Use retention, loyalty, churn, touchpoint accurately in context
Read and discuss a topic-specific article at B1 level
Practise speaking fluently on keeping clients happy long term
Complete written exercises with vocabulary in context
Teaching Notes
Warm-up: allow 8-10 min, let personal answers develop
Article: read together or have students read silently first
Vocabulary match: good for pair work
Speaking: encourage full sentences, not one-word answers
Exit questions: 5-min closer, no prep needed
Timing Guide
Warm-up: 8 min
Article + comprehension: 12 min
Vocabulary + match: 10 min
Exercises: 10 min
Speaking + discussion: 15 min
Exit + recap: 5 min
Teacher Question Bank
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B1 · Lesson 38 · Keeping Clients Happy Long Term
Customer Relationships
Keeping Clients Happy Long Termretentionloyaltychurn
Getting started
Warm-Up Questions
Click the button to get your first question
Read & Understand
Article
Customer Relationships
It costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. Yet most companies invest far more in sales than in account management. Strong customer relationships are built on three foundations: reliability — doing what you say you will do; responsiveness — answering quickly when something goes wrong; and proactivity — communicating before problems arise. Customers rarely leave because of a single bad experience. They leave when they feel ignored or taken for granted. Regular check-ins, honest communication, and remembering that a contract renewal is earned and not assumed are the habits that distinguish companies with high retention from those constantly replacing churned clients.
💡 Did you know? Bain and Company research found that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%. Customer retention is not just a service issue — it is one of the most powerful levers in business economics.
Topic: Keeping Clients Happy Long Term
Key words
Vocabulary
01
retention
the ability to keep existing customers over time
02
loyalty
the ongoing preference a customer shows for one company
03
churn
the rate at which customers stop using a service or leave
04
touchpoint
every moment of contact between a customer and a company
05
upsell
to persuade an existing customer to buy a more expensive or additional product
06
proactive
anticipating needs and taking action before problems arise
07
reactive
responding to events after they happen rather than anticipating them
08
account manager
a person responsible for managing ongoing relationships with specific clients
09
renewal
extending a contract or subscription for another period
010
lifetime value
the total revenue a customer generates throughout their entire relationship with a company
Match the Words
Click a word on the left, then click its definition on the right.
retention
loyalty
churn
touchpoint
upsell
proactive
reactive
account manager
renewal
lifetime value
a person responsible for managing ongoing relationships with specific clients
every moment of contact between a customer and a company
the rate at which customers stop using a service or leave
extending a contract or subscription for another period
anticipating needs and taking action before problems arise
responding to events after they happen rather than anticipating them
the total revenue a customer generates throughout their entire relationship with a company
to persuade an existing customer to buy a more expensive or additional product
the ability to keep existing customers over time
the ongoing preference a customer shows for one company
Say it right
Pronunciation
retention
RET-ent-ion
loyalty
LOY-alty
churn
CH-urn
touchpoint
TOU-chp-oint
upsell
UPS-ell
proactive
PRO-act-ive
Read & Discuss
Short Dialogue
A:
I've been thinking a lot about retention recently.
B:
Really? What's your take on it?
A:
I think the issue of loyalty is often misunderstood.
B:
I agree. Most people don't consider the impact of churn.
A:
Exactly. And when you add touchpoint into the mix, it gets complicated.
B:
So what do you think the solution is?
A:
Honestly? It requires both individual action and systemic change.
B:
That's a fair point. It's never just one or the other.
Comprehension
What topic are they discussing?
What does person B agree with?
What does person A say the solution requires?
Practice
Exercises
Gap Fill
Complete each sentence using vocabulary from today's lesson.
1. Customer is far more cost-effective than constantly acquiring new clients.
2. Customer is built through consistent positive experiences over time.
3. High is an early warning sign that something fundamental is wrong.
4. Every — from email to invoice — shapes the overall customer experience.
5. The concept of is important in this context.
Error Correction
Find and correct the mistake in each sentence.
She is very experience in loyalty.
The churn of the project were not meet.
He gave us many advices about touchpoint.
Despite of the pressure, she succeeded.
Speaking practice
Speaking Prompts
Discuss with your partner
Describe your most important client relationship at work. What makes it work well?
What do you do to maintain a relationship with a client when there is no active project?
Roleplay: a client calls to say they are considering leaving. How do you respond?
Summarise today's topic in 3 sentences using vocabulary from this lesson.
Grammar focus: Diplomatic and empathetic language for client communication: Acknowledging: I co... — can you give an example?
Open discussion
Discussion Generator
More Questions
Use with pairs or whole class · Encourage full answers
Write a proactive client update email (8-10 sentences). You are writing to a key client before their contract renewal to reinforce value, address any concerns, and confirm your commitment.
