IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a complaint you made and were satisfied with the result.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a complaint you made and were satisfied with the result.
You should say:

• When it happened

• Who you complained to

• What the complaint was about
  And explain why you were satisfied with the result

1. Speaking Expressions

• To cut a long story short… (Tóm ngắn lại…)

• I ended up complaining to… (Cuối cùng tôi đã phàn nàn với…)

• It was about… (Đó là về…)

• They went the extra mile by… (Họ đã nỗ lực thêm bằng cách…)

• I was genuinely impressed because… (Tôi thực sự ấn tượng vì…)

2. Ideas & Collocations

• Faulty product (sản phẩm bị lỗi)

• Service not up to standard (dịch vụ không đạt chuẩn)

• Speak to a manager (nói chuyện với quản lý)

• Receive a full refund (nhận hoàn tiền 100%)

• Get a replacement item (được đổi sản phẩm mới)

• Swift response time (thời gian phản hồi nhanh chóng)

• Customer‑friendly policy (chính sách thân thiện với khách hàng)

• Above and beyond (vượt trên mong đợi)

• Reassured my confidence (khôi phục niềm tin của tôi)

• Turn a negative into a positive (biến tiêu cực thành tích cực)

3. Sample Answer

To cut a long story short, the complaint I made that left me satisfied with the result happened about six months ago. I had purchased a smartwatch online from a well‑known electronics retailer, but when it arrived, the screen was cracked and the watch wouldn’t power on properly.

I ended up complaining to their customer service hotline first, but after a long hold time and unhelpful generic replies, I escalated the issue by speaking to a manager via their live chat. It was about receiving a faulty product and the inconvenience of waiting because I needed a watch for my daily fitness routine.

The manager went the extra mile by arranging for an immediate pickup of the damaged item at my doorstep and promised to ship a replacement the very next day. They also offered a discount voucher for my next purchase as an apology for the trouble. True to their word, a brand‑new smartwatch arrived within 48 hours, in perfect condition.

I was genuinely impressed because of the swift response time and customer‑friendly policy. Instead of making me wait weeks for an exchange, they turned a frustrating situation into a positive experience. The whole process was smooth, and they kept me updated at every step via email and SMS. By the end, not only did I get the replacement watch, but my confidence in the brand was fully restored.

What made me even more satisfied was how they handled the follow‑up: a day after delivery, I received a courtesy call to confirm that everything was working and to see if I had any further questions. That personal touch really turned a negative into a positive and showed that they valued me as a customer, not just a transaction. Ever since then, I’ve recommended that retailer to friends and felt comfortable buying other gadgets from them, knowing their after‑sales service is reliable.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. What products or services do people in your country often complain about?

• Expressions:

  • By and large… (Nhìn chung…)

  • The usual suspects are… (Các “thủ phạm” thường xuyên là…)

• Ideas & Collocations:

  • Telecom and internet outages (mất kết nối viễn thông và internet)

  • Delayed deliveries (giao hàng chậm trễ)

  • Poor restaurant service (dịch vụ nhà hàng kém)

  • Defective electronics (điện tử bị lỗi)

Sample Answer:
By and large, the usual suspects are telecom providers, as people complain about outages and hidden fees. E‑commerce shoppers often gripe about delayed deliveries or defective electronics, and diners sometimes voice frustrations over poor restaurant service or long wait times.

2. Would you buy something again from a store you complained to? Why or why not?

• Expressions:

  • It depends on how they handled it… (Tùy cách họ xử lý…)

  • If they made amends fairly… (Nếu họ xử lý công bằng…)

• Ideas & Collocations:

  • Repeat business (mua hàng lần nữa)

  • Brand loyalty (lòng trung thành thương hiệu)

  • Trust regained (đã lấy lại niềm tin)

  • Second chance (cơ hội thứ hai)

Sample Answer:
It depends on how they handled it. If they made amends fairly—for instance, with a prompt refund or replacement—I’d give them a second chance. Good after‑sales service can turn me into a repeat customer because brand loyalty is often earned through effective problem resolution.

3. Which is better for making a complaint—talking directly or writing?

• Expressions:

  • Both have their merits… (Cả hai đều có lợi thế…)

  • Written complaints provide… (Phàn nàn bằng văn bản cho…)

• Ideas & Collocations:

  • Immediate feedback via phone (phản hồi ngay qua điện thoại)

  • Written record for accountability (bằng chứng văn bản để truy trách nhiệm)

  • Clarity and formality (rõ ràng và trang trọng)

  • Personal touch of a call (tính cá nhân khi gọi điện)

Sample Answer:
Both have their merits. Talking directly allows for immediate feedback and personal rapport, which can speed up resolution. Writing, however, provides a written record that encourages accountability and ensures clarity and formality. Personally, I start with a call and follow up in writing if needed.

4. Do customer complaints help improve products or services?

• Expressions:

  • Without a doubt… (Không nghi ngờ gì…)

  • They’re a goldmine of… (Chúng là “mỏ vàng” cho…)

• Ideas & Collocations:

  • Feedback loop (vòng lặp phản hồi)

  • Quality control adjustments (điều chỉnh kiểm soát chất lượng)

  • Service training (đào tạo dịch vụ)

  • Product recalls (thu hồi sản phẩm)

Sample Answer:
Without a doubt, complaints are a goldmine of customer insights. When companies analyze feedback, they can close the feedback loop by making quality control adjustments, offering better service training, or even launching product recalls when necessary.

5. Are there any disadvantages to setting up customer service departments?

• Expressions:

  • On the flip side… (Ngược lại…)

  • It can be resource‑intensive… (Có thể tốn kém nguồn lực…)

• Ideas & Collocations:

  • High staffing costs (chi phí nhân sự cao)

  • Risk of handling complaints poorly (rủi ro xử lý kém)

  • Complex escalation processes (quy trình leo thang phức tạp)

  • Potential for negative publicity (khả năng truyền thông tiêu cực)

Sample Answer:
On the flip side, setting up dedicated service teams can be resource‑intensive, requiring high staffing costs and robust training. If complaints are handled poorly, there’s a risk of negative publicity, and complex escalation processes may frustrate customers further rather than resolve issues.