PDF | Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online

BEP 387 – Business Development 5: Consulting on a Project

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on business development and talking about a potential project with a new client.

Once you’ve done the hard work in business development of attracting prospects and building relationships, what comes next? The ultimate goal, of course, is to make a sale. And the best business development professionals know how to turn a prospect into a client.

In the consulting world, making a sale isn’t simply about touting the benefits of a product. It’s more about understanding your client and matching support and solutions to their specific needs. So when it comes to an initial conversation, you need to ask about the background, goals and budget. That will help you suggest the right approach. And as part of building rapport, you might want to normalize the client’s problems and show understanding by echoing their words.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to Nick, an HR consultant, as he talks with a potential client, Andria. Nick met Andria at an event and has been slowly building a relationship with her. They’re now discussing a specific project.

Listening Questions

1. What problem does Nick tell Andria is quite common?
2. What words does Andria use that Nick repeats back to her as he confirms his understanding?
3. What expression does Nick use to diplomatically raise the issue of budget?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Business English News 50 – Streaming TV Services

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business News, ESL Podcast / June 5, 2022

In this Business English News lesson we look at business English vocabulary related to streaming TV services.

The pandemic battered many industries, including entertainment. But when theaters, concert venues, and museums shut down, the streaming wars ramped up. Besides Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV signed up thousands of new subscribers a day. In the dying days of the pandemic, however, the question has become whether they can keep them. For Netflix, the king of streaming, the news in 2022 hasn’t been good, as Gizmodo explains:

The most popular streaming service in the world reported on its Q1 earnings call that it had lost 200,000 subscribers where it originally expected to gain 2.5 million. It forecast doom and gloom for next quarter as well, with a predicted loss of two million more. The company has started laying off employees and shutting down productions in order to stave off further declines.

Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

925 English Lesson 41 – Phrasal Verbs for Beginnings

925 English, A2, Business English, English Video / May 22, 2022

This 925 English lesson will be our first to focus on English phrasal verbs. And we’re going to kick off with some phrasal verbs for talking about beginnings.

If you’re not sure what a phrasal verb is, well I just used one. I said we’re going to “kick off.” “Kick off” is a phrasal verb because it has a verb – “kick” – and a preposition – “off” and when used together the meaning is different from the individual words.

There are hundreds of these little two-word combinations in English. We use them all the time. And their meaning isn’t always clear from the two words they’re made of, so it’s a great idea to study them.

925 English is a series of English video lessons for beginners (CEFR level A2). With 925 English you can learn business English expressions and phrasal verbs for business and work.

Members: PDF Transcript | Lesson Module | Quiz | Video

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 386 – English Idioms about Spending Money (2)

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business Idioms, Finance and Accounting / May 8, 2022

Welcome back to Business English Pod for another look at English idioms related to spending money.

Think of the people close to you, particularly your family members, and consider how they spend money. Does everyone have the same approach? Or do they all handle things differently? Chances are, you can easily think of differences in peoples’ approaches to money management. And it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that money is one of the top sources of conflict in a relationship.

This is true in business just as it is in families. How a company uses its financial resources is a huge strategic concern. Does the company risk some to get some? Or does the company favor saving and safety? And does the short-term strategy differ from the long-term strategy? These are all important questions, and it’s no wonder that English has so many idioms to talk about how people spend money.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Shelly, Martin, and Vince, three managers at a tech company. They are talking about how their company should spend money on staffing. And as we’ll hear, they don’t really agree on the best approach. During their conversation, they use many business English idioms related to spending money. See if you can spot some of these as we go through the dialog, and we’ll explain them later in the debrief.

Listening Questions

1. What does Martin say about companies that already work in the sector they are considering?
2. How does Martin describe office space on the south side of the city?
3. How does Vince describe the company’s possible future situation of having lots more money to spend?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 385 – English Idioms about Spending Money (1)

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business Idioms, Finance and Accounting / April 24, 2022

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on business English idioms related to spending money.

As a wise person once said: it takes money to make money. In other words, you need to invest money and spend it in order to make more. On the other hand, spending money unwisely can eat into your profits. So, from both perspectives, figuring out how to spend money is one of the keys to business success.

And it should come as no surprise that spending money is a common topic of conversation in any business. It’s not just the folks in the purchasing department who think about it. Everyone has an opinion about how their company should and shouldn’t commit its resources. And for this reason, English has many idioms we use to describe the different approaches to spending money.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear a conversation between three managers at a tech company: Shelly, Martin, and Vince. The company has just landed a big new project, and so they anticipate having more money to spend soon. But the three aren’t all in agreement about how they should spend that money and they use many different idioms to express their opinions. Try to pick out some of these business English idioms as you listen, and we’ll explain them later in the debrief.

