Business Talk English E-Book

Stuart Dean

• Herausgeber: Haufe Lexware
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: Haufe TaschenGuide
• Sprache: Deutsch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Seitenzahl: 115

Beschreibung

Alle wichtigen englischen Redewendungen, die man täglich braucht. Sei es im Business oder beim Small Talk - mit diesem TaschenGuide fehlen Ihnen nie die Worte! Geschrieben in leicht verständlichem Englisch, mit Vokabellisten und interkulturellen Tipps. Inhalte: - Alle Sprechsituationen im internationalen Geschäftskontakt mühelos bewältigen - Von der Begrüßung über Verhandlungen und Messegespräche bis zum Small Talk - Mit Gesprächsbausteinen für typische Situationen sowie Redewendungen und Vokabellisten - Interkulturelle Tipps für korrektes Verhalten im Ausland - Komplett in leicht verständlichem Englisch geschrieben - als zusätzlicher Trainingseffekt! 

Leseprobe

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Hinweis zum UrheberrechtImpressumVorwortLet's Talk BusinessTips for effective communication in EnglishIntroducing yourselfDifferent ways of introducing yourselfTelephoningCalling someoneFinding out who you are speaking toReceiving a callAnswering the telephone and identifying yourselfTelephone conferencesMeetingsClient/ customer meetings: breaking the iceAt the start of a meetingDuring a meetingHow to express your opinion during a meetingNegotiationsPresentationsPreparation / OrganisationThe presentationTrade fairs & conferencesJob interviewsStandard interview questionsThe Customer is KingMaking a good first impressionThe customer benefitsShowing customer orientationFollow-up callsThe angry customer – ”sorry” is not enoughHow to say ”no” politelyHow to avoid just saying ”no”How to complain successfullyGiving ultimatums and setting deadlinesHow urgent is it?Social SituationsInvitationsSmall talkSome of the most common topics for small talkStarting small talkHobbies and interestsEating and drinkingWritten CommunicationEmailsFormal or informal?AbbreviationsText messagesLettersThe contents of a business letterStandard phrases to use in the textAgendas & minutes for meetingsAgendasMinutesAppendixInternet resourcesCommon abbreviationsNumbersCurrenciesEnglish phonetic spellingEnglish around the worldDer AutorWeitere LiteraturStichwortverzeichnisArbeitshilfen online

[1]

Hinweis zum Urheberrecht

Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG, Freiburg

Impressum

Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek

Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.dnb.de abrufbar.

Print: ISBN: 978-3-648-06696-6   Bestell-Nr.: 00962-0003

ePub: ISBN: 978-3-648-06697-3   Bestell-Nr.: 00962-0101

ePDF: ISBN: 978-3-648-06698-0   Bestell-Nr.: 00962-0151

Stuart Dean

Business Talk English

3. Auflage 2015

© 2015, Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG, Munzinger Straße 9, 79111 Freiburg

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Alle Angaben/Daten nach bestem Wissen, jedoch ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit und Richtigkeit.

Alle Rechte, auch die des auszugsweisen Nachdrucks, der fotomechanischen Wiedergabe (einschließlich Mikrokopie) sowie der Auswertung durch Datenbanken oder ähnliche Einrichtungen, vorbehalten.

Vorwort

Die Globalisierung und die Entwicklungen in der Kommunikationstechnolgie eröffnen Unternehmen aller Branchen und Größen bisher ungeahnte Möglichkeiten, international tätig zu werden. Wie jeder weiß, hat sich Englisch längst als Lingua franca des weltweiten Business etabliert. Sei es in Besprechungen, Diskussionen, Präsentationen, Verhandlungen, beim Small Talk oder einfach nur, um mit den Kunden im Kontakt zu bleiben – heutzutage ist es unverzichtbar, die korrekten englischen Ausdrücke und Wörter schnell zur Hand zu haben.[2]

Dieser TaschenGuide enthält viele praktische Beispiele, Sätze und Erklärungen, die Ihnen in jeder Business-Situation weiterhelfen. Um einen zusätzlichen Trainingseffekt zu erzielen, ist das gesamte Buch auf Englisch geschrieben. Nützliche Worterklärungen auf Deutsch erleichtern das Verständnis. Weil die Sprache von kulturellen Faktoren beeinflusst wird, bekommen Sie auch nützliche interkulturelle Tipps und Erklärungen, welche Etikette-Regeln Sie sprachlich einhalten sollten. Dieses Buch ermöglicht es Ihnen, Ihr Business-Englisch schnell zu erweitern, verbessern oder aufzufrischen und ist daher ein wertvolles Nachschlagewerk für alle Gelegenheiten.

