business as usual

As the title suggests, this text focuses on business English usage with an emphasis on everyday, useful expressions used in a variety of business situations.. Especially in business situ

Business as Usual

An Integrated Approach to Learning English

Todd Jay Leonard

S SEIBIDO

eee INTRODUCTION eee

Business as Usual: An Integrated Approach to Learning English is a situ-

ational, dialogue-based course for intermediate students of English as a Foreign Language As the title suggests, this text focuses on business English usage with an emphasis on everyday, useful expressions used in a variety of business situations These elements will aid the student of business English in mastering the language as it is actually spoken The text is packed with expressions and situations that are current with modern-day American business culture and lan- guage use

This conversation-based text challenges students to analyze the meaning of language through carefully designed student-centered activities that focus on the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing In addition, a fifth skill— the cultural dimension of language—is included within the language notes found

at the bottom of each page of the main dialogue and in a cross-cultural essay at the end of each lesson The notes explain the customs and traditions of the actual language used in more specific detail and the essay amplifies a cultural aspect contained within the lesson's main dialogue The content of each lesson

is not only practical in nature, but also showcases the language that is used on

a daily basis by American businesspeople throughout the United States

The exercises in each lesson are divided into seven sections:

1 DIALOGUE — presents the lesson's main theme via a situational dialogue using a recording Students note the numbered phrases and expressions delin- eated below while listening to the dialogue, and then, by reading the dialogue

The notes are included in the back of the textbook in Japanese for students

who wish to check the meaning of the explanations further, or for students whose levels are such that additional explanation in their native language is nec- essary Students are encouraged, however, to try to understand the meaning in English first before resorting to the Japanese notes

2, COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS — require a basic understanding of the dia- logue by asking questions that test deductive skills This section features a short-answer format where students fill in the information from the main read-

ing

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3 MATCHING — allows students to "match" the lesson's vocabulary phrases

with appropriate responses This also tests the students’ understanding of the

material by challenging them to select an answer based on context

4 MINI-DIALOGUES — incorporate the new vocabulary and phrases from the main dialogue in three mini-conversations This cloze activity requires the stu- dents to first listen to the dialogues and fill in the missing vocabulary, then to role-play the dialogues with a partner (or read them aloud with a partner)

5 PAIRWORK-PRACTICE — gives students an opportunity to work in pairs to rearrange the conversation After rearranging the sentences into logical order, students then practice by saying the dialogues with a partner Occasionally, a short essay with missing vocabulary words is used in this section Students must fill in the appropriate items from a list

6 AMERICAN BUSINESS CULTURE — focuses on the differences and similar- ities between American and Japanese business cultures Each lesson's reading concentrates on one aspect of culture that was mentioned in the lesson, fol- lowed by three comprehension questions to aid the student in understanding the

context

Business as Usual places great emphasis on teaching students to use the

language presented in everyday, practical, and natural business situations The

activities are designed to build confidence in using American business English

actively, rather than being a passive recipient Students who use this textbook

will take an active role in improving their English skills by learning to express themselves in English that will serve them well when speaking to native English speakers, traveling to foreign countries, or meeting business colleagues

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HERFICDY—2 : HRAICD (FIFE) (IOMRANTHOKT

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= Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(meeting a business colleague for the first time in a hotel lobby)

Mr Ono: Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Mr Davis, would you?!

Mr Davis: Why yes, I am.? You must be Mr Ono of Tokyo Textiles

Mr Ono: Yes, that's right It's a pleasure to meet you,’ sir

(they shake hands)

Mr Davis: It's a pleasure to meet you, too Let me give you one of my

business cards Here you go 5

Mr Ono: Oh, thank you Please here is one of mine also

Mr Davis: Thank you

Mr Ono: I hope you weren't waiting long.®

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Mr Davis: No, not at all I just arrived myself a few moments before you

did ’ Ah, I see you are the Senior Sales Representative for the

Midwest Division

Mr Ono: Yes As you can see on my card, our regional office is based in

Indianapolis, Indiana This is my third year to work at that office

By the way,’ thank you very much for agreeing to meet me here today

Mr Davis: No,’ it's my pleasure Iam glad that our schedules allowed us the

opportunity to meet up!” today

' Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to be Mr

Davis, would you? = this is a very polite way

to ask a stranger who he/she is if you are

unsure; the tag question makes it more

polite [e.g A: Pardon me, you wouldn’t

happen to know a Ms Straber, would you?

B: Yes That’s her standing over

there next to the door.]

2 Why yes, | am = the ‘why’ used here is not

a question, but a conjunction used as a filler

word in his initial response [e.g A: Are

you going to the opera tomorrow? B: Why

yes, |am Why do you ask?]

3 It’s a pleasure to meet you = this phrase is

used when meeting someone for the first

time Also, people will often say: “It’s nice

to meet you.” The person responding

simply says: “It’s a pleasure to meet you,

too.” (or, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”)

4 sir = this is the polite way to address a

gentleman (especially if he is older than

you) When addressing a woman, the polite

address is: Ma’am

5 Here you go = this phrase is often said

when handing something to someone [e.g

A: May | borrow a piece of paper? B: Sure

Here you go.]

| hope you weren’t waiting long = Since Mr

Ono had asked Mr Davis to meet him, and

because he arrived after Mr Davis did, he used this phrase to show his concern for perhaps wasting Mr Davis’ time

7 No, not at all, | just arrived myself a few moments before you did = Mr Davis replied with this phrase to help put Mr Ono at ease It is likely that Mr Ono was on time, but Mr Davis was early Since Mr Davis wasn’t angry, he responded in a friendly manner and made an explanation to Mr Ono

® By the way = Mr Ono politely wanted to

shift the direction of the conversation from

him back to Mr Davis by introducing a new

topic; in this case, he wished to thank Mr

Davis for meeting him [e.g A: It’s been a

long time since we have met B: It has been a long time By the way, are you free for lunch tomorrow?]

9 No, = this ‘no’ is placed here to say:

“No, you don’t have to thank me it’s my pleasure.” Often, English speakers will shorten their utterances when the intention

of the words is clearly understood

'© to meet up = when a scheduled meeting is set in advance, often people will use this phrase to refer to the meeting rather than just saying simply ‘to meet.’ [e.g It was so nice to meet up with my old high school friends at the reunion.]

