International Business
Communication Studies
B-cluster BUSICB52 2024-2025
1
Table of Contents
Introduction
4
Course Overview
5
Content overview 1/3
6
Content overview 2/4
7
Part I. Introduction Speaking Assignments
8
Continuous assessment form
9
Week 1. Case study Telephoning I
10
Week 2. Case study Telephoning II
15
Week 3. Case study International Marketing
18
Week 4. Case Job Satisfaction
21
Week 5. Case study Management Styles
24
Week 6. Case study Crisis Management
28
Part II. Introduction Business writing / Exam information
41
Email writing
Week 1. Inquiry email
35
Week 2. How to report on data?
36
Week 3. Complaint email
38
Week 4. Reply to complaint
42
Week 5. Advice report
44
Week 6. Product review
47
2
Part III Idioms 10 business texts for self-study
Text 1. Privacy is dead and most people really don’t care
51
Text 2. Can the ‘right to disconnect’ exist?
52
Text 3. A Universal language
55
Text 4. Airlines are roaring back in places you might not expect
57
Text 5. How to develop a rewarding culture
59
Text 6. Second-hand news: online clothing resale is here to stay
60
Text 7. The big idea: Should we leave the classroom behind?
62
Text 8. The rise of robotics in manufacturing
64
Text 9. What the Big Mac index says about the dollar and the dong 66
Text 10. The return of never-ending job interviews
68
Appendix:
Telephoning phrases
70
Reference list
81
3
Introduction
Welcome to BEN-BUC, B cluster Business Communication
In the first period (P1/P3), we will focus on oral skills and practise these in class. Every week we
work on a business topic and perform an oral task in class.
In P2/P4 you will expand your business vocabulary knowledge and learn how to write in a
business context. For this purpose, you need to study business vocabulary in context. In this
reader, you find 10 business-related texts. The underlined vocabulary in these texts will be
tested at the end of the semester in T2/4, in exam BUSICB52, so NOT after 1 period.
In the second period (P2/P4), you are to write six business-related assignments in which you
apply the conventions and vocabulary that you have learned during the BEN-BUC course.
During the exam at the end of the semester (BUSICB52), you will be asked to write a business
assignment. This will be like one of the six assignments you practised in class.
4
BENBUC1/ BUSICB52 course overview
P1/P3
Oral assignments in class
P1/P3
Self-study: 5 business texts
P2/P4
Writing assignments in class
P2/P4
Self-study: 5 business texts
Exam BUSICB52
1. Continuous assessment (in class) P1/P3 about case studies 3-4-5-6
2. Writing exam underlined vocabulary in 10 business texts + business
writing assignment (exam week T2/T4/T5)
5
Content overview per week, lecture period 1/3
Weeks
Before class (homework)
In class in half groups
Week 1
Week 2
•
•
Study Text 1
Prepare Case study 2.
Introduction BENBUC1/BUSICB52
• Overview, course information,
exam
• Case study 1. Telephoning p.13
• Case study 2. Telephoning p.15p.17
Week 3
•
•
Study Text 2
Prepare Case study 3.
• Case study 3.
‘International Marketing’ p. 18
Week 4
•
•
Study Text 3
Prepare Case study 4
•
Case study 4.
‘Job Satisfaction’ p.24
Week 5
•
•
Study Text 4
Prepare Case study 5
•
Case study 5.
‘Management styles’ p.28
Week 6
•
•
Study Text 5
Prepare Case study 6.
•
Case study 6. ‘Crisis
Management' p.34
6
Content Overview per week, lecture period 2/4
Weeks
Before Class (homework)
In class
•
•
Study Text 6
Read introduction writing
assignments
•
Week 2
•
•
•
Week 3
•
Week 4
•
Week 5
•
•
Week 6
•
Study Text 7
Finish writing assignment 1 and bring
to class
Study Text 8
Finish writing assignment 2 and bring
to class
Study Text 9
Finish writing assignment 3 and bring
to class
Study Text 10
Finish writing assignment 4 and bring
to class
Finish writing assignment 5 and bring
to class
Week 1
•
7
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction Email writing
Writing assignment 1.
Inquiry email
Inquiry email
Start writing assignment 2.
Trends/Facts&Figures
How to report on data?
Start writing assignment 3
Complaint email
Complaint email
Start writing assignment 4
Reply to complaint
Reply to complaint email
Start writing assignment 5
Short advice report
Assignment 6. Writing a
product review
Speaking assignments
Introduction:
Every week, you prepare a business case study which we will discuss in class. Starting from week 2, the
group will be split into groups, depending on the size of the class. You will be assigned a role. We expect
you to be thoroughly prepared for each class. Effective participation contributes towards your final
grade. The case studies 3-4-5-6 will be performed in class and are part of the continuous assessment.
At the end you will receive a final grade based on these 4 case studies. In the appendix you find useful
language to prepare for your case studies.
Good luck!
8
9
Week 1 Case study: telephoning
Why telephoning classes?
Making and answering phone calls is an important professional skill that companies find important for
students to learn.
What makes telephoning difficult?
•
•
•
•
Lack of experience
No body language so no non-verbal clues
Poor connection
Telephobia (= the fear or reluctance to make/take phone calls)
What type of phone calls are we talking about?
▪
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▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
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Asking and answering questions/ Enquiries and dealing with enquiries/ Asking for and giving
information
Asking for and giving advice/ feedback
Asking for confirmation and confirming
Asking for contact details/ Asking to be put in contact with someone
Asking for permission to do something
Booking/ Making reservations
Changing or cancelling something
Checking and reporting progress/ Chasing something up
Correcting wrong information
Discussing payment
Follow-up phone calls (after meetings, emails, previous calls, phone messages, etc)
Giving and reacting to bad news
Giving directions (on how to get somewhere, e.g. reaching your office)
Instructions/ Commands/ Demanding action (= Telling someone to do something)
Introducing yourself/ Making contact with someone for the first time
Keeping in touch/ Social phone calls
Making an order (e.g. buying supplies, raw materials or components)
Making arrangements (suggesting and fixing appointments, meetings, etc)/ Making and
responding to invitations (e.g. social invitations)
Making complaints and apologising/ responding to complaints
Requests and offers
Sales calls (e.g. cold calling, announcing new products, and announcing special offers)
Social calls/ Just keeping in touch
Thanking (e.g. acknowledging receipt of something)
10
So what can we do to make telephoning easier and how can we learn this skill?
The good news is that proper telephone conversations have a clear structure (see below) that you can
use. You can write down some key things before you call someone so you won’t forget anything (or even
make a script). There are also dozens of phrases that you can learn and practice to make your calls go
more smoothly. Another thing you can do is find a quiet spot so you can focus more on the call with less
chance of distraction. In some cases it is possible to agree on a time beforehand, which would give you
the opportunity to be prepared. Don’t forget to listen carefully and take some notes during the call. And,
as always, practice makes perfect.
STRUCTURE – extended version
1A
Answering the phone
1B
Saying who you are
1C
Small talk/being friendly
1D
Being polite at the beginning
1E
Ending the small talk/smoothly getting down to business
1F
Talking about the reason for calling
1G
Asking to speak to someone
1H
Confirming that you are the right person
1I
Asking about the receiver
1J
Asking about the caller’s name
1K
Answer phone messages
2A
Connecting the caller to the right person
2B
Negative answers to request to speak to someone
2C
Leaving messages/dictating
2D
Taking messages/dictation
2E
Other responses to someone not being there
2F
Asking people to wait
2G
Checking/clarifying/dealing with communication problems
11
2H
Talking about written sources
2I
Active listening/things to say while listening
3A
Making arrangements
3B
Enquiries (= asking for information)
3C
Requesting (= asking for something or asking for help)
3D
Dealing with problems and complaints
3Di
Giving bad news
3Dii
Reporting problems/making complaints
3Diii
Responding to complaints/apologising
3E
Placing orders/making bookings/making reservations
3F
Checking the progress of something
3G
Giving directions
4A
Ending taking messages
4B
Checking that the other person has finished and responding to that
4C
Smoothly ending the call
4D
Talking about the next contact/future
12
Example 1 – Making an arrangement
Tammy:
Wilson and Wilson. Can I help you?
Joe:
Yes, this is Joe Smith from Acme Appliances. I'd like to speak to Mr Wilson if he's
available, please?
Tammy:
Would that be Mr Wilson senior or Mr Wilson junior?
Joe:
Mr Wilson senior.
Tammy:
I'll just see if he's available - hold the line please. (slight pause...............) I'm sorry, Mr
Wilson's in a meeting at the moment. Can I take a message?
Joe:
Yes, could you ask him to phone me please? My number's 2311 5654.
Tammy:
I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.
Joe:
I'm sorry, Joe Smith, Acme Appliances.
Tammy:
OK. Just let me check the number, 2311 5654.
Joe:
That's right.
Tammy:
I'll pass that message on. Thank you. Goodbye.
Joe:
Bye.
Example 2 – making an arrangement
Joe:
Acme Appliances, Joe Smith speaking.
Wilson:
This is Tom Wilson returning your call.
Joe:
Ah yes, Mr Wilson. Thanks for calling back. I wanted to set up a meeting with you to
discuss your requirements for next year.
Wilson:
Yes certainly. How about Thursday about two-thirty?
Joe:
That would be fine.
Wilson:
Okay, I look forward to seeing you then.
Joe:
Thursday, 2.30. See you then. Goodbye.
Wilson:
Goodbye.
13
Practice assignment
Work in twos (or threes). Do the entire conversation from opening greeting to saying goodbye. Take
turns. One of you starts and the other responds. (Number three gives feedback.)
The other person asks to speak to someone else in your company. Put them straight through.
The other person asks to be put through to someone else in the company. Check if that person is
available, then put them through.
The other person asks to be put through to someone else in the company. Ask for their name and the
reason for the call, then put them through.
You are not sure who you need to speak to so explain what department you need.
The other person is not sure who they need to speak to so you need to find out what they need to speak
about before you can transfer the call to the appropriate staff member or department.
14
Week 2. Case study: Telephoning
This week we will first look at how to deal with telephone calls regarding enquiries and requests. After
that we will focus on how to handle a complaint.
Enquiries and requests appear to be the same topic. However, there is a difference. An enquiry is when
a customer asks for information, whereas a request involves a customer asking for help.
Example enquiry
Anna:
Good morning, Kamera Express. This is Anna. How can I help you?
Daniel:
Hello, this is Daniel Farnsby calling from Turtle Studios. I’d like to enquire about ordering
twenty handy cams, please.
Anna:
Certainly. Do you have a particular model in mind?
Daniel:
Yes, I’m interested in the Insta360 X4 model.
Anna:
The Insta 360 – just a minute. Yes, the X4 model costs €559, and we can offer you a
discount of seven per cent for bulk purchases.
Daniel:
Could you send me a quote, please?
Anna:
Certainly. Would you prefer to receive the quote by email or post?
Daniel:
Email, please. The address is Daniel.Farnsby@berlincreative.de
Anna:
Could you repeat that, please?
Daniel:
Sure. It’s Daniel.Farnsby@berlincreative.de .
Anna:
Daniel.Farnsby@berlincreative.de. And you’re from Turtle Studios. Is that correct?
Daniel:
That’s right. It’s part of the larger group Berlin Creative.
Anna:
I’ll send you the quotation for twenty units within the next fifteen minutes, Mr Farnsby.
Is there anything else I can help you with?
Daniel:
Yes, could you also tell me when you’d be able to deliver if we place an order today?
Anna:
Certainly. May I call you back with this information?
Daniel:
Sure.
Anna:
Thank you. Could I have your phone number, please?
15
Daniel:
Anna:
My phone number is 310-789-3450 and my extension is 106.
That is 310-789-3450 extension 106. Thank you, Mr Farnsby. I’ll email you the quote
right away and call you in about thirty minutes with the estimated delivery date.
Daniel:
Thanks.
Anna:
You’re most welcome and have a nice day.
Practice Assignment
Roleplay: The information that you need is on a page of the HAN website, you’ve tried to find it but it’s
impossible. Call your coach (= another student!) on TEAMS and ask for help. Be sure to be polite.
16
Handling a complaint
Handling a customer complaint should always be done with great care. Be polite and professional.
Remember that a customer cannot see you so that your tone must be pleasant and show you’re
engaged. Also, listen carefully and use plenty of standard phrases.
Example complaint
Paul Thomas:
SwissCom, Paul Thomas speaking. How may I help you?
Jane Booth:
Hello, this is Jane Booth speaking. I’m calling about an extra charge made to my account
which I’m not happy about.
Paul Thomas:
May I have your account number, Ms Booth?
Jane Booth:
Yes, it’s 7845758.
Paul Thomas: 7845758. Just a minute. Let me just pull up your records. (pause) OK, I’ve got it. Could
you just confirm your address and post code, Ms Booth?
Jane Booth:
It’s Rue de Lausanne 47 bis, Geneva, 1201.
Paul Thomas:
That’s great. Right, could you tell me which charge you’re referring to on your bill?
Jane Booth:
I’ve just received my final monthly bill dated 12 April and in red print at the bottom of
the page, it says CHF 245 has been charged to my account for early termination of my
service.
Paul Thomas:
That’s right, Ms Booth. According to the terms of the contract you signed with us in June
last year, if you terminate your contract with us within 12 months, you’ll be liable to a
contract breakage fee of CHF 245.
Jane Booth:
up.
Well, I strongly object to this. Nothing about the charge was explained when I signed
Paul Thomas: If you remember, Ms Booth, before you signed up with us, the terms and conditions
were explained to you over the phone by one of our customer service representatives.
Also, the conditions were outlined on the contract which you signed. We explained to
you at the time that there was a 12-day cooling-off period and you were free to t
terminate the contract within 12 days if we wished. Under those circumstances, the
termination fee would have been waived.
Jane Booth:
I don’t know anything about that. Can’t you just waive the fee for me as I didn’t
understand the terms clearly at the time?
17
Paul Thomas: I’m afraid I’m unable to do that, Ms Booth. It’s a strict company policy to enforce the
terms of our contracts. If we made an exception in your case, we would have to extend
this to all our customers in the same position as you.
Jane Booth:
But I didn’t know what I was signing?
Paul Thomas:
I’m afraid I can’t help you with this. There’s nothing I can do. I apologise if you found the
terms of the contract misleading.
Jane Booth:
So what are my options?
Paul Thomas: You’re very welcome to take this up with our legal department, but I believe they’ll just
reiterate what I’ve told you. Your other option is to finish your contract with us which
expires in just under two months.
Jane Booth:
What if I simply don’t pay?
Paul Thomas: Well, you have 60 days in which to make the full payment. After that time, all overdue
accounts are passed over to our collection department who will take the matter
further.
Jane Booth:
You mean they’ll take me to court.
Paul Thomas:
That is possible, Ms Booth, if you are unwilling to settle the payment.
Jane Booth:
I see. OK, well I’m not happy about this. But I guess I’ll just have to continue the contract
then. Can you make the necessary changes to my account?
