The Word “Dear” Disappearing in E-mails

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has (1)__________________ letter-writing etiquette many older people have (2)__________________ – the disappearance of the opening word “Dear” in e-mails. WSJ reporter Dionne Searcy said times have changed regarding (3)____________________. She wrote how Abraham Lincoln started an 1863 letter, “My dear General.” President Lincoln also started letters to Mrs Lincoln, “Dear Wife.” Ms Searcy compared (4)__________________ e-mail to reporters from Giselle Barry, a spokeswoman for a U.S. politician, that started “Hey, folks.” Searcy says the use of “Dear” is (5)__________________ sealing wax and the handwritten letter. Ms Barry believes people are no longer using it because (6)__________________.

The WSJ quotes business etiquette expert Lydia Ramsey who believes people who do not start e-mails with “Dear” (7)__________________. She says: “It sets the tone for that business relationship, and it shows respect. Email is so impersonal it needs all (8)__________________.” Jean Broke-Smith, an etiquette teacher agrees. She writes on the BBC website: “We're (9)____________________ letter writing. E-mails are becoming like texts - everyone is abbreviating. If we don't (10)__________________, future generations won't be able to spell at all.” English teacher Katie Craig offers the following advice: “(11)____________________ your reader as you would in the context __________________ replacing the e-mail.” The same goes for the minefield (12)__________________ mail.

 

Task 5. Match the synonyms from the listening.

1. raised 2. etiquette 3. greeting 4. going the way of 5. intimate 6. expert 7. polish 8. abbreviating 9. address 10. signing off

a. personal b. following c. protocol d. sophistication e. salutation f. closing g. specialist h. call i. brought up j. shortening

 

Task 6. Mark the statements as true or false according to the information from the audio.

1) Many older people are not aware that “Dear” is disappearing”.

2) President Abraham Lincoln wrote “Dear Wife” in letters to Mrs Lincoln.

3) A U.S. politician’s spokeswoman said the use of “Hey, folks” is bad.

4) The spokeswoman believes the use of “Dear” is too personal.

5) An etiquette expert said people need to polish their keyboards.

6) A teacher said the letter-writing art is getting better as we write more.

7) The teacher suggested people in the future will be poor at spelling.

8) A teacher says signing off e-mails also presents many problems.

 

Task 7. Fill in the subject lines of the emails with the following email topics.

job application     payment request     product complaint     product enquiry     RE: complaint     RE: meeting     RE: product enquiry     thank you

 

Email 1 SUBJECT: _____

Dear Sir or Madam,

With reference to your job advertisement, I wish to apply for the English teacher position at your language school. I have attached my cover letter and CV for your consideration.

Regards,

Emily Brown

Email 2 SUBJECT: _____

Hi John,

I’m sorry but I can’t make it on Friday. Can we put the meeting off to the following week?

Regards,

Adam

Email 3 SUBJECT: _____

Dear Jim,

I am very sorry to hear about your delivery problems. We have had a problem with one of our suppliers whom we hope to change in the next month. I assure you that this will not happen again.

We will send you replacement parts immediately.

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,

Sally Jones

Customer Care

 

Email 4 SUBJECT: _____

Dear Mr. Smith,

We received your delivery this morning and noticed that some of the goods were damaged. Since this is not the first time that this has happened, my boss is considering changing supplier.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards,

Maria Fernandez

Email 5 SUBJECT: _____

Hello,

I found your advertisement in a recent edition of The Engineer. I would be grateful if you could send me some information about your company’s product range.

Thanks in advance.

Joseph Ferrara

 

Email 6 SUBJECT: _____

Dear Mr. Ferrara,

Thank you for your interest in our product range. Please find attached the information you requested.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Regards,

Duncan Smith

Sales Manager

 

Email 7 SUBJECT: _____

Hello Jack,

We note from our records that you have not paid our last invoice. Could you transfer the outstanding amount as soon as possible?

Best Regards,

Tamara Jones

Credit Control

 

Email 8 SUBJECT: _____

Hi John,

Thanks for all your help. Our salesmen found the conference very useful. Do get in touch next time you are in our area.

Regards,

Jack

 

Task 8. For each of the six questions choose the one correct answer.

1. Dear Mr Smith, We are sorry to _____ that...

a) say you

b) let you know

c) inform you

d) explain you

 

2. Thank you for bringing this _____ to my attention.

a) thing

b) matter

c) stuff

d) items

 

3. I am extremely _____ the service I received...

a) dissatisfied with

b) dissatisfied from

c) cross about

d) cross for

 

4. Hi John, how's it going? _____ my holiday in Spain.

 

a) I am writing to give you some details regarding...

b) I intend to describe...

c) I want to tell you about...

d) I'd like to say you...

 

5. As you will see from my CV, I have _____ experience in this area.

a) masses of

b) a considerable amount of

c) loads of

d) great

 

6. That's all for now. See you tonight! _______, Mary xxxx

a) Yours faithfully

b) Yours sincerely

c) Best wish

d) Love

Task 9. Below is a formal letter. You must decide which of the phrases in bold you think are most appropriate and adjust the letter to make it suitable.

