1、MODULE 3 BUSINESS TOPIC3.1 Communication at workVOCABULARY Mean of communication 1 What does this quotation mean to you?Think like a wise man but communication in the language of the people.W.B. Yeats, poet (1865-1939)2 Delete the verb that does NOT go with each type of business communication.0 an e
2、mail send /draft /post1 a phone call do/make /receive2 a press release put up /issue/put out3 an advertising campaign launch/run /make4 a presentation give /make/ tell5 a meeting or seminar hold /attend /carry out6 a report produce/run/publish7 a notice put out/put up/ display8 a memo to all concern
3、ed publish/send out/circulate9 information on the Internet post/make/put3 For which of the following would you feel most confident using your English? And least confident? Discuss with your partner.a presentation a meeting a phone call a report an email 4 Discuss these quotations with your partner.l
4、 Have you had good experiences of dealing with companies through call centres?l Do you shop on the Internet? WHY? /WHYNOT?l With which products or services is face-to-face contact helpful? With which is it unnecessary?5 Read the five extracts from the magazine Management Now on page27 and then match
5、 each of the eight statements (1-8) with one of the extracts. You will need to use some of the texts more than one.0 You can gather a lot of customer data with modern computer systems. A1 One future trend will be more direct contact between companies and their customers._2 Business hasnt really chan
6、ged, only the media of communication._3 Companies need to think about which channel is most appropriate to their customers needs._4 Customers are frequently frustrated by not being put though quickly to the person they need to speak to._5 There is less human interaction nowadays, but this isnt neces
7、sarily bad for the customer._ MANAGEMENT NOW. APRIL ISSUEBetter communication?THE MORE ELABORATE OUR MEANS of communication, the less we communication.These were the words of Joseph Priestly over 200 years ago .But if that was true then ,what would he make of communications technology today?Natalie
8、Fitzgerald asked five people working in the field what they thought.A Bill Osmond, data analystI think hes got a good point. Powerful IT systems give companies enormous amounts of information on customer behavior, but its what they can do this data that matters. A good example in recent years was Ce
9、ntrica, the British utility company. It acquired a big portfolio of different companies and then spent huge amounts of money on an IT system designed to cross-sell its various products and services-financial services, telephone contracts, energy supply and so on _to the customers in its different bu
10、sinesses. But they never managed to do it, because their IT people were unable to merge all the customer databases or to make them talk to each otherB SARAH BRIDGESTONE, former call centre managerAbsolutely. Call centres can more often act as a barrier than a help. Talk the example of a well-known m
11、obile phone operator. When a customer calls, hes given a list of options to choose from: dial I for bill enquiries, 2 to upgrade his handset, 3 if he has a technical problem, 4 if hes thinking of leaving the company. From each of these hes taken through another list of options. If he still cant find
12、 what he is looking for, hes invited to stay on the line until an operator becomes available. This can take up to ten minutes, by which time he is now seriously thinking of going back to option 4 and cancelling his contract. It really seems counter-productive.C DOUG COOK, bank managerThere is no dou
13、bt that modern communication channels have depersonalized a lot of customer contact. Banks have been doing this for years, trying to commoditise the service that they offer so that they can rationalize it and make it cheaper to deliver Most transactions- bank deposits, cash withdrawals, issuing of s
14、tatements-have been automated whether at a cash machine, over the phone or online. This has saved companies and the customer money. But cost-cutting is by no means the only driver- its a trend also driver by customer demand for a quick and flexible service.D FARHANA PATEL, online retailerIts just ab
15、out convenience. Whether I text you a message or tell you the same message face-to-face, its still a message. The growth of Internet shopping compared to that of high street shopping shows very clearly that customers want cheaper and more accessible services. Sellers like the convenience too of cour
16、se. eBay started out as a market place for individuals but, increasingly, companies have used it to sell products direct to consumers. In face its not very different from a traditional market place. There is still a community of buyers and sellers who talk to each other and do business just the same
17、 as if they were dealing face-to-face.E BRIAN MACWHINNEY, management consultantBusinesses are often too quick to embrace new technology in order to save money or gain a competitive advantage. But applying the same solution to all types of business is never a good idea. There are cultural factors to
18、consider. Using a call centre in India to handle enquiries about train times on railways in Europe is a bad idea because it isnt suited to customers expectations. On the other hand, a European customer of a computer company doesnt really mind if his technical problem is solved by a call centre opera
19、tor in India or Ireland or Alaska, because it doesnt require any cultural knowledge. Good communication is about finding the right channel. In time, I expect well see a return to more face-to-face contact with customers and more local services.SPEAKING 1 Which of the following do you find useful? Wh
20、en do you use it? Why?mobile phone email SMS MSN Blackberry2 Decide the best ways to communication the following messages.What?To whom?How?0 An apology for forgetting to send some informationA customerSend a formal letter1 The companys gratitude and appreciationAn employee who is about to retire2 A
21、change of brand identityThe general public3 The appointment of a new managing directorAll the employees4 A new website the company has createdYour customers5 The companys work to help the environmentThe media and the general public6 Vacant posts for trainee salesmen and women Young recruits7 A disco
22、unt(for a limited period) on a product line Your customers8 An apology for forgetting to send some information A colleague9 The companys half-yearly financial resultsThe shareholders and financial institutions VOCABULARY 3 Complete each definition with the correct word (the first letter has been wri
