12. Role play: Writing business letters

Role play 1. Work in pairs. One of you is a representative of a landscape design company who writes a letter of complaint about the landscape tool ordered three months ago and still not delivered. The other one is a supplier of modern landscape tools who handles a complaint and writes a letter of apology explaining the reasons for the delay and promising to take some actions.

Role play 2. Work in pairs. Imagine that one of you is a landscape architect who writes a letter of invitation to his/her colleague from another company inviting him/her to the exhibition of floral and landscape design which is scheduled for the following week. The other one should accept the invitation and write a thank-you letter.

When writing the letters use the phrases contained the Appendix III.

13. Imagine that you are an expert in business writing and you are invited to give a talk to a group of new inexperienced employees of a business company on how to write business letters properly.

You should share your own experience with them and explain what they should and shouldn’t do when writing business letters. During the talk you must cover the following points:

• role of business letters in the business world

• the typical structure of a business letter

• words and expressions that should be avoided

• communication styles that are not acceptable

• importance of accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar

Use the following phrases:

I would like to tell you about…

Let me start with…

You probably know that…

It’s a well-known fact that…

It should be kept in mind that…

You should remember that…

You must avoid…

Don’t forget to…

I hope that my advice will be…

Unit 4

1. Read the following international words and give their Russian equivalents:

Technology, telephone, communication, professionalism, office, control, computer, website, email

2. Study the following text:

Business telephone conversations

While it may be more convenient to contact someone by using more modern technology, such as email or text messaging, the telephone is still a more personal means of communication. Although the other party can’t see your face, your voice can still convey a sense of professionalism and authority. Proper telephone etiquette is more important than ever in today’s business environment. Much of our business communications takes place on the phone: in the office, at home, in the car, virtually anywhere. In this area, proper phone technique can make or break deals or relationships. To help you make the most effective business call possible, following a few basic steps can be of help.

Take a moment to prepare before you pick up the phone. Write down the key points you need to cover during the conversation, as well as any questions you need to ask. This will also serve as an outline to help guide you through the call while maintaining control of the conversation. If possible, be close to a computer with Internet connection so that you can access your company’s website or locate information quickly.

When answering the phone for business, be sure to identify yourself (and your company, if applicable). If answering someone else’s line, be sure to include their name in your greeting, so that the other party does not think they have reached a wrong number. For example, if answering Jim Smith’s line, Bob Johnson would answer the phone “Jim Smith's line, Bob Johnson speaking” and then take a message or handle the call, depending on how your office works.

You can exchange pleasantries, such as a brief “How are you today?,” but don’t get involved in an extended conversation about sports or the weather, as this can serve as a distraction from the purpose of your call. State the purpose politely and directly, such as, “I received your email this morning and I’m calling to follow up.”

When you have reached the party, if your call has been expected, remind them of the prior conversation and appointment. People get busy and can seem surprised until you remind them of where they should remember you from. If your call is not expected, unless it will be a short call, ask the party if they have the time for you. If the other person does not have time, briefly state the purpose of your call and ask for an appointment to follow up at a later time.

Have a phone diary. Keep a pencil and pad near the phone and jot notes during phone conversations. This will help you “actively listen” and have a reference for later. Employ active listening noises such as “yes” or “I see” or “great”. This lets the other person know that you care about what they have to say. Give the other party time to respond to your points and ask any questions they may have. Be careful not to interrupt unless you discover that the other party is drifting from the topic at hand. If this occurs, interrupt politely by saying, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but another question just popped into my mind and I want to ask it before I forget.” Recap at the end of the call, using your notes and repeat any resolutions or commitments on either side to be sure you are both “on the same page”.

End the call on a positive note by thanking the other person for their time and express an interest in speaking with them again (if that is true). If not, just let them know you appreciated them speaking with you and end the call. Before hanging up, review what was accomplished during the call with the other party and be sure you both agree on what should happen next. If additional communication is required, set up a specific day and time for a follow-up phone call or other method of communication such as email. Always part on a pleasant note, even if the end result of the call is that a business relationship won’t occur or continue at present. You may want to revisit the relationship at some point in the future.

A gracious good bye leaves the door open for further communication and in this day of mergers and acquisitions you never know with whom you will be doing business with in the future, so burning any bridges, or telephone lines, would be unwise. Remember, in this global marketplace, some of the most powerful business relationships have been between people who have never seen each other.

3. Learn the following words and expressions:

business environment	деловая среда
phone technique	приемы ведения телефонного разговора
deal	сделка
key point	ключевой момент
conversation	беседа
party	сторона
appointment	деловая встреча
resolution	решение
commitment	обязательство
follow-up phone call	последующий телефонный звонок
merger	слияние
acquisition	поглощение
global marketplace	глобальный рынок