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I was told in class by a Japanese teacher that なるほど can not be used when
talking with people above, but in the same lesson we listened to a CD
(training material) where a student was saying なるほど to his teacher.

Here at work I often hear my Japanese colleagues saying なるほど when talking with
customers (consulting). Can I do the same?

**EDIT** : A Japanese friend just told me she would never write it to a
customer, even by email, but it is perfectly acceptable over the phone as an
相槌 (sound given during a conversation to indicate comprehension).
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usage politeness
Can I say なるほど when talking with customers?
Technically speaking, なるほど is something of a casual/frank word. However, it
seems that [native
speakers](http://komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/t/2010/0614/323211.htm) can be confused
as well, and there are plenty of people who use it anyway in business
settings. Apparently it's not a particularly noticeable faux pas, but one to
be avoided. Some of the commenters in that thread suggest replacing it with
something like (depending on context) 「かしこまりました。」or「そうでしたか。」.
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2011-06-03T02:41:22.220
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In my experience in university, なるほど is used normally between students and
professors alike. Also, between professors. Although I normally use そうですか
instead, because I've been also taught that なるほど is more informal.

I don't think that it'll give problems with costumers. In fact, I received a
lot of なるほどs from store clerks.
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2011-06-03T03:12:10.433
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You can use なるほど in business if you are agreeing with their
ideas/understandings. Especially in the middle of the conversations, like

```

    お客様：年度末にリスク高い工事は避けた方がいいじゃないですかね。
    (I think we better not do risky stuff around end of financial year)
    
    社員：なるほど、確かにそうですね
    
```

ref: \-
[http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/jpn_npa?stage=2&sn=52](http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/jpn_npa?stage=2&sn=52)
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It depends on the person that you are talking to, though I would not dare to
say なるほどね to my manager, and なるほどね is definitely not language for when you are
doing Business to Business sales with Japanese people.
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2011-06-03T08:14:11.023
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If you use it with the correct pronunciation in a form like なるほどですねぇ it could
be quite polite (not very polite nor formal anyway).

Just saying なるほど like when with friends instead, it implies equality.

Of course it depends on the kind of customers and the kind of company.
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2011-06-04T09:22:12.327
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