Tag Archives: Call center phrases in Spanish

Call Center Spanish

Spanish Call Center Phrases

In our earlier post, we highlighted the rising demand for bi-lingual call center employees in the Philippines and how learning Spanish can help call center agents in boosting their salaries.

Today, we discuss some of the most important Spanish call center phrases that may be useful for call center agents taking calls from Spanish speaking customers.

We will begin with the introductory phrases and then discuss some more phrases around asking for payment information, discussing the problem, etc.

1) Welcoming the customer

On picking the call, you would usually thank the customer for calling the call center and then introduce yourself.

Let us learn how to say ‘Thank you for calling the call center’

  • We know that ‘Thank you’ = Gracias
  • For = Por (whenever we express gratitude or apology, always use ‘por’ and not ‘para’)
  • To call (infinitive) = Llamar
  • The call center = el centro de llamadas (literally center of calls)
  • Now, calling the call center literally becomes calling to the call center. Where to = a
  • We know that to the = a + el on contraction becomes ‘al’

Hence,
Thank you for calling the call center = Gracias por llamar al centro de llamadas

You can also say, Thank you for your call
Call = Llamada
Thank you for your call = Gracias por su llamada

2) Introduce yourself:
  • Hello! I am… (This is…) = ¡Hola! Soy…
  • Hello! My name is… = ¡Hola! Me llamo…
  • Good morning! = ¡Buenos días!
  • Good afternoon! / Good evening! = ¡Buenas tardes!
  • How can I help you?/ How can I serve you? / What can I do for you? = ¿En qué puedo servirle?

More phrases to help you introduce yourself in Spanish

3) Transferring/ Holding:
  • One moment, please = Un momento, por favor
  • I am going to transfer your call = Voy a transferir su llamada
    • I am going = (Yo) voy
    • To transfer = Transferir (we don’t conjugate it as we have already conjugated ‘voy’)
    • Your call = Su llamada

More phrases to help you with phone conversations in Spanish

4) Payment information:
  • Can you give me your card number? = ¿Puede darme su número de tarjeta?
    • Can/To be able to = Poder; You can = Puede
    • To give = dar (we don’t need to conjugate it, as we have conjugated ‘poder‘)
    • Can you give = Puede dar
    • Now, in the sentence, Can you give me your card number?; You = subject (the person doing the action), card number = direct object (being given), me = indirect object
    • Place the indirect object either before the conjugated verb ‘puede’ (Me puede dar) or attach it to the infinitive ‘dar’ (Puede darme)
    • Can you give me = Puede darme
  • What is your area code? = ¿Cuál es su código de área?
5) Discussing the problem:
  • What seems to be the problem? = ¿Cuál parece ser el problema?
    • To seem = Parecer; It seems = Parece
    • To be = ser
    • Remember, even though ‘problema’ ends in -a, it is masculine
  • Is it broken? = ¿Está roto?
  • I understand your concern = Entiendo su preocupación
    • To understand = Entender, I understand = Entiendo
  • I’m sorry, it is not our policy = Lo siento, no es nuestra política
Vocabulary:
  • agent = agente
  • area code = código de área
  • call = llamada
  • to call = llamar
  • call center = centro de llamadas
  • customer service = servicio al cliente
  • database = base de datos
  • delay = retraso
  • help desk = mesa de ayuda
  • I am sorry = Lo siento
  • international = internacional
  • please = por favor
  • representative = representante
  • technical support representative = representante de soporte técnico
  • toll free = gratuito/a
  • toll-free customer service hotline =  línea directa gratuita de servicio al cliente
  • thank you = gracias

More Vocabulary: Tagalog to Spanish audio dictionary, English to Spanish dictionary
More free lessons and interactive games: CultureAlley Spanish

How learning Spanish can help boost the salaries for Call Center employees in the Philippines

According to industry sources, the Philippines expects to boost its revenues from call centers to nearly $15 billion by 2016.

The Philippines was formerly a Spanish colony.

However, not many Filipinos speak the colloquial language Spanish today. But the ones who do, are fast realizing  that it enables them to secure higher wages in the outsourcing industry!

The call centers in the Philippines have been expanding their market from being predominantly English-speaking to other languages – with a big focus on Spanish.

The governments of Spain and the Philippines have teamed up to establish crash language courses which could make the Philippines a leader in the growing call-center industry.

A Google search on ‘Philippines Spanish Call Centers’ today, will yield numerous results with job openings in some of the biggest call centers in the Philippines.

The aim is also to serve the growing Hispanic market in the USA, and in Latin America. These constitute several millions of Spanish-speaking people growing at a much faster rate than any other demographic with a purchasing power estimated at around $1.5 trillion by 2015 (Nielsen Report).

Given the size, the call center opportunities for serving this market are tremendous – and being bi-lingual (English and Spanish) pays a premium.

As a YaleGlobal report points out:

A vanguard of Filipinos are discovering that they can earn double, even triple, the amount that their counterparts receive if they can trill phrases like “¿Puede darme su número de tarjeta?” = Can you give me your card number?

On-line job ads are popping up as companies like Stream Global Services, Convergys, Sutherland Global Services and Sykes Asia, Inc. have figured that assembling teams of bilingual English/Spanish-speakers would be a worthwhile experiment.

Clearly, knowing Spanish is a big plus for call center employees looking to secure higher wages in the Philippines!

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Some key call center phrases in Spanish