Lesson 4Lesson 4 Making Telephone Calls Making Telephone Calls

Business English Conversation & Listening Instructor: Hsin-Hsin Cindy Lee, PhD

ContentsContents

Basic Rules and Concepts Conversation and Listening Practices - Check Answers and Further

Practice Writing Practice Checkpoint

Basic Concepts and Rules Introduction

Basic Concepts Basic Concepts

Although nowadays a lot of business phone calls are replaced by instant messages and emails, international phone calls are still common.

It’s important to learn how to make and answer a phone call properly.

We will divide making a phone call into four steps:

1. Before a phone call◦ Prepare well before you call.◦ Plan what you want to say. ◦ Prepare answers to possible questions. ◦ Send an e-mail before the phone call, if necessary. ◦ Have all information available.

On the PhoneOn the Phone

2. Beginning the call Greet and identify yourself clearly. Ask for connection. After connection, greet the person. Small talk (optional) Give a reason for the call.3. During the call Create a positive atmosphere. Communicate your objective clearly. Listen- make sure you understand. Check- make sure the other person understands

you.

4. Ending the call politely and positively.

Conversation & Listening Listening to the conversation and filling in the blanks

Common Business Situations Common Business Situations

When do you need to make a phone call? ◦For example, you wish to speak to your

business partner in person. You would like to make a courteous call.

◦Things can not be explained clearly in the email.

◦There are urgent matters.◦You are working in a place where telephoning is

more convenient than sending emails.◦Can you think of other situations?

Listen to Conversation 4-AListen to Conversation 4-A

Theme: ◦Making an appointment

Situation: ◦Drew Barry calls Josie Gleason to arrange a

meeting. Tips:

◦Answer the phone call with your name and greeting.

◦Remain polite and positive on the phone.

Listening and Filling in the BlanksListening and Filling in the Blanks

Drew: Hello, Miss Gleason. This is Drew from ITC. Josie: Hello, Drew. What can I do for you?Drew: I’m calling on behalf of my boss, Susan Goldman. She’s

(1) ______the product line, and she’d like to (2) ______a meeting with you.

Josie: All right. Does Susan have anything (3) _______in mind? Drew: She’ d really like to introduce some of the latest, yet

(4) _______ DVD players on the market. Josie: We have a wide range of models right up that (5) ____.

When would she like to get together? Drew: She was hoping to get together at the end of this

week, if possible. She wants to get going on this (6) ___ ____.

Josie: Let me check my (7)______. Yes, I’m (8) ______ any time on Friday.

Drew: How about 10:00 in the morning at your office? Josie: 10:00 sounds fine. I’m looking forward to seeing her on

Friday. Drew: Thank you. Good-bye.

Listen to Conversation 4-B Listen to Conversation 4-B

Theme:◦Leaving a message

Situation:◦Sally answers a phone call from Bill Willis.

Tips :◦If someone leaves a message to you, don’t

forget to repeat it to the caller. ◦Make sure that you take the message right

from the caller.

Listening and Filling in the BlanksListening and Filling in the Blanks

Sally: Good morning. Sun Tech. May I help you?Caller: This is Mr. Willis and Connections, Limited. I’m calling from

(1)_________. May I speak to Sam Palmer in (2)________?Sally: I’m sorry. Mr. Palmer is out of the office. May I (3) _____ a

message?Caller: Do you (4) _______him back later today?Sally: I’m afraid he’ll be out of town all day. Caller: In that case, you can (5) _____a message. Please tell him I’d like

to talk to him as soon as possible about the new product (6)_____. Sally: OK. Is there any particular time that you want him to call you?Caller: He can (7) ______me at my office any time tomorrow. My number is (8) _____ _____61, area code 3, number (9)_____.Sally: OK. Let me (10) _______that back to you. Mr. Willis of

Connections, Limited, number (11)_______; call back as soon as possible regarding the new product design. You can be reached all day tomorrow at that number.

Caller: That’s (12) ______. Sally: OK, I’ll give him the message, Mr. Willis, and he’ll get back to

you as soon as he can. Caller: Thank you. Good-bye.