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¢ Comprehension Questions

’ Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue

1 Which of the two people had asked the other one to meet?

© Do you have a car?

¢ Do you have a pen? - Here you go

® Do you have a headache?

© No, she hasn't arrived yet

- | hope you weren't waiting long © Yes, | arrived later than you

¢ Actually, | just arrived myself

¢ Have you met my friend, Bret?

¢| haven't met you yet, have |? - It's nice to meet you, too

* It's a pleasure to meet you

¢ Not at all, it was my pleasure

-Thank you for helping me today * No, | didn't help today

* Actually, | am not helping you

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PERSE RRR eee eee eee ee MAKING INTRODUCTIONS

A: Hello, you must be Ms Woods Allow me to ( ) myself I'm

Koji Tanaka It's a ( ) to meet you

B: It's a pleasure to meet you, too Let me give you my card

( pit )( Jeet

A: Thank you, ma'am And here's my ( Di

B: Oh, I see you're ( ) the New York office

A: Yes, that's ( ) I recently transferred there from Tokyo

( iG Dat ), thank you for meeting me today I know how busy you must be

B: ( „W )( ), it's my pleasure

9

A: Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Mr Ishii, ( }{ „

Bo T ), lam You must be Ms Douglas from the

regional office

A: Yes, sir ( yr ) I'm so happy to meet you, finally

B: It certainly is a pleasure ( ) ( ) you, too

A: I hope you weren't ( eG hờ

B: No, not at all Actually, I came a ( )( ) to read the

information you had sent me for this meeting

A: ( Dae ) to introduce myself My name is Sam Johnson

B: ( )( ) to meet you, Mr Johnson I am Ken Nakai

A: Let me give you my ( )( ) here you go

B: Thank you I must apologize I haven't had a ( ) to have any

cards made yet | just arrived from Osaka yesterday

A: ( )“( ) My e-mail address and my phone number are

on my card Please send me a ( ) or call with your contact

number so that I can reach you

B: Absolutely I'll be sure to do that as soon as | return to my ( ) ( X

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——— Oh, it's outside of the city, near the airport

— — Why yes,I am You must be Mr Smith It's nice to meet you

——— No, not at all I just arrived here myself a few moments ago By

the way, where is your office located?

——— It certainly is

_ That sounds convenient

Conversation B

—— Thank you And here's my card

———— You must be Mr Ikura from the Tokyo office

— — O.K., Kevin By all means, please call me Kenji Let me give you

my business card

——— Yes, that's right And you are ?

— Mr Ikura, please call me Kevin

— _— It's nice to meet you, Mr Paine

——— Oh, I'msorry Allow me to introduce myself I'm Kevin Paine of

the San Francisco branch of the company

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BRP eee eee ee MAKING INTRODUCTIONS

Business Card Culture in America and Japan 1-3 Disk 1-04

The exchange of business cards between colleagues and business

contacts is a time-honored tradition in both America and Japan The

business card is viewed in both cultures as an important tool to gain

valuable information about the person from whom it was received The

5 emphasis, however, placed upon the exchange of cards regarding status and respect is quite different between the United States and Japan

The custom of exchanging business cards tends to be much more casual in the United States than it is in Japan For instance, when

business cards are exchanged during a business meeting in America, the

io American businessperson may only glance briefly at it before placing it in his/her briefcase or pocket A Japanese businessperson, on the other

hand, will most likely offer his/her card and accept the other person's

business card with both hands; he/she will then study the other person's card for a bit before respectfully placing it down in front of him/her on the

16 table Only after the meeting is finished will the Japanese

businessperson quietly put it away

This cultural difference can be offensive to Japanese professionals doing business in the U.S They may feel as though their American

counterparts have no interest in their position in the company This is

20 quite the contrary Americans do value these aspects and will take note

of them later, in private American businesspeople believe in the

importance of treating everyone equally and with utmost respect,

regardless of their age, position, or title So, it is often common for an American to put more effort in the face-to-face aspect of the meeting,

25 rather than trying to decipher a person's credentials and status via a

business card

Americans value greatly first impressions and wish to make a good impression on the other person Especially in business situations,

Americans will often try to initiate the conversation first, offering the

30 majority of the information on the business card orally, in order to put

the other person at ease Americans view too much silence when meeting another person as a sign of not being interested, and hence try to avoid

Answer the following questions using information found in the essay

1 How is the business card viewed in both cultures?

» Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(a new staff member introduces herself to the people in her office at the

morning meeting)

Mr Jones: Everyone, let's get started." First, on the agenda" today, we

will have self-introductions It gives me great pleasure to introduce a new employee, Ms Kanako Hayashi She recently transferred’ here from our Tokyo subsidiary.'* We'll begin with her, and then the rest of you can briefly introduce yourselves

Ms Hayashi, please tell us a little bit!’ about yourself, your family, and hobbies

Ms Hayashi: Thank you As Mr Jones told you, I'm Kanako Hayashi and I

come from Tokyo, Japan I've been with!® the company for

fifteen years and am very excited about this opportunity to live and work in the United States My position here will be

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"International Customer Representative," and I look forward!’ to

working with and getting to know all of you

I'm joined'* here by my husband, Satoshi, and two children, Mariko and Yasuo, who are aged 12 and 14 The kids’ are looking forward to studying at an American school and making American friends Although they've studied English for several

years, they're a bit nervous about keeping up with the rest of

the class in English I'm sure they'll do just fine

As a family, we enjoy playing board games We're avid” skiers and can't wait to go skiing this winter We also enjoy taking drives, hiking in the mountains, and camping

Well, I think that about does it?!

Mr Jones: Thank you, Ms Hayashi Next please

'' Jet's get started = let's begin In the United

States, the person leading a meeting will

usually get everyone's attention by saying

this or something similar [e.g If everyone

is here, then let's get the meeting started.]

'2 agenda = a list of items to be discussed at

a meeting [e.g On today's agenda, we will

be discussing the proposal to rename the

new product line.]

