Business English in Fiction. Практикум

Unit 1

months. Ryner says if you can talk Dyer out of five per cent discount, we go ahead, but we don’t if Dyer won’t play.”

“Do we give him six months’ credit?”

“I guess so. All Vidal’s other creditors are giving him that. It seems to me we have Dyer where we want him. He either accepts our terms or he is without an agency. We seem to be his last chance for a deal.”

“Fine. Okay, leave him to me.”

A little after 10.30, Vernon Dyer came on the line.

“I’ve got your schedule,” he said, a rasp in his voice. “What’s the idea? What do you think you’re playing at? Your prices are ten per cent ahead of the American Express quotation.”

“They quoted you eighteen months ago, Mr. Dyer,” I said smoothly. “Prices have gone up since then and they are likely to keep going up. The prices I’ve quoted you is present day rock bottom.”

There was a pause, then he said, less sharply, “Those formalities completed yet?”

“Yes. The account is now open.”

“Then we had better get together and talk terms. Be at the Coq d’Or restaurant at 13.00. Right?”

The Coq d’Or restaurant was the most expensive restaurant in Paradise City. It cost you $ 1.50 just to check your hat.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Dyer, but you must excuse me,” I said blandly. “I never go out to lunch. I’ll be here any time convenient to you.”

“You never go out to lunch?” His voice shot up. “What do you mean?”

“I take a desk lunch, Mr. Dyer. I’m too busy to eat out.” “Harkness always lunched with me!”

“That was his privilege. When do you think you could drop in, Mr. Dyer?”

There was a long pause, then he said, “I think you should have the courtesy to lunch with me.”

“It’s not a matter of courtesy, it’s a matter of having the time, Mr. Dyer. You want top class service: by having a desk lunch, I’m able to give it to you.”

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Business English in Fiction

“Oh, very well!” I could tell by the tone of his voice he was angry and frustrated. “Then this afternoon at 15.00,” and he hang up.

I looked over at Sue and winked at her.

“No more expensive lunches for Vernon,” I said. “We’re getting away to a good start.”

Dyer didn’t show up until 16.00. I was busy with a client and he paced up and down outside my office. From time to time, he paused to glare at me and look at his watch. I paid no attention. When my client left, I waved to Dyer to come in.

“Sorry to have kept you, but your appointment was for 15.00.” He grunted and sat down.

“So the account’s open,” he said. “I take it you have talked to Harkness?”

“I’ve talked to him.”

“We’ll be satisfied with the same terms as we got from him.” He stared at me. “You know the terms?”

“I know them but unfortunately we can’t accept them.” He stiffened.

“What the hell do you mean? What’s good enough for the American Express is surely good enough for you.”

“The arrangement you made with them was eighteen months ago, Mr. Dyer. We are trying to keep prices down. We can still give you six months’ credit, but I regret no discount.”

He leaned forward, his face flushed, his eyes glittering. “So you don’t want our business?”

“I didn’t say that, Mr. Dyer.”

“That’s just what you are saying! You either give us the same terms as the American Express gave us or you don’t get our business!”

“Then regretfully we don’t get it.” I put on a sad expression. “If you are able to find another agency who will give you the terms you want, Mr. Dyer, then obviously it is your privilege to go

to them.”

He sat back, glaring.

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Unit 1

“Are you serious? Are you telling me you won’t take business worth two hundred thousand for the sake of an absurd five per cent discount?”

“Which would amount to ten thousand in your favour. I’m sorry, Mr. Dyer, that’s the way it is.”

He licked his lips, then asked in a more conciliatory tone, “What will you give – four per cent?”

I knew then he was bluffing.

“I’m sorry, but there can be no discount.” I smiled at him. “Have you tried the Global or the Florida agencies?”

“They’re useless!” By his flush I knew he had tried them. “There are plenty of others. I’ll ask Miss Douglas to give you

a list of them if that would be helpful.”

He sat for some moments, staring down at his hands, then he said, “You will give us six months’ credit?”

“That’s agreed.”

“It’s most odd you can’t give some kind of discount on a turnover like this.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged and forced a smile.

“Okay, I suppose you had better have the account.” “That’s up to you, Mr. Dyer.”

