How to sack a friend

Before you read

1. Answer these questions.

Would you like to work in the same company as your friends? Why (not)?

Do you think it would be difficult if your friend was your boss?

2. Match the words (1-5) with their meanings (a-e).

sack, fire a) becoming smaller

downsizing b) not do something

resign c) leave the company

avoid d) what you try to do

goals e) tell someone to leave a company

Reading

3. Read this article adapted from the Financial Times and answer the questions.

'I have to sack my friend or fire someone better'

Three years ago, I became my friend's boss. At first, this was fine, but now the company is downsizing, and I have to sack someone. My friend is lazy and unhappy, and is the weakest person. I don't know how I can fire him. But I can't fire someone who works better.

Lucy Kellaway: The answer

Firing people is difficult, and firing friends is really hard. Keeping your friend and sacking someone who is 10 better is bad for them and for your company. You could resign and avoid the problem. But this helps nobody. You have to do the right thing as a manager and forget your friendship.

Reader suggestions

A Firing your friend may be good for him. It happened to me, and I was unhappy at first, but I got a better job with more money.

В Discuss the situation with your friend. Give him goals to reach. If he agrees, sack the most junior person. If he doesn't, sack him. It is his decision.

С I've been in exactly the same position. Fire your friend, but help him find a new job. Tell everyone you know about him and help him plan his future.

Financial Times

4. Decide whether these sentences are true or false.

1. The writer is his friend's boss.

2. His friend is a good worker.

3. Lucy Kellaway says firing people is easy.

4. She says the writer must do the right thing for the company.

5. Reader A now has a better job.

6. Reader В advises the writer to talk to his friend.

7. Reader С suggests the writer helps his friend to find a new job.

5. Complete the sentences below with the following words.

fire goal resign retire

a). The manager needs to … because he has got a job in another company.

b) The company had to …. the sales assistant because he was always late.

c)My …. is to be the Managing Director by the time I am 35.

d)He will …. this year when he's 65.

Discussion

Which of the suggestions from the article do you think is best?

Have you got any other suggestions?

Sales Recommending products

Before you read

1. Answer these questions.

1. Do you ever recommend products to friends?

2. Do you buy products if a friend recommends them to you?

3. What makes you want to buy a product?

2. Choose the correct option in italics to complete this definition.

Word-of-mouth marketing is when people tell /write to other people about a product they like.

Reading

3. Read this article adapted from the Financial Times and answer the questions.

Word-of-mouth marketing is the best strategy for Masterfoods

As part of its launch for a new variety of catfood, UK petfood maker Masterfoods last year used a strategy designed by a company called Wildfire, which is based in London. They are specialists in word-of-mouth marketing.

The company identified 10,000 consumers likely to give positive word-of-mouth reports to others if they liked the product, Whiskas Oh So. These people were then mailed free samples and coupons to pass on to family and friends. To test the success of the strategy, Wildfire contracted Dunnhumby, a company which analyses data. They studied the responses of three groups: people who received the free samples and coupons, people who were then sent the coupons by satisfied users, and a special group who did not receive the mailshot.

According to Ivan Palmer of Wildfire, the results were dramatic. 'Sales of the product among people who received word-of-mouth recommendations plus coupons from their friends were 11 times higher than among the special group.'

Financial Times

4. Complete these sentences with words from the article.

When you put a product on the market for the first time, you l …. h it.

a) A s …. у is a formal plan.

b) A s …. t is someone who has a lot of experience in one area.

M …. d is another word for 'sent'.

Companies send you a s …. e of their product so you can try it.

f) A c …. n is a printed form giving you a discount on a product.

g) A m …. t is when you send product information to a lot of people by post.

h) If the results are d …. c, then they are amazing.

5. Match the statements below (a-e) with the three companies (A-C).

A Masterfoods

В Wildfire

С Dunnhumby

It is located in London.

It found 10,000 potential customers.

It makes food for pets.

It checked how successful the advertising was.

It thought the results were amazing.

6. Complete the sentences below with the following verbs.

buys makes recommends sells uses

A customer .… the product.

The producer …. the product.

A retailer …. the product.

A consumer …. the product.

A customer …. the product to other people.

Discussion

Do you think word-of-mouth advertising can work for all products? Why (not)?