AI in Customer Service: Friend or Foe?
E2 · English · CECRL B2 level
Read the article below carefully. Then complete the exercises that follow. The first three exercises are in French (testing your reading comprehension). The last exercises are in English to prepare you for the oral interaction part of the exam.
Lis attentivement l'article ci-dessous. Les 3 premiers exercices sont en français (compréhension écrite, comme à l'examen). Les derniers exercices sont en anglais pour t'entraîner à l'interaction orale.
AI Chatbots Are Reshaping Customer Service — But At What Cost?
L1Three years ago, customer service was largely a human business. Today, it has become a battleground between cost-cutting executives and dissatisfied consumers. According to a recent survey conducted across European retailers, 67% of mid-sized companies have deployed at least one artificial intelligence chatbot to handle customer inquiries. The numbers are even more striking in e-commerce, where adoption has reached 84%.
L5The promise is undeniable. AI chatbots can handle thousands of simultaneous conversations, never sleep, never lose patience, and cost a fraction of a human agent. For companies struggling with rising labour costs and shrinking margins, the appeal is obvious. "We reduced our customer service spending by 42% in eighteen months," explains Marie Lefèvre, head of operations at a major French online fashion retailer. "Our chatbot now handles 78% of incoming requests without human intervention."
L11Yet the consumer experience tells a different story. A study published last month by a leading consumer protection association found that customer satisfaction with AI-handled interactions has dropped by 23 points compared to human-handled exchanges. Frustrated shoppers complain about repetitive scripts, irrelevant answers, and the maddening difficulty of reaching an actual human being when their issue is complex.
L17"I spent forty minutes trying to explain to a chatbot that my package had been delivered to the wrong address," recalls Thomas Vidal, a customer of a well-known electronics retailer. "It kept asking me the same questions in different ways. When I finally got transferred to a human, the agent solved my problem in three minutes." Stories like this are increasingly common — and they are eroding brand loyalty in ways that companies are only beginning to measure.
L23The most successful companies are those that have adopted what experts call a "hybrid approach". In these organisations, AI handles simple, repetitive queries — tracking orders, answering basic questions, processing returns — while complex or emotionally charged situations are immediately escalated to trained human agents. The key, according to digital strategists, is transparency: customers should always know whether they are talking to a machine or a person, and they should always be able to request a human contact.
L31"The biggest mistake retailers make is hiding the AI behind a fake human name," warns digital ethics consultant Sarah Chen. "When customers discover the deception, trust collapses. We have seen brands lose up to 15% of their loyal customer base after such incidents become public on social media."
L36Looking ahead, the next generation of AI tools promises to be more conversational and more empathetic. But experts warn that no amount of technological sophistication will replace the value of genuine human connection in moments that matter — a complaint about a defective product, a question about a wedding gift, or simply the desire to speak to someone who cares.
L41For retailers navigating this new landscape, the message is clear: AI is a powerful tool, but it should serve the customer relationship, not replace it. Companies that understand this distinction will thrive. Those that do not may find themselves saving money in the short term — and losing customers in the long term.
Compréhension globale
Réponds en français en t'appuyant sur le contenu de l'article.
1. Quelle est l'idée principale défendue par l'article ?
2. Quel pourcentage des entreprises moyennes européennes a déployé au moins un chatbot ?
3. Quelle est l'approche jugée la plus efficace selon les experts cités ?
Question 1 — Réponse B
L'article présente une vision nuancée : il reconnaît les bénéfices financiers de l'IA (lignes 5-10) mais souligne aussi les risques sur la satisfaction client et la fidélité (lignes 11-22, 31-35). La conclusion (lignes 41-44) résume parfaitement cette idée : "AI is a powerful tool, but it should serve the customer relationship, not replace it."
Question 2 — Réponse B (67 %)
Ligne 3 : "67% of mid-sized companies have deployed at least one artificial intelligence chatbot". Le 84 % concerne uniquement le secteur du e-commerce, et le 78 % désigne le pourcentage de requêtes traitées sans intervention humaine chez le retailer cité par Marie Lefèvre.
