Business English Podcast · Phone & Video Calls · Episode 01

Calling a Customer to Confirm an Appointment

One short call, one confirmed appointment: securing the date, time and place — and ending the call professionally.

B1 · Dialogue · 3 Min. · free

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Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published 28 July 2026

Confirming an Appointment by Phone

SceneDaniel calls the customer Mrs Carter to confirm Thursday's maintenance appointment: checking the time, arranging access, stating the duration — and saying goodbye politely.

0:00 / 3 Min.

Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

✓ To the comprehension test

Daniel — Service scheduling, heating technology companyMrs Carter — Customer, office building management

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Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

German support

Mrs CarterCarter Property Management, Susan Carter speaking.

DanielGood morning, Mrs Carter. This is Daniel Weber calling from Berger Heating Systems. I'm calling to confirm your maintenance appointment for this Thursday. Is now a good time? It will only take a minute.Ich rufe an, um Ihren Wartungstermin für diesen Donnerstag zu bestätigen. Passt es gerade?

Mrs CarterYes, of course. Thursday — that was the boiler service, wasn't it? We've had it in the calendar for weeks.

DanielThat's right. Our technician is scheduled for Thursday at ten o'clock in the morning. Does that still work for you? If not, we could also offer Friday afternoon.Unser Techniker ist für Donnerstag um zehn Uhr eingeplant. Passt das noch für Sie?

Mrs CarterTen o'clock works fine. How long will the service take, roughly? I ask because we have a fire inspection in the afternoon.

DanielRoughly two hours, so he should be finished by midday, well before your inspection. He will also replace the two filters we discussed in spring, at no extra cost. He will need access to the boiler room in the basement — could someone let him in?Er braucht Zugang zum Heizungsraum im Keller – könnte ihn jemand hereinlassen?

Mrs CarterYes, our caretaker is on site from eight o'clock. Just tell your technician to ring the bell at the side entrance, not the main door — the main door stays locked before nine, so the bell there won't help him.

DanielNoted — the side entrance, and ask for the caretaker. I'll put that on the work order. Could I quickly check your mobile number in case anything changes? We have oh-one-seven-six, three-three-oh, five-five-eight.Ich notiere das auf dem Arbeitsauftrag. Darf ich kurz Ihre Handynummer prüfen, falls sich etwas ändert?

Mrs CarterThat's correct. And you'll send a confirmation by email as well? I'd like to forward it to our caretaker.

DanielYes, you'll receive a written confirmation within the next hour, with the technician's name and our office number. If anything changes on our side, we'll call you on your mobile straight away. Thank you for your time, Mrs Carter. Then we see us on Thursday!

Mrs CarterWe'll see each other, you mean — or simply: see you on Thursday! That's the usual phrase. Either way, we look forward to it.Auf Englisch sagt man „see you on Thursday" – nicht „we see us".

DanielHa — thank you, that's a very German sentence, isn't it? See you on Thursday, Mrs Carter. Goodbye!

Mrs CarterGoodbye, Mr Weber, and thanks for calling ahead — it makes our planning much easier.

Key phrases

to confirm

to say officially that something is fixed or correct

I am calling to confirm our appointment for Monday.

Is now a good time?

polite phone question asking if the person can talk

Hello, this is Anna from sales — is now a good time?

scheduled for

planned to happen at a fixed time

The technician is scheduled for Friday at nine.

Does that still work for you?

question checking that an arranged time is still convenient

We said 2 pm — does that still work for you?

roughly

approximately, not exactly

The installation takes roughly three hours.

caretaker

the person who looks after a building

The caretaker will open the boiler room for you.

work order

the document describing a job for a technician

The access details are on the work order.

written confirmation

an email or letter confirming what was agreed

You will receive a written confirmation today.

Language notes

In this episode a scheduler confirms a maintenance appointment by phone: checking the time, arranging access, securing a callback number, confirming in writing. You learn the key phrases for confirmation calls in English (level B1) — and why "wir sehen uns" is not "we see us".

The confirmation call in four steps

Daniel's call follows a clear sequence: introduce yourself and state the reason ("I'm calling to confirm …"), check the details ("Does that still work for you?"), settle the practical questions (access, duration, callback number) and secure it in writing ("You'll receive a written confirmation"). The opening question "Is now a good time?" is more than politeness — it gives the customer control of the conversation and belongs in every unscheduled business call.

Repeating details out loud

Twice, Daniel audibly repeats what he has understood: "Noted — the side entrance, and ask for the caretaker", and the mobile number digit by digit. This read-back is standard practice on English business calls, especially for numbers, names and locations. It does not sound pedantic but professional — and it prevents exactly the misunderstandings that arise quickly on the phone without facial expressions and gestures.

Direct-translation trap: "we see us"

Daniel's goodbye "Then we see us on Thursday!" is the word-for-word translation of "Dann sehen wir uns am Donnerstag". The reflexive "uns" does not carry over into English: the correct fixed phrase is "See you on Thursday!", more formally "I look forward to seeing you on Thursday", or — to stress the mutual meeting — "We'll see each other on Thursday". The same pattern applies to "Wir hören uns": not "we hear us", but "Speak soon" or "We'll talk soon".

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level B1 (CEFR). The phone call uses clear everyday business English; all eight key phrases are explained bilingually.

How do I confirm an appointment in English on the phone?

In four steps: state the reason ("I'm calling to confirm …"), check the details ("Does that still work for you?"), settle the practical points (access, duration, callback number) and follow up in writing ("You'll receive a written confirmation").

Is "wir sehen uns" "we see us" in English?

No! "We see us" is a typical direct translation by German speakers. Correct is "See you on Thursday!", "I look forward to seeing you" or "We'll see each other". And "wir hören uns" is "Speak soon" — not "we hear us".

Is there a transcript to read along?

Yes, the full transcript with German support notes is on this page — listen first, then take the test, then read along.

Where can I practise English phone calls live?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services (englisch-lehrer.com/online): live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, including phone-call training, for companies and individuals across Germany — book a free consultation directly on the page.

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

The podcast trains your ear — in our online lessons you practise the conversation yourself, with real teachers. For companies across Germany since 2004.

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