Here are some situations. You are to work in pairs. Take the role of the student A or B and compose a dialogue.

A Requesting Travel Information

Student A:

Choose a city in your country. You are going to travel to this city for a business meeting over the next weekend. Telephone a travel agency and reserve the following:

· Round-trip flight

· Hotel room for two nights

· Restaurant recommendation

· Prices and departure times

Student B:

You work in a travel agency. Listen to student A and offer him/her the following solutions:

· Round-trip flight: Air JW $450 Coach, $790 First Class

· Hotel room for two nights: Hotel City $120 a night in the downtown area, Hotel Relax $110 a night near the airport

· Restaurant Recommendation: Chez Marceau - downtown - average price $70 a person

B Product Information

Student A:

You need to purchase six new computers for your notary office. Call JA's Computer World and ask for the following information:

· Current special offers on computers

· Computer configuration (RAM, Hard Drive, CPU)

· Guaranty

· Possibility of discount for an order of six computers

 

Student B:

You work in at JA's Computer World answer student A's questions using the following information:

· Two special offers: Multimedia Monster - with latest Pentium CPU, 256 RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, Monitor included - $2,500 AND Office Taskmaster - cheaper CPU, 64 RAM, 10 GB Hard Drive, Monitor not included - $1,200

· 1 Year guaranty on all computers

· Discount of 5% for orders of more than five computers

 

C Leaving a Message

Student A:

 

You want to speak to Ms Braun about your account with her company, W&W. If Ms Braun isn't in the office, leave the following information:

· Your name

· Telephone number: 347-8910 (or use your own)

· Calling about changing conditions of your contract with W&W

· You can be reached until 5 o'clock at the above number. If Ms Braun calls after 5 o'clock, she should call 458-2416

 

Student B:

You are a receptionist at W&W. Student A would like to speak to Ms Braun, but she is out of the office. Take a message and make sure you get the following information:

· Name and telephone number - ask student A to spell the surname

· Message student A would like to leave for Ms Braun

· How late Ms Braun can call student A at the given telephone number

 

III Over to you

Read the article. Are these statements true (T) or false (F)?

1. Many nationalities greet people differently on the phone than they do face-to-face. T / F

2. The Spanish are impolite. T / F

3. When an Italian meets you in the street he greets you with the words ‘I’m ready’. T / F

4. At work, different nationalities use a similar approach to answering the phone. T / F

 

How many ways to say hello?

When two people meet in Tokyo they say konnichiha which means hello. But if they answer the phone, they say moshi moshi. Japan isn’t the only country to have its own special ‘telephone language’. The Spanish say hola for hello but on the phone they answer dígame. Literally translated dígame means ‘tell me’ – but this sounds very rude in English. Similarly, if a caller heard the words: I’m ready in London or New York, they’d think this was very strange. They’d ask ‘ready for what?’. But in Italy the word pronto! means exactly this.

The rules for answering the phone in the international workplace seem to be more universal. Phone a business number and the receptionist is likely to say the name of the company and answer more politely or formally. For example, in English you make the polite offer of help with How can I help you? But even this isn’t quite as polite as the very formal Norwegian response: vær so god literally meaning ‘be so good.’

 

UNIT 5 WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS

I Background

A business letter (or formal letter) is a formal way of communicating between two or more parties. Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional. Unlike the content of a personal letter which is primarily social and chatty, a business letter embraces a more formal tone and structure, encourages a call to action, and is often between individuals who have never met one another face to face.

The most important element of writing a good letter is your ability to identify and write to your audience. The next element is that you make sure you present your objective in a clear and concise manner. Another important element to remember is to remain professional. Even if you are writing a complaint letter, remain polite and courteous, simply state the problem(s) along with any other relevant information and be sure to avoid threats and slander.

An effective letter in business uses short, simple sentences and straightforward vocabulary. The easier a letter is to read, the better. When you write a business letter, you create a lasting image of yourself and your business. The way you communicate on paper will alert your reader to your level of education, your personality and your level of professionalism.

General guidelines

· Be concise and clear. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and simple. Use straightforward vocabulary to avoid any misunderstanding. Ask direct questions. If the recipient is not a native English-speaker, it is preferable to avoid words and expressions that are too technical or complicated. Avoid old-fashioned words. Although they are used in legal documents and contracts, words like 'herewith', 'hereby', 'herein', 'aforementioned', etc. are rarely used in letters.

· Use active voice whenever possible.

· Use polite modals (would in favour of will).

· Always refer to yourself as "I".

· Remember this word order principle:

Who - Does - What - How - Where - When

(Subject - Verb - Object - Manner - Place - Time)

· Plan before you write.

Look up the words you need before you start.

Note the points you want to make, and order them into logical paragraphs.

· Tone

Write as you would speak in a business conversation.

The tone should be friendly and polite.

· Names

Make sure you check the gender of the addressee (the recipient), as well as the correct spelling of the person's name and title.

· Dates

To avoid any confusion, write the month instead of using numbers (e.g. January 15th, 2011, or 15 January 2011)