He took out a gold cigarette case, selected a cigarette and lit it. “How about my commission?”

I lifted my eyebrows.

“Excuse me…your commission?” His eyes snapped angrily.

“You don’t expect me to give you an account of this size without you giving me something in return? It’s normal business practice.”

“What had you in mind, Mr. Dyer?” His face lit up.

“Five thousand would be acceptable…in cash, of course.” For sheer nerve and effrontery, I thought, this arrogant creep

wanted beating.

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Business English in Fiction

“I’ll take it up with head office,” I said. His eyes shifted.

“This would be strictly confidential, of course.”

“I doubt if my people would consider it as such. It’s a practice my people don’t approve of.” I gave him my sympathetic smile. “As far as I’m concerned if someone gets a pay off for bringing an account to us, I say good luck to him.”

He gave me a leering little smile.

“I’m sure you can handle this for me, Burden. Of course Mr. Vidal need not know. You understand? After all I am doing you a favour.”

“My Vice-President is a little sticky, Mr. Dyer. If he hears Mr. Vidal’s personal aide is asking us for five thousand dollars for bringing Mr. Vidal’s account to us, it is rather likely he would write to Mr. Vidal to ask if he approved.”

Dyer lost colour.

“You mean I don’t get anything?” “Service, Mr. Dyer. You’ll get that.”

He really hated me then. I could see it in the expression in his eyes. With an unsteady hand he took an envelope from his pocket and threw it on my desk.

“Here are your instructions! Get working on them! And I warn you, Burden, no slip-ups! I don’t tolerate shoddy work!”

Getting to his feet, he stalked out of my office, past Sue and away down the corridor.

I opened the envelope and studied his instructions. It was a nice order: six first class fares New York – Tokyo: hotel accommodation for fourteen days, chauffeur driven car, everything VIP.

I put the instructions back in the envelope , told Sue to get it to Miami by special messenger, then returning to my office, I called Massingham and gave him a blow-by-blow account of my interview with Dyer.

When he was through laughing, he said: “Fine, Clay. I’ll tell Mr. Ryner. You couldn’t have done better. We’ll cope with the Tokyo schedule as soon as we get it. Don’t tell Harkness about this.

Let’s keep it under our hats!”

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Unit 1

Comprehension Check

Answer the following questions about the text, use the bold words and expressions.

1.What kind of transaction is the travel agency going to make with Vidal?

2.Why did they (the travel agency) decide to check him out?

3.Whom did they query about Vidal?

4.What did they find out about him?

5.Whom do Ryner and Dyer represent?

6.Why do people from the American Express want to get rid of Vidal’s account?

7.Why did a few travel agencies turn him down?

8.What instructions did Ryner give to his people about Vidal’s account?

9.Why were they (the travel agency) sure that Vidal would accept their terms?

10.Why didn’t the prices quoted by the travel agency suit Vidal?

11.How did the representative of the travel agency (Mr. Burdon) justify their prices?

12.Where did Dyer want to make an appointment with Burdon? Why?

13.Why didn’t Burdon agree to it? How did he explain it to Dyer?

14.What terms of the deal did they discuss during their meeting in the office of the travel agency?

15.What point didn’t they agree about?

16.Why did Dyer think he was entitled to some commission?

17.How did Burdon settle the point about the commission?

18.What instructions did Dyer give to the travel agency after they had come to an agreement?

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Business English in Fiction

Section II. Speaking

Roleplay

(for two participants :A, B)

Background information.

Переговоры между сотрудниками одной фирмы о за- ключении контракта с клиентом, репутация которого вызыва- ет сомнения.

А: Вы – сотрудник фирмы (банка, турагенства). Вы полу- чили информацию о перспективном клиенте, который обра- тился к вам за крупным кредитом. Информация очень про- тиворечива. Есть основания полагать, что клиент ненадежен и ваша фирма может понести убытки. С другой стороны сделка может оказаться очень выгодной. Вы хотите ввести в

курс дела руководство фирмы и получить указания для при- нятия решения.