Question 3 — Réponse C
Lignes 23-30 : "the 'hybrid approach'... AI handles simple, repetitive queries... while complex or emotionally charged situations are immediately escalated to trained human agents." Cette approche est explicitement présentée comme celle des entreprises les plus performantes.
Vrai ou faux ? Justifie en citant l'article
Pour chaque affirmation, indique si elle est vraie ou fausse et complète ta réflexion en gardant en tête les passages qui justifient ta réponse.
1. La satisfaction client a augmenté de 23 points avec l'utilisation des chatbots IA.
2. Marie Lefèvre est responsable des opérations dans une grande entreprise française de mode en ligne.
3. Selon Sarah Chen, cacher l'IA derrière un faux nom humain est une bonne stratégie.
4. Thomas Vidal a finalement réussi à résoudre son problème grâce au chatbot.
5. Selon l'article, certaines marques ont perdu jusqu'à 15 % de leur clientèle fidèle après que des incidents liés à l'IA ont été révélés.
1. Faux
Ligne 12-13 : "customer satisfaction with AI-handled interactions has dropped by 23 points compared to human-handled exchanges." La satisfaction a chuté, pas augmenté.
2. Vrai
Lignes 7-8 : "Marie Lefèvre, head of operations at a major French online fashion retailer."
3. Faux
Lignes 31-32 : "The biggest mistake retailers make is hiding the AI behind a fake human name". C'est présenté comme une erreur, pas une bonne stratégie.
4. Faux
Lignes 17-21 : Thomas a passé 40 minutes avec le chatbot sans succès. C'est uniquement quand il a été transféré à un humain que son problème a été résolu en 3 minutes.
5. Vrai
Lignes 33-35 : "We have seen brands lose up to 15% of their loyal customer base after such incidents become public on social media."
Business vocabulary — Find the equivalents
Pour chaque expression française, retrouve le terme anglais équivalent utilisé dans l'article. Écris-le exactement comme dans le texte (singulier/pluriel respecté). Les accents et la ponctuation sont ignorés à la correction.
1. La fidélité à la marque (deux mots)
2. Le service client (deux mots)
3. Une demande / requête entrante (deux mots, au pluriel comme dans le texte)
4. Un.e détaillant.e (= une enseigne, un commerçant)
5. Une approche hybride (deux mots)
| Français | Anglais | Ligne |
|---|---|---|
| La fidélité à la marque | brand loyalty | L22 |
| Le service client | customer service | L1, L7, etc. |
| Une demande entrante | incoming requests | L10 |
| Un.e détaillant.e | retailer (ou retailers) | L2, L17, L31, L41 |
| Une approche hybride | hybrid approach | L23 |
À retenir pour l'examen : ces 5 termes sont des incontournables du lexique NDRC. Connais-les aussi dans leurs déclinaisons : customer-facing, retail outlet, customer experience (CX), brand image, brand equity...
Synonyms — Match the words
Drag each word from the upper bank into the matching synonym box below. You can move them as many times as you want before checking your answers.
| Word | Synonym | French |
|---|---|---|
| undeniable | undisputable / obvious | indéniable |
| thrive | to prosper / succeed | prospérer |
| eroding | to gradually destroy | éroder |
| genuine | authentic / real | authentique |
| shrinking | decreasing / getting smaller | en diminution |
| defective | faulty / broken | défectueux |
| warns | to alert / caution | avertit |
| escalated | transferred to a higher level | fait remonter (à un niveau supérieur) |
Express your opinion (in English)
Imagine you are interviewed for an internship in an e-commerce company. The recruiter asks you the following question. Write your answer in English (about 120-180 words). This is similar to the oral interaction part of the exam — write as you would speak.
"As a young commercial professional, what is your view on the use of AI in customer service? Would you recommend that our company invest in AI chatbots? Justify your position with at least two arguments."
"Thank you for the question. In my opinion, AI chatbots can be a valuable tool for customer service, but only if they are deployed carefully.