'3 transferred = to be moved to a new

location to work within the same company

[e.g When | was young, we moved

frequently because my father was

transferred several times by his company.]

'4 subsidiary = a company that is controlled

by another company [e.g After working at

the main company for many years, she was

transferred to a subsidiary of the same

company.]

'S q little bit = a small amount Mr Jones

wants everyone briefly to introduce

themselves by offering a small amount of

information about their work and personal

lives [e.g Tell me a little bit about

yourself.]

!* have been with = have worked for or have been associated with This can also be used when referring to relationships [e.g | have been with my partner for ten years.]

'7 to look forward to = to be happy about

[e.g My daughter always looks forward to summer so she can swim in the lake.]

'8 to be joined by = to be brought together [from Japan] Since Ms Hayashi is the one

who is relocating, it is her husband who is

joining her in the United States This suggests that Mr Hayashi only came because

of his wife's new position

'9 kids = a colloquial expression for children

[e.g The kids love to go to the beach to look for shells.]

20 avid = eager or serious about something

[e.g | am an avid reader of mystery novels.]

2! that about does it = that is all | have to say (or do) [e.g One more room to clean, and that about does it for cleaning today.]

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© Comprehension Questions

~ Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue

1 What type of company did Ms Hayashi transfer from?

* Did you join the company party?

© Did you get married recently? - No, | am joined by my wife and kids

¢ Did you come to Japan alone?

¢ Please discuss the agenda tomorrow

° We need to discuss new business

- What's on the agenda today? first ant ae af

* Discuss It with the person next to you

¢ Have you been to a hot spring?

¢ Have you met my husband, Hank? - Yes, a little bit

© Do you like to eat sushi?

° Yes, | use a hand fan sometimes

- Are you an avid baseball fan? * Yes, | play baseball occasionally

° Yes, | attend every home game

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(REPRE eee eee eee eee MAKING INTRODUCTIONS

( yy xe ) working with all of you in the

marketing department Uhh, I guess ( ) ( ) ( )

A: Thank you, Steve We're certainly happy to have you with us Next,

we'll hear from

A: Let's see, next on the ( ) are self-introductions Shall we begin

with you, Junji? Go ahead, tell us ( )( )( )

about yourself B: All right I'm Junji Shimura and I come from a small town in the

( vm ) of Japan's main island of Honshu But, for the past ten years I lived in Osaka before being transferred to here I'm

very much looking forward to ( ) and ( ) in the United States I'm ( Kl ) my wife Kathy, and two sons, Joji

and Hiro My wife and I enjoy all types of sports and our ( ) love to go fishing and snorkeling I think that about does it

A: ( dag ), Junji, for your self-introduction

A: O.K ( ), let's get started with the ( ) But, before we

begin let's introduce ourselves Can we start with the ( ) in

the back? How about you Clare?

B: All right I am Clare Tingley and I ( ) in the human resources

department I've been in this ( ) of the company for two years now ( ) transferring to my ( ) position, I worked for a subsidiary of this ( ) company in Nebraska That's about it A: Great Thank you, Clare ( Nie

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5 Pairwork Practice

— Rearrange the sentences to make a conversation, then practice

the conversation with a partner

Conversation A

——— I'mcurrently working in a subsidiary division of our company in

the sales department

——— Hello, everyone:

——— Allow me to introduce myself

—_ Also, I worked at the headquarters of the parent company for ten

years before coming here

—— My Name is Tanya Sawada

— I'msure I'm going to enjoy working here with all of you Thank

you

Conversation B

——— That about does it

—— I'mcurrently in sales and hope to retire next year

——— But please call me Jamie all of my friends do

——— OK Hello, everybody I'm Jamie Sands

——— Who would like to begin? Mr Sands?

—_— On the agenda first are self-introductions

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(SPR PPR eee MAKING INTRODUCTIONS

Addressing People with Titles in Business Situations “cpt 1-5 Disk 1-07

In the main dialogue, Mr Jones addresses Kanako Hayashi as "Ms

Hayashi" when referring to her and when addressing her directly This is

the proper term that should be used to address women in business

situations For men, the term "Mr." is appropriate

5 The reason why it is important to use "Ms.", rather than "Mrs." or

"Miss" with women in business situations, is that it is rude to assume

that a woman is married or single when first meeting her Even if it is

clear that a woman is married, it is still safer to go by "Ms." to avoid any

misunderstandings The title "Mr." has no added nuance to it, which

10 means that people have no idea of the marital status of men when being

introduced to them The term "Ms." was coined to complement the similar

term used for men, "Mr." This makes the situation of introducing and

addressing both men and women more equal and fair

Previous to this, women were either called "Miss" if they were

16 unmarried, or "Mrs." if they were married The women's movement felt

that a woman's marital status should not be an issue in business

situations and it certainly should not define who she is In order to be

accepted equally in the business world, women decided they needed a

neutral sounding title Today, the term "Ms." is widely accepted as being

20 the proper title for women in the business world

American businesspeople are often much more casual when addressing

colleagues than their Japanese counterparts are Many companies have

a very friendly atmosphere and the staff will often be called by their first

names — even superiors, like managers and bosses Americans tend to be

26 more comfortable using a person's given name rather than addressing the

person with a title and his/her family name

Depending upon the atmosphere and tradition of the company, you should follow the lead of the other people around you It is always proper

to begin by using a title, and if the person wishes to be addressed more

30 casually, he/she will often say go (i.e "You don't have to call me Mr

Johnson Please call me Rob.") It is best never to begin addressing

someone that is positioned higher than you casually until invited to do so

Chances are they will tell you how they want to be addressed

Answer the following questions using information found in the essay

1 Why was the term "Ms." coined?

MAKING INTRODUCTIONS #s #8 ee ee BB BB BBB ee ee eee

_ Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(introducing a colleague to a business guest who is visiting the company)

Ms Marks: Excuse me, Mr Holt, if you have a moment,” I'd like to

introduce you** to Mr Uchiyama from our Kobe office

Mr Holt: Yes, of course I'd be delighted.”