Paul Thomas:
Certainly, Ms Booth. I’ll do that for you right away.
PRACTICE Assignment
Work in twos (or threes). Use the info below and do the entire conversation from opening greeting to
saying goodbye. It’s a call with someone you know. One of you starts (receiver) and the other responds
(caller). (Number three gives feedback.)
You are A and you get a call from B, who is a client of yours. S/He’s calling about a delay in delivery. Do
this call from start to finish and be sure to include all the necessary steps with the appropriate phrases.
Don’t forget to include order number, dates etc. Record your talk and listen back. Analyse what went
well and what can be improved.
18
Week 3. Case study: International Marketing
Creating a global brand
A successful French cosmetics company plans to go global
Background
Key features
Henri-Claude Cosmetics (HCC), a French
cosmetics and personal-care company, has
created a highly successful eau-de-cologne for
men under the brand name Physique. This is
the company's best-selling men's fragrance
and the best-known brand in their product
portfolio. HCC is now planning an
international campaign for Physique early
next year. It intends a high-profile launch in
10 countries, which will enable the brand to
achieve international recognition. The theme
of the campaign will be 'Physique for the
Urban Man'.
Based on redwood and cedar, with citrus and spices,
Physique has a fresh, woody, long-lasting aroma.
•
•
•
It has five other secret ingredients, known to
only a small number of senior managers.
The scent is very appealing to women. Men
who use Physique say they feel confident,
attractive and sophisticated.
Its target audience in France is ambitious,
career-minded men in the 30--40 age range.
The eau-de-cologne is positioned as a premium
fragrance. lt is priced at the top end of the market.
A global ambassador - a celebrity in the arts
world - will be chosen to lead the campaign.
19
PRODUCT DETAILS PHYSIQUE
Product shape: Tall, rounded bottle, solid appearance. Black, with the brand name in the centre.
Silver top. Screw top or spray.
Average retail prices:
40ml $60
75ml $75
100ml $95
125ml $110
The price places Physique in the top ten most expensive male fragrances.
Distribution in France: sold exclusively in parfumeries (specialised stores for cosmetics and toiletries)
and in shops in top hotels.
Promotion: Commercials on French television; radio spots; full-page advertisements in prestigious
magazines, e.g. Paris Match, Marie Claire, etc.
Special promotions at high-class events such as Longchamp racing stadium, and in embassies and
duty-free shops at the airports.
Words associated with Physique by consumers (in order of frequency): masculine, sensual,
sophisticated, elegant, energetic, alluring, spicy, glamorous, individualistic.
Quotation from sales literature: 'Physique man is confident, ambitious and resilient. He is at home in
any city and enjoys the challenge of urban life. He has a lot of creative energy, travels widely and is
optimistic about the future.'
Preparation for the international marketing launch
Having received the results of research in a number of potential overseas markets, the Marketing
Department of HCC has organised a meeting to brainstorm ideas for the global market.
Task
You are members of the Marketing Department of HCC.
1 Work in groups and brainstorm the points listed in the rough notes. One person
in each group should take notes. Then meet as one group and select some of the
best ideas for further study.
2 In your groups, devise a one-minute television commercial for the international
launch. Using a storyboard*, present the ideas of your group to your colleagues.
Then as one group, choose the best commercial. If necessary, take a vote.
*A series of pictures showing the sequence of scenes (setting, action, dialogue) of
a TV commercial. A storyboard helps marketing staff to visualise the concept for
the commercial.
20
BRAINSTORMING SESSION
1 Which 10 countries should be chosen for the launch?
2 Does Physique need a new name? If so, what?
3 Should Physique continue be targeted at the 30-40 age group? If not, what age group should it
target?
4 Should Physique continue to be positioned as a premium fragrance, or should HCC market it as a
mass fragrance, with a different pricing structure?
5 The container of Physique must be changed. How should the new container look? Plan the new
packaging (shape, design, materials).
6 Price: Are the present pricing levels appropriate? Should HCC offer a cheaper version of Physique
for emerging markets?
7 Distribution: Should HCC continue to sell the fragrance in exclusive outlets in overseas markets,
or should it use a wider variety of outlets? If so, what sort of outlets should it choose?
8 Promotion: Who should be the international ambassador(s) for the brand? What special
promotions could HCC organise in the overseas markets?
9 Physique needs a new slogan. Ideas?
10 Manufacture: Is it now time to manufacture the fragrance in low-cost countries? If so, which
countries would be suitable?
21
Week 4. Case study: Job Satisfaction
Just Good Friends - A software company with a 'long hours' culture needs to ensure that staff
relationships don't damage behaviour at work.
Background
Patrick McGuire, CEO of San Diego-based Techno21, is facing a problem caused by the highly
competitive nature of the IT industry. Recently, employees have been working much longer hours than
previously and often over weekends. As a result, a number of staff have developed close, personal
relationships with each other. Patrick has begun to think that the company may need to introduce a
policy to give these employees guidelines concerning their behaviour at work. Techno21 is young
company with a very relaxed atmosphere, and staff are encouraged to socialise during their free time.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working in this kind of environment.
Relationships at work: three cases Patrick McGuire's assistant has prepared notes on three cases in
which personal relationships have affected staff performance and morale. Read about the cases in
preparation for a meeting on managing relationships at work.
22
1 Promotion application
of Judith Fisher
Peter Walters, the Chief
Financial Officer, had a close
relationship with one of his
staff, Judith Fisher, but they
broke up. A few months
later, Walters had to choose
someone to be promoted to
be his deputy. Judith Fisher
was one of three candidates.
She didn't get the job. She
claims now that it was
because she'd had a personal
relationship with Walters
which had gone sour.
According to her, this was
Walters's way of taking
revenge. Patrick McGuire and
Veronica Simpson (HR
Director) took no action.
Judith is now threatening to
take legal action against the
company.
2 The sales conference
3 The loving couple
At the company's international
sales conference, Brad Johnson,
a sales manager, met Erica
Stewart for the first time. He
attended all the discussion
groups she was in and always
sat at her table at lunch. He
texted her repeatedly, inviting
her to have a drink or dinner
with him. He was clearly very
impressed with her. When they
both got back to Head Office,
Brad Johnson asked for Erica to
be transferred to his sales team.
Erica went to see Veronica
Simpson in order to reject
Johnson's request. However,
Veronica strongly advised Erica
not to turn down the transfer,
saying: 'Brad thinks you have
the personal qualities to be a
brilliant salesperson. He needs
bright young people to
strengthen his team and he
thinks you're the right person to
join his team.' Erica is confused
and cannot decide what to do .
About a year ago, two
colleagues, Lisa Davis and
Steffan Olsen, became
romantically involved. They
kept their relationship secret or so they thought. However,
the other members of their
team suspected something was
going on. The team noticed
that, at meetings, Lisa and
Steffan always supported each
other's opinions. Also, they
would give each other loving
looks or be more tactile than
was normal among employees.
Their behaviour upset the rest
of the team. A representative
of the group talked to the team
leader and asked her to do
something about it.
23
Discussion document
Patrick McGuire’s assistant has sent an e-mail outlining the points to be discussed at the next HR
meeting.
To:
HR staff
From:
Kate Mann
Subject: Tuesday’s HR meeting
1 Did we make the right decision concerning Peter Walters and Judith Fisher? What further action,
if any, should we take?
2 Did Veronica give Erica Stewart good advice? What should Erica do now?
3 How should the team leader deal with the issue of Lisa and Steffan? She has asked for guidance
from HR.
4 Which of Patrick's four options is best for the company?
5 How can we avoid someone gaining an unfair advantage by having a close relationship with a
colleague or boss? What action can we take if this happens?
You are members ofTechno21's HR Department.
Task
1 In small groups, discuss the questions in the e-mail and note down what action
to take in each case.
2 Meet as one group. Try to agree on what decisions to take concerning the
questions. One of you should take the role of Veronica and chair the meeting.
24
Week 5. Case study: Management styles
Selig and Lind (S&L) – A multinational electronics company must choose a new manager with
the right management style to lead an international team
Background
Niel Selig and Pedar Lind founded their electronics company (S&L) in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1985.
They developed the company by making top-of-the-range electronics products for higher income
groups. The products have a classical look, innovative designs and a distinctive appearance. A highly
successful company, S&L has expanded internationally and now has over 500 stores worldwide. Six
months ago, an international team was assembled to carry out a project. Consisting of 16 members, the
team was instructed to conduct a survey of S&L's customer service to retail outlets in six major
European countries. Unfortunately, the project has run into difficulties. Deadlines for submitting reports
have been missed, and morale in the project team is low. lt has become apparent that the present
Project Manager, Paul Johnstone, does not have the right style to manage the team. lt has been
decided, therefore, to replace him with someone else within the organisation who has a more suitable
management style.
Management style of Paul Johnstone
You are directors of S&L. You interviewed three members of the project team (see below) about Paul's
style of management. Work in small groups. Read the interviews and note down the strengths and
weaknesses of his style, using these categories. • Personality • Communication • Goal-setting •
Decision-making • Monitoring performance • Giving feedback
Replacing the Project Manager
The Directors of S&L have talked informally to several candidates who are interested in taking over from
Paul Johnstone. The candidates were asked to note down their management style. Read the
descriptions of their style on the opposite page.
25
Manager 1: Ruth Sales Manager, Central
Europe
I'm strong, self-confident, sociable. I have high
expectations of co-workers.
My job:
• To give clear, detailed instructions which
must be carried out. I'm not interested in
explanations if the work isn't done .
• It's important to give clear goals for each
member of staff .
• Deadlines must be met at all costs. I won't
accept excuses .
• I'm a hands-on manager. I check all the time
to make sure staff are doing their job properly
.
• I'm a good listener, but then I tell people
what to do .
• Dealing with multinational staff is difficult.
You have to tell them your management style
and what you expect from them .
• I'm a decisive person, but if I make a mistake,
I admit it.
Staff appraisal interviews: Every three
months. I discuss my team's weaknesses and
strengths.
My strengths: Leadership, achieving targets
My personality: A workaholic; tough, fair,
ambitious. I like new challenges.
Manager 3: Kazuo Manager Business Support
Unit
I'm hard-working, democratic and loyal.
My job:
• To achieve the objectives and goals of the
company.
• To ensure that each person in the
department understands our goals and shares
in decision-making.
Manager 2: Eduardo Manager New Business
I'm a people person – friendly, loyal and
extrovert.
My job:
• To make sure that my staff really enjoy coming
to work.
• I hold a lot of team meetings, formal and
informal.
• I always try to get everyone to agree before we
make any decisions. It’s time-consuming, but
that’s my style.
• I don’t set goals. I talk to staff and we agree on
what goals they must achieve.
• I don’t want the word decisive to define my
style, as I prefer to make decisions in a group.
• I’m very good at sorting out staff problems. It’s
the part of my job that I enjoy the most.
• Dealing with international staff is no problem,
as I treat everyone as individuals.
Staff appraisal interviews: Once a year. I check
with all staff each week to check if everything is
OK.
My strengths: organized, a good listener,
excellent organizational skills
My personality: warm, understanding – very
important to be liked by the team
Manager 4: Martina Manager, IT department
I'm ambitious, trusting and responsible.
My job:
• To organize people so that they get the work
done.
• I set goals, after agreement with my people. I
then give them responsibility and authority to
get the job done. They have to decide how to do
it. Their job? To carry out my instructions - to the
letter!
26
• I believe the company is more important
than the individual. It is essential never to let
the company down.
• Hold many meetings, no time limit. Always
consult staff on all decisions.
• Do not permit disagreement / arguments.
We want harmony at all times.
• Discuss aims with the team and set realistic
targets.
• I work six days a week, sometimes seven. I
expect staff to do the same.
• People should feel ashamed if they don't
meet company targets.
• I want to learn how to manage multicultural
groups successfully.
• My priority is to make the right decisions, as
quickly as possible, then get staff to put them
into practice.
• I use the bonus system to motivate my team.
Everyone is motivated by money.
Staff appraisal interviews: Once a year. To be
honest, they're usually a waste of time. I want a
weekly update from each member of staff on
how they're achieving their goals.
My strengths: Organising, leading teams,
motivating, getting the job done
My personality: Tenacious, demanding, tough on
the outside - but soft inside!
Staff appraisal interviews: Every quarter
My strengths: Organising ability, getting the
job done, loyalty to the company
My personality: Quiet, determined, focused
on results
1 Work in groups of four. You are Directors of S&L. Each of you chooses a
different candidate. Make a persuasive presentation of your candidate to the
other members of your group.
2 Working individually, rank the four candidates in terms Writing of their
suitability for the position of Project Manager. Number 1 would be your first
choice, number 4 the least suitable candidate.
3 Working as a group, compare your decisions and choose one candidate to be
the new Project Manager.
4 Make a presentation to another group outlining the strengths and
weaknesses of each candidate and stating your choice of candidate, with your
reasons.
27
Interview 1 Tom
Interview 2 Maria
Interview 3 Charlie
I don't think Paul had any idea
how to run the team. He worked
very long hours, but that was the
problem. The next morning, he
was always in a terrible mood
because he hadn't had enough
sleep. He was really unpleasant
to us most of the time. He was
the kind of boss who makes a
decision and that's it. He didn't
encourage us to agree or
disagree, he just wasn't
interested in our opinions. He
was good at telling us what to
do, but not how to do it, how he
wanted us to do it. For example, I
interviewed a couple of our big
retail customers. I thought it
went well, but Paul said I hadn't
asked the right questions. When l
tried to get him to explain, he
just said, 'You should know by
now the kind of questions you
need to ask customers: l was
really annoyed, we'd never
discussed that in detail before.
l'm really glad he's going. I got no
feedback from him. He never
spent time with us socially, so we
had no opportunities to get to
know him.
Did Paul have some good
points? Yes, he was a strong
manager; very decisive, and I
liked that. He gave brief
instructions and expected you
to do the job properly. Some
people didn't like that, of
course. He wouldn't accept
any excuses if things went
wrong. But that was fair
enough, l suppose. He had
one weakness that upset
everyone in the team. He
didn't set clear goals. For
instance, none of us realized
we had to collect information
about the incentives offered
to regular customers. we
didn't know that was part of
the brief. And we had no idea
that we had to complete our
survey in France in two
weeks. He simply didn't make
it clear to us. He treated
everyone fairly, but never
really got to know us as
individuals. He was too
distant as a manager, l'd say.
Too focused on results, not a
people person.
I got on OK with Paul, but he
didn't give me any work that
was really interesting or
challenging. I spent most of
the time making
appointments for the other
members of the team. I got
bored and sort of lost
interest. I don't think he
trusted me - or anyone in the
team, for that matter. He
tried to do too much himself,
so he was always under a lot
of pressure and seemed very
stressed. I know that quite a
few of the team felt Paul
didn't adapt his style to suit
individual members. I-le
seemed to have no crosscultural skills at all. He
treated everyone in the same
way, and you can't do that
when the team has such a
mix of nationalities and
personalities
28
Week 6. Case study: Crisis Management
In Range – a video games company faces a crisis on the eve of a major product launch
Background
The article below appeared in Business Today, a weekly newspaper published in Los Angeles, California.