 

My Name My Road My Town   Dear Mr Sexton,   I thought I’d write/ I am writing to complain about the state of the yard/condition of the playground. Over the last two weeks, I have noticed loads of rubbish/a great deal of litter. I reckon/It is my opinion that this litter is a health hazard. For example, yesterday a year 4 boy fell over and cut his hand on a broken bottle. The boy I’m talking about/The boy in question needed four stitches.   Furthermore/On top of this, the litter is an eyesore. Our school has beautiful views of the river and these are wrecked/spoiled by the litter.   I believe/I reckon that there are a load of things/a number of things that you could do to fix/rectify this problem. Firstly, it may be possible for you/you could purchase additional litterbins. This would help stop/prevent people discarding their litter recklessly/willy-nilly. What’s more/In addition, I think that our school needs better/more adequate security to prevent vandals littering.   To finish/In conclusion, I hope you will take my concerns seriously and I look forward to your reply/you writing back to me. Yours Sincerely/Yours Faithfully   Name Here

 

Task 10. Phrasal verbs are often used in informal emails as well as spoken English. Look at the informal sentences and match the underlined phrasal verbs to their formal synonyms below.

1. It looks like we really need to do up the office.

2. Shelley is off at the end of the month.

3. Don’t worry. I’ll back you up during the meeting.

4. Good news. It looks like our application finally went through.

5. If sales keep dropping, we are very likely to go under.

6. I haven’t got around to contacting the client yet. I’ll do it first thing tomorrow.

7. I tried to call him several times but I couldn’t get through.

8. I’m afraid I have to call off tomorrow’s meeting.

 

a. cancel

b. found the time to

c. go bankrupt

d. is taking leave

e. make contact

f. renovate

g. support                                  

h. was formally approved

Task 11. Match the terms on the left with the correct definitions on the right.

1. spam 2. an attachment 3. a read receipt 4. an emoticon 5. a disclaimer 6. a message thread 7. flame mail

a. a combination of symbols, e.g. J used in an email to express a particular emotion b. a file, e.g. a document, photo or computer programme, which is joined to an email c. a formal statement saying that you are not legally responsible for something d. an angry email e. confirmation that you have read something f. the history of correspondence g. unwanted emails, usually advertisements

Task 12. Study the following rules for writing effective emails. In pairs, discuss and tick which ones you think are most important.

1. Be concise and to the point. Avoid long emails that are discouraging to read.

2. Try to reply to your customers’ emails within 24 hours.

3. Do not write in CAPITALS - it seems like you are shouting and you might get a flame mail in response.

4. Leave the message thread in your email to save the recipient time and frustration looking for earlier messages.

5. Add disclaimers to your emails to protect you and your company from liability.

6. Proof-read your email before you send it.

7. Only copy in other people if they know why they are receiving a copy of the message.

8. Do not overuse abbreviations and emoticons - the recipient might not know what they mean.

9. Do not request read receipts - this will annoy your recipient.

10. Do not reply to spam - this will generate even more spam.

 

Task 13. Write a formal letter from a topic list below.

1. Your supplier is late again with a delivery. Write an email to him complaining about this.

2. Respond to a customer complaint about one of your products/services.

3. You are considering changing your supplier. Write an email to a potential supplier enquiring about the price and discount policy.

4. You want to arrange a meeting with a colleague from another branch. You attach a map showing where exactly your office is located.

5. You are interested in applying for a job advertised in an English language magazine, and you want to know more details.

 

 

Unit 5

Negotiations

Questions for discussion:

1) Why is negotiating process so stressful?

2) What exactly is a trade-off?

3) What is the key to successful negotiations?

4) Is there an important difference between the way you might approach one-off negotiations (e.g. selling your car) and negotiations as part of a long-term business relationship?

5) How can you avoid being manipulated in a negotiation with a more experienced negotiator?

6) Are there any dangers connected with questioning?

7) How can you avoid misunderstandings during negotiations?

 

Task 1. Put the stages of a formal negotiation into the most logical order. Write 1–9 in the first column. There may be more than one possible order.

	a. Party B states initial position and responds to party A’s position
	b. Tying up loose ends
	c. Party A states initial position
	d. Trading concessions
1	e. Relationship-building
	f. Party A asks questions to clarify party B’s position
	g. Establishing a procedure
	h. Clinching the deal
	i. Party B asks questions to clarify party A’s position
	j. Party A responds to party B’s position

 

Task 2. Match the words and phrases with their definitions.

1. If you deviate from a procedure … 2. If a decision is mutually acceptable, … 3. If you impose something on someone, … 4. A framework is … 5. If you set the agenda … 6. Probing questions … 7. If you have room for manoeuvre, … 8. If you challenge a statement, … 9. If you trade concessions, … 10. If you back down, … 11. If you back somebody into a corner, … 12. If you give some ground, … 13. A sticking point … 14. If you take a time-out, … 15. If you clinch the deal, … 16. If you tie up loose ends, …

a. … you can be flexible. b. … you make a concession. c. … you don’t give them a choice. d. … you have a break from the negotiation. e. … you give something in return for something from the other party. f. … you move away from it. g. … simpler than a structured agenda. h. … you make it impossible for them to find a way out. i. … you finalise all the remaining small details. j. … you force the other person to justify it. k. … both sides are happy with it. l. … is something that could cause the negotiation to fail. m. … are attempts to discover hidden details. n. … you accept that you cannot get all you want. o. … your actions determine how the rest of the meeting will run. p. … you reach an agreement.