Ms Marks: Mr Holt, this is?? Mr Tomoaki Uchiyama, the manager of our

sister-division Mr Uchiyama, this is Mr Rex Holt He is the managing director of this division

Mr Uchiyama: It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Holt

(they shake hands)

Mr Holt: It's a pleasure to meet you, too I hope you're enjoying your

visit here

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Yes, she's one of our finest?° employees

Mr Uchiyama: Very much so.” Ms Marks has been very helpful in

introducing me to people and in showing me around

Well, if there's

anything that I can do to make your visit more pleasant, please don't hesitate to ask me.”

Mr Uchiyama: Thank you I appreciate your kind offer, but I think Ms

Marks has everything covered.*°

Very well, then Do take care and enjoy the rest of your stay

Mr Uchiyama: Thank you, I will Good day

2 if you have a moment = This phrase

| basically means "Do you have time right

now?" (a polite way to ask for someone's

time) [e.g "If you have a moment, I'd like

to talk to you "]

8 I'd like to introduce you = Ms Marks uses

very polite language here Instead of saying

simply "I want to introduce you ," she uses

this form in order to show respect to her

superior and the guest

4 Yes, of course = This phrase is just

another way for Mr Holt to say, "Yes, | do

have time right now."

35 I'd be delighted = A formal way for Mr

Holt to say, "I'd be happy to meet him."

% „this is = When introducing two people

to one another, it is best to stand

somewhere between them and gesture with

your hand slightly toward the person you

are introducing (not pointing, but with the

| palm of the hand slanted upward while

looking at the other person) These actions

are then reversed and repeated for the

other person And say, "This is (title and

full-name)." In addition, Ms Marks makes a

point to offer a bit of information to each of

the men to make it clear who the person is

(in this case, position, title and division)

27 very much so = A more formal way to say,

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"Yes, a lot." In business situations, when

you are trying to impress the other person,

it is best to speak and conduct yourself more formally in the beginning

28 finest = best [e.g The finest hotel in New York is supposed to be the Waldorf Astoria.]

2° please don't hesitate to ask me = This phrase is used sometimes as a way to offer assistance, as well as to begin the process of taking leave from a conversation It is a friendly way to draw a conversation to a close

30 .has everything covered = has thought of every possible situation that might come up

Mr Uchiyama is complimenting Ms Marks for her efficiency in seeing to his needs while visiting the company

3! Do take care and enjoy the rest of your stay here = Americans will often end a

conversation with "take care" upon

departing In addition, Mr Holt wishes Mr

Uchiyama an enjoyable stay (this is another common custom of Americans when taking leave from another person — well-wishing the other person)

2 Good day = a different way to say "good

bye."

© Comprehension Questions

» Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue

1 Where is Mr Uchiyama's office located?

° Are you going on a trip soon?

¢ Have you ever been overseas? - Very much so

© Do you like traveling abroad?

¢ Yes, that has been covered

- Would you like to meet my boss? ¢ Yes, if you have a moment

© Yes, I'd be delighted

¢ Hello, to you

* Good bye, ma'am - Good day

¢ How is the weather?

¢ Thank you, | will

- Take care and have a safe trip © Excuse me, | will

rE © Of course, | will

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A: Mr Takamatsu, ( Val ) introduce you to my ( i Jane, ( ) is Mr Go Takamatsu He's an engineer at the

Fukuoka ( ) of our company Mr Takamatsu, this is Ms Jane

Price She's in charge of ( ) relations here at the main office

B: It's a ( ) to meet you, Ms Price

*

C: It's a pleasure to meet you, too Please ( )( ) Jane

B: All right By all ( ), please call me Go

€:1( ) you're enjoying your visit here

B: Yes, very much so

A: ( ) me to introduce you to my ( ) Sally, this is Ms

Amber Walsh She's the ( ) of a company that sells corn products and is visiting here from Pella, Iowa

B: It's a pleasure to ( ) you, Ms Walsh I'm Sally Kline If there's ( ) that I can do for you, ( ) don't hesitate to ask

C: Oh, thank you But I think ( ) has been ( )

A: Well, we should get ( Neng

C: All right It was nice meeting you, Sally Take care

B: It was nice meeting you, too ( ) the rest of your visit

A: Have you met my ( ), Carl?

B: No, I don't believe I have

A: Carl, let me ( ) you to Mr Takaaki Satoh He's the sales

| representative for the ( ) district Takaaki, this is Mr Carl

Lucas He and I work ( ) on developing new products

€: IUs( )( ) ( ) you, Mr Satoh

B: It's nice to meet you, too I'm very ( ) with the layout of the new product line you helped to develop the one I'll be ( Js C: Oh, thank you We're very hopeful that it will be ( Ve

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5 Pairwork Practice

» Rearrange the sentences to make a conversation, then practice the conversation with a partner

Conversation A

— _— It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Shaw

——— I'd like to introduce you to my supervisor, Mr Shaw

.=¬

— lfsapleasure to meet you, too, Ms Fix Are you enjoying your

visit?

—— Ms Fix, this is Mr Edward Shaw

— Mr Shaw, this is Ms Maggie Fix, a lawyer at R & R Associates

Conversation B

—— Have you met my business partner, Jack?

— —— No,1I don't believe I've had the pleasure

——— Allright, Jack Please call me Kaoru

——— Kaoru, this is Mr Jack Brown He and I started this company

together some 30 years ago Jack, this is Ms Kaoru Nakajima

She's a computer programmer visiting from Sendai, Japan

—— It's nice to meet you, Mr Brown

——— It's nice to meet you, too Please call me Jack

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BERBER RRR RPP eee eee eee eee eee Bw MAKING INTRODUCTIONS

Usually, Americans are very good at performing this task because it is a basic rule in American business etiquette In fact, if you should forget to

5 make introductions, your American colleagues most likely will introduce themselves formally to the guest or visitor

The proper way to introduce two people is to stand between them, slightly behind, and with your dominant hand gesture to one of the people and introduce him/her (using the full-name and title) to the other person

10 Repeat this in reverse when introducing the other person If the person being introduced wishes to be called by a less formal name, such as a

given name or nickname, then he/she will say so at this time If no offer is made to be less formal, it is best to continue using a title (Mr or Ms.) with the person's family (last) name