Read the article and discuss the opinion of the psychologist Carl Davis. Do you agree with him that
violent video games like In Range should be banned for sale to people under 12?
LAUNCH PLANS OR ‘IN RANGE’ HIT BY PSYCHOLOGY
REPORT
Plans to launch the blockbuster video game In Range have been upset by a new report on
violence in computer games and its effect on young people.
Professor Carl Davis, a psychologist specializing in teenagers’ behaviour, has just brought out a
shock report based on a three-year study of young people’s reactions to violent video games. His
main findings are that violent video games do increase the levels of aggression in young people
and they also desensitize youngsters to death and destruction.
Commenting on In Range, Carl Davis says: “As founder of the Institute of Media Studies, I
cannot approve the level of violence and violations of human-rights law that are apparent in In
Range. I think it should be banned or, at the very least, only available to adults over the age of
21.”
This is a further blow for the creator and developer of the video game, ExtremeAction. This
Japanese-owned company has its head office here in Los Angeles. In Range features a team of
mercenaries who are hired by the government of a fictitious country, The Republic, to
completely destroy a drugs baron and his private army of bodyguards. There are scenes of
extreme violence, including brutal interrogations and summary executions.
It is expected that there will be record-breaking sales of the game in the U.S and U.K. Preorders from retailers in both countries have been enormous. There is little doubt that In Range
will be the top-selling computer game of the year. However, these is severe criticism of the
company and its new game from politicians, academics, community leaders, the police force, and
the media. This threatens the success of the celebrity launch at the end of the month.
29
Sample of reactions to In Range before the launch
Negative comments
U.S. Senator We need a bill to ban sales of
ultra-violent video games to youngsters under
21. I intend to introduce a bill in Congress as
soon as possible.
State Governor I'd like to ban sales of In Range
in our state. The publishers of the game have
gone beyond the limit. It's a disgusting,
depraved game which will corrupt our children
and desensitize them to violence and death.
Principal of a large international school It's
wrong to advertise the game in bus shelters and
movie theaters near our schools. There should
be no adverts or commercials within the radius
of any school or on TV for that matter.
Police-financed advert in a local newspaper In
Range will make young people more aggressive,
more rebellious, and increase crime in our city.
Shouldn't ExtremAction be showing a sense of
social responsibility?
Positive comments
Spokesperson for the computer games industry
In Range will be an all-time winner. It'll
invigorate our industry, create a lot of jobs, and
help us to make more money than the fat cats
in the movie industry.
Game On magazine What more can you say
about In Range? It's exciting, easy to complete,
and can be replayed many times. Great graphics
and sound effects, fantastic action, and a
credible storyline. No wonder people can't wait
to get their hands on a copy.
A champion gamer What an awesome game!
This takes video games into a new dimension. I
hope they'll do a follow-up as soon as possible.
A teenage gamer Really thrilling and scary. Best
game I've ever played. Took me ten hours to
finish. Killing that drugs baron and his
bodyguards gave me a real buzz.
Children's charity spokesperson In Range is
typical of the harmful products of the U.S.
entertainment industry which reflect the
increasing violence in their society.
Because of the severe criticisms that they are receiving from politicians,
academics, community leaders and the media, ExtremAction decide to
hold a press conference. This will enable them to defend the company,
explain how they are dealing with the crisis and answer the questions
from journalists. Work in two groups.
Group A: Turn to page 36 Group B: turn to page 37
1 Read your role card and prepare for the press conference.
2 Hold the press conference
30
Group A. You are Directors of ExtremAction.
Your objectives are to:
-
defend your game
work out an action plan to deal with the crisis
handle the journalists' questions.
Your team will be led by the Chief Executive of the company. You will support her/him at the press
conference and answer journalists' questions.
1 Hold a meeting to discuss what actions you will take to deal with the situation. Here are some possible
actions. Add any others you can think of.
-
Postpone the launch until people have forgotten about Carl's report.
Withdraw the game and make it less violent.
Defend the game and go ahead with the launch as planned.
2 Try to predict what questions the journalists will ask and prepare answers to them.
3 Decide on an action plan to deal with the crisis. Be prepared to tell the journalists what you have
decided.
31
Group B You are journalists.
Your objectives are to:
-
ask probing questions to find out how the company is dealing with the crisis.
gather information so that you can write a powerful and accurate article in your newspaper. You
want to start a lively debate in the correspondence columns about In Range.
get the company to answer questions about excessive violence in computer games, as you know
many of your readers are very worried about the effects on their children of violence in
computer games.
1 Work in small groups. Choose a newspaper, whether American or foreign, that you represent. Prepare
some questions you would like to ask the Directors of ExtremAction.
2 Work as one group. Choose the best questions and decide who will ask each one.
3 When you ask questions at the press conference, make sure you 'follow up' questions. Don't let the
Directors give you vague answers.
4 Take notes on the Directors' answers so that you can write an article about this press conference.
32
Part 2. BUSINESS WRITING
Written exam BUSICB52
The BUSICB52 exam is a written exam which consists of two parts:
Part 1:
Vocabulary test containing a selection of the underlined vocabulary in the 10 business texts for selfstudy and the case studies in the BENBUC/ BUSICB52 reader.
Part 2
Writing assignment. One of the 6 writing assignments practiced in class.
No Aids
Duration exam: 120 minutes
Writing assignments & peer feedback
Instructions on writing assignments & Quilbott
In class you will write a business assignment each week. You will check your work in Quilbott and
improve your writing.
Next to that, you can ask your lecturer to give feedback on one writing assignment.
At the end of period 2, the BUSICB52 writing exam is scheduled. During this writing exam, you will study
the ten texts and vocabulary from the case studies and you will write one of the six assignments we
practised in class.
Practice makes perfect!
33
This is what the structure of a professional e-mail looks like:
from:
JCDecaux Netherlands <ict@jcdecaux.nl>
to:
corporatesales@apple.com
date:
Fri, Jun 14, 2021, at 1:33 AM
subject:
Delivery enquiry order AC5991-3 (the subject needs to be informative!)
attachment: orderAC5991-3.pdf
Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Ms. Braeburn (if you know the name you need to use it)
The first paragraph briefly states your reason (goal) for writing, mentions how you found this
email address if this is your first contact, or in case of earlier contact starts by referring to this
previous contact.
The following, longer, body paragraph(s) deal(s) with your actual message. Make clear
paragraphs (organised neatly per topic) with connecting link words. Do not indent or use ‘enter’
in the middle of a paragraph. Please do skip a line between each paragraph. Do not forget to
mention any attachments you have included. Avoid asking direct questions.
Use ‘we’ to refer to your company in business situations, and save ‘I’ for personal situations.
Use ‘we’ (‘us’, ‘our’) and ‘you’ (‘your’) instead of company names e.g. ‘Starke Ltd.’ and ‘Johnson
Inc.’ In other words: don’t write about yourself or the other party in the third person.
Do not break off words at the end of a line. Do not use “we want to,” “you must” or “you have
to” as these are all too impolite!
Make sure you have a separate, short final paragraph expressing hope/expectations.
Yours sincerely / Kind regards
Pinar Colori (Ms)
IT Manager JCDecaux Netherlands| Arnhem, NL| T +31 1800 103 7085 |
34
SAMPLE EMAIL
from:
to:
date:
subject:
attachment:
Clothes ‘R Us sales@clothesrus.com
williams@MHfashion.nl
Mon, Feb 30, 2013 at 4:45 PM
Order 60 sweaters (offer no. MH1243, order no. CU 54587)
MH-1243.pdf
Dear Ms. Williams
We thank you for your offer of 23 February last (your ref.: MH-1243), which we have thoroughly
examined. It looks good, so we would like to place a trial order.
If the quality is indeed as stated, your blazers and sweaters will be an interesting addition to our
present range. Therefore, we are pleased to place a trial order for 60 gentlemen’s sweaters, 20 each
for the sizes S, M, and L, and 30 gentlemen’s blazers, size M. Please see the attached order for the
colours we would like.
The consignment should have the same prices and quality as those mentioned in the offer. We would
like delivery to take place on 3 March at the latest, because on that date the summer collection should
be available in the shops.
Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a solid business relationship.
Yours sincerely
Anne Robinson
Sales Manager clothesRus|sales@clothesRus.com| +44 67425900
This is the order in which the information is presented in the body of the letter:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Friendly greeting
Thanks or reference to the previous contact
Most important point/problem
Important request
Less important points
Reference to future contact
Ending
35
Week 1. Inquiry (an email asking for information)
Background info
You work as event manager for Equinox Services, a company in Geneva, and have been asked to
organise a two-day conference in London. As you’ve only ever visited London as a tourist you have
no prior knowledge of the city’s venues so you’ve reached out via LinkedIn to a former colleague
who now works in London. He suggested Cavendish Venues and you quite liked their website when
you checked them out online.
Assignment
Write an e-mail to enquiries@cavendishvenues.com asking for the necessary preliminary
information to determine if you will use this venue. Ask detailed questions about the topics below
to help you decide whether you’re going to make use of this location.
Details you need at this point:
• price
• size and capacity
• audio/visual equipment + support
• services + facilities
Additionally, you’d like to hear about their sustainability policies, if any.
Important note: make sure to include all the necessary (email) elements!
Tip 1: make sure you divide your mail into proper paragraphs and don’t turn it into a bulleted list.
Tip 2: Try to avoid direct questions where you can. For example: instead of asking “what are your terms
of payment?”, you could say “I would like to hear your terms of payment”, “Please inform me of…” or:
I’d like to know your terms”. These are all examples of indirect questions; mind the word order!
36
Week 2. How to report on data
The graph shows the number of tourists arriving at the main airport of a Mediterranean island. A report
on the figures for the year follows. Complete the report below with words and phrases from the box.
Not so high season
Despite a promising start tourist numbers failed to hit the highs of last year
First quarter - We saw a promising (1) start to the year, with tourist numbers increasing steadily to
around 300,000 in March. This compares __________________ (2) with the figure of 200,000 for March
last year.
Second quarter – April was _____________________(3) with only 250,000 tourists arriving. But this was
followed by an increase in the numbers in June reaching a total of __________________ (4) half a
million. Most of the visitors who travel in June are single people and couples, so this high figure is
__________________________ (5).
Third quarter – Tourist numbers __________________________ (6) the usual peak levels in August. The
total number reached ______________________ (7) 600,000 compared to 700,000 last year. However,
the figure fell only slightly to 550,000 in September, which was ________________________(8) on last
year.
Fourth quarter – Tourist numbers dropped towards the end of the year, which is
_______________________ (9). However, the number of tourists arrivals in December was nearly 50%
lower than last year. This is a _______________________ (10) result for the Christmas period.
37
Writing assignment 2.
The international construction and engineering group USB is based in Munich, Germany. One of the
managers has noticed that work performance seems to have decreased over the past year. Although
targets are still being met, he has reported his observation to the Managing Director, who has asked the
HR manager to look into it.
The bar chart below shows the results of a survey conducted by the personnel department. The survey
was carried out on two groups of workers: those aged from 18-30 and those aged 45-60, and shows
factors affecting their work performance. As can be seen some of the factors such as team spirit score
the same percentage in both age groups. Other factors reveal differences between the groups.
You have been asked by the HR manager to - briefly - analyze the results and write a short report in
which you suggest and motivate some ideas on how to positively influence work satisfaction and
subsequently work performance.
Write this report of 175 to 225 words.
38
Week 3. Writing a complaint email
From: https://uk.indeed.com/: How to write an email complaint (with tips and examples) | Indeed.com
UK
How to write an email complaint
Sending a complaint by email directly to a service provider, vendor, supplier or manufacturer aims to
resolve problems. Typically, you send a complaint to address delivery delays, incorrect merchandise
deliveries or service-related issues. Learning how to write a strong complaint email can help to ensure
that you receive a prompt, satisfactory response. In this article, we discuss what an email complaint is,
and explain how to draft one.
What is an email complaint?
An email complaint is a formal letter that expresses dissatisfaction about an experience, product or
service. You can send one to people you've done business with to express your concerns. You might
send a complaint to an individual, organisation or department, such as a retail customer service team.
Typically, the email describes the problem, how it impacted you and your preferred resoluti
How to write an effective email complaint
Follow the steps below:
Determine if a complaint is appropriate
You can send a complaint email if an item you receive doesn't meet your expectations. It may also be
worth filing a complaint if a company provides substandard service. For example, you might want to
complain if a vendor promises their laptops are going to last for five years but you start experiencing
problems after two years. If you're not satisfied with the service, you may wish to file a complaint
regarding late or incomplete delivery, contradictory information, unexpected charges, misleading
advertising or unfulfilled promises. If you're requesting a resolution, demonstrate how the problem
affects you.
Identify and label the recipient
Before writing an email, identify to whom you can send it. You may be more likely to receive a response
if you have a specific contact. If you can't find a contact, decide which department to address. Customer
service departments typically handle complaints in most industries. For example, if you bought modems
for your office and they malfunctioned, you might contact the company's technical support team.
Explain the problem
Be as specific as possible when describing the problem you encountered. For example, suppose a
company sent you damaged clothing. In that case, you may want to describe how you discovered the
problem, how many articles of clothing the issue affects, what truck the package was on and what the
package label details are. Provide the recipient with these details early in the email to determine how
best to resolve the issue and whether to forward it to someone else for assistance.
39
Include any supporting documentation
Be sure to attach supporting documents, such as pictures, receipts or tracking numbers, to add
substance to your claim. For example, you could attach a screenshot of the live chat if you received poor
service from a company. This helps the company to determine what further action it requires
Describe the implications
The most important aspect of the complaint is a clear explanation of why the issue requires attention.
For example, damaged merchandise may result in you not reaching your sales goals, spending more
money to return the products and customers noticing empty racks. Other issues, such as late delivery,
may involve communicating how the delayed delivery caused you to cancel a scheduled event. Being
direct and specific about the issue can result in a faster resolution.
Indicate your preferred solution
Explain how you expect the provider to resolve the issue. In some cases, this may be as simple as
sending new merchandise. If you receive poor customer service, you may be eligible to receive a
discount on future purchases. Although companies may already have processes in place to deal with
these problems, asking for what you want can expedite the process. If necessary, set an expected
resolution or response date.
Edit and finalise the format
Use the format of a formal letter. For a professional tone, sign your name with the phrase sincerely. It's
a good idea to include your contact information and the addressee's name, address, title and company
in the header.
FINALLY…
Keep it short and specific
Even if you have a lot of background information, keep the content of the email focused on the relevant
points. Include details such as the date, time, place and manner of the event. The objective is to address
a problem and receive a resolution, not elicit an emotional response.