Task 3. Match these types of question with the examples in bold. Write numbers (1–10)  in the boxes. Some examples may go with more than one type of question. Which of these questions might be dangerous?

 

1. A: We were thinking in terms of six months.

B: Six months?

A: Well, er, maybe we could manage five months.

 

2. So let me check I’ve understood you correctly. Are you saying that would be impossible, or just difficult?

 

3. You mentioned an exclusivity clause. Can you expand on that? What exactly did you have in mind?

4. You said you don’t manufacture in batches of less than 10. Just thinking aloud now, what if there was a way for us to guarantee to buy, say, 20 units over the next three years? Would that work for you?

5. Sorry, was that?13 or?30?

 

6. So when you say you’re looking for a price of around $200, am I right in assuming there’s some room for manoeuvre there?

7. Can I ask how you arrived at that figure?

 

8. You’re offering us 10% now and the remaining 10% on completion. Is that right?

9. A: We need to allow at least a week for unexpected delays.

 B: Unexpected delays?

A: Yes, you know, like illnesses, accidents, that kind of thing.

10. I’m a little confused about the after-sales support you mentioned. What exactly would that involve?

Task 4. Match the techniques for building relationships on the left with the   explanations on the right.

1. Finding  things in common	a. Research has shown that if you give something to another person, they almost always feel obliged to return the favour … or even a much bigger favour. Of course, there’s a limit: you can’t be too cynical and expect someone to knock 10% off their asking price just because you’ve bought them a nice coffee. But a little genuine kindness can go a long way.
2. Showing an interest	b. There’s no doubt that we like people who are like us. In other words, if we can identify with them and understand them as people, not just business machines, we’re much more likely to want to do business with them. In practical terms, there are two sides to this technique: one is to ask questions to find out about the other person. But just as importantly, we need to be open about ourselves, to help the other person to understand us too.
3. Flattery	c. This can go both ways. Firstly, show that you’re treating the other person as an individual, someone special. That means remembering their name, and maybe organising something based on the likes and dislikes they’ve expressed. Secondly, show that they’re dealing with you as a person, not just your organisation. If you’re taking them to your favourite restaurant, make sure they understand that it’s not just an anonymous place to eat, but something that you’ve chosen personally, which says something about who you are.
4. Generosity	d. Say nice things about the other person or their organisation. If that person bought you a meal, tell a third person how nice the meal was and how much you enjoyed the conversation. If you’ve just arrived in their office, say how nice it is. If you notice a diploma on the wall, ask about it and make sure you sound impressed when they tell you. But whatever you do, make sure you sound convincing – there’s nothing worse than false enthusiasm!
5. Gratitude	e. When the other person is talking about himself/herself, we need to listen carefully and show that we are listening. This means not just making ‘listening noises’ like ‘I see’ and ‘Really?’, but actually being interested in the other person. Remember what they are telling you, so you can bring it up next time you meet (e.g. How’s your daughter getting on at university?).
6. Personal touches	f. Whenever the other person is kind to you, always make sure you say thank-you. It may seem like a tiny detail, and perhaps an obvious one, but in fact it can make all the difference. Just imagine how you’d feel if someone failed to thank you for your own kindness! And when you say thank-you, don’t just say ‘thank-you’. Tell them how kind they’ve been and how much you appreciate it.

 

Task 5. Fiona Jackson is in Munich to negotiate the sale of up to five large industrial packaging machines to a large manufacturing company. Read these three extracts from her conversation with Hans Braun, the Director of Operations. Answer the questions for each extract.

 

Extract 1

1. How do Hans and Fiona flatter each other? What adjectives do they use?

2. How do they respond to each other’s flattery? What grammatical structure do they both use?

3. Why do you think they focused on flattering each other’s companies?

 

H: Ah, hello. Ms Jackson? I’m Hans, Hans Braun. F: Good to meet you at last, Hans, after all those emails. And please call me Fiona. H: OK, welcome to Munich, Fiona. Sorry to keep you waiting, by the way. I had an urgent phone call and couldn’t get away. F: No problem. I was just admiring your brochure. It’s really impressive. I didn’t know you had so many famous clients! H: Thanks. Yes, well, we’ve got a great sales team, and we really go for quality in a big way here, much more than some of our cheaper competitors. F: Well, it certainly seems to be an effective strategy, judging by these recommendations. H: Thank you. Yes, they’re very positive, aren’t they? We’ve also heard some great things about your company. I was looking at your website yesterday, and I thought it was really interesting. I loved the ‘Our story’ section, you know, the story about how your founder started the business from nothing. Fascinating. F: Yes, it’s amazing, isn’t it? I’m glad you read that – it means you’ve got a better idea about our approach to business.