15 Related to this is the use of professional and academic titles Feople who have special titles that they have earned through study or through

their occupation should be introduced as such For instance, if you are

introducing a member of the clergy, then "Reverend," "Rabbi," "Father," or

"Sister" should be used in front of the family name, depending upon the

~ 20 religion and denomination of the person being introduced Physicians who have medical degrees, researchers who have doctorates, and university professors who have Ph.D degrees should be introduced with "Dr." before their family name; professors who do not have doctorates can be

introduced as "Professor" along with their family name If by chance the

g 2 person has more than one title, then it is appropriate to introduce

him/her using all of the titles (i.e Rev Dr Martin Luther King)

Introducing a guest or visitor properly to your colleagues is a very useful skill It is an easy way to make the person feel welcomed and

important; also it will make a very good impression upon the guest about

30 not only you personally, but about the organization or company that you represent In today's business world, competition is very keen, so any

manner you can use to leave a lasting, positive impression on a client is

to your advantage

Answer the following questions using information found in the essay

1 What is the proper way to introduce two people?

TAKING AND GIVING M€SSRG€S m"mnmnmnmnnnnsnnnnnnnni

Lesson 4

LEAVING A MESSAGE ON

AN ANSWERING MACHINE

OR VoicE MAIL

Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(leaving a message on an answering machine)

Machine: You have reached the company headquarters®* of Gaines

Manufacturing We are now closed Our regular

business hours are weekdays from 9:00 a.m until 5:00 p-m., Monday through Friday On Saturdays, we are open from 9:00 a.m until 12:00 noon We are closed on Sundays If you would like someone to contact you directly, please leave your name, telephone number and area code, and the purpose of your call at the tone.** Thank you for calling.*

Mr Kono: Yes, I'm calling about an order that my company, Kono Industries,

placed with your sales department about a week ago I'd be very grateful if someone from sales could contact me about this

(leaving a message on voice mail)

Recording: Welcome to the headquarters of Alpha International Your call is

very important to us, so it may be monitored for quality control.*”

If you wish to talk to someone in the main office press or say "1" now; if you wish to talk to a sales representative, please press or say "2" now.*9

Caller: sa

Recording: Thank you If you wish to speak to someone in particular, please

say the name now

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Caller: Kathy Lane

Recording: Please hold while you are being connected "Hello, you have

reached the voice mail of Kathy Lane I'm not at my desk right now, so if you would please leave your name, telephone number and the purpose of your call, I'll get back to you as soon as I can

Thank you for calling Have a nice day.""!

Caller: Kathy, this is Minoru Shimura calling from Tokyo I met you last

month at the convention in Orlando I'm calling in reference to the product that we discussed If you could call me back, I'll give you all of the details I think you have my number, but just in case, it is: country code 81 - city code (3) - 3324-7645, extension 324 that

is 81-3-3324-7645, extension 324 I hope to talk to you soon Bye.”

3 company headquarters = the main office of

a company; the term "head office" is also

used sometimes

* The instructions ask for general personal

information; the recording specifically asks

the caller to leave the "area code." This is a

three-digit number that each calling area is

assigned — without this number it is

impossible to call by long-distance Within

the same calling area, it is sometimes not

necessary to use the area code

% Usually, at the end of a message, a friendly

phrase is used Also, "have a nice day" is

sometimes used to leave the person calling

with a good impression

36 A.S.A.P = As Soon As Possible This is a

common acronym that businesspeople use

to shorten the phrase, meaning "please do it

as soon as you can."

*7 Notice that Mr Kono carefully and slowly

spells his name for the recording This is

very important to insure that the person

listening to the message later will be able to

understand it clearly Especially with foreign

names and terms, it is best to spell out each

name or word

3 Long numbers, with repeated numerals,

are sometimes difficult to hear, so Mr Kono

repeats the number in case the person

taking down the message from the recorder

missed it or couldn't understand it

completely Also, answering machines don't

always record clearly, so it is important to repeat the number slowly

3° monitored for quality control = recently, many companies have begun to have their employees' conversations with customers listened to by a supervisor to insure that the employee is treating the customer in a professional, courteous manner

© Today, from small offices to big companies, it is becoming more and more common to speak initially to a computerized system which will route your call to the proper department Nowadays, it is rare for an operator to pick up the phone and transfer your call for you It is important to listen carefully to the menu of options, and

to follow the directions accordingly

4! The caller knew specifically who he wanted to talk to so he just said her name — Kathy Lane — and was connected This is her voice mail which is like a private answering service It works like an answering machine, but it is much more high-tech with many more options available

to the person who has it

*# Mr Shimura made sure to explain who he was by reminding her of where she met him

He also asked her to call him back and he gave her his number again It is a good idea

to always leave the number even if you know the other person has it because it will assist that person in calling you back more promptly

KHUea @bIrioeHa apynnoũ vk.com/englishlibrary @—

Comprehension Questions

w Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue

(questions for "leaving a message on an answering machine")

1 What are the business hours and days Gaines Manufacturing is open?

(questions for "leaving a message on voice mail")

4 For what reason should the caller press or say "1"?

© Please say the name now

° Please say the number "2", - Yuichi Takamoto

* Please leave your name and number

* Have you met my friend, Don?

| haven't met you yet, have |? - It's nice to meet you, too

* It's a pleasure to meet you

Iansnnmnm»mnmmmsmnmmnsmsmnmmsmxwns TAHING RND GIVING M€SSRG€S

A: Hello, you've ( ) the company ( ) of Nexus

International If you need ( ) with an order, press or say "1"; if

you need to ( ) on the status of an order, press or say "2"; if

you want to become a member of our ( ) team, press or say

"3"; if none of these ( ) apply to your needs, stay on the line

and a ( ) representative will be ( ) with you

All our ( ) are currently busy, please continue to hold and

the next ( ) operator will be right with you Your call will be ( ) in the order it was ( ) Thank you

A: Hello, you've reached the ( )( ) of Kenji Takahashi

I'm away from my ( ) at this time, so please leave your name,

telephone number and the ( ) of your call at the ( i

I'll return your call when I get back Thank you for ( k

B: Mr Takahashi, ( )( ) Susan Talbot from Portland

Electronics I'm returning your call about the ( ) you needed

about our ( ) line of computers Please call me at your

convenience I'll ( ) you my number again it's ( )