Leave out emotions
Email is the most common method of communicating complaints. Keep your email factual and your tone
confident. Although you may be unhappy, it's important to be professional and respectful. This helps to
ensure you receive an efficient resolution.
40
Sample complaint email
From: Anna.Smith@karam.com
Sent: Monday, 17 March, 2024 10:13 AM
To: paulcartwright.sales@miller.inc.usa
Subject: faulty order No. STR890X
Attached: order form and receipt
Dear Mr Cartwright,
I am writing to complain about the 15 Locale sit-to-stand desks we ordered on 15 March last. As can be
seen in the order form and receipt in the attachment, the desks were ordered in your online store and
were delivered within your three-week delivery period.
Even though we placed multiple orders in the past which fully lived up to our expectations, these sit-tostand desks all seem to have an unfortunate manufacturing fault. The desks should be adjustable in
height at the push of a button, but all 15 desks spontaneously adjust themselves without the user
pressing any button at all. This malfunction has led to some seriously uncomfortable situations; a staff
member’s legs have got painfully caught between table and chair when a desk lowered itself, and office
supplies have fallen on the floor when the desks suddenly raised themselves.
Needless to say, we are disappointed with the situation. We trust that you will take swift action to
resolve the situation, since our office staff currently have no suitable desks to work at.
I suggest that you contact me as soon as possible to discuss either replacement or a refund. Thank you
in advance.
Kind regards,
Anna
Anna Smith I Office Manager KARAM group www.KARAM.com | Anna.Smith@karam.com I +31 20
8765563
41
Assignment: write the following complaint; make sure you don’t use telegramstyle language and divide your complaint into paragraphs
You work for Web shop ‘Devices.com’ (firstname.lastname@devices.com). Last month you ordered 100
wireless AirPods (order number AP/3456). Now you write a complaint email to the Sales Manager John
Smitty of Apple UK (John.Smitty@Apple.co.uk) about the following:
You have received many complaints from customers about malfunctioning AirPods.
•
•
•
slow, poor connection
volume control not working
fast battery drain
More details in attachment.
Express your annoyance and suggest at least two solutions for the inconvenience.
End the email on a positive note.
42
Week 4. Reply to a complaint
From: paulcartwright.sales@miller.inc.usa
Sent: Monday, 18 March, 2024 10:50 AM
To: Anna.Smith@karam.com
Subject: RE faulty order No. STR890X
Dear Ms Smith,
I am writing to offer my sincere apologies for the inconvenience your office staff have experienced in
connection with the faulty Herman Miller sit-to-stand desks. I would like to assure you that I will do my
utmost to provide a quick and adequate solution for the furniture problem you are currently facing.
Judging by the problems that you described in your letter, the desks picked up a computer error upon
intallation in your office. Each desk has a tiny computer which regulates the movements of the desk.
On receiving your letter I immediately instructed a local mechanic to make an appointment with your
office to come and reset the desk computers. I trust that this mechanic has either contacted you already
or will do so today. Needless to say, these repairs fall under the warranty of the desks and will be free of
charge.
As a token of our commitment to and appreciation of you as a customer, I will make sure that you will
have an extended warranty on the desks. In addition, you will be sent fifteen ubi work tools to
accesorise each of the desks. Lastly, I would like to stress that the desk problems you have experienced
are not typical of Herman Miller’s level of service. We are committed to providing you and all our
customers with the highest standards at all times.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me on + 1 866 252 7811.
Kind regards,
Paul
Paul Cartwright I Customer Service Manager Miller Inc. | paulcartwright.sales@miller.inc.usa I + 1 866
252 7811
43
Assignment: reply to a complaint
Write a polite, professional email based on the following information:
You (yourname@solaredge.uk) are the Sales Manager for SolarEdge, a medium-sized company
producing solar panels. You have just received a complaint from Susan Shine, junior Product Manager at
Star Energy, one of your regular customers, concerning a delivery (Susan.starE@ukmail.com)



- solar panels arrived three weeks late;
- 200 out of 2,000 panels were damaged with micro cracks;
- issues with 60 inverters and broken wiring.
Star Energy is really upset - Late deliveries becoming a custom - Customer service employee rude when
contacted
Address each of these points and suggest possible solutions/compensation. And remember, you do not
want to lose this customer!
44
Week 5. Advice report
How to write an advice report.
Start with the Introduction:
Provide an overview of the report's purpose and the issue/topic being addressed. State the importance
of providing advice on the matter.
Background:
Outline the context of the issue, including relevant background information, data, or statistics. Explain
why addressing this issue is important and relevant.
Analysis:
Present an analysis of the issue, breaking down its various components or factors. Use evidence,
examples, or case studies to support your analysis. Identify potential challenges or opportunities
associated with the issue.
Recommendations:
Based on your analysis, provide specific recommendations for addressing the issue. These
recommendations should be practical, feasible, and tailored to the needs of the recipient or
organization. Provide justification for each recommendation.
Implementation Plan:
Outline a plan for implementing the recommendations, including steps to be taken, responsible parties,
timelines, and any resources required. Address potential obstacles and strategies for overcoming them.
Conclusion:
Summarize the key points of the report and reiterate the importance of following the recommendations.
Offer any final thoughts or suggestions for further action.
45
Sample assignment
You work as a marketing consultant for a mid-size local restaurant that has been experiencing a decline
in sales over the past few months. Despite their efforts to attract customers through traditional
advertising methods, such as flyers and local newspaper ads, the restaurant has not seen a significant
increase in foot traffic or revenue. The owner of the restaurant has approached you for advice on how
to turn their business around and increase sales.
Subject: Advice Report on Improving Sales and Revenue
Introduction:
This report provides recommendations for improving sales and revenue for Sam’s Corner. Despite
efforts to attract customers through traditional advertising methods, the restaurant has experienced a
decline in sales. This report aims to identify strategies to revitalize the business and increase
profitability.
Background
Sam’s Corner is a mid-sized, family-owned restaurant in downtown Brighton. Established in 2010, the
restaurant has built a reputation for offering a diverse menu that blends traditional British cuisine with
contemporary culinary innovations. The establishment prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients
and providing a warm, welcoming atmosphere that appeals to a broad range of customers.
Analysis:
Over the past year, Sam’s Corner has experienced fluctuations in sales performance:
•
•
•
Q1 & Q2: Steady sales growth with a 5% increase compared to the same period last year, driven
by successful holiday promotions and an increase in corporate catering.
Q3: A slight decline in sales (3%) due to the seasonal drop in tourist visits and increased
competition from new restaurants in the area.
Q4: A moderate recovery with a 2% increase, supported by holiday events and improved
marketing efforts.
Sam’s corner is currently facing several challenges and trends that are impacting the business:
Increased Competition: The opening of several new restaurants in downtown Brighton has
intensified competition for local and tourist dining pounds
Rising Costs: An increase in the cost of locally sourced ingredients and labor has put pressure on
profit margins.
Changing Consumer Preferences: There is a growing trend towards healthier eating options and
environmentally sustainable practices, requiring menu adjustments and operational changes.
Technology Integration: The need to integrate advanced technology for online reservations,
contactless payments, and efficient delivery services to meet customer expectations.
46
Recommendations:
Based on the provided information, the following strategic recommendations are advised:
Enhanced Digital Marketing: Increase investment in digital marketing, particularly in targeted
social media advertising and search engine optimization (SEO), to attract a wider audience.
Menu Innovation: Introduce new menu items that cater to health-conscious customers and
highlight sustainable practices, such as plant-based options and locally sourced seasonal dishes.
Cost Management: Explore cost-saving measures such as negotiating better deals with
suppliers, optimizing labor schedules, and reducing food waste.
Community Engagement: Strengthen community ties through participation in local events,
sponsorships, and partnerships with local farms and businesses to enhance brand loyalty and
visibility.
Conclusion:
By implementing these recommendations, Sam’s corner can revitalize its business, attract new
customers, and increase sales and revenue. It is essential to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and
embrace digital marketing strategies to remain competitive in the ever-evolving restaurant industry.
Writing Assignment 5.
Write an advice report based on the following scenario (450 words)
Scenario:
You are an energy analyst working for a medium-sized investment firm. The firm's clients are interested
in diversifying their investment portfolios by exploring opportunities in renewable energy. They have
approached you for advice on the potential benefits and risks associated with investing in renewable
energy projects.
Use the structure of an advice report: (you do not need to write the implementation plan)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction (stating the purpose and relevance)
Background
Analysis
Recommendations
Conclusion
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Week 6. A Product Review
Writing a product review
Let’s explore the ins and outs of a product review. What is it? What is the purpose? How do we write
one?
So, what is it? In essence it’s nothing but an evaluation of a product. And what is the purpose? Here is
where it becomes more interesting. Product reviews sell. These days when consumers want to buy a
product, they go online to find out what other people think about the product they are interested in
buying. 9 out of 10 buyers are more likely to buy a product after reading a positive review. The reviews
can be written by people who’ve already bought the product or by professional reviewers, independent
or not.
For the purpose of learning to improve your business writing skills we’re going to aim somewhere in
between the consumer and the professional reviewer. “OOH, I just LOVE this new colour nail polish.” is
not going to cut it, nor do we expect you to write a professional product review with elaborate
comparisons between other similar products at this point. So how do we write a product review? There
are three aspects that we’re going to look at: what are the most important features, how do we
organise the review and what sort of language do we use.
❖ Key features
➢ User experience: What does it do? How well does it work? What problem does it help
you solve? What are the pros and cons? What do you especially (dis)like about this
product?
➢ Images: a picture of those pretty nails or those super cool sneakers help readers connect
to your story
➢ Star ratings: I like these. Do you? Let’s discuss!
❖ Structure
➢ Good title
➢ Short introduction
➢ Brief outline
➢ Short description of the outline
➢ User experience (see above but especially the benefits and disadvantages)
➢ Alternatives
➢ Conclusion and recommendation
Also, make paragraphs (for clarity) and use headings* (for SEO purposes)
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❖ Language
➢ Make it personal (I, you)
➢ Focus on your reader (Who will benefit from using this product? Help them decide!)
➢ Use adjectives and adverbs to trigger emotions
For further inspiration and some background see the following sources:
https://infographicjournal.com/why-product-reviews-are-so-important
https://verpex.com/blog/website-tips/how-to-write-a-product-review
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-product-review
https://pumble.com/blog/emotive-language/
https://languagetool.org/insights/post/style-descriptive-writing/
Product review assignment
•
•
•
•
•
Choose a product you are familiar with and write a product review about it
Include key features, personal experience and recommendation
Use descriptive language to engage your readers
Your target audience consists of 18 to 30-year-old students
Length: 200-300 max.
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Part III. IDIOMS 10 BUSINESS TEXTS FOR SELF-STUDY
The following ten business texts are for self-study. Make sure you understand the meaning of
the underlined idioms in the given context of the text. You are expected to be able to give their
definitions. These are tested in the BUSICB52 exam in T2/T4.
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Text 1. Privacy Is Dead and Most People Really Don’t Care
(Forbes October, 2020)
Have you read the terms and conditions to use Facebook? Your smart phone? Most people have not,
and probably with good reason. They’re hundreds, if not, thousands of pages long. In fact, even contract
lawyers with thirty years of experience have struggled in trying to understand these agreements. Deep
down, though, each of us knows that we’re signing away our privacy rights to use these platforms and
devices. So why do we do it? We don’t truly value privacy as much as we like to believe we do.
Humans are social animals, so we have a strong need to interact with other people and belong to
something. Guess what social media does for us? It helps us stay connected. Think about how you often
hear about important life events now friends and family. Someone got engaged? They post it on
Facebook. Good friend wins an award? They post it on Instagram. Wondering what restaurant to eat at?
We search on Yelp. Because of network externalities, we must be on these platforms to stay connected.
Don’t like Facebook capturing your data? Well, good luck hearing the latest news on your friends and
family. In fact, by not being on the Facebook family of social media, it actually triggers feelings isolation
and disconnectedness. Are we willing to give up a little privacy to keep our social bonds in place?
Absolutely.
It's easy for us to turn a blind eye to what is happening as long as people remain blissfully ignorant. Find
this shocking? Consider the Netflix docudrama the Social Dilemma. Former insiders of these companies
explain and show how companies not only mine and sell your data but also how they have created their
systems to make you addicted to their platforms. They need you to keep returning so they can collect
more and more data from you and monetize it. Many people who have watched the Social Dilemma are
astonished and mortified by what they learn. Yet how many of them really swear off the platforms and
delete their accounts? We have rationalized away what is happening with essentially a mindset of: “I
won’t’ ask, and you don’t tell…” so long as nothing bad happens.
The secret compact on data “privacy” is that we all know (at least subconsciously) that our data is being
taken, mined, and sold. We’re often copacetic with that because we get enough value out of the
systems that we don’t mind this cost. However, part of this implicit agreement is that nefarious people
cannot hack their way to our data. (Buying is apparently perfectly acceptable though for most people.)
Consider the data breaches that SnapChat or Instagram suffered. There was huge public outrage over
the lack of data security (not so much privacy.) People didn’t seem so appalled at the level of data
collected (even SnapChat taking contact information without requesting permission for it.) The
indignation really centered on these companies not preventing cyber-crime.
We already live in a world where people are used to sharing everything online. You know those phone
phishing scams like the fraudsters pretending to be the IRS? Young millennials and Generation Z fall
victim to them the most of any generation because they’re used to giving information away. People get
important value from these platforms and devices and accept the trade offs for it. Data security is still
paramount, but the strong belief for data privacy is pretty much dead.
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Text 2. Can the 'right to disconnect' exist in a remote-work world?
(https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210517 Angela Henshall 21-05-2021)
Governments have long been trying to enact laws to give workers the right to log
off. But some fear there’s no realistic way these rules can help a newly flexible
workforce.
We are working more than ever. A peek at email while you’re getting the toddler out of bed; reviewing
a presentation at nearly midnight around a dimly lit kitchen table, when you’re finally getting to eat that
dinner you made hours earlier, while on an conference call. If increased flexibility has been a boon for
workers in the pandemic era, it has also meant that we’ve had fewer and fewer chances to disconnect.
As bad as things have become, however, this always-on culture has been in motion for years, and it’s
something many countries have been looking to mitigate with ‘right-to-disconnect’ legislation – laws
that give workers the ability to step back from their jobs without penalties. But now, the pandemic has
left workers especially burnt out – so addressing the problem has never been more critical.
Ireland is trying to do just that. Although several countries, primarily in Europe, have enacted varying
levels of past legislation on the right to disconnect, Ireland is among the first countries to try and
introduce a code specifically centering the new, work-from-home era. Ireland’s post-Covid-19 rules are
meant to preserve work-life balance and protect all workers, including those who work remotely and
flexibly – something that past laws have not considered.