 

Extract 2

4. What do you think of Hans’s opening question? How else could he start a conversation to find things in common?

5. How many things in common did they find?

6. What phrases do they use to show interest?

7. What techniques did they use to echo what the other person said?

8. What example of generosity and gratitude is in the conversation?

9. How easy would it be for Hans and Fiona to continue this conversation? Why?

 

H: So, is this your first time in Munich, Fiona? F: Well, yes and no. I came with my family when I was about 14, but … well, that was a very long time ago. I don’t remember much about it … just museums and football. H: Football? Are you a fan? F: Not really. But my dad was … I mean he still is, obsessed with it. So he took us to matches all over Europe. H: Wow. That’s really interesting! I’m also a little obsessed with football, but I don’t drag my kids around to watch matches! F: No, it wasn’t so bad. It meant we got to see lots of interesting places. How many kids have you got? H: Three: two girls and a boy. They’re growing up fast. My eldest daughter is at university already. F: Really? You must be very proud. My kids are still very small, so I’ve got all that to look forward to. What does your daughter study? H: English, would you believe? She wants to study in Bristol next year. F: Bristol? That’s interesting. My brother studied there. He had a wonderful time. It’s a really nice city. I could ask him if he’s got any advice, you know, where to go, where to avoid. H: Well, that would be excellent. I’d really appreciate that. You know what it’s like to be a parent – you never stop worrying about your kids. F: Absolutely. My son’s going on karate camp next week, his first time away from mum and dad, and I’m really stressed about it. He’s only nine. H: Karate camp? Sounds interesting. I used to do a bit of karate myself, many years ago. Is he good at it?

 

Extract 3

10. What is the main example of generosity in this conversation?

11. How does Hans add a personal touch?

12. How does Fiona express gratitude? What do you think of the two techniques she uses?

 

H: So I thought we’d start with a tour of our factory, so you get a really good sense of what we do here and what we need. I’d also like to introduce you to a few of our key people here, if that’s OK. F: That’s great. It all helps me to get a better picture of how we can help you. H: That’s what I thought. And then for lunch, I’d like to take you to one of my  favourite restaurants … a short drive out of the city. F: Oh … that would be lovely, but please don’t go to any trouble. I’d be happy with a sandwich! H: No, I wouldn’t dream of it. This project is very important to us, so we want to treat you well! It’s a lovely restaurant, and I’ve booked my favourite table. So I hope you’re hungry! F: Well, that’s very kind of you. In that case, you must let me return the favour  if ever you visit our factory in Edinburgh. H: OK, that sounds nice. Thank you.

Task 6. Work in pairs. Use these ideas to role-play similar conversations. Invent any details you need (e.g. the name of the city). Try to use the six relationship- building techniques as often as you can – but make sure you don’t sound artificial! Try to keep each conversation going for at least two minutes. When you’ve finished, swap roles and repeat the role-plays.

 

Conversation 1: A: Greet the other person. Apologise for being late. B: Say something nice about the brochure / the office / something you can see (e.g. a diploma on the wall) A: Say something nice about the other person’s organisation. B: Continue the conversation.

 

Conversation 2: A: So, is this your first time in …? B: Yes →Explain what happened                                                                        No, but I have been to …  No, but I’ve heard a lot about it. Isn’t there a …? A: Continue the conversation.

 

Conversation 3: A: Explain your plans for the day’s events. Offer something generous (e.g. a nice meal, some evening entertainment, a symbolic present). B: Express gratitude. A: Make person B feel special. B: Try to return the favour. A: Continue the conversation.

Task 7. Complete the phrases and match them to their correct definition.

1. A win-	sum game	⇒ a situation in which a benefit gained by one side means a loss to the other side
2. A zero-	win situation	⇒ a situation in which both sides benefit

 

Task 8. Complete the following typical stages of a negotiation.

compromise     concessions     counter     details     interests     procedure     proposals     rapport     stalemate     table

1. Build _____________________ ⇒ develop an understanding of and ability to communicate with someone

2. Probe _____________________ ⇒ find out the other side’s expectations

3. Begin the bargaining _____________________ ⇒ start to negotiate the terms of an agreement

4. Make _____________________ ⇒ make suggestions

5. Make proposals _____________________ ⇒ react to suggestions

6. Reach a _____________________ ⇒ arrive at a situation which no progress can be made

7. Make _____________________ ⇒ allow or give up things in order to reach an agreement

8. Reach a _____________________ ⇒ arrive at an agreement where both parties reduce their demands in order to agree

9. Work out the _____________________ ⇒ discuss all the aspects of the deal

10. Return to the negotiating _____________________ ⇒ re-negotiate an agreement

 

Task 9. Listen to the following extracts from a negotiation. Which stages from the previous exercise did you notice?

Source 1: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/negotiating-deals/audioplayer/negotiating-deals-ex3-extract1

Source 2: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/negotiating-deals/audioplayer/negotiating-deals-ex3-extract2

Extract 1: ……………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………….

Extract 2:

……………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Task 10. Match the following common ‘manipulative’ negotiation tactics to their descriptions. Can you think of any dangers in using them? Which type of negotiation from Task 7 do they represent?

1. The negotiation decoy	a. add extra false interests to your agenda which you can bargain with, without affecting your real interests
2. The extreme offer	b. appear as if you are ready to break off the negotiations unless your interests are met
3. Negotiation nibbling	c. ask for more or offer less than expected in order to make ‘concessions’ later
4. Good cop bad cop	d. make one last ‘small’ demand once the deal has been done hoping that your opponent will agree in order not to harm the agreement
5. Mention the competition	e. make references to what your opponent’s competitors are offering in order to gain the concessions that you want.
6. Negotiation limits	f. one member of your team is demanding and inflexible (the bad cop), the other appears to be pleasant and reasonable (the good cop). Your opponent will have to deal with the good cop.
7. Take it or leave it	g. state limitations (e.g. money, time), real or imagined, hoping that your opponent will make a concession to meet your limit.
8. Negotiation silence	h. stop talking during the negotiation in the hope that your opponent will become uncomfortable and want to make a concession in order to break the silence.