( ) (503) 555-6789 Again, it's (503) 555-6789 I look forward

to ( ) from you soon Bye

A: The Accounting Offices of Miller and Anderson are now ( )for

the day Our ( ) office hours are Monday ( ) Friday, 8:00 a.m until 6:00 p.m We're closed on Saturday, Sunday, and all

( ) holidays If you'd like to ( ) a message, please

leave your name, telephone number and a ( ) message as to the ( ) of your call and someone will get back to you as soon

as ( ) Thank you for ( he

KHU2A 6bIrioeHa aDpynnol vK.com/englishlibrary

@ Pairwork Practice

» Fill in the blanks using the words from the box Each word is

only used once

call reached associate take tone

telephone number and a brief message at the ( ) If this is an emergency, you may page an ( ) at 555-6789 Thank you for your

( ), you've reached the ( ) mail of Wilma Peters I'm

currently out of the office on ( ) and will not return until Monday

If you need ( ) attention, please call the main office number at (317)555-7654 and ( ) will assist you If you'd like for me to

( ) your call after Monday, please ( ) your name, ( ) number and area ( ), as well as the purpose of your call at the tone

Thank you for calling and have a nice ( );

Ỉ (28) KHU2A ebio%KeHa epynnoli vkK.com/englishlibrary

/'„

1 ÔÔ TAKING AND GIVING MESSAGES

Hints on How to Leave Messages by Telephone 1-9 Disk 1-13

In today's business world, it has become necessary to interact with

machines regularly The convenience of using answering machines and

voice mail has made it rarer to have contact with a live person whose job

it is to answer the phone and take messages

5 Learning the fine art of leaving messages on machines and voice mail

is a necessary part of doing business in the 21st century There are

several hints that will help make this task easier For instance, it is

helpful to jot down the main points you wish to say in the message on a

memo in order not to forget any crucial information This algo helps to

to keep your message in logical order

If you know the person, it is good to begin by saying his/her name and then explain who you are This way, he/she will be able to place you quickly

If you are calling a stranger, someone you have never met, it is best to

begin by saying your company name and then your name Briefly explain

15 why you are calling If the message is too long, the person won't be able

= to remember the entire message easily Keep it simple

When leaving your name, it is best to spell it out Especially if your

name is unusual, the person may have no idea how to spell it, 50 it is a

good idea to clearly and slowly spell it out completely When giving your

"20 telephone number, again, it is important to say it very clearly and slowly There is nothing more frustrating than to have someone quickly mumble a number that is unintelligible Repeat the number to insure that the

person on the other end will easily be able to write it down without having

to re-listen to the message over and over

g 25 Talking on the telephone in English is difficult enough for a non-native speaker, but talking to a machine with no reassuring feedback is even

more so A machine can't say that it didn't understand you and it

doesn't ask follow-up questions It is important for you to make sure you

leave all of the necessary information the person needs to contact you,

30 as well as explain clearly who you are and why you are calling

Being comfortable on the telephone while speaking to a person, or when leaving messages, will aid you greatly in making a positive impression with the other pergon

Answer the following questions using information found in the essay

1 Why is it important to jot down on a memo the main points you will say in

TAKING ñND GIVING M€SSRG€S mnm.mmunnnxnnnnnnsmnmnmi

Lesson 5

LEAVING A MESSAGE

BY PHONE

e Dialogue “ep 1-10 Disk 1-14

Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(taking a message for a staff person by telephone)

Receiver: Good afternoon This is the personnel department Lola Martinez

speaking.’ How may I help you?

Caller: Yes, this is Shunji Usui calling from the sales department." Is Chris

Montgomery in?

Receiver: No, I'm sorry He's away from his desk right now at a meeting

May I take a message?‘

Caller: Yes, that would be great Please tell him that Shunji Usui — let me

spell that-S-H-U-N-J-I and my family name U-S-U-I, called about our meeting tomorrow I'd like to reschedule it if possible.” My number is 432-1234 and my extension is 565 I should be in all day,” so just have him give me a ring** when he

@) KHU2a 6bI/10KeHa apynnol vk.com/englishlibrary

gets a chance.”

Receiver: OK, Mr Usui, let me make sure I have all of this information down

correctly You're calling to see about rescheduling tomorrow's meeting with Mr Montgomery Your telephone number is 432-1234, extension 565 And you'll be in all day today

Caller: That's right

Receiver: OK, I'll be sure to give it to him as soon as he returns Thank you

for calling Bye now

Caller: | Thank you Bye

# Lola Martinez speaking = In big offices,

where several people have to share a phone

line, often the person answering will identify

him/herself in the beginning in case the

person calling needs to talk to him/her A

complete sentence is not necessary in this

instance [e.g Good afternoon First

National Bank Howard Chang speaking

How may | help you?]

It is polite to identify yourself when calling

an office to ask specifically for someone

there The person answering will feel more

at ease knowing you are not trying to hide

something (i.e a pesky salesperson, a

stalker, etc)

45 The use of "may" in this instance is always

more polite than saying: "Can | take a

message?"

46 Mr, Usui offered a short explanation as to

why he was calling This is helpful for the

person taking the message so she can tell

Mr Montgomery later

47 Here, Mr Usui offers a time in which Mr

Montgomery can return his call In this

case, he will be at his office the entire day,

so anytime is fine to call It is important to let the person you're leaving the message for know when you can be contacted It is frustrating to play "telephone tag" — where each person calls repeatedly only to find the other person is away or unavailable

48 to give a ring = to make a call This term goes back to the days when the telephone actually had a bell that would ring when someone called Today, telephones ring electronically with more modern tones; this phrase, however, is still used widely meaning

"to phone."

49 gets a chance = has an opportunity to do

it [e.g A: Stop by my office when you get

a chance B: All right How about after lunch?]

50 Ms Martinez carefully repeats the message to double-check that she has everything written down correctly It is especially important to make sure the telephone number is written down correctly

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© Comprehension Questions

» Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue

1 What department is Mr Usui calling?

® May Ì àk who's callina?

