Work in pairs. Make dialogues for the suggested situations following to the rules of etiquette learnt before.

1. You have just been told that you are to go to the entrance of the office and meet there a new client and escort him to the negotiation room.

2. You accompany your boss at the opening ceremony of a large exhibition. He meets with an important client but suddenly he is called to the phone and left you alone with this client.

3. You are supposed to meet a new colleague in the airport and to bring him to the office in your car.

4. You are escorting an invited celebrity to your office and you are stuck in the lift between the floors for several minutes.

PART B. IMPORTANT FORMS OF BUSINESS CONTACTS

1. Skim the text and answer the questions.

TELEPHONING

1. What do personal skills of telephoning show?

2. Why can telephone contacts be an issue of concern for many employees?

3. What aspects of telephone conversation are mentioned in the text?

Telephoning is one of the most challenging issues of any official’s work. The ability to speak with partners and clients on the phone shows the efficiency and professionalism of any clerk and what is more important – the image of your company. So, learning how to communicate well on the telephone is one of the top priorities for everybody who studies English and uses it at work.

The main reason to worry about is the non-visual contact with the opponent. It means that no other means of communication except your speaking are engaged. Your gestures, body language, face and eyes can’t be used while providing the needed impression on the telephone partner. You can’t reach the effect by anything but your art of speaking, using your articulation, clever raising and decreasing your tone, turning on your politeness and knowledge of the work patterns in business communication.

Usually people consider different aspects of telephone conversation: answering the phone, taking a message, leaving a voicemail message, making an appointment, discussing travel arrangements, checking on an order, dealing with customers, handling sales calls, handling a problem on the phone, dealing with an angry caller. Furthermore telephoning requires special skills as there are a number of difficulties that arise when telephoning that are specific to some telephoning situations. To communicate in these situations successfully some sets of stable patterns were worked out which are effectively used in everyday business communication.

2. Here are some helpful telephoning patterns for you to be separated into three groups: phrases of people who are calling, who are receiving the calls and those which may be used by both.

1. You are difficult to get through.
2. Can I speak to Mr. …., please? – Speaking.
3. May I ask who is calling?
4. Could I have your name, please?
5. Hello, this is Mr. Jim Brown from ……
6. I’m afraid Mr. Smith is out of the office today.
7. Sorry, the line is engaged.
8. Would you like to leave a message?
9. It’s a wrong number. What number have you dialed?
10. Could you ask him to call me back?
11. What’s your number, please?
12. Sorry, I can’t put you through.
13. Glad to hear that.
14. How are you? – Fine, thanks.
15. Sorry, I’m pretty busy just now.
16. I’m calling about….
17. What can I do for you?
18. Could you speak up, please?
19. It’s a bad line. Could you repeat, please?
20. Sorry, I can’t get it. Say it again, please.
21. I’m afraid I don’t follow you.
22. Would you mind explaining it again?
23. So, if I understand you correctly….
24. When you say …. Do you mean?
25. Hold on, please.
26. Could you spell your name?