Which negotiation tactic above would you ‘neutralise’ with the following responses?

a. Probe each interest thoroughly, e.g. by asking how each one helps your opponent.

b. Focus your efforts on Mr./Mrs. Nasty and ignore Mr./Mrs. Nice. Alternatively, just ignore the tactic altogether.

c. Be very clear about what is included and excluded in the deal. Resist the temptation to make this final concession.

d. Show your surprise and allow yourself to laugh. Mention other deals you have made to persuade your opponent to adjust his/her expectations.

e. Ignore the threat and continue the negotiation as if you have not heard it.

f. Restate your offer. Do not make any suggestions or concessions. In extreme cases, get up and walk out the door in the hope that your opponent will call you back and continue in a reasonable manner.

g. Make sure you know what your competitors are offering and be prepared to explain how your product or service differs in terms of value.

h. If you can make this concession, make sure you get something back. Alternatively, focus on how your product or service will save your opponent time or money in the long-term.

 

Listen again to the negotiation extracts. Which of the tactics 1-8 do you hear? Which of them worked and which of them were neutralised?

Extract 1: ……………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………….

Extract 2:

……………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………

Task 11. Complete the expressions that you heard in the dialogues.

Agree     deal     flexibility     for     halfway     make     manage     mind     prepared     reasonable     room     get      throw     work

Opening the negotiation

1. So, shall we _____________________ down to business, then?

Stating/probing interests

2. We were looking to _____________________ an order for 100 cases.

3. What sort of price did you have in _____________________?

4. We were hoping _____________________ a unit price of around?4.50.

Bargaining

5. Would you be willing to meet us _____________________?

6. If you cut your delivery time by, say, 10 days, we would be _____________________ to pay the price you have proposed.

7. We’d need to see a bit more _____________________ on terms of payment.

Rejecting a proposal

8. Come on, let’s be _____________________ here.

9. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more _____________________ to negotiate this fee.

Accepting a proposal

10. I suppose we could _____________________ that.

11. I think we could _____________________ something out here.

12. I think we could _____________________ on 3 weeks.

13. Sure, we can _____________________ that in.

Closing the deal

14. OK, it’s a _____________________.

Task 12. Case study

a) Background

ABC Transport, a fast-growing transport company, has always handled marketing in-house. Previously, it has grown by word-of-mouth and through its team of sales representatives, who focused on large corporate clients. It has a small marketing team of one manager and two marketing assistants, who are also responsible for the website and customer service. However, its new strategy is to expand to serve many thousands of much smaller clients, including private individuals. It has begun negotiations with 123 Marketing, an agency, with a view to outsourcing some or all of its marketing functions. They have just called a time-out after presenting and clarifying their initial position statements. Although there is some distance between them, both are willing to compromise because they both really want to make this deal work.

Work in two teams. One team is ABC Transport; the other is 123 Marketing. First, read a summary of the two sides’ opening statements. In your teams, try to work out the interests behind each of your positions and those of the other side. For each variable, plan your target point and your reservation point. Try also to identify creative opportunities for compromise.

 

	ABC Transport	123 Marketing
Price	No more than £250 per day per consultant.	£300 per day (standard service); £450 per day (elite service)
Quantity	Guaranteed four days’ work per month for one consultant, but could well be a lot more in most months, especially over the next six months.	Guaranteed ten days’ work per month.
Notice period	No more than four weeks’ notice for both sides.	Six months’ notice for both sides – this is vital as we will have to recruit new consultants.
Quality	Marketing consultants to be fully qualified and experienced.	All consultants hold at least minimum qualifications, but most work is done by recent graduates. The most experienced consultants work only on ‘elite’ contracts, but they also support and advise newer consultants.
Turnover	No turnover of consultants (i.e. not different people every month).	We aim to keep turnover to a minimum, but cannot guarantee this.
Range of service	Only those jobs that the current marketing team cannot supply.	Full service, including taking over management of website.
Decision - making	Current marketing team to make all decisions, based on advice of consultants.	Consultants to make day-to-day decisions. They work in partnership with current team, but are able to overrule them if necessary (subject to discussions with the marketing manager and/or board of directors).

b) Language practice

Plan at least five if-sentences for the bargaining stage of the negotiation. Think carefully about your choice of language.

c) Role-play

Work with the other team to role-play the bargaining stage. You can use the sentences you prepared in exercise 7, but you may decide not change them as the negotiation progresses. Remember: your aim is to reach a deal, and to build a good long-term relationship. If you are too aggressive, or if you ‘destroy’ the other team, your short-term victory will not lead to long-term business success.

Unit 6

Business Communication

Questions for discussion:

1) What typical topics do you discuss with your colleagues at business meetings?

2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of written and face-to-face communication?

3) What ethical principals should be considered in office talk?

4) What types of business communication do you know? Give examples.

5) Has modern business environment affected the business etiquette?

6) Do you believe it is still relevant to follow business etiquette at the meetings, wear suits, act in accordance with the formal rules?