However, the solution may not be as straightforward as it seems. In practice, it may actually be near
impossible to combine the ability to log off with the freedom to work remotely, especially if that means
creating timetables different to other colleagues. And, in a worse case scenario, some experts are also
warning that mismanagement of these initiatives could compromise some of the flexibility workers have
only recently been able to negotiate.
So, is it possible to enshrine the right to disconnect in a new, remote-work world? Or are we still
heading for the overburden and burnout we’re trying to avoid, no matter what laws are in the works?
Across the world, countries have been trying to figure out how to enact effective right-to-disconnect
legislation for years. These laws and regulations manifest in different ways – some putting a cap on the
workday or workweek, some limiting communication after hours. But all mean to protect employees
from overwork, and shield them from any repercussions of shutting off.
The new rules do not codify what are considered ‘normal working hours’, and apply equally to workers
who are both remote and in office
The first legislation related to the right to disconnect appeared in France in 2016, then Italy in 2017 and
Spain in 2018. Although different in detail, all of these fairly light-touch rules protect a worker’s right not
to respond to communications from work outside the business’s core hours, and not to be penalised for
this (for example, by being denied a promotion if you refuse to work weekends). Over the past two
decades, Germany has also made moves to protect workers’ ability to log off, though not through the
law; instead, negotiations were held among company stakeholders. Several German multinationals took
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a tougher stance, putting company agreements in place that secure workers’ right to disconnect,
including Volkswagen, Daimler and Siemens, often using technology to underpin policies. At
Volkswagen, for instance, non-management employees reportedly cannot access their email on their
smartphones between 1815 and 0700.
Although these moves were hugely important steps in a pre-pandemic world, they mostly focus on a
structured, in-office workday period, which doesn’t reflect our current world – nor what workers
necessarily now desire. Globally, calls for flexibility have swelled, as people want more autonomy to be
able to define their own working hours, and not be told exactly when they can access their email, for
instance.
This is what Ireland has been trying to solve with its new, Covid-19-conscious code. As of 7 April, Irish
workers have the right to not routinely perform work outside normal working hours; not be penalised
for refusing to attend to work matters out of hours; and a duty to respect another person’s right to
disconnect. Importantly, the rules do not codify what are considered ‘normal working hours’, and apply
equally to workers who are both remote and in office. Ireland’s code is also different to its predecessors
because it specifically references working across time zones, asking firms to manage expectations that
workers doing international business need only reply to emails during their own working day. It also
suggests training for managers, so they can take action if an employee seems unable to disconnect, and
find out what’s causing the problem.
Speaking to RTÉ News, Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said a growing number of people were
being “compelled to work for free from their home”, and the code was a step to change that. The code
will enhance a big package of labour rights with specific focus on employees now working remotely, a
group that has grown exponentially in Ireland during the Covid-19 crisis, says Catherine O’Flynn, partner
at Dublin law firm William Fry.
The digital workplace has essentially leapfrogged or outpaced our existing labour laws, adds Heejung
Chung, a labour-market researcher and reader in sociology and social policy at the University of Kent,
UK. And, a practical set of rules that recognise how radically the world of work has shifted could be a
crucial step forward, giving workers the reprieve they desperately need. If implemented correctly, rightto-disconnect legislation can be powerful, says Chung, since the rules will apply to everyone.
A fundamental flaw?
However, there are some sceptics doubtful any rule changes – even those fashioned for a post-Covid-19
environment – can work at all. That’s especially true if workers desire flexible hours as much as they
emphasise remote location.
The core issue is the potentially inherent incompatibility of flexible schedules and the right to log off in
the first place. Eileen Schofield, a UK employee rights lawyer with Schofield and Associates, says most
current European guidance around the right to disconnect is on establishing ‘normal’ working, hours but
very few of us have worked a regular pattern of hours over the past year. “The challenge with applying a
right to disconnect [in any country] just now is that employees are becoming accustomed to choosing
different working hours every day,” she says. “The right to disconnect is likely to mean that this total
flexibility will not be completely viable.”
53
So, although new codes can accommodate different definitions of ‘normal hours’, workers with less
rigidity may be left behind. Even Ireland’s newer codes don’t account for this, and it may be difficult to
envision a way in which any kind of right-to-disconnect protections could apply to seemingly scattershot
working hours.
Additionally, even if right-to-disconnect laws could accommodate the more realistic way we want to
work now, these laws could have some undesirable side effects. Len Shackleton, a professor of
economics at the University of Buckingham who analyses the economics of labour markets, explains that
if employees are banned from connecting at certain times – like weekends or evenings – then
“employers are going to want to be damned sure you’re available and fully occupied during your
contracted hours”. He says, “much of the flexibility of working at home, which has allowed you to nip
out to the supermarket or to pick up the kids and make the time up later, will disappear. Employers will
want to know why you haven’t answered that phone call or email [during your ‘on’ hours].”
“I’d be careful what I wished for,” continues Shackleton, who thinks that once workers understand the
potential applications of these policies, they won’t necessarily favour them.
Schofield also warns that any new rules coming in just as businesses struggle to reset after the pandemic
could prompt knee-jerk responses. She worries that as employers scramble to apply these rules
effectively, they could become more prescriptive with employees’ working hours, which could backfire
and hurt workers. Ultimately, she thinks it will be necessary for companies to wait until the impact of
the pandemic has really shaken out, to allow employers and employees “to determine the ‘new normal’
for their business”.
Time will need to pass to know whether or not Ireland – or any of the other countries considering similar
moves – will successfully crack the code to enacting effective right-to-disconnect rules. But a good
outcome could have an immense bearing on workers around the world. Regardless of country, workers
have hit the wall, and any progress that could ease even just a little part of that burden and burnout is
welcome – and needed.
###
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Text 3. A Universal Language
Adapted from :Dummett, P., Hughes, J., & Stephenson, H. (2013). Life Upper Intermediate B2: Heinle Cengage Learning, pp. 122123
People love to compare and contrast. In most parts of England, you buy your bus ticket on the bus. In
France, you buy it at a metro station. In Australia, you can buy it from a newsagent. We all find this kind
of comparison entertaining. Books on cross-cultural communication exploit our curiosity by focusing on
differences between people across the world: in social behavior, the roles they adopt in society, their
attitudes to money, the significance of their body language, etc.
Proxemics, the study of different standards of personal space, is on example. How close I stand to
someone when I am speaking to them depends not only on my relationship to them, but also on my
culture. This is important because if the person I am with is not used to standing as near as I do when we
are talking to each other, they might feel uncomfortable. Statistics tell us that the average distance at
which two people stand in a social context – neighbours chatting for example – is anything between 1.2
and 3.5 metres. In Latin cultures (South America, Italy, etc.) and also China this distance tends to be
smaller, while in Nordic cultures (Sweden, Denmark, etc.) people usually stand further apart.
The messages sent by your posture and gestures is another case in point. For example, it is quite
common in European countries to sit with your legs crossed and the top foot outstretched, but, as I
know from personal experience, people in Arab countries hardly ever sit in this way, because they might
show you the bottom of their shoe, which is a serious insult. It is said that in the Philippines, people
often greet each other by raising their eyebrows quickly. In the USA, this is a sign of surprise.
Such information fills the pages of guides for travelers and international business people. But I would
really question the usefulness of what are presented as ‘essential’ or ‘must know’ facts. Clearly it is
important to know a little about eating customs, tipping and the rules concerning basic greetings –
whether you should bow or shake someone’s hand. But beneath the surface, we are not so different.
There are many signs that are universal in the emotions that they communicate. Focusing on these
similarities – the things that we all have in common – seems a much more profitable route than focusing
on the differences.
Smiling is the best known of these, but not the only one. Behaviourists have proven that all over the
world, people show sadness in a similar way. The face ‘falls’: the mouth becomes downturned and the
eyes begin to look glassy. The person will probably look down or away and seem distracted.
There are also common factors when people are bored. They will look at other things in a distracted way
– their phones, for example. Their feet will begin to move restlessly indicating that they want to escape;
they tap their fingers or scratch their heads. Anger can also be read quite easily: the facial muscles tense
up, often causing people to frown; their eyes stare, fixing themselves on the target of their anger; blood
rushed to the face causing it to become red. If the anger is great, the body will also tense up as if
preparing itself for a physical fight.
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Understanding these universal signals and reacting appropriately is the real key to cross-cultural
communication. If we apply just a little sensitivity and common sense, it is unlikely that we will cause
lasting offence by making the wrong gesture or invading a stranger’s personal space. Of course, some
cultures show their emotions more openly and other prefer to keep them more hidden. But isn’t that
also the case within cultures, from one individual to another?
###
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Text 4. Airlines are roaring back in places you might not expect
By Suranjana Tewari, BBC News, Singapore
When India's Tata Group bought the country's national airline, it was welcomed as something of a
miracle. Air India had been mired in debt and under-funded state management for decades. No-one
wanted even a piece of the iconic but loss-making carrier. But a deal was struck in 2021, just as the
world was emerging from the pandemic - and airlines were betting big on revenge travel once borders
reopened. They were right. The rebound is well and truly under way and air travel is off to a roaring start
in 2024. There have been warnings of slower growth in the US, where spending is expected to plateau
after a post-pandemic spike. But it is a different story on the other side of the world in Asia. "If we look
at the size of the opportunity in India, it's already the world's most populous country," Air India's chief
executive Campbell Wilson told the BBC at a recent aviation event in Singapore. "It has the geographic
advantage connecting regions of the world together. And it is a hugely underserved market." By 2042,
India's domestic aviation market is expected to be five times the size it was in 2019, with Indians taking
around 685 million trips every year, according to plane maker Airbus. That would make the South Asian
nation one of the world's fastest-growing civil aviation markets, and third after China and the United
States.
How Air India's record plane deal is a game-changer
It is not just India. By the middle of the century, Indonesia, which now ranks 13th globally in passenger
numbers, is predicted to jump to the fourth spot, analysts say. Air travel is also expected to boom in the
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam in the coming decades. They are all emerging economies with young,
growing populations that can afford to spend on travel. And it is showing: global air traffic jumped by
16% over the last year. But in Asia, the increase was almost twice as much, according to industry figures.
Governments in these places are also investing in infrastructure to improve connectivity, which is
essential in vast archipelagos like Indonesia and the Philippines.
China, of course, is an obvious market - despite its currently sluggish economy, its travellers have
emerged from zero-Covid rules to return to holidaying. Beijing is now offering visa-free travel to citizens
of certain countries and some nations, like Thailand and Singapore, are reciprocating. "We are pleased
that people are beginning to travel out of China. It is probably one of the last countries to come back big
in travel," says Glenn Fogel, chief executive of online travel agency Booking.com. But airlines are looking
for alternative markets because of China's slowing economy, the uncertainty of doing business there
and a fall in consumer spending.
Enter the Philippines. "Asia is a very exciting place to be - the Philippines is one of the most exciting
places to be. Great opportunity there," says Michael Szucs, chief executive of the Philippine budget
carrier Cebu Pacific. The airline struggled through the pandemic without government support. And like
many competitors around the world, it is also facing groundings over faulty Pratt & Whitney engines.
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But it has seen a revival in the last two years, expanding and cornering more than half of its domestic
market. A new Philippine government is also helping - it is privatising the international airport in Manila
and plans to add runways throughout the archipelago to receive larger and more aircraft.
How Malaysia Airlines came back from twin tragedies
Mr Szucs has high hopes for the country of around 115 million people, where per capita spending is
rising: "We've got an increasingly educated population that is relatively young, it's growing, with an
increasing propensity to travel." India, on the other hand, is a trickier market to conquer. Air India faces
a stiff domestic rival in Indigo, and a daunting challenge in matching Emirates and Qatar Airways, which
regularly rank among the world's best airlines. But the successful salt-to-software conglomerate Tata
has started to turn the ailing carrier around. The company has already spent millions of dollars investing
in new planes, new branding and restructuring old and inefficient systems.
Now it wants to consolidate its five airlines - three Air India subsidiaries, and two joint ventures, Air Asia
India and Vistara (with Singapore Airlines). The goal: a highly regarded airline for international flyers,
and a reliable low-cost option for domestic passengers. Mr Wilson hopes to restore Air India's glory - it
was India's first airline, started by the Tatas in the 1930s and rebranded as Air India and nationalised in
the 1950s. He believes winning the international market is key but will need "connecting more cities
around the world nonstop with India" - and that will involve starting more routes and, of course, buying
more aircraft. The company has already gone on a buying spree. It ordered more than 200 Boeing Max 8
and Max 10s in one of the largest airline deals in aviation history. But the Max family of planes is under
scrutiny since a door plug blew off a 737 Max 9 plane mid-flight in the US, sparking concerns about the
already delayed Max 10 model. This was after two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019 because of flawed
flight control software. The crisis at Boeing over its safety record has also seen the resignation of its
chief executive Dave Calhoun.
How much trouble is Boeing in?
"When we have concerns, we raise it at the highest levels, including with Boeing," Mr Campbell said.
Mr Wilson sees Air India's future in turning India into a global transit hub, much like Dubai or
Singapore. That might be a challenge given that some long-haul routes, especially to Europe, are yet to
be reinstated after the pandemic. Meanwhile, travellers in these countries are choosing to fly within
East and South East Asia, driving up air traffic in the region. But that could also be an opportunity for Air
India, and for Delhi given that some South East Asian capitals are lagging behind other international
aviation hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai. The industry, however, is upbeat because the
pandemic is over, people are flying again and economies are bouncing back. "The fact is people like to
travel," Mr Fogel said. "As long as economies are growing, we know that travel is going to grow a little
bit faster. And our job is to try and get a bigger part of that growing pie."
###
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Text 5. How to develop a rewarding culture
Adapted from : Iwonna, D., Rosenberg, M., Dignen, B., Hogan, M., & Wright, L. (2018). Business Partner B2: Pearson Education
Limited, pp. 50-51.
Here’s a difficult management problem: who should be rewarded for high performance, and how?
Routine and easily monitored jobs, such as flipping burgers, are natural candidates for performance
incentives. However, it is usually the executives who tend to get bonuses in spite of their complex, hardto-measure jobs which are poorly suited to performance-related pay. Nevertheless, it is also possible to
respond positively to non-financial rewards such as praise, status or the satisfaction of a job well done.
Experiments over the years have given us some understanding of this. On fruit farms, a piece-rate
scheme which paid workers based on how much fruit they picked boosted productivity by 50 percent.
Bonuses for the managers ensured that work was distributed fairly and productivity increased another
20 percent. Running a competition encouraged workers to sort themselves into productive teams, and
productivity increased another 20 percent.
In another study, hair stylists in Zambia’s capital Lusaka were recruited to sell products to help prevent
certain diseases. When they were praised for their work at a public ceremony it proved a far better
approach than providing financial incentives.
But sometimes neither a public ceremony nor a financial incentive is appropriate. Consider the case of
long-haul airline captains. Unlike part-time sales people or fruit pickers, pilots have high status, six-figure
salaries and powerful unions. Yet, a recent experiment discovered that it was effective to simply make
pilots aware of saving fuel and it appeared that those who hit specific targets on fuel consumption were
even more satisfied with their jobs.
