第十课时

Ⅰ Presentation Topics
Entertaining clients

WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN…?
ENTERTAINING CLIENTS

· TYPES OF ACTIVITIES
· COST

Types of Activities:

Entertaining client is done by way of a series of activities. Such as a sightseeing tour, a football match, a ballroom party, an orchestra performance, a ballet show, a fashion show, playing tennis and a formal meal, etc.

The activities that you choose will constitute a part of the first impression that you will give to your clients. So you should be careful when choosing the type of activities. You need to consider the client’s age, educational and cultural backgrounds and do some research about your clients’ characters and hobbies.

For well-educated clients, they may expect some high class-associated activities, such as ballet, ballroom parties, and orchestra performances. If you fulfill their expectation/standard, your efforts will put a lot of weight on your credibility.

For some young clients, you may wish to take them to some more fashionable activities, such as a music bar, a pop music show, a fashion show.

For those sporty clients-football, tennis

However, you should always end up all kind of activities with having a formal meal. You don’t want to talk about business with your clients in the tennis court or theatre; they are just the warming-up activities for the key matter-business. After a whole day or a few days’ entertainment, you may find the distance between the two sides are much narrower than the beginning, and there might be a lot of things that you both want to talk about.

The costs of entertainment

Not always the essential thing. Depending on the nature/characteristics of the transaction or the size of the deal.

Should consider the profit issue. If the company is expecting to make big gain/profits out of a specific client, it should at least put in proportional investment to entertain/please its clients. E.g.….

If the company foresees that the client is not very lucrative, then….

The ideal plan would be spending as little money as possible to get the deal done. But you must not offend your clients. You should make them feel being welcomed.

Complaint handling

WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN…?
DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS FROM CLIENTS

· OFFERING AN APOLOGY
· SUGGESTING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

Offering an apology is the very basic level.

When the clients think that they have received unfair treatments, the first thing that the company should do is to calm them down and try to keep the client.

An apology is the first step and a useful method to maintain control of the situation.

Offering an apology is an important gesture to show that the hosting company is fully aware of the situation and would like to take the potential responsibility for its mistakes.

The complaining clients would feel that their complaints are being paid attention and may therefore be happy to proceed to the transaction with the hosting company.

It is necessary to suggest a solution to the problem as well.

The clients want to enter into the transaction in a good mood and with a reliable and trustworthy business partner. Apart from an apology, the client would want to have the problems and misunderstanding solved before their communication moves to the next level. If the hosting company failed or refused to suggest a solution, its sincerity of entering into the transaction would be put into doubt.

Ⅱ Discussion Topic

Entertaining Foreign Clients

Your company is entertaining a group of foreign clients for three days, including one non-working day.

You have been asked to plan a programme for the visit.

Discuss the situation together, and decide:

· What kinds of activities would be suitable for the visit
· What information it would be useful to know about the clients before finalizing the programme

Interlocutor: [Select one or more of the following questions as appropriate, to redress any imbalance or to broaden the discussion.]

· What kinds of arrangements need to be made before foreign visitors arrive? (Why?)
· Are there any disadvantages for a company in having a visit from foreign clients? (Why / Why not?)
· Where would you take foreign visitors in your home town? (Why?)
· Would you enjoy looking after business visitors for a few days? (Why / Why not?)
· What problem might there be when socializing with foreign business people? (Why?)
· What are the long-term benefits of establishing personal contacts with foreign clients?

Thank you. That is the end of the speaking test.