Practices Check Your Answers and Practice the Dialogues

Conversation 4-A (Page 1)Conversation 4-A (Page 1)Source: Office English (LiveABC p.100-101)Source: Office English (LiveABC p.100-101)

Drew: Hello, Miss Gleason. This is Drew from ITC.

Josie: Hello, Drew. What can I do for you?Drew: I’m calling on behalf of my boss, Susan

Goldman. She’s (1) expanding the product line, and she’d like to (2) set up a meeting with you.

Josie: All right. Does Susan have anything (3) specific in mind?

Drew: She’ d really like to introduce some of the latest, yet (4) affordable DVD players on the market.

Conversation 4-A (Page 2)Conversation 4-A (Page 2)

Josie: We have a wide range of models right up that (5) alley. When would she like to get together?

Drew: She was hoping to get together at the end of this week, if possible. She wants to get going on this (6) right away.

Josie: Let me check my (7) schedule. Yes, I’m (8) available any time on Friday.

Drew: How about 10:00 in the morning at your office?

Josie: 10:00 sounds fine. I’m looking forward to seeing her on Friday.

Drew: Thank you. Good-bye.

Conversation 4-B (Page 1)Conversation 4-B (Page 1)Source: Office English (LiveABC p.60-61)Source: Office English (LiveABC p.60-61)

Sally: Good morning. Sun Tech. May I help you?

Caller: This is Mr. Willis and Connections, Limited. I’m calling from (1) Australia. May I speak to Sam Palmer in (2)Marketing?

Sally: I’m sorry. Mr. Palmer is out of the office. May I (3) take a message?

Caller: Do you (4) expect him back later today?Sally: I’m afraid he’ll be out of town all day. Caller: In that case, you can (5) leave a

message. Please tell him I’d like to talk to him as soon as possible about the new product (6) design.

Conversation 4-B (Page 2)Conversation 4-B (Page 2)

Sally: OK. Is there any particular time that you want him to call you?

Caller: He can (7) reach me at my office any time tomorrow. My number is (8) country code 61, area code 3, number (9)

2775-2940.Sally: OK. Let me (10) repeat that back to you. Mr. Willis of

Connections, Limited, number (11) 613-2771-2940; call back as soon as possible regarding the new product design. You can be reached all day tomorrow at that number.

Caller: That’s (12) correct. Sally: OK, I’ll give him the message, Mr. Willis, and he’ll get

back to you as soon as he can. Caller: Thank you. Good-bye.

Further PracticeFurther Practice

Replace you and your partner’s names with the ones provided in the script.

Read the script again by using your own names.

Practice the different situations for socializing and small talk with your own names without reading the script.

Writing Practice Write down your own expressions.

Write down your own expressionsWrite down your own expressions

1) May I speak to Lisa Black?e.g. Could you please transfer me to Lisa

Black? 2) Would you like to leave a message?

___________________________________3) I’m afraid he is not in at the moment. ____________________________________4) I’m calling to change our appointment. ____________________________________5) Can I repeat your message? ___________________________________

You can say this…You can say this…

Write down your own sentences.1) May I speak to Lisa Black?e.g. Could you please transfer me to Lisa

Black? 2) Would you like to leave a message? Can I take a message from you? 3) I’m afraid he is not in at the moment. I’m sorry he is not available now. 4) I’m calling to change our appointment. The purpose of this call is to change a prior

appointment.5) Can I repeat your message? May I confirm what you just said?

How to Prepare a Phone CallHow to Prepare a Phone Call

Prepare a note for dialing out. ◦Write down the person’s name you’re looking

for. ◦Write down the message you would like to

deliver. Take notes while answering a phone call.

◦Write down the identify of caller and his/her company.

◦Note the caller’s telephone number or email address.

◦Note the date, time and the message. ◦Repeat the message after you take it.

CheckpointCheckpoint

What do you say at the beginning of a call?

How can you reach the person you look for? What can you say?

How should you answer a phone call for your colleague?

How do you take a message from a caller? How can you prepare a phone call?

-End-Do you have any questions?