23、tten for you).0 To answer somebody, you give a reply.1 To ask for something, you make a r_.2 To help someone remember, you give them a r_.3 To suggest or recommend something, you make a p_.4 To say something publicly, you make an a_.5 To say sorry you make an a_.6 To insist that someone does somethi
24、ng, you make a d_.GRAMMAR Grammar TipOften verbs that express a similar notion will take the same form, eg dissuade discourage, deter are all followed by someone from doing.This can also be the case with opposite notions, eg agree and refuse +to do.I discouraged him from applying for the job. I diss
25、uaded him from applying for the job.Verb patternsIn the email below, all the forms following the communication verbs (discuss, apologise etc) are underlined. Some are incorrect. Correct them.Dear Jimfor giving for givingFirst of all, I would like to thank you (0) about giving up your time to help us
26、.Its very kind of you to agree (1) working with us on this project-I know you are very busy.When we last met, we discussed (2) about creating a special team to deal with complaints from customers. I have since had a meeting with Sarah, the head of the Customer Services team, and I have persuaded her
27、 (3) to join us. She suggested (4) to meet next week to put a plan in place. In the meantime, she is going to encourage her team (5) for giving their ideas. I must just tell (6) to you something which happened last week that shows how much we need a better system for dealing with complaints.Last wee
28、k, a customer rang to complain (7) about having to wait one month for delivery of a DVD player. He accused us (8) to keep his money so that we could earn interest on it before delivering the product. The sales person who answered the call offered (9) giving him a discount, without even checking the
29、history of the order. When I checked, I discovered an email from us in forming the customer when he thought the product (10) that there will be a one-month delay in delivery. The salesman was very defensive and said that he couldnt be criticized (11) of trying to keep the customer happy!So you see,
30、weve got a lot of work to do. Looking forward to hearing from you. Best wishes KarenPS Remind me (12) to pay for lunch next time! 5 Put the words below into their correct place in the table.urge threaten propose undertake praise blame recommend deny convincepersuade +someone +to dopromise +to doAdmi
31、t +doingCriticize +someone for doingSuggest +doing/suggest that someone should do_ 6 Complete these sentences.0 They threaten to take us to court if we didnt pay them immediately.1 Its a very sensitive issue. I suggest _ an anonymous email.2 Once, in a restaurant, I complained _ and the manager told
32、 us to leave.3 What a waste of time! We spent three hours discussing_.4 The company offered_, but amazingly she refused.5 Ive promised _ by tomorrow morning. 6 I cant believe you had to remind him _. Thats his job. 7 The regulator accused the company _ in its advertisements.GRAMMER 1 Talk about one
33、of the situations 1-4, answering the following questions. Remember to use the correct verb patterns.When did it take place?What happened?Who was there?What was said 1 an unusual presentation or talk that you attended 2 a memorable job interview you had3 a meeting where two people disagreed strongly4
34、 an interesting business proposition that was made to youWhen I was in my final year of university, a friend asked me if I wanted to join him in a new business venture. Before I could agree to do it, I had to be sure that it wasLISTENIING Dealing with problems2 Look at this customer charter publishe
35、d on the website of PencoTelecommunications. How is it intended to make you feel about the company?Do you believe their promises?Penco Telecommunications service is our passionCustomer charter Our promise. We will:respect your privacy and keep your detail confidential.offer you the best rates for na
36、tional and local calls: if you find better, well refund the difference.answer your calls to our customer service centre within three rings.be punctual for service visit appointments(never more than one hour late).give you impartial advice on the best telephone and technology package for you.answer a
37、ny email within four hours and any letter within five days.carry out satisfaction surveys each three months to ensure you are happy with our service.3 3.1 Listen to this phone conversation between an angry customer and a call centre operator for Penco Telecommunications.1What is the customers proble
38、m?2What solution s does the operator suggest?3Which one does the customer accept?4 3.1 Listen again and complete the phrases that the operator uses to deal sensitively and efficiently with the problem. Use 1-3 words for each space.1 I _ the wait, sir.2 Can I have your number and I_ it straightaway?3
39、 Dont worry, Ill_ to you.4 He can be there by 6 pm._ convenient?5 I _ understand. In _, Im going to have to reschedule him for another day.6 I _ what I can do. Please just_ for a moment.7 Would that be_?8 If you _ tell me your mobile number, I can get that activated immediately.SPEAKING Handling cal
40、ls sensitively5 Work with a partner. Take it in turns to make the call or receive the call. Study each situation and then act out the telephone conversation. Deal sensitively with each problem. Look at the notes below and prepare your telephone calls.Student A1 You work for a parcel delivery company
41、. Your computers have been behaving strangely today. Receive the call from a customer.2 You ordered a fish tank from a mail order company. The picture in the catalogue showed a complete fish tank with heater, air pump and fish. But when it arrived it was just a glass box. Telephone to complain.3 It
42、is 6:30 in the morning. You receive a call from someone that you dont know. You dont like receiving unsolicited calls at home.4 You work in the service department of an electricity company. You receive a request which is not really possible to satisfy.Students B1 You have ordered delivery of a new l
43、aptop computer. When you track the order on the internet, you find that it has gone from Ireland to HongKong. You live in London. Telephone to find out whats happening. 2 You work for a mail order company that supplies aquariums and accessories. You receive a call from an unhappy and confused custom
44、er.3 You work for a promotions company for a fitness club. You call potential customers in the evenings to offer them a free months trial of their local gym. Make the call.4 While at work you suddenly realise that you have left your iron on at home in a small village one hours drive away. Telephone the electricity company to see if they can cut of the electricity supply to your house.