® How may | help you? - | need to speak with a sales

representative

* Can you call the sales department? P

© Yes, I'll be sure to tell him

- Does he need to call you back? © No, he's in a meeting

© Yes, when he gets a chance

® Do you want her to call you back?

® Can you give me your number? - Yes, tell her to give me a ring

® Do you want to leave your name?

- Let me make sure | have your ° Yee, that's right

number down correctly © Yes, he has my number

it's 629-3212 © Yes, tell him | called

—() KHU2â 6bI1o©eHa apynnol vk.com/englishlibrary

F

mm weeeerrneesssteene TAKING AND GIVING MESSAGES

A: I'm sorry, but Jack is out on a call ( ) now I ( ) him back

by 5:00 this evening Would you like him to call you when he ( » B: Yes, that would be ( ) My name is Jim Vander and my cellular

( ) number is: (318)555-8475

A: O.K., let me double-check that it's (318)555-8475

B: That's ( ) Thanks Bye

A: Hello, marketing Barbara Lane ( `

B ( ) me, is Wayne Wang in ( )?

A: Let me ( ) no, I'm sorry he's out of the ( ) all day

today Is there ( ) 1 can help you with?

B: Hmm, | was supposed to get in ( ) with Mr Wang to discuss a project we're ( ) on together

A: Would you like to leave a ( )? I think he'll be in tomorrow

B: Yes, I would ( ) tell him that Joji Ito called He has my number A: How do you ( ) your name, please

B: My first name is: J - O - J - I and my ( ) name is: I - T - O

A: Hello? ( ) is Pike Industries Kenny ( ) How may |

help you?

B: I ( ) like to speak to Mr Pike, please

A: I'm sorry, but Mr Pike is on ( ) He won't be back for another

week Is there ( ) else who you'd like to speak with?

B: No, uhh, please ( ) him that Jeremy Alexander ( ) My number is 989-4532

A: ( it ), Mr Alexander That's 989-4532 I'll be sure to

give him the message when he ( lễ

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© Pairwork Practice

Rearrange the sentences to make a conversation, then practice

the conversation with a partner

Conversation A

_— Let's see, she has an appointment tomorrow afternoon so she

should be in tomorrow morning May I take a message?

— Yes, that would be great Please tell her that I found the

information she wanted

— — Hello, Mr Singh No, she isn't in today

— — When will she be in?

——— Allright, and how can she reach you?

——— Oh my number is area code (215)333-1782

_— Hello Gamma Incorporated This is Tony speaking

——— Tony, this is Rajur Singh from the main office Is Ms Parker in

——— No,I'msorry Mr Grover is out of town on business Would you

like to leave a message?

— Allright I'll be sure to give him your message, Mr Yang Thank

you for calling

_— Good afternoon Grover and Associates How may | help you? _— Yes Please tell him that John Yang called to discuss the proposal

he gave me He has my number

—— Ineed to talk to Mr Grover Is he in?

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when you are face-to-face with the person because you can have the

benefit of observing body language, reading his/her lips, as well ao being

6 able to hear what he/she is saying more easily On the telephone, you

have to be extra sharp with your listening skills, and even clearer with your language

Doing business by telephone, and leaving a message for a customer or colleague with another staff member takes some getting used to It is

A 10 best to be prepared with exactly what you want to ask by having a memo

in front of you This is $0 you don't forget crucial information Often the person answering will have already identified him/herself so you will need

to ask for the person directly

Always identify yourself and your organization early on in the

g 19 exchange This is a courtesy you afford to the person answering the

= telephone A good message taker will be listening carefully and be jotting down the information you are giving This way, he/she can pass on a clear and accurate message later on

A rule of thumb is always to spell your name for the person taking the

| 2 message As demonstrated in the lesson, this custom makes taking the

message much easier lt avoids confusion and potential mistakes in the details Also, if the person doesn't offer to repeat the number you give, aok him/her politely to repeat the number back to you to make sure it is

me correct

25 Finally, don't be shy to ask someone to either slow down their speech

_ orto repeat things that you don't understand Another disadvantage of

doing business by phone is that the other person doesn't have the benefit

of seeing you face-to-face to gauge your understanding It is perfectly

38 acceptable to say, 'l'm sorry, could you please repeat that?" Or "I'm

5 © having trouble understanding, could you please speak more slowly?"

The telephone is indeed your friend The sooner you become proficient

in speaking in English on the telephone, the more professional you will

appear to those with whom you are doing business J

Answer the following questions using information found in the essay

1 Why is it easier to talk with someone face-to-face?

TAKING ñND GIVING M€CSSRGCS mmm.mamnnnnnnnHHSMHMESNE

' Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(a visitor enters an office looking for a particular person)

Visitor: Excuse me ?°!

Worker: Yes, may I help you?

Visitor: I'm looking for Ms Connie Kudo Does she work in this section?*?

Worker: Yes, she does Let's see I am afraid®™ that she's out of the office

today May I take a message?

Visitor: Oh, thank you That would be great Please tell her that Mary

Anders stopped over™ to discuss the possibility of arranging a

general meeting for our two sections in the near future I was in the neighborhood °°

Worker: All right May I have your telephone number, Ms Anders?

KHU2A 6bIrio›eHa apynnoũ vk.com/englishlibrary

Yes, it's the same area code as here 897-1029 My extension is 111

OK, and when would be a good time for her to reach you?*?

Anytime tomorrow would be fine.* I'll be in all day And what is

Oh, I'm Jane Hauser I work on a different project team than Ms Kudo, but I'll make sure that she gets your message

Visitor:

Worker: You, too Bye

Thank you Have a nice day Bye

5! Excuse me ? = this phrase is used to get

someone's attention who may not realize

you are standing there In this case, she

enters an office and most likely asks the

nearest person to the door for assistance

® The visitor is not sure where in the

company she can find Ms Kudo, so she

politely asks for her by name and then asks

a follow up question to see if Ms Kudo

works in that section

53 |'m afraid = this phrase is often used in

English to mean "regret"; the worker isn't

"afraid" in the sense of being scared, but

only that she is sorry that Ms Kudo isn't

there to see her [e.g Although I'm having a

wonderful time, I'm afraid | must be leaving

now It's getting late.]