В: Вы – представитель руководства фирмы. Вы спраши- ваете, что дает основания считать данного клиента ненадеж- ным, задаете уточняющию вопросы, принимаете окончатель- ное решение и даете рекомендации сотруднику фирмы, как вести переговоры и какие условия предложить (размеры и срок кредита, скидки и др.).

Section III. Writing

Vocabulary Practice

Translate the following sentences into English in writing. Use the Vocabulary list for the translation of the bold

words and expressions.

1.Если он не примет наши условия, нам придется ему

отказать.

2.Мы как раз собирались избавиться то него, когда он

внезапно исчез.

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Unit 1

3.Несмотря на тот факт, что цены на этот вид продук- ции возросли за последнее время, мы делаем все возможное, чтобы сдержать цены. Поэтому цена, которую мы назначили на нашу последнюю модель компьютера, является самой низ-

кой на сегодняшний день.

4.Мы не совсем удовлетворены условиями, которые они нам предлагают, но придется их принять, потому что это наш последний шанс на заключение сделки.

5.Он владеет собственностью и ценными бумагами стоимостью несколько млн.$. Его бизнес дает хорошую при- быль, которая составляет 10 млн.$ в год.

6.Вы не могли бы сделать мне одолжение?

7.Мы надеемся получить скидку с оборота.

8.Я не одобряю эту сделку, но решать вам, в конце концов, вы начальник.

9.– Насколько я понимаю, тебе предстоит взбучка.

-А что я сделал?

-Ты не закончил финансовый отчет и объявился сего- дня на работе только к обеду. Наш начальник не потерпит

промахов и халтуры.

-Я тебя прошу, пусть это останется между нами, я не хочу, чтобы меня уволили, меня только что взяли на работу.

Ясправлюсь с отчетом к концу сегодняшнего дня, я обещаю. 10. Эта машина ему не принадлежит. Он взял ее на

прокат.

11.– Когда я могу вам позвонить?

–В любое удобное для вас время.

12.– Срок оплаты счета истекает на следующей неделе, пора исчезать (бежать).

-Ты что, серьезно? Мы же всегда платили точно в срок.

-Хочешь верь, хочешь нет, у меня нет ни копейки

(не владею ничем), мы разорены. Вот так обстоят дела.

-Ну хорошо, боюсь я не смогу отговорить тебя от это-

го. Но тебя поймают рано или поздно. Это просто дело времени.

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Business English in Fiction

Test

1.

Match the words on the left with their meanings on the right.

2.

Match the words on the left with the words they are most likely to be associated with on the right.

3.

Fill in the gaps with suitable words from the list below.

1.I’m afraid you won’t be able to…the job. It’s too difficult for you.

2.This customer is not reliable. You should…him.

3.The prices are likely to…because of inflation.

4.You can rely on them. They always pay on the nail when their accounts … .

5.You have done me a favour. What shall I do for you…?

6.According to our estimates their profit will…several million dollars next year.

7.Could you…after lunch? I think the manager will be in.

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Unit 1

8.I can’t give you the answer right away. I must…the problem with my superiors.

9.You should…this information . I’m not sure it is correct.

10.It’s not the right thing to do, can you …him… …it?

11.We’ll have to …their offer. It doesn’t suit us.

_________________

1.go up

2.amount to

3.drop in

4.in return

5.come due

6.get rid of

7.turn down

8.take up

9.talk out of

10.check out

11.cope with

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Business English in Fiction

Unit 2

Skills: Reading, Speaking, Writing

Section I. Reading

Background information to the extract from A. Hailey’s novel “Hotel”.

Один из главных героев романа (Warren Trent), владелец отеля (St. Gregory Hotel) оказался на грани финансового краха. Единственным, хотя и крайне нежелательным выходом из соз- давшегося положения ему представляется продажа отеля круп- ному бизнесмену, владеющему сетью гостиниц по всей стране (Curtis O'Keefe), который обращается к нему с предложением купить отель на достаточно приемлемых условиях.

Vocabulary Guide

Here is the list of words and expressions commonly used in business communication. You will come across these words in the text that follows.

Look through the list carefully before you read the text. It will help you to understand the text adequately.

Learn these words and use them in the conversation you will have to make up as a business communication assignment in the Roleplay Section of the unit.