Create a Dialogue Based on One of the Following Situations

Telephoning is an important function of doing business in English. Phone conversations, particularly business telephone conversations, follow certain patterns:

1. Someone answers the telephone and asks if they can assistance.
2. The caller makes a asking—either to exist continued to someone or for information.
3. The caller is connected, given information or told that they are non in the office at the moment.
4. If the person who is requested is not in the office, the caller is asked to exit a message.
5. The caller leaves a message or asks other questions.
6. The telephone telephone call finishes.

Of course, all business telephone conversations exercise non follow this rigid scheme. But this is the basic outline for near business telephone conversations, especially those fabricated to request information or ask for clarification.

Example Business Telephone Chat: Role-Play

The following business organisation telephone chat can be used as a role-play in grade to introduce a number of standard phrases to do telephoning in English.

Ms. Anderson (sales representative Jewels and Things):
ring ring…band ring…ring band…
Mr. Smith (Secretary)
:
Hello, Diamonds Galore, this is Peter speaking. How may I be of assist to you today?

Ms. Anderson:
Yep, this is Ms. Janice Anderson calling. May I speak to Mr. Franks, please?

Mr. Smith:
I’m afraid Mr. Franks is out of the office at the moment. Would y’all similar me to take a message?

Ms. Anderson:
Uhm…actually, this telephone call is rather urgent. Nosotros spoke yesterday nearly a delivery problem that Mr. Franks mentioned. Did he leave whatsoever information with you?

Mr. Smith:
As a matter of fact, he did. He said that a representative from your company might be calling. He also asked me to ask y’all a few questions…

Ms. Anderson:
Bully, I’d dear to meet this problem resolved equally quickly as possible.

Mr. Smith:
Well, we still oasis’t received the shipment of earrings that was supposed to arrive concluding Tuesday.

Ms. Anderson:
Yeah, I’one thousand terribly sorry about that. In the concurrently, I’ve spoken with our delivery department and they bodacious me that the earrings volition be delivered by tomorrow morn.

Mr. Smith:
Fantabulous, I’1000 sure Mr. Franks will be pleased to hear that.

Ms. Anderson:
Yes, the shipment was delayed from France. We weren’t able to send it along until this morn.

Mr. Smith:
I see. Mr. Franks too wanted to schedule a meeting with yous later this week.

Ms. Anderson:Certainly, what is he doing on Thursday afternoon?

Mr. Smith:
I’grand afraid he’s coming together with some clients out of town. How about Thursday morning?

Ms. Anderson:
Unfortunately, I’thou seeing someone else on Thursday morning time. Is he doing anything on Friday morning?

Mr. Smith:
No, it looks like he’s free then.

Ms. Anderson:
Bang-up, should I come by at nine?

Mr. Smith:
Well, he usually holds a staff meeting at 9. Information technology merely lasts a half-60 minutes or so. How about 10?

Ms. Anderson:
Yes, x would be dandy.

Mr. Smith:
OK, I’ll schedule that. Ms. Anderson at ten, Friday Morning…Is there annihilation else I can aid you with?

Ms. Anderson:
No, I think that’s everything. Cheers for your assistance…Goodbye.

Mr. Smith:
Goodbye.

Brusk Summary of the Telephone Conversation

Review your cognition past filling in the gaps with the words and phrases beneath to complete the summary of the chat.

Ms. Anderson telephones Diamonds Galore to _____ with Mr. Franks. Mr. Franks is not in the office, but Henry Smith, the secretary, speaks to Ms. Anderson most a _____ problem with some earrings. The earrings have not yet _____ at Diamonds Galore. Ms. Anderson tells Peter that there was a problem with the _____ from France, just that the earrings should arrive tomorrow forenoon.

Adjacent, they _____ a meeting betwixt Ms. Anderson and Mr. Franks. Mr. Franks is not able to _____ with Ms. Anderson on Th considering he is _____. They finally decide on Fri morning at 10 o’clock after a _____ that Mr. Owen normally holds on Friday mornings.

Answers

speak, delivery/shipment, arrived, shipment/delivery, schedule, meet, busy, staff meeting

Key Phrases and Vocabulary

• How may I exist of help: This is a formal phrase used to show politeness. It means “Can I help y’all?”
• calling: telephoning
• out of the part: not in the office
• take a message: to write down a message from the caller
• urgent: very important
• delivery: the bringing of appurtenances to a client
• mentioned: said
• resolved: taken intendance of
• as quickly equally possible: in the fastest manner, ASAP
• shipment: delivery, the bringing of goods to a client
• assured: a certainty that something is true or volition happen
• pleased: happy
• delayed:
  not be able to do something on time
• looks like: seems
• staff meeting: a coming together of employees
• lasts: to take fourth dimension
• schedule:
  brand a future engagement

Practice Cues for Role-Plays

Use these cues, roles, and scenarios to create exercise function-plays on your own to farther your telephoning skills to help with workplace advice.

Role-Play Cue 1

John

You’d like to speak to Kevin at FunStuff Brothers, a toy-making visitor. Yous’re returning his sales telephone call because you’re interested in the company’s products.

Kate

You’re the receptionist at FunStuff Brothers, effort to transfer the call to Kevin, but take a message when you detect out Kevin tin can’t accept the call.

Role-Play Cue 2

Estelle

Yous’re calling to schedule a meeting with the head of the personnel section. You’d similar to run into on Tuesday morning merely can come in on Thursday and Friday as well.

Bob

You’re able to schedule a meeting at the end of next calendar week, but y’all will be out of the role until Thursday morn.