’re welcome. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again if you have any further questions.）
1. Expressing “It’s about …”
One of the most common expressions in inquiries is “il s’agit de …”.
- De quel service s’agit-il ?
(Which service is it about?)
Literally, it means “it concerns …,” but in business conversations it is used with the nuance of “it’s about …” or “you are asking about ….”
You can also use:
- C’est au sujet de … (It is about …)
→ Common, but slightly more direct. - Il s’agit de …
→ More formal and polite in tone.
2. Using Adverbs for Polite Explanations
In customer service, it is important to provide information without sounding too absolute. Adverbs help soften your statements.
Commonly used adverbs include:
- généralement (generally, usually)
- environ (about, approximately)
- en principe (in principle, as a rule)
Examples:
- La livraison prend généralement deux à trois jours ouvrables.
(Delivery usually takes two to three business days.) - Cela coûte environ cinquante euros.
(It costs about fifty euros.)
Adding these adverbs creates a polite and professional tone.
3. Expressing Gratitude and Polite Responses
When responding to customer inquiries, always include polite expressions of thanks and reassurance.
- Je vous remercie. (Thank you.)
→ More formal and business-appropriate. - Je vous en prie. (You’re welcome.)
→ Standard polite reply to Merci.
At the end of a conversation, adding:
- N’hésitez pas à nous recontacter.
(Please do not hesitate to contact us again.)
This phrase literally means “Don’t hesitate to …,” and helps the customer feel comfortable about reaching out again.
4. Common Phrases for Phone and Email
Since many inquiries are received by phone or email, it is useful to master common set phrases:
- Un instant, s’il vous plaît.
(One moment, please.) - Je vais vérifier cela pour vous.
(I will check that for you.) - Je vous enverrai les détails par e-mail.
(I will send you the details by email.)
These expressions make customer communication smoother and more professional.
Summary
- il s’agit de …
= Formal expression for “it is about ….” - Adverbs (généralement, environ, etc.)
= Avoid sounding too absolute, add politeness. - Je vous remercie / Je vous en prie
= Basic expressions of gratitude and response. - N’hésitez pas à …
= Encourages the customer to contact you freely, building trust. - Set phrases such as “Please hold,” “I will check,” or “I will send you the details” ensure smoother customer service.
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