‘I just couldn’t believe the impact we had on job satisfaction,’ says a researcher. Although salaries were
not increased for captains, the fact that the company was taking an interest in fuel saving, and
acknowledging success, seemed to delight them.
Even though no performance scheme will fit every organization, the fuel-saving study does suggest an
approach worth trying more broadly. If you want people to do a good job, tell them what success looks
like to you – and that you’ve noticed when they’ve achieved it.
###
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Text 6. Second-hand news: online clothing resale is here to stay
Financial Times, December 12, 2021: https://www.ft.com/content/d3a9a114-6f09-4027-ad06-8cc2681126f5
Despite a bumpy 2021, fashion and luxury brands see the sector’s sustainability advantages.
Like many members of Gen Z, my children have soured on traditional clothing stores. For both
sustainability and cost reasons, they now shop only at thrift stores. Dragged along on a recent outing, I
funded an update of my daughter’s wardrobe and scored some Lucky jeans for myself while spending
less than a new pair would have cost at the mall.
But Christmas presents are going to be a challenge. With the Omicron variant spreading, I have no desire
to flip through the racks again, and the kids would frown on brand new items. That leaves the
burgeoning online market.
Clothing resale sites were already starting to take off before the pandemic: consultants BCG said last
year that one quarter of global shoppers bought a used item in 2019 and predicted that second-hand
fashion’s share of the global closet could grow from 21 to 27 per cent by 2023.
But global lockdowns really juiced investor interest in the sector’s potential for growth. This year, US
sites ThredUp and Poshmark joined the public markets. In Europe, Gucci owner Kering put money into
Vestiaire Collective, crafting marketplace Etsy bought Depop and private equity group EQT backed a big
fundraising for Vinted at triple its prior valuation.
A GlobalData study commissioned by ThredUp optimistically predicted that curated resellers (as
opposed to traditional thrift stores) would grow 11 times faster than ordinary clothing retail and the
total second-hand market would double in size to $77bn by 2025. Younger consumers are powering the
trend: 42 per cent of Gen Z and millennials shopped for second-hand apparel last year.
The bloom is now coming off the rose. ThredUp and Poshmark shares are down more than 80 per cent
from their peaks earlier this year. Even RealReal, which has been listed for longer, has seen its share
price fall by more than half since February.
Much of the skepticism is warranted. Online clothing resale is getting crowded. Bigger players are
elbowing their way in, and the success stories are starting to bump into each other as they expand
further. Poshmark, for example, reported slowing revenue growth in the third quarter as it swung to a
loss.
Bricks and mortar competition is also rising now that stores have properly reopened. For shoppers who
like the thrill of discovery, online browsing struggles to beat rifling through a thrift shop rack. And
department stores such as Selfridges and Neiman Marcus are courting those who seek genuine brand
names and vintage pieces.
Consumers who turn to second-hand for cost reasons also have other options. Fast fashion stores and
websites from China’s Shein to the UK’s Primark are thriving. Sweden’s H&M is a triple threat. It not only
sells cheap new clothing but also collects old garments for recycling and several of its brands have
entered the resale market.
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Despite the challenges, the online resale market is consolidating and maturing rather than flaming out.
As sustainability rises as a driver of consumer behaviour, fashion will feel the heat. It accounts for about
10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions due to long supply chains and heavy use of petroleum-based
synthetics.
That suggests second-hand sales will only become more attractive — to the original makers. There are
few better ways to reduce total carbon emissions than to resell the same goods. Customers are also
likely to pay more if the manufacturer vouches for their authenticity. Enthusiasts argue that artificial
intelligence and blockchain will speed validation and draw in new buyers much as dealer-certified “preowned” cars widened the used vehicle market in the 1990s. The ultimate dream is to create a circular
market, where loyal customers send back goods they have tired of and receive credit that they use
towards buying more.
Kate Fletcher, a professor of sustainability design at the London College of Fashion, doubts that clothing
resale will solve the sustainability problem. “The industry is trying to maintain a fundamentally highimpact model by substituting second-hand goods,” she says. “People’s wardrobes are becoming
engorged .”
That hasn’t stopped groups such as online luxury retailer Farfetch from trying to capitalize. Last week it
acquired Luxclusif, a resale platform that provides technology to brands that want to get into online
reselling.
Last year, 32 per cent of Gen Xers and 16 per cent of boomers bought second-hand clothing, according
to GlobalData. If luxury and fashion companies can convince more of us to follow the kids, there is a lot
of money to be made.
###
61
Text 7. The big idea: Should we leave the classroom behind?
Source; The Guardian, Monday 8 November 2021 Elia Barbieri
The pandemic has driven a great leap forward in digital learning. Is there any point in looking back?
My 21-year-old goddaughter, a second-year undergraduate, mentioned in passing that she watches
video lectures offline at twice the normal speed. Struck by this, I asked some other students I know.
Many now routinely accelerate their lectures when learning offline – often by 1.5 times, sometimes by
more. Speed learning is not for everyone, but there are whole Reddit threads where students discuss
how odd it will be to return to the lecture theatre. One contributor wrote: “Normal speed now sounds
like drunk speed.”
Education was adapting to the digital world long before Covid but, as with so many other human
activities, the pandemic has given learning a huge shove towards the virtual. Overnight, schools and
universities closed and teachers and students had to find ways to do what they do exclusively via the
internet. Naturally there were problems, but as Professor Diana Laurillard of University College London’s
Knowledge Lab explains, they essentially pulled off an extraordinary – and global – experiment. “It can’t
return to the way it was,” she says. “The cat is out of the bag.”
Academics who think about education recognise that not all the enforced changes have been good.
Covid highlighted how critical the social aspect of learning is, and that something extra happens when
students and their teacher share a physical space. The experiment also played out differently in schools
and universities, in part because the benefits of “co-present” learning may vary by age. The tension now
is between those who see the pandemic as an opportunity to overhaul education and those who are
impatient to return to “normal”.
Covid showed how critical the social aspect of learning is – how students and teachers benefit from
sharing a physical space.
“This is a time for schools and systems to reimagine education without schooling or classrooms,” says
Professor Yong Zhao of the School of Education at the University of Kansas. Dr Jim Watterston of the
Melbourne Graduate School of Education in Australia thinks the traditional classroom is alive and well,
on the other hand, but that “education needs to be more adventurous and captivating” – and, above all,
more flexible.
Earlier this year, Zhao and Watterston co-authored a paper in which they identified three major changes
that should happen in education post-lockdown. The first concerns the content, which should emphasise
such things as creativity, critical thinking and entrepreneurship, rather than collecting and storing
information. “For humans to thrive in the age of smart machines, it is essential that they do not
compete with machines,” they wrote. “Instead, they need to be more human.”
The second is that students should have more control over their learning, with the teacher’s role shifting
from instructor to curator of learning resources, counsellor and motivator. This is where so-called
“active learning” comes in, with a growing body of research suggesting that comprehension and
memory are better when students learn in a hands-on way – through discussion and interactive
technologies, for example. It’s also where the concept of “productive failure” applies. Professor Manu
62
Kapur of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich argues that students learn better from their
own or others’ failed attempts to solve a problem, before or even instead of being told how to solve it.
Zhao and Watterston’s third proposal is that the where of learning should change – “from the classroom
to the world”. With lockdown all learning went online, but it tended to stick to pre-existing timetables,
and it was this temporal rigidity that caused distress and disengagement in some students, they claim.
With digital tools it is no longer necessary for students to learn at the same time as each other. What’s
needed, they say, is a mix of online and face-to-face learning – so-called blended learning or the flipped
classroom, where students read or watch lectures in their own time, beyond the school walls, and solve
problems in the presence of their teacher and peers.
That decoupling of learning time and school time means that the former can expand – something that is
going to be particularly important for the recovery from Covid, says Laurillard. It comes as no surprise to
her that students speed up their lectures, or that lecturers have begun dividing up their presentations
into five- and 10-minute video segments, or that all this was happening even before the pandemic.
“There’s a lot of redundancy in a 50-minute lecture,” she says.
But can you really acquire knowledge properly at speed? Woody Allen once joked about a speed reading
course where he learned to read down the middle of the page and completed War and Peace in 20
minutes. “It’s about Russia,” was his summary. At the University of Waterloo in Canada, cognitive
psychologist Professor Evan Risko has been testing people’s comprehension after speed-watching video
lectures. Though it depends on the nature of the material, the student’s prior knowledge and the
lecturer’s delivery style, his research indicates that an acceleration of up to 1.7 times has little negative
impact and, of course, saves time.
These are, you might say, first world preoccupations. What of those who don’t have the luxury of digital
tools? The digital divide is not a new problem, Laurillard says, but nor should it put a brake on change,
“because the digital world moves faster in providing access than the physical one”. She points to
the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is to provide quality education for all by
2030. The only way this will happen, she says, is if teachers in disadvantaged areas receive tools and
materials digitally – perhaps via massive open online courses – and then pass them on to their students
in the traditional way.
If even the digital divide won’t hold back the coming revolution, it seems unlikely that the classroom will
ever look the same again. As Laurillard puts it: “It took a global pandemic to drive home what we’ve
been saying for 30 years.”
###
63
Text 8. The Rise of Robotics in Manufacturing by Antony
Bourne https://manufacturingdigital.com/technology/rise-robotics-manufacturing
Imagine if your colleague wasn’t a human, but instead a robot. Perhaps it is not that difficult to picture
as integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the workforce isn’t a brand new concept. From
computerised train station assistants to self-serving supermarket cashiers, the reality is that we are
already interacting with ‘digital staff’ for varying services. In some instances, however, robots are
operating like humans, serving us freshly ground coffee in cafes in Tokyo and in more frustrating
circumstances, giving us parking tickets on the roads of Milton Keynes.
The rise of robotics is demonstrated in a new report released by the International Federation of
Robotics (IFR), which highlights that robot density has accelerated globally. This may come as no
surprise to some manufacturers. Industrial robots, for example, have been speeding up operations, as
well as making core processes smarter and cheaper for years now. According to a recent report from
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), more than half (59%) of manufacturers are already using some form of
robotics technology. Yet, the emergence of technologies, such as Robotic Processing Automation (RPA),
presents the opportunity to propel transformation in the sector further, as well as importantly improve
productivity for the UK manufacturing sector.
How is robotics being used in manufacturing?
In some factories today, robots can be seen collaborating with human workers. The Tesla Gigafactory is
allegedly one of the most advanced factories ever built. Robots self-navigate Autonomous Indoor
Vehicles (AIVs) freely without beacons or magnets guiding them and their major responsibility is to shift
goods between workstations.
The term ‘cobot’ was coined by professors at Northwestern University in America and defines robots
that collaborate with humans in the workspace. The ROI behind cobots is already being realised by
companies such as Cornell Dubilier – a power capacitor manufacturer in the US. The company has
introduced robots to inspect capacitor installations, which has resulted in the speed of its labelling
process doubling from 125 parts an hour to 250 parts an hour. A drastic reduction of wasted time
throughout the supply chain means that human workers are freed up to dedicate time to tasks that
require more creativity and thought.
Beyond the Spielberg-esque sci-fi scenes of physical robots in the workplace is the robotic software that
mimics intelligence. RPA is an emerging technology with a growing list of use cases across multiple
sectors, such as Financial Services, and new research from The Hackett Group suggests that adoption of
the technology is about to grow in demand.
Unlike the physical robotic machines, RPA works behind the scenes, replicating human minds,
accelerating operations and transforming business processes. The technology can act as an additional
employee in various disciplines throughout the supply chain, working between IT systems and the back
office functions to carry out repetitive tasks, such as invoice processing and purchase management
order, at a rapid pace.
In a study carried out by Capgemini, almost all respondents (91%) said that RPA can save companies
time on repetitive tasks and 84 percent of RPA users felt that robotics can help significantly reduce
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costs. Whilst momentum of the technology in manufacturing is slower to adopt than its physical cousins,
it will only be a matter of time before implementation of the software accelerates.
The robotics opportunity
There is a huge opportunity for UK manufacturers to adopt robotics and artificial intelligence, but a key
barrier to implementation is often a lack of understanding around how to effectively introduce these
technologies into the business. Arguably the UK manufacturing landscape is built up of traditional
organisations that adopt conservative approaches to business, as opposed to modernisation. Barclays
Corporate recently found that there is still resistance from UK manufacturers when it comes to adopting
the latest and greatest innovations and are falling behind other nations when it comes to adopting
fourth industrial revolution technologies.
Yet, innovation in automation and robotics is happening in pockets across the UK manufacturing sector.
The University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing and supplier English Provender, for
example, recently announced an R&D project introducing state-of-the-art robotic arms to weigh out
powdered ingredients with more accuracy and with the overall goal of reducing food waste in the supply
chain. These types of initiatives gain a lot of awareness and traction in the sector as the ROI is usually
fruitful, yet generally across the board the UK is falling behind when it comes to robotics. In fact,
the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) highlighted that the UK sits at 22nd in the world for robot
density behind nations such as Slovakia and Czech Republic.
UK manufacturing is, however, on the cusp of further global recognition and RPA could be the enabler of
getting Britain back on the map. Recent successes in British exports has meant that the UK
manufacturing sector is set to outpace the rest of the economy this year and as such, experts are
anticipating that by 2021, the UK will climb from number eight in the global manufacturing economy to
fifth place. Yet, to remain competitive the UK manufacturing sector must continue to cultivate and
invest in emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing and robotics, putting
digital change at the beating heart of growth strategies and making operations smarter, freeing up
workers’ time to focus on innovation and creativity.
Getting robot ready
Manufacturers must be bolder in how they transform, but they must also ensure that they are carefully
approaching how they adopt RPA. This goes beyond simply assessing whether the solution is cohesive
with other systems and includes a strategic approach to encouraging employees to embrace robotics
more. As this next wave of automation continues to cement itself across the manufacturing industry, we
will begin to see transformation like never before; robots will not only collaborate with humans in the
workplace, but they will help to revolutionise the job roles and skillsets that humans can adopt.
###
65
Text 9. What the Big Mac index says about the dollar and the dong
Source: The Finance & Economics section of the print edition under the title “The Happiest Meal”
Mary Patton,22 July 2021
WHEN The Economist introduced its Big Mac Index 35 years ago, McDonald’s ubiquitous burger was only
$ 1.60 in America. Now, it costs $ 5.65, based on an average price across four cities. The increase far
exceeds inflation over the same period.
Indeed, the Big Mac’s birthplace is one of the most expensive places to buy it, according to our
comparison of over 70 countries around the world (see graph). In Vietnam, for example, the burger
costs 69,000 dong. Although it sounds huge, you can get a lot of dong for your dollar and therefore a lot
for your money in Vietnam. You can buy 69,000 dong for just $ 3 on the forex market. And so a Big Mac
in Vietnam turns out to be 47% cheaper than in America.