On the one hand, chatbots offer real benefits. They are available 24/7, they can handle thousands of conversations at the same time, and they can answer simple questions like order tracking or return policies very efficiently. For a growing e-commerce business, this means lower costs and faster response times.
On the other hand, I would warn against relying only on AI. Customers easily become frustrated when a chatbot cannot understand their problem, especially in complex or emotional situations. This can damage brand loyalty in the long term.
My recommendation would be to adopt a hybrid approach: use AI for repetitive queries, but always make it easy for customers to reach a human agent when needed. Transparency is essential — customers should always know when they are talking to a machine."
Vocabulary tips for your oral exam
- Useful connectors : however, on the one hand / on the other hand, moreover, in addition, nevertheless, therefore, as a result
- Giving an opinion : In my opinion, I believe that, From my point of view, I would argue that, It seems to me that
- Making recommendations : I would recommend, My suggestion would be, A good strategy would be to, The best approach is to
- Numbers and statistics : Practice saying numbers aloud — "sixty-seven percent" not "67%"
Pronunciation training
Pour t'entraîner à l'oral, lis ces phrases à voix haute (idéalement enregistre-toi avec ton smartphone). Tu peux les retrouver dans l'article. Concentre-toi sur les mots en gras qui sont souvent mal prononcés.
- "Customer service has become a battleground between cost-cutting executives and dissatisfied consumers." → battleground = /ˈbætəlɡraʊnd/
- "AI chatbots can handle thousands of simultaneous conversations." → handle /ˈhændəl/, simultaneous /ˌsɪmlˈteɪniəs/
- "The biggest mistake retailers make is hiding the AI behind a fake human name." → hiding /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/, fake /feɪk/
- "Companies that understand this distinction will thrive." → thrive = /θraɪv/ (le 'th' se prononce comme dans 'think')
- "AI is a powerful tool, but it should serve the customer relationship." → powerful = /ˈpaʊəfəl/
L'oral d'anglais B2 valorise l'aisance et la fluidité plus que la perfection grammaticale. N'aie pas peur de faire des phrases simples mais bien construites. Utilise des connecteurs logiques pour structurer ton propos. Et surtout, regarde l'examinateur dans les yeux : la communication non-verbale compte.
Tu as fini la première moitié du cas. Maintenant, on passe au cœur de l'épreuve E2 NDRC : compréhension écrite approfondie et préparation à la restitution orale. C'est exactement ce qui sera attendu de toi en salle de préparation à l'examen.
Rappel du format E2 NDRC : 30 minutes de préparation + 30 minutes d'oral devant le jury (présentation d'un document + dialogue professionnel). Niveau visé : B2 du CECRL.
Advanced reading comprehension
Read the following article carefully, then answer the 6 questions below. (One correct answer per question.)
The Hybrid Sales Floor: How AI is Reshaping (Not Replacing) Customer Service Careers in 2026
Fictional article written for this training, in the style of a business weekly — fictitious author: Rebecca Holloway, March 2026
For the past three years, the headlines have been screaming the same message: artificial intelligence is coming for the customer service jobs. Chatbots will swallow the entire helpdesk industry. Sales representatives will be replaced by recommendation engines. The phone operator is dead.
Reality, as is often the case, has turned out to be more nuanced — and a great deal more interesting.
According to a recent Forrester report, the customer service workforce in the EU has actually grown by 4% over the past two years, even as companies have massively deployed AI tools. What has changed is the nature of the work. Routine tasks — answering basic questions, processing simple returns, scheduling appointments — are increasingly handled by automated systems. But the moment a customer becomes frustrated, a complaint becomes complex, or a sale requires real persuasion, a human takes over. And that human, today, is more skilled, better paid, and more strategically positioned than ever before.
"We don't hire fewer people," explains Daniel Marsh, head of customer experience at a French e-commerce platform. "We hire different people. The agent who used to answer thirty repetitive questions a day now handles eight complex cases. Each of those cases has a higher business impact. Each of those agents needs deeper training, sharper communication skills, and a much better understanding of the products and the customer journey."