7) What are the barriers of effective business communication?

8) Say how business communication has changed due to the development of distant ways of communication, e.g. Skype meetings, Zoom video calls, Microsoft Teams conversations etc.

 

Task 1. Read the questions and answers below. Then, listen to an extract from a discussion about a company’s financial situation. Choose the best answer for each question.

Source: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/discussions/audioplayer/ex2amp3

 

1. What problem is the company facing?

a. clients are paying late

b. clients are buying from a cheaper competitor

c. employees want higher salaries

 

2. Which of the measures below does the speaker NOT propose?

a. imposing penalties

b. hiring a credit controller

c. offering cheaper prices

 

3. According to the speaker, it’s possible that the company’s clients will find the proposed measures

...

a. rather strict

b. acceptable

c. flexible

 

4. Why does the speaker think that clients will probably accept the proposed measures in the end?

a. they have no choice

b. they have good relationships with the company

c. competitors are more expensive

 

Task 2. Listen to a discussion on the prison system and choose the best answer for each question.

Source: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/discussions/audioplayer/ex2bmp3

 

1. What problem is the speaker discussing?

a. too many people are sent to prison

b. not enough criminals are sent to prison

 

2. After they are released, most ex-prisoners...

a. stop committing crimes

b. continue to commit crimes

 

3. According to the speaker, teenagers should be given...

a. lighter punishments

b. longer sentences

c. more entertainment

 

4. People who commit very serious crimes should...

a. stay in prison for the maximum period of time

b. receive education and training

 

Task 3. The underlined words and expressions serve different functions in business communication. Study the table and add the following expressions to it.

As far as.... is/are concerned,     In short,     Overall,     Firstly, Actually,     despite this,     Additionally,     As a result,     In general,

 

Introducing a new topic:	As regards (our cash flow situation), regarding (very serious crimes),
Giving or adding a new point:	In the first place, What’s more, In addition,
Describing a general situation:	On the whole,
Giving an example:	For example, For instance,
Introducing a contrasting idea:	However, Although
Modifying a previous statement:	In fact,
Simplifying a previous point:	In other words,
Supporting a previous point:	After all,
Introducing the logical result of a situation:	Therefore,

 

Task 4. Complete the discussion with suitable words and expressions from the previous exercise.

International outsourcing

On the whole (1)_____________________, I think that outsourcing is a good thing for companies. For many firms, outsourcing work to cheaper regions of the world is one way of reducing costs. The cost of labour in India, (2)_____________________, is much lower than in the West, so many western companies have set up call centres there and are able to provide a cheaper service to their customers. (3)_____________________, there are plenty of advantages.

(4)_____________________, there are also several drawbacks for companies that outsource. (5)_____________________, they lack full control over the work since they have to trust other companies to train and manage the staff.(6) _____________________, cultural differences mean that customers don’t always receive a high standard of service.

(7)_____________________ the countries where outsourcing projects are based, much needed jobs are provided and the local economy usually benefits. (8)_____________________, there is always the risk of exploitation - many workers are paid too little and have to work long hours. (9) _____________________, the conditions under which they work are far from ideal and many suffer from stress.

 

Task 5. Complete the table with the following expressions.

 

Absolutely!

I absolutely disagree.

I’d go along with that.

I’m afraid, I don’t really agree.

I’m not sure about that.

I totally agree with you.

That might be true, but...

Yes, you’re right.

You must be joking!

You’re right to a certain extent, but...

 

Strong agreement
Agreement	I agree.
Partial agreement	I agree with you up to a point, but...
Diagreement
Strong disagreement

 

In pairs, agree or disagree to the following opinions using expressions from this exercise:

1. Outsourcing is a good thing for companies and economies.

2. Smoking should be banned everywhere.

3. The best way to learn a language is to live in the country where it is spoken.

4. If you want to get a good job, experience and qualifications are very important.

5. You can never trust salesmen.

6. It is easier to speak English on the phone than face-to-face.

7. People who drink and drive should receive lighter punishments.

8. Spam is irritating.

9. If you want to be a successful businessman, you need to be born with certain character traits.

10. You should never mix business with pleasure.

 

Task 6. Work in small groups. Choose a topic from the list below. Have a discussion and respond to opinions using expressions from the tasks above.

1. The efficiency of the public transport system in your town.

2. The most effective way to attract new customers.

3. The best ways for people and governments to deal with the financial crisis.

4. The advantages/disadvantages of using mobile phones on planes.

5. The advantages/disadvantages of budget airlines.

6. The importance of doing business in English.

Task 7. The managers of a manufacturing company are planning to build a new factory in Vietnam. During a meeting they discuss the potential locations. Listen to their meeting and make notes on the next page on the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Source: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/chairing-a-meeting/audioplayer/chairing-a-meeting-ex3

 

Ho Chi Minh City	Hanoi	Danang
developed infrastructure; low land rent

 

Task 8. Put the following expressions into the correct categories. Listen again and tick the expressions that you hear.

