Unit VI

Подберите русские эквиваленты следующим словам, содержащим интернациональные корни

emotion, alternative, rectify, indicate, catalogue, IT systems, reflect, satisfaction

Прочитайте текст. Пользуясь словарем, определите значение незнакомых слов и выпишите их в тетрадь

Put the customer first

I recently became a victim of exceptionally poor customer service and the lessons of the experience are pertinent for all us, whatever organizations we manage. The details of the experience are largely irrelevant, we all have our particular ‘war stories’ and most of us will admit that our own organizations are not always blameless. The learning from the experience certainly does re-emphasize ‘red threads’ that link many elements of the EFQM (the European Foundation for Quality Management) Excellence Model.

On the surface it was a simple case of not delivering the complete goods on time but the customer experience highlighted a whole catalogue of organizational deficiencies, all of which could be addressed if the customer is put at the forefront of an organizational strategy.

In trying to rectify the situation I was able to discover a whole host of features of the company. Suppliers it seems are the biggest determinant of customer satisfaction and were out of control. Staff was adequately trained but totally un-empowered to solve problems for customers. IT systems were inflexible and couldn’t offer any route to improve the situation. Managers were sadly invisible in the process and internal communication problems were self-evident. As if this is not enough then without doubt the organization lost money through the whole process; they certainly lost a customer.

The whole experience reminded me of the need to look at all aspects of the organization through customer eyes and be prepared to challenge and keep challenging. Process design, IT systems, staff development, leadership behaviours, finance systems must all reflect the very real needs of external customers. All my experience indicates that if this is done, processes become leaner, staff more satisfied and leaders more effective resulting in an all round improvement in business results. And of course customers become more satisfied.

Barnsley Geoff - Managing Director of tqmi *

*the premier consultancy organization in India specializing in the field of quality management

Запомните необходимый лексический минимум

victim	жертва, пострадавший
pertinent	уместный, подходящий
admit	признавать, допускать
challenge	сложная задача, проблема
deficiency	недостаток, неполноценность
lean	худой, тощий, постный
determinant	решающий, определяющий
route	маршрут, путь
behaviour	поведение
reflect	отражать

Задание I

А. Подберите эквиваленты к словам, обозначенным цифрами

irrelevant	выпускать, выдавать
highlight	выдвигать на первый план
host	безукоризненный, безупречный
blameless	масса, куча
rectify	негибкий; жёсткий
deliver	неуместный, посторонний
inflexible	исправлять

B. Подберите эквиваленты к словосочетаниям, обозначенным цифрами

be largely irrelevant	не иметь существенного значения
organizational deficiencies	организационные недостатки
be totally un-empowered	поведение руководства
to solve problems	быть готовым к новым вызовам
be self-evident	быть лишенным полномочий
without doubt	решать проблемы
through customer eyes	быть очевидным
be prepared to challenge	без сомнений
staff development	глазами потребителя
leadership behaviours	подготовка персонала

C. Заполните пропуски, используя предложенные слова или словосочетания

a) complaints b) deliver c) service d) take care of

e) satisfaction f) challenges g) success

1. Finding and keeping customers is one of the biggest ____ facing new businesses.

2. If you want to hold onto customers, your ____ to them has to be one of your highest priorities.

3. Higher levels of customer ____ are tied to high levels of positive cash flows with low volatility.

4. Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is ____.

5. Customer ____ are the schoolbooks from which we learn.

6. If we don’t ____ our customers someone else will.

7. People perform best and ____ the best customer service when they like what they do.

Задание II

А. Переведите данные ниже предложения, обращая внимание на выделенные слова

1. Customer delight can just seem either trite or insincere.

2. Everyone has experiences as a customer both good and bad.

3. Neither suppliers nor customers can offer any route to improve the situation.

4. The problem is language and yet it is the most powerful thing we have.

5. This is the most important step of all since it prepares employees for later corrective action.

6. These needs are either expressed directly by the customer or discovered through a process of market research.

7. If the workers and the bosses both speak the language of statistics they will have something to discuss at their quality meetings.

B. Найдите в предложениях конструкции с инфинитивом. Переведите их на русский язык

1. This problem is believed to stem from workers’ attitude, but workers often reflect the attitudes of their managers.

2. They won’t let the goods leave the customs till the shipping documents have been checked.

3. This requires the worker to accept personal responsibility for making quality products.

4. The quality department is considered to be the organizational coordinator for all other departments in manufacturing.

5. The manufacturers seemed to realize the importance of total quality control.

6. The manager expected the quality department to work out the total quality concept.

7. We made the sellers pack the goods according to the requirements of the contract.

C. Найдите в тексте предложение, начинающееся союзом as if, и переведите его

Задание III

А. Ответьте на вопросы

1. What is the main idea of the text?

2. What does the expression ‘war stories’ mean here?

3. Is manager able to learn from his or her experience as a

customer?

4. Is it important to look at all aspects of the organization

through customer eyes? Why/Why not?

5. What are the results of customer’s needs reflection in

any organization?

B. Завершите предложения в соответствии с содержанием текста

1. The organizations we manage are not always ____.

2. It happened that the complete goods were not delivered ____.

3. Organizational problems could be solved if the customer is put at the forefront of an ____.

4. In order to correct the situation I was able to find out a whole range of ____ of the company.

5. Staff was properly trained but was absolutely unable to ____ for customers.

6. Managers were unable to be seen in the process and ____ were obvious.

7. If to look at all aspects of the organization through ____ eyes they become more satisfied.

C. Определите, являются ли истинными данные ниже утверждения

1. We all have our particular stories when we were served exceptionally well or extremely poorly.

2. Suppliers of a given company satisfied customers absolutely well and were under control.

3. Staff was adequately trained and could solve problems for customers.

4. The real purpose of a company is not to make money, but to create customers who are so pleased that they will continue to buy products.

5. It is not very important for process design, IT systems, staff development, leadership behaviours and finance systems to reflect the needs of external customers.

6. If to look at all aspects of the organization through customer eyes processes become leaner, staff more satisfied and leaders more effective.

7. See everything from the customer’s point of view first.

Задание IV

Выполните письменный перевод абзаца текста, начинающегося предложением

In trying to rectify the situation…