Dialogue 2

After lunch, Jack Evans, Sales Manager of Textafabrik, continues his discussion with his American visitor, Mr. Johnston.

evans When we set up this visit, Mr. Johnston, I forgot to ask you how you heard about us. Did you see our goods on display at the New York exhibition?

johnston No, it was nothing like that, actually. I saw one of your machines in action when I was on a business trip to Eastern Europe.

evans Really?

johnston Yes. I was visiting a factory in Bulgaria. They were using some of your stitching machines. The Director praised them to the skies. So, I asked him who the manufacturer was.

evans Ah, it was like that, was it? We do a lot of business in Eastern Europe. One of our sales techniques there is to get a machine installed in a factory, then invite other people to see it working.

johnston The machines I saw were operating very efficiently, even though they were over ten years old.

evans That's because we offer a good after-sales service. It's important to keep machines running once they've been installed.

johnston That's true.

evans We always promise to get spare parts to customers as fast as possible. Sometimes we move heaven and earth to do it.

johnston I like to hear that. So often suppliers just don’t want to know as soon as one of their machines breaks down.

evans It's not the way we run our business. When we sell a machine, we offer a complete package: a high-quality product, competitive price, two-year guarantee, reliable after-sales service ... and, of course, a good service manual — one that the customer can understand easily.

johnston I'm impressed by your approach to business. You know, we might be able to do a deal while I’m here.

evans Ah, that sounds interesting.

johnston It's possible I’ll place an order for your PX5 model.

evans Good.

johnston If I did, could you despatch, say, four or five immediately.

evans Yes. We've got plenty in stock at the moment. No problem.

johnston I'd like to call my office first. I’ll talk to some of my col­leagues. Sound them out a little. If they agree, we could discuss the deal tomorrow, perhaps.

evans That'd suit me fine. There's no rush.

johnston Great. Before I go back to my hotel, could I ask you for a small favour?

evans Go ahead.

johnston I was wondering, would it be possible to talk to your Design Manager, or someone from that department? I'm very interested in design. When I started out in this business ... many years ago …

Answer the questions:

1. How did Mr. Johnston hear about Textafabrik?

2. What can you say about their sales techniques?

3. How were Textafabrik machines operating?

4. Why were they operating efficiently?

5. What do Textafabrik offer when they sell a machine?

6. Why was Mr. Johnston impressed?

7. What model was he going to place an order for?

8. How many machines did he need immediately?

9. Why was he going to call his office?

10. What favour did he ask Mr. Evans for?

ex. 1. Insert the necessary prepositions.

1. We are going to put the latest model of the machine __ the market __ the beginning of December.

2. This important sales documentation should be kept __ file.

3. He has the edge __ other sales managers because he works harder.

4. We ran ___ ___ problems with the authorities.

5. The goods were __ display in the shop window.

6. The washing machine seems to have broken __ again.

7. I’m afraid we have no spare parts __ stock __ the moment.

8. The council set __ a committee to look __ the ways of creating more jobs in the area.

9. She was praised __ the skies __ her achievements in the field of marketing research.

ex.2. Paraphrase the following sentences using your active vocabulary.

1. We have made several changes in the arrangement and planning of the machines.

2. Show me the material advertising your goods.

3. They give you an advantage when you compete against other firms.

4. The things you are saying are hard to believe.

5. The director of the factory said that the machines were wonderful.

6. The computers were shown to potential buyers at the exhibition.

7. The machine stopped working.

8. What methods do you use to increase your sales?

9. They solved the problem.

10.They have already sent us the spare parts.

ex.3. Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Они выпустили эту машину в продажу три месяца назад.

2. Недавно цены были пересмотрены.

3. Представьте нам всю торговую документацию: прейскуранты, каталоги и брошюры.

4. Мы столкнулись с рядом технических проблем, но, в конце концов, мы их решили.

5. Полный комплект включает в себя: высококачественный продукт, конкурентоспособную цену, двухгодичную гарантию, надежное послепродажное обслуживание и инструкцию по эксплуатации.

6. Мы перевернули все вверх дном, чтобы доставить запасные части заказчикам в срок.

7. Каковы Ваши методы продажи?

8. Машины, которые нам показали в действии, имеют высокую производительность и совершенно бесшумны.

9. Назначенные цены останутся неизменными до конца года.

10. Высокая скорость наших машин дает нам преимущество перед конкурентами.

ex.4. Read the following statements. Say whether they are true, if not correct them.

1. If you want to get a good idea of the product range and see the models in operation you should visit the manufacturing plant.

2. It is not necessary to offer a product with high performance if you want to sell in overseas markets.

3. If the company wants to develop its product and to make various design modifications in the machines it doesn’t take a long time.

4. The specifications of the models are given in brochures.

5. It is not necessary to keep all the sales literature and any other publicity material on file.

6. To keep the machines running you should offer a good after-sales service.

7. All the suppliers move heaven and earth to get spare parts to customers as fast as possible.

8. When a company sells machines it offers only after-sales service.

READ AND TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING TEXT:

Sales documentation

When you travel by train, you need a ticket as proof that you have paid. When you send a consignment of goods by rail or road you also need a receipt to prove the transport company has taken the goods. A consignment note is both a ticket and a receipt. A consignment note for goods sent by air is called an air consignment note or an air waybill. A consignment note for goods sent by sea is a Bill of Lading. A combined transport document is for goods sent by more than one means of transport.

When companies buy goods, they send an order to the suppliers. If the buyers are regular customers, the suppliers send the goods and then send an invoice. The buyers do not always pay the invoice immediately. Usually the suppliers send a statement at the end of the month which shows all the transactions between the suppliers and the buyers in that month. The buyers then pay the amount outstanding on the statement.

Sometimes when the suppliers receive an enquiry, they send a pro-forma invoice. This is a quotation which looks like the final invoice so the buyers know how much they have to pay. If the suppliers do not know the buyers, the buyers might pay in advance against the pro-forma when placing their order.

Answer the questions:

1.Which documents are requests for payment?

2.Which documents are receipts for goods?

3. What is a pro-forma invoice?

4.Household Designs in Manchester sent goods to a customer in Liverpool by trailer. This was the first time the customer had bought anything from Household Designs. Which documents were used?

5.Household Designs sent goods by air to a regular customer in France. Which documents were used?

ROLE PLAYS.

Make up dialogues using the expressions from the dialogues in Unit 2:

1.Mr.Johnston is discussing the results of his first visit to Textafabrik with his colleagues in the U.S.A.

2.Mr.Johnston is speaking to his colleagues and they make a decision about the deal.

3.Mr Johnston is visiting a factory in Bulgaria. They are using some machines produced by Textafabrik. Mr. Johnston is interested in the machines and gets some information about them and their producers.

4.A: You are showing your potential customer round your factory. You don’t want him/her to see some machines. Try to talk him out of visiting the shop and speaking to the shop-floor workers.

B: You are visiting a factory which produces machines you are interested in. Try to find as much information about them as possible, and see the machines in operation.

Problem-solving:

On a business trip to a Third World country you see an interesting and unusual product which you are sure could be successfully marketed in your own country at a price which would be both attractive to the consumer and profitable to you. When you visit the factory which makes this product you find that the working conditions of the workforce are bad and the pay rates are low. Should you make a contract with them?

Answer the questions on the topic:

1.Prove that it is important to meet with a potential customer.

2.How can sellers attract their potential customers?

3.Why do companies produce sales literature and publicity material?

4.What sales techniques do you know?

5.Speak on the topic: Meeting with a potential customer.