U n I t 6 Business Communication

Ex.1. Read the text.

Business communication is an important part of every organization. No business can function in the absence of a strong and able communication. Good communication skills (or soft skills) can boost one’s career and lead him/her up the ladder of success. Effective business communication can be defined as a well-organized process of sharing business ideas, proposals, information, facts within an organization or outside it to achieve a predetermined goal. It is the flow of messages within an organization among its employees and with its customers, clients, etc., ensuring its smooth running.

Here are some tips that would help you to communicate better in your professional setup:

• Understand your target audience, as the information, mode and tone, language of communicating varies with the people it has to be done with.

• In today’s world, time is the most precious thing, so we should respect others’ time. Be concise and precise while communicating as no one has the patience to read 100 lines of information which could have been dealt in just 30.

• It is important to understand that communication is a bidirectional process that not only requires one to talk but listen to the ideas, thoughts, queries of others.

• Be confident while addressing the listeners, as for them to have faith in your ideas, you should have it too.

• It is important to be responsive to problems and complaints that your clients, customers and financiers face, and cater to their needs and issues effectively and on time.

• Be polite while facing questions and interruptions, make an eye contact with your listeners and make them feel comfortable while communicating with them.

• Keep any form of communication simple and professional.

(Read more at http://www.buzzle.com/articles/effective-business-communication.html)

Ex.2. Find in the text the following words and word-combinations, explain their meaning or give synonyms. You can use http://www.learnersdictionary.com. Illustrate the use of the words with your own examples.

Soft skills, to boost, to lead up the career ladder, to ensure, flow, professional setup, to vary, precious, concise, precise, bidirectional, query, confident, faith, responsive, complaint, to cater.

Ex.3. Translate the sentences into English, use the vocabulary of Ex.2.

1. Опыт работы в отделе кадров поможет твоему карьерному росту.

2. Общение - это процесс, протекающий в двух направлениях. Человек, обладающий хорошими коммуникативными навыками, умеет не только ясно выражать свои мысли, но и внимательно прислушиваться к вопросам и мыслям других людей.

3. Гораздо легче понять человека, с которым вы общаетесь, если он говорит кратко и конкретно. К тому же это помогает сберечь то, что ценится больше всего в профессиональной среде – время.

4. Если начинающий менеджер чутко относится к проблемам и жалобам клиентов, его работодатели сразу это заметят, что обеспечит ему быстрый профессиональный рост.

5. Если у вас самих нет веры в те идеи, которые вы высказываете, вы не можете быть уверены в себе в процессе коммуникации, и ваши слушатели обязательно это почувствуют.

Ex.4. Discuss the following issues.

1. Give the definition of effective business communication. Does it take place within an organization or outside it?

2. What tips given in the text are especially important for business communication? Why?

3. Are these ideas only relevant for business?

4. Interpret every tip, supplying them with your own ideas.

5. Do you think it is important to be taught business communication?

Ex.5. Watch Video 10. Write down 10 communication tips presented in the video.

Ex.6. Watch the video one more time. Explain to your partner all the ten tips mentioned in the video.

Ex.7. Do you follow these tips communicating with your peers (ровесники)? Why? Together with your partner give tips that would help adults to better communicate with teenagers. Share your ideas with the group. Together make a list of things adults should observe communicating with teenagers.

Ex.8. Writing is a significant aspect of business communication. Study the way business letters are written.

Writing for business purposes requires the adherence to a more rigid structure than is present in personal correspondence. Business writing, whether in the form of a letter, report, proposal, or other document, is bound by certain accepted standards. The presentation of a business document is of utmost importance. Straying from the uniform standards often conveys a lack of professionalism and competence.

Main constituents of a business letter:

• Address of the Writer or return address: you should write your name, address, and designation, contact number, e-mail address. This is written at the left hand side upper corner of the letter.

• Date.

• Name and address of the Addressee.

• Salutation (Dear Mr.Smith, Dear Professor Davis, Dear Sir/Madam (if you do not know the name). As for punctuation, in American English, a colon (:) is used after the name, in British English, a comma (,) is used instead.

• Main body of the letter. This is the main part of the letter, that comprises three small paragraphs. Through the first 2-3 lines, you should be able to introduce the topic of the letter. In the second paragraph, you are expected to describe the purpose of writing the letter. In the third paragraph, you should be able to conclude in one or two lines.

• Conclusion. It is the last part of the letter, where you are supposed to sign off. It contains some greeting or a compliment.

• Valediction (Best regards, kind regards, regards, sincerely yours). The valediction should be followed by a colon or a comma.

• Signature.

• Name of the writer.

• Enclosures or attachments (if there are any).

There are some abbreviations used in business writing:

Re: regarding

pp: (on behalf of) when you sign the letter for another person

Enc(s). documents are enclosed with the letter

cc: copies (the names of the people who receive a copy are included in the letter)

Ex.9. Find in the text equivalents to the following words and word-combinations.

Соблюдение; жесткий, строгий; цель; быть связанным, ограниченным чем-то; общепринятые стандарты; составные части, элементы; отклониться от чего-либо, нехватка, отсутствие; сообщать, передавать; указание профессии или титула; адресат; охватывать, включать в себя; приветствие; двоеточие; запятая; заканчивать письмо или сеанс связи; заключение; подпись; прощание; приложение, вложение.

Ex.10. Answer the questions.

1. Why is it so important to adhere to a rigid structure in business writing?

2. What is business writing bound by?

3. What are the main constituents of a business letter?

4. What does straying from accepted standards convey?

5. Whose name, address and designation come first: the writer’s or the addressee’s?

6. What punctuation marks are used after the salutation?

7. How many paragraphs does the main body of the letter usually comprise?

8. How are you supposed to sigh off in a business letter?

9. What words are usually used as valediction in a business letter?

10. Do you sign before or after the writer’s name?

11. What enclosures are usually attached to a resume?

Ex.11. Read the sample letter. Analyze the constituents of the letter. Does the writer adhere to the rigid structure of a business letter?

Lori Flanagan CEO

Zeta Chicken Food Corporation

1800 Stone Ridge Street

Los Angeles, CA 90001

February 27, 2012

Lessie Benningfield 1728 Wyatt Street Boca Raton, FL 33434

Dear Ms. Benningfield,

As the representative of the company, I thank you for your wonderful suggestions in regard to the packaging appearance of our food products. I have planned a meeting with our top advertisers and sales heads to implement the new design covers and packaging.

We are also considering the increase in single food servings but with the same price. It will surely help to grow the business and give more satisfaction ratings from the customers.

Rest assured that you will be able to see the new packaging after one year. Our fast foods all over the country will surely have more distinctive features from the other fast food competitors. We are delighted to see our customers happy about our new dishes and products.

Again, thank you very much for your wonderful suggestions. If you have other suggestions and concerns, feel free to contact me at 732-761-4660 or at loriflanagan@zetachicken.com.

Truly yours,

Lori Flanagan CEO Zeta Chicken Food Corporation

Ex.12.Imagine that you are the Front office manager of a five-star hotel in London. One of your customers was dissatisfied with the room service. Write a letter of apology. Go to http://businessletterformat.org/ and have a look at sample letters of apology. Use them as a guide.

Ex.13. Read the information about writing business emails.

Business emails are a very prevalent form of business writing these days. It is quick and can serve as a documented evidence of the day-to-day transactions and daily interactions between the employees within an organization.