Good to know. But the index was not intended as a buying guide for burgers, but as a tongue-in-cheek
guide to currencies. In principle, the value of a currency should reflect its power to buy things, according
to the doctrine of “purchasing power parity”, a term coined by Gustav Cassel, a Swedish economist, in
1918. Since 69,000 dong and $ 5.65 is the same value to be able to buy a burger, they should be worth
the same amount. The fact that you can buy a burger’s value in dong for 47% less than a burger’s value
in dollars suggests that the dong is undervalued.
The US Treasury certainly thinks so. Twice a year, he reports to Congress on which countries could keep
their currencies artificially cheap to boost exports and steal a competitive advantage. In April, he
confirmed that Vietnam was one of a trio of trading partners, alongside Switzerland and Taiwan,
pursuing “potentially unfair”monetary practices, based on three tests of its design. (Vietnam has a
“large” trade surplus with America, a “material” external surplus with the world, and its central bank
buys a lot of dollars and other foreign currencies.) In recent months, the US Treasury has harassed
Vietnam to mend its ways, a process known as “enhanced engagement.”
On July 19, the two sides reached an agreement. Vietnam’s central bank has vowed not to engage in
competitive devaluation. He also said he would gradually let the currency fluctuate more freely and be
more open about his interventions in the forex markets. Hopefully, this will avoid damaging tariffs or
any similar improvement in the engagement of the two countries.
Lest the Big Mac Index contribute to Vietnam’s woes, it’s worth pointing out that it’s common for poor
countries to look cheap compared to rich in a simple price comparison. Vietnam is not an outlier in this
regard. The price of a burger is what you would expect given the GDP per person. (Taiwan, another
country on the wrong track for the Treasury, is a different case. It remains surprisingly cheap, given its
prosperity. And Switzerland seems expensive in every way.)
The cheapest burger we could find is in Lebanon. Although the price of a Big Mac has risen dramatically
to 37,000 Lebanese pounds, the currency has collapsed even more dramatically on the black market,
where 22,000 pounds buys a dollar.
66
As a result, the Big Mac only costs the equivalent of $ 1.68. Perhaps one of the reasons the burger has
remained so cheap is that Lebanese importers can purchase some of the Big Mac’s ingredients at a more
favorable subsidized exchange rate. They can buy wheat for a dollar, for example, 1,500 pounds and
other food items, including cheese, priced at 3,900. Lebanon’s currency chaos is both a reflection of its
economic disaster and a contributor to it. Even at an artificially low price, a Big Mac is a little
consolation.
###
67
Text 10 The return of never-ending job interviews: 'It can go beyond
the pale' www.bbc.com by Alex Christian
In a looser labour market, bosses can afford to be picky again. Some are deliberately keeping candidates
on ice for as long as possible.
During his current job search, Adam Nicoll had eight consecutive Friday-morning interviews with the
same organisation. An executive director in recruitment, based near London, Nicoll is a veteran of both
sides of the hiring table. But he says he has never experienced such a protracted process, even at the
senior level. "By the end, I was just bored and tired," he says. "I no longer believed there was a job there
anyway."
The pace of the job interview process can feel glacial now, especially compared to the hiring crisis of
2021. Amid the labour shortage during the Great Resignation that left managers scrambling for talent,
many employers made job offers via video interviews, sometimes even on an initial screening call, says
Nicoll. Yet as the job market has tightened, companies can now afford to take their time. Not only are
many leaving candidates on the hook, but Nicoll adds the interview process is also becoming more
drawn-out, especially further up the corporate hierarchy.
Greater competition for fewer vacancies, plus cutbacks to in-house recruiting teams, explain some of
these delays. According to March 2024 data from recruiting software company iCIMS, there are now 43
job applications per opening in the UK and EMEA – 44% higher since February 2023, with the time to fill
a role taking an average of seven weeks.
There are also structural reasons for the recruitment slowdown. In the wake of remote and hybrid work,
there are now more interview rounds – multiple virtual calls are being added to traditional face-to-face
settings, whereas it mostly used to be one or the other. This naturally lengthens the process, says Astad
Dhunjisha, vice president of global talent acquisition and human resources business partner at AT&T,
based in Dallas, Texas.
Companies are course-correcting for mistakes made during the battle for talent. This means they're now
being pickier to ensure they make better hiring calls, at an unhurried pace with more robust processes
and decision makers in place, adds Dhunjisha. "Hiring in 2021 was almost reactive: it was a gold rush,
the most fierce battle for talent I've seen in my career. Companies hired willy-nilly. They're far more
intentional now, making the assessment process much more stringent."
The result is that candidates are being put on ice for longer. Nicoll estimates a mid-career employee
during the hiring crisis may have received a job offer within two weeks of their application; today,
they're more likely to face a three-month turnaround time. "The vacancy posting may be live for two
weeks, the first interview may not be for another five weeks, then the interview process can take up to
six weeks," he says. "We're seeing businesses being more tentative and hedging their bets."
The higher the corporate ladder, the longer an appointment generally takes. Dhunjisha says a seniorlevel employee at AT&T may face a four-month wait before receiving an offer. "The process is long and
68
rigorous, because the impact of the decision is so huge," he says. "You need as much information as
possible, meaning multiple rounds of interviews, potentially going through separate personality and
capability assessments so you're able to build the most holistic picture of the candidate as possible."
Generally, candidates don't like waiting around. A March 2024 survey of 11,900 employers and
employees in the UK by recruitment firm Hays, seen by the BBC, shows that only 18% of workers believe
three interview rounds are acceptable in the process, and only 6% are willing to wait more than a week
to hear back following a final interview before considering another opportunity.
Yet in some cases, employers are happy to drag out timelines and leave candidates hanging, often
because it makes financial sense amid a cooler job market. "Many companies will be teetering on the
edge of profitability, especially in a rocky economy," says Nicoll. "Someone in the business may have the
remit to trigger the hiring process, but someone more senior may be willing to let it roll on for another
few weeks, and make sure their quarterly numbers are solid enough that they won't have to
suddenly rescind an offer."
Broader market uncertainty is also seeping into companies' decision paralysis, says Nicoll. "This year,
there are worldwide elections and continual fears of recession. It all plays into a longer recruitment
process: see what's out there on the market, hire a candidate if they're amazing, otherwise, just hold
and wait it out."
In extreme instances, companies are even setting complex tasks for candidates to complete – with no
guarantee they'll ever hear back. "I've been asked several times in recent months to prepare 24-month
business plans and 30-plus-slide presentations," says Nicoll. "When an employer knows they're
advertising an in-demand role, they can ask too much of the candidate – it can go beyond the pale."
In the face of lengthy, overblown interview processes seemingly stretching to the horizon, candidates
may have to be prepared to wait it out until the job market swings back in favour of workers again.
There are obvious signs though, says Nicoll, when it's best to walk away. "When you keep hearing weak,
muddled answers on when the final-stage interview may be and who it might be with, that's when it's
clear there is confusion over the hiring, and where the real decision sits – if there is a real decision to be
made at all."
###
69
Appendix
LIST OF TELEPHONING PHRASES
Phrases for the start of a call
1A. Answering the phone (greeting, name etc of the receiver, offering help, etc)
o
o
o
o
o
o
Good morning. ABC Limited. Alex Case speaking. How can I help you?
Good afternoon. ABC PLC. Trucks Division. Alex Case speaking. How may I help you?
Hello? (Finance Department.) (Alex Case speaking).
Hi (caller’s name) (I was just about to call you). (when you know who is calling)
Kim Smith’s phone/ desk/ office. (Alex Case speaking. How can I help you?)
Good evening. ABC Inc. UK section. Alex Case speaking. How can I be of assistance?
Good morning. ABC Corporation. Reception. How may I direct your call?
o 0903 44555.
o Extension 245.
(NOT Yes? X NOT Good night X NOT This is Alex Case X NOT You are speaking with… X NOT I am… X NOT
What is it? X NOT I am here X NOT Yes, please go ahead X NOT Speak to me X NOT Who’s on the line? X
NOT Who’s speaking? X NOT Who’s that? X NOT Can I help you? X NOT May I help you? X)
1B. Saying who you are (caller)
o
Good morning. This is Francis Cripps (again), (calling) from JUPG PLC.
o
Hi Alex. It’s Francis (Cripps) (here) (from Finance/ from…) (again).
o
Good afternoon. My name is Francis Cripps. I work for JUPG PLC.
o
Good evening. I’m calling from JUPG PLC.
o
Hi. This is the Accounts Department.
(NOT Francis Cripps speaking X NOT I am… X)
1C. Small talk/ Being friendly at the beginning of the phone call (when you know the person)
o
This is a nice surprise./ I was just thinking about you./ I was just going to phone you.
o
It’s great to hear from you./ It’s so nice to hear from you again. (How have you been?)
o
How’s it going?/ How are things?/ How’s life?/ How are you doing?
o
How’s the conference going/ your week going/ your project going/… going (so far)?
o
Did you have a good/ nice + weekend/ trip/ holiday/…?
o
I heard that the weather there is much cooler/ that you had a successful launch/ that…
o
I guess that you are really busy/ that it’s still cold over there/ that…
o
How about you?/ And you?/ What about you?
o
How was your weekend/ holiday/ vacation/…?
o
How’s the weather (over) there now?/ What’s the weather like (over) there now?
o
What time is it (over) there (right) now?
o
How’s business?
o
How’s work?
o
I’m (so) glad/ sorry/ happy/ relieved/ … to hear that. (I hope…)
o
(That) sounds great/ terrible/ awful/ interesting/ nice/ encouraging/ fun/ … (I hope…)
o
That’s too bad./ That’s a shame./ That’s a pity.
o
I know what you mean./ Me too.
70
(NOT How do you do? X NOT Nice/ Pleased/ Glad/… to meet you X)
1D. Being polite at the beginning of the phone call
o
Thanks for calling me back./ Thanks for getting back to me (so quickly).
o
Sorry to phone so early/ so late/ at lunchtime/ last thing on Friday (but…)
o
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you (about…)
o
Sorry to ring again so soon (but…)
o
Sorry I didn’t get back to you (before) about…
o
Sorry to trouble you again (but…)
o
Sorry I didn’t have more time to speak earlier (about…)
o
Thanks for your message.
(NOT Sorry to phone you when you’re so busy/ for interrupting/ to bother/ to disturb you X)
1E. Ending the small talk/ Smoothly getting down to business/ Moving to the topic
o So, how can I help you (today)?/ So, what can I do for you (today)?
o Anyway, have you got a minute (to talk)?/ So, do you have time to talk?/ So, are you
free to talk?/ So, is this a good time?/ Anyway, have I phoned at a bad time?
o (Anyhow,) I’m so glad you phoned, because…
o (Actually,) I was just going to phone you myself because…
(NOT By the way,… X)
1F. Talking about the reason for the phone call
o
Anyway/ So/ Well,…
o
(I’m phoning) about the meeting next week/ about…
o
I’m calling (in order) to ask about the meeting next week/ to discuss/ to…
o
Did you see my email about the delivery/ about…?
o
Just a quick call to say (that)…
o
I just got your message.
o
I’m returning your call.
o
Someone phoned me from this number.
o
I was given your number by…
o
The reason (why) I’m phoning is…
o
(As promised/ As we discussed,) I’m ringing about…
o
(I’m not sure if I’ve got the right number, but) I need to talk to someone about...
o
I’m calling because I need some information about/ because…
o
I’m phoning with some feedback on/ with a few questions about/ with…
o
About the email (that) you sent yesterday,…
o
I only have a minute, but (I thought we should have a word about)…
o
I haven’t got long to talk but (I thought you should know)…
o
Sorry, when we spoke earlier I forgot to say…
o
I’m really glad I caught you, because…
o
I’m sure you’re very busy, but I just need to…
o
I found your number…
o
It says on your website that…
o
I’m looking at your catalogue and…/ I’ve got your latest catalogue here and…
o
I’m calling on behalf of…
71
o
o
I’m calling in connection with…
(I’m calling) regarding…
(NOT I am calling for… X NOT I’m phoning to complain about…X)
1G. Asking to speak to someone
o
Can I speak to Kim Smith (in the Sales Department), please?
o
Is Kim (Smith) there?/ Is Kim Smith available?/ Is Kim around?
o
I’d like to speak to someone about replacing our photocopiers/ about…
o
I need to speak to someone in the shipping department/ in…
o
Can you put me through to Kim Smith, please?
o
Could you connect me to Kim Smith, please?
o
Can I have extension 123, please?
o
I (still) need to get in touch with Mr Barker in the Payment Department.
o
May I speak with…?
(NOT Please connect me to Kim Smith X NOT I want to speak to Kim X NOT Is there Kim? X NOT I’m
calling for… X NOT Kim please X)
1H. Confirming that you are the right person (receiver)
o Speaking.
o That’s me.
o This is Alfred speaking.
(NOT I am Alfred X NOT I am he X)
1I. Asking about the receiver
o Is that Kim (Smith)?
o Are you the right person to speak to about…?
o Is that the… department/ division/ section/ team/…?
o Is this the right number for the HR department/ for…?
o Sorry, who am I speaking to, please?
o Am I speaking to…?
(NOT And you are? X NOT What’s your name? X NOT Are you Kim? X NOT Is it Kim? X
NOT Who’s on the line? X NOT Who’s speaking? X NOT Who are you? X)
1J. Asking about the caller’s name
o Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.
o (I’m really sorry but) could you tell me your name again?
o Can I ask who is calling?
o May I take your name?
o Who shall I say is calling?
o Who’s calling, please?
o Who’s that?/ Who’s this?
(NOT And you are? X NOT What’s your name? X NOT Who’s on the line? X NOT Who’s speaking? X NOT
Who are you? X)
72
1K. Answer phone messages
o
You are through to the mobile of…/ You’ve reached…/ This is…
o
Hi. This is… I can’t talk right now, but if you leave your name and number I’ll get back to
you as soon as I can.
o
This is …’s mobile. I’m not available right now, but if you leave a message I’ll do my best
to get right back to you.
o
I can’t answer the phone at the moment, so please leave a message after the tone.
o
Unfortunately no one is available to take your call at the moment….
o
Our normal office hours are…/ We are open from… to…
o
If your call is urgent, you can contact me/ us on…
Phrases for the body of a phone call
2A. Connecting the caller to the right person
o
Of course. I’ll (just) check if he’s available.
o
Okay. I’m putting you through (to…)
o
Certainly. What is it concerning, please?/ Can I ask what it is concerning/about?
o
I’ll connect you to… She should be able to help.
o
Sure. Just a moment. I’m transferring your call.
o
Sure. Putting you through.
(NOT What’s it about? X)
2B. Negative answers to requests to speak to someone
o
I’m sorry but she’s away from her desk/ out of the office/ out of the country/ not in
today. (She should be back…)
o
I’m afraid he’s on another line/ his line is busy. (Can I help?/ Can I help at all?)
o
I’m afraid Mr Barker has had to rush out of the office to…
o
I’m afraid he won’t back until…
o
Sorry, she’s just popped out to… (I’ll tell her you called).