	1. Are you all in agreement?
	2. As you all know, we are here today to discuss...
	3. Can you be a little more specific?
	4. Does everyone agree with...’s point of view?
	5. Does everyone know...?
	6.How do you feel about that?
	7. I’d like to thank you all for coming at such short notice.
	8. I’d like you all to meet...
	9. I want to move on to the next item on the agenda.
	10. Is there anything we’ve missed out?
	11. Just to summarise the discussion so far,
	12. Let’s come back to this issue later.
	13. Let’s move on to the first item.
	14. So, to sum up,...
	15. What’s your view on that?
	16. What exactly do you mean?
	17. What other options can we look at?
	18. Would you like to start us off?
	19. You can see from the agenda the different issues that we need to look at.
	20. So, to summarise,...

Welcoming/thanking the participants: ____________________________________

 

Introducing a new participant: __________________________________________

 

Stating the objective and purpose: _______________________________________

 

Inviting/asking for opinions: ___________________________________________

 

Asking for clarification/explanation: _____________________________________

 

Widening the discussion: ______________________________________________

 

Summarising the discussion: ___________________________________________

 

Checking agreement: _________________________________________________

 

Sticking to the agenda:  _______________________________________________

 

Task 9. Imagine that you are the chairperson of a meeting. What would you say in the following situations?

1. A new colleague, Mr Costa, is present at the meeting. Not everybody knows him.

2. You are going to discuss potential locations for your new office. State the purpose of the meeting.

3. You want to start discussing the first item on the agenda.

4. Sarah should begin the discussion of the item because it is her field of expertise.

5. Sarah says that Berlin is the better option ‘logistically’.

6. Clara thinks that Milan would be a bad option. Andrew knows Milan very well.

7. You feel that there may be another suitable location which has not been discussed.

8. The issue has not been fully discussed but there is not much time left and the other issues need to be discussed.

Task 10. Think over the question w hy it is important to set rules and boundaries in the workplace. Read the text and infer its general idea. Define the words written in bold.

Office Etiquette

Every businessperson needs to master the art of exhibiting his or her best work etiquette to get a job done effectively and professionally. Whether you are starting a new job or you have been working at the same job for years, it is never too late to check yourself for your office etiquette.

This requires people to dress in a manner appropriate to their responsibilities, sometimes differentiating employees from non-employees. Business casual is a commonly used term when describing what kind of clothing is appropriate for the workplace varying from one profession to another. For example, the dress code of doctors is different from that of law practitioners. Oftentimes, dress codes also regulate accessories such as jewelry and hats.

Proper business etiquette and manners are important in building relationships in the workplace. To maintain healthy work relationships, employees must be team players, transparent, empathetic and most importantly professional.

 

Technology is an important and emerging resource at the workplace. However, since it is a more recent development in the workplace, not many rules have been implemented regarding its limits. However, if you work in certain professions such as construction, it is against Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations to engage in any practice or activity that diverts attention while engaged in operating equipment such as the use of cellular phones. In terms of other technology such as computers, online etiquette is just as vital to maintaining healthy relationships and professionalism.

 

Consider work etiquette as a glue that binds people and keeps them happy in an otherwise stressed out job and market environment.

 

Task 11. Rate these acts as Do’s or Don’ts. Put a check on the good manners and a cross on the bad ones. Explain your choice.

¨ Being punctual

¨ Dressing decently

¨ Using ‘Please’, ‘Thank You’ and ‘Sorry’

¨ Asking before borrowing something

¨ Keeping your phone on general mode

¨ Interrupt in others’ matters

¨ Gossiping

¨ Keeping your desk untidy

¨ Making connections

¨ Being an independent role model

¨ Leaving traces when using shared facilities

¨ Using extra unauthorized space

¨ Being loud

¨ Learning things from co-workers

¨ Helping others, if they need it

¨ Being a team player

¨ Getting over friendly with colleagues

¨ Using strong perfumes

¨ Receiving phone calls and gazing at the phone during meetings

¨ Giving respect to colleagues and boss

 

Task 12. Listen to the audio and fill the gaps.

Source: https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1903/190322-business-suit-l.html

Business Suit

More and more companies around the world (1)___________________ they do not need to wear a suit and tie. In (2)___________________, most business people and office workers had to wear business clothes. In today's world, that is becoming less important. Companies now want their workers to dress in a (3)___________________. This is to make staff feel more relaxed, so they work harder. The latest international company to relax its (4)___________________ the investment bank Goldman Sachs. It said its staff could choose not to wear a suit, but asked employees to "exercise good judgment" (5)___________________ to dress for work. It said the shift was due to "the changing nature of workplaces generally (6)___________________ a more casual environment."

Many people (7)___________________ more casual dress is not a good thing. Justin Urquhart Stewart, founder of the investment company 7IM, said not wearing a suit and tie could (8)___________________ impression to clients and customers. He said: "You're looking after people's money, so you should behave and dress respectfully. I would not (9)___________________ over my pension to someone in jeans, loafers and a football shirt. It may be old-fashioned but I think it would be dangerous (10)___________________ to do that." He added: "If you let people dress sloppily, that is how your brand (11)___________________." Many companies, like Google and Amazon, allow their staff to dress casually (12)___________________ and T-shirts to the office.

 

Task 13. Match the synonyms from the listening.

1. telling 2. workers 3. casual 4. relax 5. due to 6. founder 7. impression 8. hand over 9. old-fashioned 10. perceived

a. loosen b. seen c. creator d. informal e. give f. informing g. out of date h. because of i. employees j. image

 

Task 14. Mark the statements as true or false according to the information from the audio.

