第九课时

Ⅰ Presentation Topics

Entertaining clients

WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN…?

ENTERTAINING CLIENTS

l TYPES OF ACTIVITIES

l 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

l OFFERING AN APOLOGY

l 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:

l What kinds of activities would be suitable for the visit

l 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.]

l What kinds of arrangements need to be made before foreign visitors arrive? (Why?)

l Are there any disadvantages for a company in having a visit from foreign clients? (Why / Why not?)

l Where would you take foreign visitors in your home town? (Why?)

l Would you enjoy looking after business visitors for a few days? (Why / Why not?)

l What problem might there be when socializing with foreign business people? (Why?)

l What are the long-term benefits of establishing personal contacts with foreign clients?

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

[Retrieve materials.]

Ⅲ Discussion Functional Sentences

(一)开始某个话题

Let’s start with …

Shall we begin with …

So, the first item on the agenda is …

Linda, would you like to kick off?

(二)结束某个话题

Right, I think that covers the first item.

Shall we leave that item?

If you don’t have anything else to add, …

(三)转移话题

Let’s move on to the next item …

The next question on the agenda is …

Now let’s come to the question of …

(四)打断对方

Excuse me, may I interrupt?

Just a moment, but …

Can I say something here?

Mark, sorry, …

Sorry to interrupt, but …

(五)评价

1.同意

That’s a good point.

I agree with you. I can’t agree with you more.

I see what you mean.

Yes, …

That’s quite a good idea.

That’s absolutely true.

2.反对

I totally disagree with you.

I couldn’t agree less.

You must be joking!

(六)询问对方意见

What do you think about this?

What’s your opinion on this?

Have you considered …

I haven’t heard your opinion about …

(七)表达自己观点

I think/feel/believe that …

You mentioned that …, but, in my view …

In my opinion, we should …

I’d like to point out …

Let me emphasize …

My view is that …

Just let me finish.

(八)评论

That’s a good idea/an excellent idea.

That’s very interesting.

I’m sure we’d all agree with that.

That’s a very good point/an important point.

(九)要求对方澄清观点

I don’t see what you’re getting at.

I’m not sure what you mean.

I’m not sure what you are saying.

It’s not clear what you mean.

(十)避免跑题

We’re missing the point.

We’re getting off the point.

Let’s get back to the main point.

It’s not on the agenda, but …

(十一) 回应

That’s marvelous.

That’s great.

That’s fine.

OK.

All right.

I see your point.

I understand your concern.

更加口语化的表达方式

1. 口语化表达简单同意

a. Yeah!

b. How true!

c. Exactly!

d. Absolutely!

e. Well said!

f. You got it!

g. You bet!

h. That’s for sure.

i. My opinion exactly!

2. 表同意

a. I share your view on that!

b. Oh, yes, I couldn’t agree with you more, you are genient!

c. Okey, you are the doctor.

d. I don’t think anyone would disagree.

e. I have no problem with that.

f. I couldn’t have said it better.

g. I wish I had said that.

h. I am with you there.

i. I think I will go along with your proposal.

3. 部分同意

a. Could be!

b. Yes, you’ve point there.

c. So it seems! (似乎有点道理)

d. So to speak!

e. In the manner of speaking.

f. I agree with much of what you said.

g. That’s one way of looking at it, I admit.

4. 口语化表达不同意

a. Not really.

b. Not at all.

c. Of course not.

d. No way.

e. Not a chance.

5. 不同意

a. Do you really think so?

b. I am not convinced.

c. Don’t speak too soon.

d. I will believe it when I see it.

e. I’m afraid we don’t see eye to eye on this.

f. That was not the case.

6. 强不同意

a. No, I don’t agree. Don’t waste your breath.

b. You must be joking. / kidding

c. You can’t be serious.

d. You are way off base. (棒不在垒上)

e. You don’t know up from down.

f. Over my dead body.

g. I wasn’t born yesterday.

h. That’s ridiculous.

i. It’s pure fiction.

j. Non-sense!

k. Bullshit!

l. That’s out of the question!