Sales & Customer Service Idioms
| Idiom | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Sales pitch (n) | A presentation or speech designed to sell a product or service. | “The salesperson gave a sales pitch for the new smartphone.” |
| Hard sell (n) | A forceful, aggressive sales pitch | “The used car salesman tried a hard sell on me, but I wasn’t convinced.” |
| High-pressure sales (n) | A sales technique that uses aggressive persuasion | “The telemarketer used high-pressure sales tactics to try to sell me a timeshare.” |
| Twist someone’s arm (v) | To persuade someone to do something against their will | “I didn’t want to buy the product, but the salesperson twisted my arm.” |
| Sell ice to the Eskimos (v) | Very good at sales. | “She is the best salesperson.I’m sure she could sell ice to the eskimos” |
| Sell sand to the Arabs (v) | Ability to sell anything to anybody. | “Wow he is good. He can sell sand to the Arabs.” |
| Throw the kitchen sink at something (v) | To use every possible way to achieve a goal | “The company threw the kitchen sink at the new product launch, but it still didn’t sell well.” |
| Snake oil salesman (n) | A person who sells worthless products or services | “The internet is full of snake oil salesmen selling miracle cures.” |
| A tough sell | Something that is difficult to sell | “Convincing my boss to let me work from home was a tough sell.” |
| A lemon (n) | A defective or unsatisfactory product | “I bought a new car, but it turned out to be a lemon.” |
| A must-have item (n) | A product that is highly desirable and in demand | “The new iPhone is a must-have item for many people.” |
| Give someone the runaround (v) | To delay or avoid giving someone a clear answer or decision | “The customer service representative gave me the runaround when I tried to return the defective product.” |
| Brush someone off (v) | To not take someone seriously when they have a complaint | “The customer service representative brushed me off when I complained about the faulty product.” |
| Give someone the cold shoulder (v) | To ignore somebody | “The store manager gave the customer the cold shoulder after they complained about the poor service.” |
| Put someone on hold | To make someone wait on the phone | “I was put on hold for over 30 minutes while waiting to speak to a customer service representative.” |
| Be a pain in the neck (n) | To be annoying or bothersome | “The customer was a pain in the neck, constantly complaining about minor issues.” |
| Go above and beyond | To do more than is expected or required | “The customer service representative went above and beyond to help me resolve the issue.” |
| Roll out the red carpet | To treat someone with great hospitality and respect | “The hotel rolled out the red carpet for the VIP guests.” |
| Put the customer first | To prioritize the needs and satisfaction of customers | “The company’s motto is to put the customer first.” |
| Go the full nine yards | To do everything possible to achieve a goal | “The customer service team went the full nine yards to ensure the customer was satisfied.” |
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