(NOT I’m afraid but… X NOT She’s not here X NOT She’s out X NOT She’s busy X NOT
She’s not available X)
2C. Leaving messages/ Dictating
o
Can I leave a message?
o
Can you tell her that I called/ tell her that…?
o
Can you ask her to send me six hundred and fifty HYDV765s/ ask her to…?
o
My office number/ work number/ landline/ mobile (number)/ home phone is oh one…
o
My (postal) address is ten black new word bird park new line midtown…
o
The URL is h,t,t,p colon double slash high dash life dot com slash alex underscore case.
o
My (work/ personal) (e)mail address is alexcase all lower case at outlook dot com.
o
I think she already has my number, but here it is just in case. It’s…
o
I’m pretty sure she has my number but just in case, it’s…
o
Do you have a pen and some paper?
o
You might want to write this down.
o
Here’s my address/ email address/ home phone number/…
o
Shall I spell that for you?
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o
o
That’s written with…
You need (to write) a colon/ a (forward) slash/ a dot between…/ capital…/ an
underscore between…/ a dash between… and…/ it all as one word/ a space between…/ a new
line/ brackets/ an apostrophe between… and… /…
o
…open brackets… close brackets
o
The zip code/ postcode/ (international) dialling code/… is…
(NOT Can you tell her to call me back? X NOT Please take a message X NOT Would you take a message?
X)
2D. Taking messages/ Taking dictation
o
Can I take a message?/ Would you like to leave a message?
o
Shall I ask her to call you back?
o
Does she have your number?
o
(Okay.) Got it (now) (,thanks).
o
If I can take your name and number, I’ll ask him to call you back.
o
I’ll/ Let me (just) (get a pen and some paper and) write that down/ take that down/
make a note of that/ note that down (for her).
o
Of course. What would you like me to tell him?
(NOT Would you like me to tell him something?)
2E. Other responses to someone not being there
o
No, that’s okay, thanks. I’ll (just) call again later/ tomorrow/... (Do you know when she
will be available?)
o
Actually, it’s quite urgent. Could you give me his mobile number/ cell phone number?
o
Is there (perhaps) anyone (else) I can speak to about…?
o
Can I help you at all?/ Perhaps I can help.
o
Oh, I see. When might be a good time to phone again?
2F. Asking people to wait
o
Please hold (the line). I’ll connect you to a member of our customer service staff/ I’ll
check if she’s available/ I’ll find the information for you/ I’ll put you through/ I’ll connect you/
I’ll… (now/ straightaway/ right away).
o
Just a moment while I get a pen and some paper/ while I find the file/ while I get your
account up on my screen/ while I… Okay, please go ahead.
o
Just a minute. I’m (just) looking for the file/ looking for the information/ looking for a
pen and paper/ writing it down/ sending you the information/ putting you through/ checking if
he’s available
o
Sorry to keep you waiting.
o
I’m putting you on hold.
o
Just a second. I’m just… ing… Okay, I’m ready now.
o
If you could wait for just a second/ minute/ moment, (I’ll…/ while I…) …
o
Just let me check.
o
(Please) give me a second/ moment/ minute…
o
Please bear with me (while…/ and I’ll…)…
(NOT Hold on. X NOT Please wait X)
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2G. Checking/ Clarifying/ Dealing with communication problems
o Sorry, can you say that again (a little more slowly)?
o Sorry, could you say that one more time (a little more loudly)?
o Sorry, can you repeat the first word/ the last few words/ the middle part/…?
o So, that’s…. (Is that right)?
o So, it’s…, right?
o Sorry, could you spell your family name (for me)/ could you spell… (for me), please?
o Sorry, how do you spell how do you spell your name/ …?
o Just to (double) check,…
o Sorry, is that B for Bobby (or V for virgin)/ one five (or five oh)/ two words (or all one
word)/ small C (or capital C)/ …. (or…)?
o Can I check that back?/ Can I read that back?/ Let me read that back (to check).
o I’m afraid I couldn’t catch the first word/ the middle part/ the last letter/ the….
o Sorry, did you say… (or…)?/ Sorry, was that… or…?
o Sorry, is that spelt with a… (or a…)?
o Is that… as in…?
o I’m afraid I can’t hear you very well. (I’ll move somewhere quieter).
o (Sorry,) do I need any punctuation (in that email address)?
o (Sorry,) do you mean… or…?
o I’m afraid the signal isn’t good.
o Sorry but you are breaking up.
o I understood up to…
o I’m afraid I didn’t get all of that. (Could you repeat…?)
(NOT Please repeat… X NOT One more X NOT What is the spell of…? X NOT What means…? X NOT Can
you check that back? X NOT What did you say? X)
2H. Talking about written sources (documents, webpages etc)
o
Did you get the…/ Have you seen the… (that I sent/ that was sent…)?
o
Do you have access to the internet/ intranet/ document (while we are speaking)?
o
Are you online (now)?
o
Do you have the information/… (open) in front of you now?
o
Do you have the invoice… (open) on your screen now?
o
I’m sending you the document/ PDF/ … (right now).
o
I can send you a link to that information online (if that’s okay).
o
Can you open/ turn to/ find/ look for/ search for/ click on/ look at… (and…)?
o
If you open/ turn to/ look for/ search for/ click on/ look at… (and…), you will see (that it
shows)…
o
In the (top left/ bottom right) corner,…
o
The first/ second/ middle/ second to last/ last/ bottom bullet point/ row/ section/
paragraph/ sentence/ figure/ table/…
o
The left-hand/ first/ second/ middle/ second to last/ right-hand/ last column…
(NOT If you see page (number)… X)
2I. Active listening/ Things to say while listening/ Speaking while the other person is speaking
o
Mmmm hmmm
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Of course.
(Oh,) right.
Okay.
Really?
Sure.
Yeah (yeah)
Yup
Got it.
Absolutely
I know what you mean.
(NOT Understand X PROBABLY NOT I see)
Different kinds of phone calls
3A. Making arrangements (suggesting and fixing appointments, meetings, etc)/ Inviting
o
Are you available…? Are you free (to meet)…?
o
I’d like to meet…, if you are available/ if that is convenient with you/ if you are free/
if….
o
Can we make it…?/ Shall we make it…?
o
How about…?/ What about…?
o
When might be a good time to…?
o
What time is best for you?
o
What day would be good for you?
o
Actually I have to… (at that time).
o
I’m afraid I will be…ing at (just) that time.
o
Could we possibly postpone it/ put it off (until…)?
o
Could we bring it forward to…?
o
Let’s make it…, then.
o
That’s perfect for me.
o
I’ll email you my schedule and…
o
Would you be interested in…?/ Do you fancy…?
o
We would like to invite you to…
(NOT If you are convenient X NOT If it is available X)
3B. Enquiries (= Asking for information)
o
Could you tell me…?
o
I’d like some information about…
o
I have a question about/ a couple of questions about/ a few questions about…
o
I’d like to enquire about…
o
Can I ask…?
o
I’d (also) like to know…
o
I was wondering if you could tell me…
o
Do you (happen to) know…?
(NOT Please tell me… X)
3C. Requesting (= Asking for something or asking for help)
76
o
o
o
o
o
Could you (possibly)… (for me)?
I would be very grateful if you could…
I would really appreciate (it) if you could…
Can you do me a (really big) favour?
Could you lend me a hand with…?
(NOT Please + verb… X NOT Would you…? X NOT I’d like you to… X)
3D. Dealing with problems and complaints
3Di. Giving bad news
o
I’m afraid…
o
I’m sorry, but…
o
Unfortunately,…
o
I/ We regret to inform you that…
o
I regret to say that…
o
I am sorry to have to tell you that…
o
I have some bad news (for you), I’m afraid.
o
Despite our best efforts,…
(NOT I’m afraid but… X)
3Dii. Reporting problems/ Making complaints
o
(It looks like) there has been an issue with…
o
We’re having (some) trouble with…
o
I’m afraid there seems to be (some kind of) a problem with…
o
Unfortunately, … isn’t working (properly).
o
We were expecting… (but…)
o
I’m afraid we’re not very happy with…
(NOT I have a claim. X)
3Diii. Responding to complaints/ Apologising
o
(Oh, really?) I’m sorry to hear that.
o
I’m really sorry about that/ about…
o
I do apologise.
o
Please accept my (sincerest) apologies (for any inconvenience caused/ for…)
3E. Placing orders/ Making bookings/ Making reservations
o
Before I book/ make a reservation/ order/ purchase…, I’d like to check…
o
Does that include…?
o
(If it’s possible/ available/ still available) I’d like to order/ purchase/ book/ reserve…
o
Can I order/ book/ reserve/ make a reservation for…?
o
Is… (still) available?
o
Do you have/ supply/ stock/ sell/ provide…?
o
Okay, I’ll take it.
o
Can you send me (written confirmation of)…?
3F. Checking the progress of something/ Chasing something up
77
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
(While I’m away) I need to keep up to date on…
I just want(ed) to check if (your team)…
Can I check the progress of…/ check your progress with…?
Could you give me an update on…?
How are you getting on with…(over there)?
The deadline for… is approaching so I just need to check…
If I remember correctly,… should be nearly…
Can I ask what the status of… is?
3G. Giving directions on the phone
o
Where are you now?
o
Can you see…?
o
Do you know…?
o
If you start from…
o
If you look towards…/ If you face North/ Southeast/…
o
If you can see… you’re on the right track.
o
If you’ve reached…, then you’ve gone too far.
o
It’s a bit too difficult to explain on the phone. Stay there and I’ll come and find you.
List of phrases for ending phone calls
4A. Ending taking messages
o
Okay, I’ll make sure (that) he gets your message. (I’m sure he will get back to you
soon.)
o
Okay, I’ll tell him that you called/ I’ll pass your message on to him (as soon as I can/ as
soon as he gets back)./ I’ll stick a Post-it on his monitor.
4B. Checking that the other person has finished, and responding to that
o
So, can I help you with anything else?
o
So, is there anything else that I can help you with/ that we need to discuss/ that…
(today)?
o
(Okay then,) was there anything else that you’d like to ask/ that you wanted to talk
about/ that…?
o
No, (I think) that’s all (for now), thanks.
o
No, I think that’s covered everything, thanks.
o
No, I think you’ve answered all my questions, thanks.
o
No, I think that’s it (for now), thanks.
o
Actually, there is just one more thing (that we need to discuss/ that…) ….
o
Actually, I do have a couple more questions. (First of all,…)
(NOT Is that all? X NOT Is that it? X)
4C. Smoothly ending a phone call (giving reasons for finishing the call, etc)
o
Anyway, (it’s been great to talk but) I’m afraid I have a meeting in a few minutes
o
(I’d like to talk more but) I’m afraid someone has just come in/ I’m afraid… (so…)
o
So, that seems to have covered everything, thanks.
o
Okay. That’s been really helpful, thanks.
o
Okay, I won’t keep you (any longer), then./ I’ll let you get on then.
o
So, I think that’s all (that I needed to ask) (for now), thanks.
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o
o
o
Well, (it’s been great to catch up, but) my next client has just arrived (so…)
So, (I’d love to chat more, but) I have someone on another line (so…)
Actually, I’m just about to go into a meeting/ I’m (right) in the middle of something,
so…
o
(Well,) I’m sure that you need to get back to work, so…
(NOT I have to do something. X NOT I have something to do. X NOT I’m really busy. X NOT That’s all.)
4D. Talking about the next contact between you/ Talking about the future
o
Could you (possibly) find out and call me back?
o
Can I call you back (a little) later?
o
Could you possibly call again (a little) later?
o
(I can’t hear you very well). Shall we hang up and try again?
o
(So,) please call again if you have any other questions/ problems/...
o
I’ll phone again…
o
(So,) I’ll check (…) and call you (right) back.
o
Okay (as I said,) I’ll email (you) written confirmation/ the details/ a map/ a contract…
o
… straightaway/ by the end of business today/ later (today)/ in the next couple of days/
as soon as I can/ in the next few minutes/ in a few minutes/ in an hour or so/ in an hour or two/
this afternoon/ later/ by the close of business today/ by Friday/ as soon as I can/ in the next few
days/ tomorrow/ the day after tomorrow/ early next week/ sometime next week/ as soon as
possible/ straightaway/ right away/…
o
(Okay,) I look forward to your call.
o
Looking forward to hearing from you.
o
(Okay,) speak to you then/ tomorrow/ soon/ later/… (, then).
o
See you then/ tomorrow/ soon/ on Monday/ there/… (, then).
o
I look forward to seeing you (then).
o
Can you let me know….?
o
Can you keep me updated on…?
o
Can you phone me (again) if…/ when…/ with…/…?
o
I’ll find out and get back to you/ call you (back)/ email you/ get in touch…
o
Please phone (again) (anytime) if you have any trouble finding the place/ if you have any
problems getting here/ if you...
o
Please let me know if…
o
Can I get back to you in a bit/ in a while/ in an hour or two?
o
(If I’m delayed/ I have any problems/…,) I’ll text you (and we can meet in the
restaurant).
o
Can you send me a text when…?/ It’s (probably) best to text me on my mobile.
o
I hope to hear from you soon.
o
Catch you later.
o
(I) hope I can be more help next time.
(NOT Thank you in advance X NOT … two days later X NOT … after two days X)
4E. Polite and/ or friendly language at the end of the call
o
Thanks for (all) your help.
o
Thank you for calling./ Thanks for your call.
o
Sorry (that) I couldn’t be of more help.
79
o
Have a good evening/ good day/ great weekend/ nice day off/ nice break/ nice
holiday/….
o
It was great speaking to you./ It was nice to speak to you./ It was lovely to catch up.
o
Thanks for the information./ Thanks for (all) the info.
o
Thanks (again) for letting us know/ for…
o
Thanks, that’s much clearer now.
o
Thanks for your patience./ Thanks for your understanding.
o
Take care./ Bon voyage./ Have a good trip.
o
Have a nice day.
o
Have fun./ Have a good time.
o
Again, please accept our apologies for…
o
Good luck with…
o
(Thanks) you too.
(NOT Thank you in advance X NOT Thanks for your cooperation. X NOT Thanks for your calling X NOT It
was nice to meet you X)
4F. Final greeting
o
Bye./ Goodbye./ See you.
o
Bye for now.
Adapted from Teaching Telephoning: Interactive Classroom Activities by Alex Case
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Reference List
Cotton, D., Flavey, D. & Kent, S. (2016). Upper Intermediate Market Leader. Pearson Education
Limited.
Telephoning pp. 9-14
Case, A. (2020). Teaching Telephoning: Interactive classroom
activities https://www.usingenglish.com/e-books/teaching-telephoning/
Richards, D. (n.d.) Business Telephoning in Practice Business Telephoning in Practice (PDF
format) - Workplace English Training E-Platform (workplace-english-training.com)
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