1) In the last century, fewer people wore suits and ties.

2) Companies today want workers to dress in a more casual way.

3) A tech company is the latest to relax its dress code.

4) An investment bank asked its workers to do more exercise.

5) Many business people think causal dress is not a good thing.

6) A boss said workers who look after people's money should wear a suit.

7) The boss said a brand might suffer if workers dressed sloppily.

8) Amazon does not let its workers wear jeans to work.

 

Task 15. Look at items of information about different expectations and norms of business etiquette in different cultures and decide if each is true or false.

1) Japan

When someone offers you their business card, it is a mark of respect to turn it over and to write the date of your first meeting them on the other side.

2) the USA

Subordinates will usually call their bosses by their first names: John, Diane…

3) Saudi Arabia

Do not stand too close to people when you are speaking to them. A distance of two metres is normal.

4) Italy

If you have a lunch with a client, do not discuss business. The conversation will be about sport, the arts, food, current affairs and mutual acquaintances rather than work.

5) Greece

A business lunch will tend to be a fairly short affair – about 45 minutes to an hour – and conversation is focused exclusively on business.

6) Spain

No matter how crowded a restaurant or club may be you should never try to share a table with someone you do not know.

7) Hungary

When travelling alone by taxi it is usual to sit in front with the driver rather than in the back.

8) China

If you are the first to enter an elevator you should always stand at the back on the left.

9) Britain

It is fairly normal to have breakfast meetings.

10) Germany

It is very common for colleagues to go out together after work for a drink.

11) Switzerland

In meetings, the agenda is regarded as a rough guide. If other points come up you should feel free to discuss them.

12) Scandinavia

People rarely work extra hours and are very unwilling to take work home with them.

13) France

If you are invited to dinner it is considered normal to bring a bottle of wine as a contribution.

14) Russia

Many people are still suspicious of private enterprise and see businessmen as legalized criminals.

15) Canada

Canadians like to think of their country as part of the USA.

Task 16. Answer these questions about online, or virtual, meetings.

1. Have you had much experience of online meetings for work or study? Would you say these experiences have been positive, negative or mixed? Why?

2. There are several ways that things can go wrong in online meetings. Match each type of problem with an example:

Problems	Examples
a fail = a bad idea	a. your wi-fi goes down just as the meeting begins
a mishap = an accident, when something goes wrong	b. wearing pyjamas to an important meeting
a technical difficulty = problems with technology	c. spilling your coffee on the keyboard

 

3. What other fails, mishaps and technical difficulties can you think of?

Task 17. Watch this news report (3:43 mins) about problems with online meetings and then match the situations with the problems. Decide if each pair is a fail, mishap or technical difficulty.

Source: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/meeting-mishaps/videoplayer/meeting-mishapsmp4

 

Situations	Problems
1. in church:	a. a cat sitting on someone’s lap
2. in court:	b. a face on a potato
3. Lizet Ocampo’s meeting:	c. alien eyes
4. Jessica Appelgren’s meeting:	d. a Star Wars costume
5. Andre Hilden’s experience:	e. the sound of a toilet flushing

 

Read the sentences from the final part of the report (2:23 - end) and remember/predict the missing words. The words you write will have the same or similar meaning as the words in brackets. The first letter of the missing word has been given. Watch the report again to check.

Companies want m ___________________1 (very good or perfect) employees, too. "He climbs over, he has actually created a meeting for me last week that was several hours long." Andre Hilden, a data architecture consultant in Oakland, California, missed a m ___________________2 (important message) from his company outlining videoconferencing e ___________________ 3 (polite behaviour) "I did not read that one."

After his cat, Tasha, c ___________________4 (attended without an invitation) one of the early virtual business meetings, Hilden’s employer made an example out of him. "I had my cat on my lap, actually. I was not thinking it would be a problem. And it ended up being, coming across as u ___________________5 (not behaving correctly in a work situation). And team members of mine saw me in the same meeting and did not like that and pointed it out, and made it the topic in the next internal g ___________________6 (meeting - informal) in an effort to make sure that this doesn’t happen anymore."

... And even as businesses begin to reopen, many employees are still working from

home and will for the f ___________________7 (the period of time we can make a prediction about) future. "Remote work is going to be a growing trend." Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey of Twitter and Square announced that employees at their companies will be allowed to work from home i ___________________8 (a period of time with no specific end).

 

Task 18. Decide if the information in these sentences is true or false.

1. Andre Hilden ignored a warning from his company about their policies for online meetings.

2. Andre’s colleagues were annoyed about the cat sitting on his lap.

3. Andre’s company gave information about appropriate behaviour in meetings in three different ways.

4. Andre probably feels a bit embarrassed now.

5. Major companies are keen to continue with online working practices for now.

 

Task 19. Answer these questions in pairs or small groups considering the information from the video.

1. Do you think that having a pet on your lap during an online meeting is very unprofessional?

2. What can parents who are working at home do to avoid fails and prevent mishaps? Think of at least three steps they can take.

3. Why do you think employers are so positive about continuing online working? How will they monitor and take care of their workers?

4. How do workers feel about continuing to work at home?

5. How do you think working arrangements will change in the next few years? What about in the next twenty years?