4 stop over = to make a brief visit at the

office in the course of a journey to another

place Other similar phrases are: stop by,

drop by, pay a visit [e.g On your way

home tonight, can you stop over to Dan's

place to pick up the book he borrowed

from me?]

55 in the neighborhood = This phrase means

to be in the general area of the place you visit for another reason [e.g Since I'm in the neighborhood, | think I'll stop by to do some shopping.]

5 to reach you = to get in touch or to call you [e.g | need to discuss the project with you in more detail When is a good time to reach you?]

57 Anytime tomorrow would be fine = It is all right to call at any time the next day [e.g A: When can | give this report back to you? B: Anytime tomorrow is fine.]

58 And what is your name? = Ms Anders wants to know her name in case there is a question later on about the information she

relayed (or didn't relay) to Ms Kudo

5° You, too = In this case, it means "You

have a nice day, too." There was no need

to repeat the entire phrase, so the worker offered the same departing phrase as she did

— but in a shortened form [e.g A: Be sure

to drive safely B: You, too.]

KHU2A @bl/1I0KeHa apynnoũ vk.com/englishlibrary

¡”1

Comprehension Questions

» Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue

1 Who is visiting Ms Kudo?

¢ Well, thank you for coming today

- I'm afraid | must be going now ¢ Oh, you mustn't be scared really

¢ Yeah, I'm afraid to go now, too

¢ When can | reach you?

¢ When can we meet again? - All day tomorrow is fine

¢ When will | see you next?

SREP eee eee ee TAKING AND GIVING MESSAGES

Listen and fill in the blanks and then role-play the dialogues with a

A: Yes, thank you ( ) tell him that Suzanne Nichols ( ) by

to talk to him about his life insurance policy

B: How do you ( ) your family name ?

A: It's N-I-C-H-O-L-S My ( ) name is with a "z" also

B: S-U-Z-A-N-N-E?

A: ( Hn ) where can I find the ( ) section?

B: Right here You're in the right place Who would you like to ( ) with?

A: Umm, I'm ( ) for a Ms Gail Thurston Is she in?

B: Yes, she is but I'm afraid she's in a ( ) right now It could

last ( ) a while May I take a ( )?

A: That would be ( ) Please tell her that Maki Sasaki dropped by

to say hello She knows who I am and she has my ( ia

x B: All right I'll be sure to let her know

9

A: .I'm sorry, but Mr Henderson is not in ( )( ) Would

you like to ( ) a message?

B: Yes Please tell him to give Paulo Vega a ( ) as soon as he can

It's rather ( )

A: When and where can he ( ) you?

B: I'll be in my office later, so ( ) after 1:00 is fine

A: May I have your ( ) and number please?

B: Yes, my name is Paulo P- A-U-L-O Vega V-E-G-A

7

Conversation A

—— Yes, thank you Tell him that Bob Brown stopped by He has my

Pairwork Practice

Rearrange the sentences to make a conversation, then practice

the conversation with a partner

number

——._ Yes, may I help you?

—— Will he return to the office today?

— Oh, I'msorry Mr Goins is out of the office right now

—== Excuse mer?

— Ihope so I'm looking for Mr James Goins Is he in today?

—— Let's see he's scheduled to return late this afternoon May I take

a message?

Conversation B —— Yes I'd like to see someone from the personnel department

——— Yes, of course What is your name?

—— Welcome to Hardy Industries How may I help you?

——— I'msorry, but everyone in that department is away today at a

seminar

—— My name is Philip Sprong S-P-R-O-N-G

——— Isee May I leave a message?

Wiansnsmsmnsmsmsnsnmsmnøsm»nsmøms% TAKING AND GIVING MESSAGES

Employee Professionalism and Customer Satisfaction 1-13 () Disk 1-19

The American business world is quite demanding and doing business in the United States is taken very seriously, Keen competition between

companies is common, so an attitude of "winner takes all’ is

jy characteristic of salespeople when trying to get new customers

5 Often companies will implement policies that reflect this attitude

One such policy is that "the customer always comes first." This means

that the needs and desires of the customer come before all other

business-related duties Another business practice in the US is the idea

that "the customer is always right." No matter what the customer says

B io or does, the company must try to accommodate the client accordingly

Especially in service-related businesses, like hotels and restaurantes, it ie

important to make sure that the customer is always happy and satisfied with the service he/she receives

In order to be a successful businessperson in the US, it is necessary (ẩn © to follow a few standard rules One rule is to act intelligently and

© competently in your position If clients sense that you are not

knowledgeable in your area of work, they may lose confidence in you and

your ability, which directly affects the company as a whole

Another rule is to take the first initiative in doing business Always

20 initiate contacts with customers first, and then follow-up accordingly

after talking or meeting with them This type of "initiative" helps to make you, aS a representative of your company, stand out from all of the rest

of the many businesspeople the clients may meet It also shows that you

| _ take your work seriously

Ác 2 Related to initiative is leadership This trait io especially important

when doing business with Americans because US businesspeople respect people who have leadership skills or who demonstrate special abilities in

their work Being a leader in your field impresses Americans This trait will

leave a good impression with them about you, and your company

i 30 Doing business in America is easy if you remember to follow these

simple rules The idea is to stand out from your competitors by leaving a lasting impression on your customers The business world is constantly

changing and a client's loyalty only lasts until a better deal comes along

Answer the following questions using information found in the essay

1, hart attitude is common among salespeople to get new customers in the

GOING ON AN INTERNATIONAL 8USIN€SS TRIP ==mmmmmsmnngị

Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions

(checking-in at the airport departure counter)

Certainly Here you are

All right, Mr Kasakawa, how many bags will you be checking today?

Just one

OK I have to ask you some security questions, sir Has all of your luggage been in your presence and did you pack all of your bags yourself?

Yes, of course

Has any stranger given you or asked you to carry any items or

bags for this trip?

No

Let's see what type of seat assignment would you like today, KHU2a 6bIsIOXKeHa epynrioli vkK.com/englishlibrary