Communicating effectively on the phone is an essential skill. And whether you’re talking to a client, a colleague, a supplier, your boss, or a bicycle courier, you need to make sure your purpose and the information is clear. Last week, we focused on your telephone attitude. Today, we’ll look at ways you can make sure information is flowing smoothly and that you are guiding the conversation.
Discussion Questions
1. How much planning do you usually do before an important telephone call?
2. What do you usually do when you don’t understand what someone is trying to say on the telephone?
3. What information do you normally include when you leave a message for someone?
Today, we’re going to take a look at an activity we do every day: talking on the telephone. We’ll look at how to start the call off on the right note by using a positive attitude, smiling over the phone, being polite, and speaking clearly.
Discussion Questions
1. How do you usually answer the telephone at work?
2. What do you think a good telephone attitude involves?
3. What do you think it is okay to speak informally on the telephone?
This is the second in a two-part Business English Pod lesson on hosting visitors. Today, we’re going to look at drawing the evening to a close.
Hosting visitors is a great way to get to know the people you do business with. Sharing a meal and drinks in someone’s home can really help strengthen a relationship. It gives us a chance to get to know people on a more personal level. But at some point, the evening has to end.
In our last episode, we heard Tanya and Mark hosting Tanya’s business colleagues, Grace and Lee. The group sat down to dinner and had very pleasant conversation about their home, family, and the food.
Today we’re going to rejoin this group. They’ve had a lovely evening, but all good things must come to an end. Grace and Lee are going to draw the evening to a close and express their appreciation. We’ll also hear the hosts and guests invite each other to future social events.
Listening Questions
1. Why does Lee say that he and Grace should leave?
2. What does Grace want to do for Tanya and Mark?
3. What does Mark offer to do for Grace and Lee?
This is the first in a two-part Business English Pod lesson on hosting a dinner party for overseas visitors.
Have you ever had the good fortune to be invited to someone’s home during a business trip? Perhaps it was a client or a prospective client. Maybe it was a colleague or potential business partner. And have you ever had the opportunity to have overseas visitors in your own home?
These are great chances to get to know the people you do business with. You are engaging with people on a personal level and building better relationships. And it’s important to do that right. The language you use, either as a host or a guest, requires great care.
In today’s lesson, we’re going to hear a conversation among four people. Grace and Lee are on a business trip to their company offices in California. During their trip, they have been invited to visit the home of a work colleague, Tanya. Tanya and her husband, Mark, are hosting a dinner for the two guests.
This is a perfect situation to learn some important aspects of English. We’ll look at how to make people comfortable, how to show interest in others, how to refuse offers politely, and how to show modesty. These are all essential skills when you sit down to dinner with colleagues or clients.
Listening Questions
1. What does Grace say is usual on business trips?
2. What is interesting about Tanya and Mark’s home?
3. What is Grace hoping to do if they finish their work on time?