Listening Questions

1. According to Martin, what approach to spending is now in the past?
2. What does Vince believe about competing in a new and different sector of the market?
3. How does Martin describe the salaries of the two positions they previously discussed hiring?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

925 English Lesson 40 – Expressing Support in English

925 English, A2, Business English, English Video / April 10, 2022

In today’s 925 English lesson, we’re going to learn how to express support for an idea in English.

In business, it’s very important to be able to express your ideas confidently. That doesn’t just mean coming up with new ideas. It can also mean expressing what you think about other people’s ideas. In our last lesson, we learned how to express doubt. Today, we’re going to look at the other side, and talk about how to express support for an idea.

Now, sometimes you want to show moderate support, or just a bit of support. In this situation, you can use expressions like “I guess” or “I suppose” before stating your support. And when you state your support, you might use expressions like “I can see your point” or “That’s a good way to look at it.”

925 English is a series of English video lessons for beginners (CEFR level A2). With 925 English you can learn business English expressions and vocabulary for business and work.

Members: PDF Transcript | Lesson Module | Quiz | Video

Download: Podcast MP3

Skills 360 – Managing Virtual Teams (2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Management English / March 27, 2022

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast for today’s lesson on managing virtual teams.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a lot of doubts about whether people could be truly productive working from home. Well, guess what we discovered when workplaces went virtual? People are not just as productive while working remotely, many are more productive. With no travel time, back-to-back meetings, and less time at the water cooler, many people get more done working from home.

That doesn’t mean we never have to worry about accountability for remote workers. But measures to ensure accountability have to be counterbalanced by systems that allow workers some autonomy and control over their workflow. Post-pandemic, many workers are simply unwilling to return to a rigid style of management. So we need to find the sweet spot between structure and flexibility. And we need to support that balance with the right technology and systems.

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3

Skills 360 – Managing Virtual Teams (1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Management English / March 13, 2022

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast for today’s lesson on managing virtual teams.

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how and where we work. When the pandemic hit, many white-collar workplaces went virtual, and more people than ever found themselves working from home. Now, as most countries move into the endgame and lift restrictions, companies are faced with the choice about whether, and how, to head back to the office. Many are choosing not to return to in-person operations, or taking a hybrid approach, combining remote and in-person work.

Clearly, remote work in some form is here to stay. And as a manager, you shouldn’t be thinking about the virtual team as purely a stopgap measure. You need to consider ongoing management of virtual teams. And you need to figure out approaches that will ensure not only productivity and effectiveness but also employee wellness and job satisfaction.

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 384 – Business by Phone 4: Unexpected call

Business English, Intermediate English, Telephone English / February 27, 2022

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on doing business by phone. Last time we looked at a routine check-in call with your boss. Today we’ll focus on spontaneous, or unexpected, phone conversations.

You might start a telephone conversation with an idea about how it will go and what you will talk about. And many routine conversations are pretty straightforward. But what happens when the conversation gets into things you haven’t anticipated? What if the other person asks you tough questions that you don’t have easy answers for? In particular, what if your boss is pressuring you to justify your decisions?

There are a few things that you might have to do to succeed in this situation. For starters, you might need to just pause and gather your thoughts. Next, you might find yourself explaining your assumptions and clarifying some of the specific aspects of your decision. You might also try explaining what would have happened it you hadn’t made the decision you did. And finally, it’s a good idea to be able to accept feedback graciously and politely.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Sonny, a English for logistics manager in Asia working for an American clothing company. Sonny is talking with his supervisor Cam. If you listened to our last lesson about a routine check-in, you’ll notice a big difference with this conversation. This time, Sonny has to think on his feet and deal with some tough questions.

Listening Questions

1. What assumption does Sonny make about delivery times?
2. What does Sonny say might have happened if he didn’t make a tough decision?
3. What will Sonny do differently in the future based on the feedback he gets?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 383 – Business by Phone 3: Routine Check-in Meeting

Business English, Intermediate English, Telephone English / February 13, 2022

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on doing business by phone. This is the first of a pair of lessons on routine and spontaneous business phone conversations.

Now what do I mean when I say “routine” and “spontaneous” phone conversations? Routine means something we do often or something that follows a set pattern. But spontaneous means suddenly, without any planning. Having a spontaneous conversation in English is very challenging. Today we’ll start with a more routine weekly check-in, and our next lesson will show you how to handle more unexpected situations.

A weekly check-in is a chance to talk with your supervisor about how your work is going. That might include reporting your progress or the status of different projects or work. It might also mean sharing your successes and asking for help or guidance with challenges. And if you’re like most people, there’s always lots to talk about, so you may also have to request time to look at a specific issue.

In today’s dialog, we’ll join Sonny, a logistics manager for a clothing company called Boston Vintage. Sonny works in Asia and is talking on the phone with his supervisor Cam, who works in the U.S. Their conversation is a weekly check-in about recent work, challenges, and progress.

Listening Questions

1. What topic does Sonny request time to discuss during the call?
2. What does Sonny report that he is making some progress on?
3. What success is Sonny happy to report?

Premium Members: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Search Results for: PDF