The trend has implications for vocational training. Schools that prepare students for sales and customer relations careers are quietly rewriting their programmes. Less time on script-reading, more time on conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and the ability to interpret AI outputs critically. The graduates who will struggle in 2030 are not those who failed to learn AI tools — they are those who never developed the human skills that AI cannot replicate.
For students entering the workforce now, the message is clear: do not fear the machines. Become the kind of professional that the machines cannot become.
1. What is the main idea of the article?
2. According to the article, what has happened to the customer service workforce in the EU over the past two years?
3. In the sentence "We don't hire fewer people; we hire different people", what does Daniel Marsh mean?
4. In the article, the phrase "interpret AI outputs critically" means:
5. Based on the article, what kind of skills will be in highest demand by 2030?
6. What is the overall tone of the article?
1. B — The article's central thesis is that AI is changing the nature of customer service work, not destroying it. Look at the second paragraph: "Reality, as is often the case, has turned out to be more nuanced", and the closing line: "do not fear the machines. Become the kind of professional that the machines cannot become."
2. C — Third paragraph: "the customer service workforce in the EU has actually grown by 4% over the past two years". Pay attention to the verb "has grown" — present perfect indicates a change that has happened.
3. B — The full quote continues: "The agent who used to answer thirty repetitive questions a day now handles eight complex cases." Same number of agents, different skill profile. This is the "hybrid sales floor" referenced in the title.
4. B — "Critically" here is not "negatively" but "with critical thinking" — i.e. evaluating, questioning, deciding. A common false friend trap: in English, "critical thinking" is positive, not destructive.
5. C — Fifth paragraph: "more time on conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and the ability to interpret AI outputs critically". The skills AI cannot replicate are the human ones.
6. B — The article opens by acknowledging the alarmist headlines, then deliberately pivots to a measured, optimistic-but-realistic tone. The closing message ("do not fear the machines") is encouraging without being naive.
Prepare your oral response (E2 simulation)
Tu es en salle de préparation pour ton oral E2. Tu viens de lire l'article ci-dessus. Le jury va te demander de présenter le document et de réagir à la question suivante :
"Should companies fully replace human customer service representatives with AI? Defend your position based on the article and your own experience."
Rédige ci-dessous le support écrit de ton propos oral (200 à 250 mots, en anglais). Ce n'est pas un essai mais une prise de notes structurée que tu pourrais ensuite présenter à l'oral. Format attendu :
- Introduction (2-3 phrases) : présente brièvement le document (source, sujet, idée centrale) et annonce ta position
- Three main points (3 paragraphes courts) : chacun avec une idée + un exemple ou une référence à l'article
- Conclusion (2-3 phrases) : reprends ta position et ouvre éventuellement
Introduction. The article we are looking at, written by Rebecca Holloway in March 2026, examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping — but not replacing — customer service jobs in Europe. The author argues that the workforce is not shrinking, only changing in nature. In my view, companies should not fully replace human agents with AI, and I will explain why through three main points.
First point. AI is genuinely effective for routine, repetitive tasks. The article confirms this: chatbots now handle simple returns, appointment scheduling and basic FAQs, freeing human agents for higher-value work. This is a real productivity gain that no serious company should ignore.
Second point. However, complex situations still demand human intervention. Holloway quotes Daniel Marsh, who explains that agents now handle "eight complex cases" with deeper skills, instead of thirty routine ones. Frustrated customers, sensitive complaints and high-stakes negotiations require empathy, judgement, and real conversation — abilities that AI cannot replicate convincingly today.
Third point. From my own experience as a sales apprentice, I have seen that customers value human contact precisely when something goes wrong. A chatbot can answer a tracking question, but a real person needs to manage a refund dispute or a delivery error. Trust is built between humans, not between humans and machines.
Conclusion. Companies should embrace a hybrid model: AI for volume, humans for value. Fully replacing human agents would damage customer relationships in the long run — and ultimately, brand loyalty itself.
