Inglés comercial básico

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTIONS, GREETINGS & RECEIVING VISITORS

Office work not only implies being efficient and qualified in specific functions but also being helpful and polite when dealing with people, especially visitors.
When receiving visitors, the first important step is greeting them and introducing yourself. Sometimes it’s necessary to offer them a seat, or a cup of coffee. And many times,visitors need accurate directions to find their way around the office. Finally, small talk also plays an important role: short conversations about the flight, the weather or other common topics that puts the visitor at ease.

Vocabulary

1. Greetings
How do you do?
I’m delighted to meet you
(I’m) pleased to meet you
(It’s) nice to meet you
(It’s) good to meetyou

2. Introductions
I’m Ana Sanchez / My name’s Ana Sanchez
I’m from Cartagena / I work for Caja Murcia
I’m an accountant at (name of bank/company)
Introducing someone:
Let me introduce you to X / I’d like you to meet X
He’s/she’s our Managing Director
Mr. Black I’d like to introduce you to Mrs. White.
Do you know one another?Do you know each other?

3. Conversation starters & offerings
Have you ever been here before? Yes, this is my second visit
Are you here for the conference/meeting? No, in fact I’ve come to visit a customer
It’s a lovely weather, isn’t it? Yes, It’s wonderful
Have you been here long? No, I’ve just arrived
May I take your coat?
May I help you?May I offer you something?
Take a seat please
Would you like a cup of coffee? No, thank you
I’d love one
Only if it’s not too much trouble for you
4. Conversation closers
Well, it was very nice talking to you Yes, we must meet again sometime
I’m glad/delighted to have met you It’s nice to have met you too
I hope to seeyou soon I hope so

Listening (5.1)
Listening to the following dialogues and try to explain what is happening in each situation.

Speaking (pairwork)
Act a similar dialogue with a partner.

Exercise one: Put this conversation in the right order. In a visit to Great Britain you meet two employees from Barclays.

a) Pleased to meet you, Mr. Adams.
b) That’s right.
c) Verypleased to meet you, too.
d) Excuse me, are you Mr. Suarez?
e) How do you do?
f) Mr. Suarez, I’d like to meet Peter Adarms, from our Marketing Department.
g) How do you do? I’m John Brown, the Chief Accountant.

Exercise two: Imagine the questions for these answers.

a) How do you do?
b) From Murcia, Spain.
c) No, I’ve just arrived.
d) No, It’s the first time Ivisit Cartagena.
e) I work for Caja Murcia.
f) I’m in the Foreign Exchange Department. I’m a clerk
g) Yes, It’s very nice.
h) Carmen Fuentes.
i) F-U-E-N-T-E-S
j) We deal with foreign currency.

Exercise three: What would you say in the following situations?

a) You go down to the reception area to meet a visitor.
Ask him/her about his/her identity.
b) Greetyour visitor and introduce yourself
c) Introduce your visitor to one of your colleagues
d) You meet someone at a trade fair. Ask that person about his/her identity, job, company….
e) You have been talking to a customer for a while. Say goodbye.

Exercise for: Cultural check. Are these statements true or false? Try to guess…..

a) In Japan, you never shake hands with someone youhave just met.
b) In Saudi Arabia, you do not discuss your host’s wife and daughters or your own.
c) In Mexico, it is a good idea to give cutlery ad a present to your customers.
d) It is common to exchange business cards at the beginning of a meeting in Germany.
e) In Finland, most of the relationship building with business counterparts takes place in a sauna.
f) You should...