Ex.20. Study the phrases used in telephone conversations.
| Making calls | Receiving calls |
| Hello, this is John Brown, from Ford Motors. Could I (can I) speak to Mr. Clinton, please? It’s Mr.Johnson here. I’d like to speak to Mr.Clinton, please. Hello, Mr.Clinton, please. Could you put me through to (extension 924), please? Could you just tell him/her that I called? Could you ask him to call me back? Could I leave a message? I’m calling about…. I’m calling to enquire about… Sorry to have troubled you. I’d like to arrange an appointment to see him, please. Thank you. Thanks for your help. Goodbye. | Hello, marketing department, how can I help? Speaking. Who’s calling, please? Who shall I say is calling? Please, hold, I’ll put you through. Just a second - I’ll see if he’s in. Hello, Jason, I’ve got Mike Andrews on the phone for you ... OK - I’ll put him through. Hang on a moment, I’ll put you through. I’m afraid he’s in a meeting at the moment. Can I help? Can you call back later? Can I take a message? Can I take your number, please? I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number. I’ll just look in the diary. So when’s convenient for you? Would next Wednesday be okay? I could make it after four. Thank you for calling. Goodbye. |
Sometimes you have to check information and you can say:
Sorry, I didn’t catch your name. Could you spell it, please.
Sorry, did you say 341 or 431?
Could you repeat that, please?
Could I just read that back to you?
Ex.21. Translate the conversation and act it out with your partner.
A.: Здравствуйте, это отдел кадров, чем могу помочь?
В.: Здравствуйте, могу я поговорить с Джеймсом Гудвилом?
А.: А кто его спрашивает?
В.: Меня зовут Майкл Маккинли. Я представитель корпорации «Форд».
А.: Боюсь, его сейчас нет в офисе. Вы не могли бы перезвонить позже? Он
вернется через час.
В.: А вы не могли бы передать ему, что я звонил. Попросите его позвонить
мне, как только он придет, это срочно.
А.: Конечно, можно я запишу ваш номер?
В.: 961 – 322 – 16.
А.: Давайте, я вам прочитаю номер: 961 – 322 – 16. Правильно?
В.: Да, спасибо.
А.: До свиданья.
В.: До свиданья, спасибо за помощь.
Ex.22. Role play.
1.You are at your local airport, but you have left your passport on your desk. Phone your colleague to explain the problem and ask him/her to bring your passport to the airport as soon as possible.
Points to consider:
Flight - departs in 4 hours
Where to meet - Check-in desk 5, Terminal 1
Where your passport is – next to your computer
2.You are going to travel to London for a meeting next week and you want to book a hotel room. Phone the hotel Holiday Inn to make a reservation. Pay by credit card.
Points to consider:
Number of nights – 2
Room – standard single, non-smoking
Credit card details – number 2356 981 7856 0853, expiry date - August 17, 2016
3.You bought a lap-top computer from an on-line retailer, but when it was delivered it was faulty. After receiving no response to your emails, call the company to discuss the situation.
Points to consider:
Express your dissatisfaction
Explain nature of problem
Demand refund
Ex.23. Read the text.
One of the most important skills anyone can hold in daily life is the ability to negotiate. In general terms, a negotiation is a resolution of conflict. We enter negotiations in order to start or continue a relationship and resolve an issue. In the world of business, negotiating skills are used for a variety of reasons, such as to negotiate a salary or a promotion, to secure a sale, or to form a new partnership. As they often say in business, everything is negotiable. Here are a few examples of different types of negotiations in the business world:
- Manager and Clerk: Negotiating a promotion
- Employer and Potential Employee: Negotiating job benefits
- Business Partner A and B: Making decisions about investments
- Company A and Company B: Negotiating a merger
- Customer and Client: Making a Sale
Preparing to Negotiate
Lack of preparation in a negotiation almost always sets a person up for failure. First and foremost, each party must clearly define their own goals and objectives. Secondly, each party must anticipate the goals of the opposition. This may require doing some background research. Finally, each party must come up with various alternatives to their main objectives.
Here are some preparatory questions to ask yourself before beginning talks with the other party:
- What is my main objective?
- What are all of the alternatives I can think of?
- Why do I deserve to have my goals met?
- What will my opponent's counterproposal likely consist of?
- How can I respond to this counterproposal?
- When would I like to have this issue resolved?
- What is my bottom-line?
- What market research/homework do I need to do to back up my cause?
- What is my bargaining power compared to my opponent's?
- What do I know about the principles of negotiating?