Useful expressions for your oral
- Presenting the document : "The article we are looking at deals with…" / "It was written by… in…" / "The main idea is that…"
- Taking a position : "In my view…" / "I believe that…" / "I would argue that…"
- Citing the article : "According to the author…" / "As Holloway points out…" / "The article quotes…"
- Structuring : "First of all…" / "Secondly…" / "Last but not least…" / "To conclude…"
- Nuancing : "However…" / "On the other hand…" / "That said…" / "It is true that… but…"
Extended business vocabulary — Customer experience and AI
Find the English business term that matches each definition. Type your answer in lowercase, no punctuation.
1. The percentage of customers who stop doing business with a company over a given period. (Two words)
2. A widely-used metric measuring how likely customers are to recommend a brand on a 0-10 scale. (Three words — full name, not the abbreviation)
3. A central database where customer service agents and chatbots find pre-written answers to frequent questions. (Two words)
4. The action of transferring a complex case from a chatbot to a human agent, or from a junior to a senior employee. (One word)
5. A strategy in which a customer can switch between channels (chat, phone, email, store) seamlessly. (One word)
6. The complete experience a customer has with a brand, from first contact to post-purchase. (Two words)
7. A short conversation a customer service agent has at the start of an interaction to understand the customer's specific need. (Two words — synonym of "needs assessment")
| Question | Answer | Example sentence for your oral |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Churn rate | "Reducing the churn rate is one of the key objectives of any customer-centric strategy." |
| 2. | Net Promoter Score (NPS) | "The Net Promoter Score is a simple but powerful indicator of customer loyalty." |
| 3. | Knowledge base | "Our knowledge base is the foundation of both human support and AI chatbots." |
| 4. | Escalation | "Complex complaints often require an escalation to a senior agent." |
| 5. | Omnichannel | "An omnichannel approach allows customers to start a conversation on chat and finish it in store." |
| 6. | Customer journey | "Mapping the customer journey is a critical step in optimising the customer experience." |
| 7. | Discovery call | "A successful sales process always starts with a well-prepared discovery call." |
Bonus métier · Write a short professional email
Cet exercice est hors référentiel E2 (l'épreuve E2 du BTS NDRC est un oral). En revanche, savoir écrire un email pro en anglais te sera indispensable en alternance et en poste (réponse à un client international, suivi d'un fournisseur, demande d'information à un partenaire UK / US). Donc même si ce n'est pas évalué à l'examen, c'est un skill qui te servira tous les jours.
Situation : you are a junior account manager at a French e-commerce company. A British customer named Sarah Watkins has emailed your support team to complain that her order (a designer lamp) was delivered with a broken base. She wants either a full refund or a replacement, urgently — she had ordered the lamp as a wedding gift, and the wedding is in 9 days.
Write a short professional email (50 to 80 words) replying to Sarah. Apologise, propose a clear solution, and reassure her about timing.
Subject: Your damaged order #7841 — immediate replacement on its way
Dear Sarah,
I am very sorry to hear that your designer lamp arrived damaged. We will of course put this right immediately.
I have arranged for a replacement lamp to be dispatched today by express delivery, free of charge. You should receive it within 3 working days, well in time for the wedding. We will also collect the damaged item at your convenience.
Please accept my sincere apologies. Do not hesitate to contact me directly should you need anything further.
Best regards,
[Your name]
Junior Account Manager
Key writing principles
- Acknowledge the problem first — never start with administrative content. "I am very sorry to hear that…" / "I sincerely apologise for…"
- Propose a concrete solution immediately — don't make the customer wait for an action. Use future tense and active verbs: "I will arrange…", "We will dispatch…"
- Address the customer's real concern — Sarah's actual fear is missing the wedding. Address it explicitly: "well in time for the wedding".
- Close with reassurance, not sales talk — "Do not hesitate to contact me directly" is warmer and more personal than "Thank you for choosing us".
- British English vs American English — for a UK customer, prefer "apologise" (BrE) over "apologize" (AmE), "dispatch" over "ship", etc. Small details, big impact on perception.
You've finished this case?
Click below to send your results to Kévin. Your mail client will open with a pre-filled message.