Ich wünsche Ihnen viel Erfolg bei Ihren internationalen Geschäften.

Stuart Dean

Let's Talk Business

Nearly all aspects of international business involve talking; to customers, suppliers, partners, colleagues or even the media.

This chapter will help you be prepared for the most common business situations e.g.:

introducing yourself,

telephoning,

meetings, negotiations, presentations and conferences,

job interviews.

Tips for effective communication in English

[3]

You may already know many of the things that should be done in order to effectively prepare yourself for a business situation in a foreign language. Yet most people do not do them. Take a close look at the following list the next time before you go to a business meeting. Then make a conscious effort to try them out. You will be surprised how much they can help you to communicate effectively.

Some DOs

Prepare vocabulary and phrases for important meetings and events. Check any difficult words in advance. Make notes to take with you.

Ask people to speak slowly. English speakers may forget that you are a ”non-native” speaker and sometimes need to be reminded of this several times!

Having good eye contact with the person you are speaking to often helps communication. Non-verbal communication (body language) plays an important part in the communication process. It helps us to understand what is being said and also gives us important feedback as to whether we have been understood. At a meeting, try and choose a seat where you can easily see all other participants and have good eye contact.

If you are listening to a presentation or attending a training course, try and sit at the front of the room near the speaker. Don't hide at the back, where it will be more difficult to hear and understand what is being said.

Some DON'Ts

Don't expect to follow every single word; otherwise you will soon get frustrated! Remember that when having a group conversation in your mother tongue you may also not always catch every single word that is said.[4]

Don't try to translate every word. There is no time for this. By the time you have translated everything, the group will be discussing a new topic!

Don't be afraid to say you don't understand something.

Groups of English speakers may use slang expressions that you do not know. Again, don't be afraid to ask for an explanation!

English speakers love abbreviations and acronyms. You may hear whole sentences made up of them! Don't be afraid to ask for an explanation. You will find a list of some common abbreviations and acronyms in the Appendix.

You will often be speaking English with other nonnative speakers from around the world. This can present additional challenges. Pronunciation will vary and it may take you time to adjust. Don't be afraid to tell the other person that you are having difficulty understanding them.

Introducing yourself

There are many business situations where you have to introduce yourself and talk about your company and job, for example at meetings, training courses, workshops, and conferences. Introductions can be very difficult, particularly in another language. The language used is fairly formal and the following section will help you be prepared for this. Many of these phrases are also useful in other situations, for example, when socialising.

Different ways of introducing yourself

Examples:

Good morning everyone. My name is Susanne Faulhaber from CSF Systems in Berlin. We develop and market software for the travel industry. I joined the company in 2009. I'm responsible for the company's international sales, which means that I spend most of my time travelling throughout Europe. I manage a team of 6 people.[5]

I'm Bernd Schönfelder, Product Manager at Amitek GmbH, where I have been working since 2011. Amitek produces parts for the automotive industry. We are based in Munich and we are one of the largest engineering companies in Bavaria. Before joining Amitek, I worked for a smaller engineering company in Ingolstadt. I'm married with two children aged 4 and 8.

I'm Jens Bauer and I work for Arabella Services in Hamburg. The company plans and manages corporate events for large multinational companies. I work in operations and I am responsible for ensuring that events run smoothly and within budget. I have worked at Arabella Services since leaving college in 2012. Hamburg is a great place to live because in my free time I can get into my boat and go sailing. And it gives me the opportunity to go swimming and listen to some great jazz in my free time.

Your name and company

My name is … / I'm …

I work for … (not ”am working for”)

I'm sales manager for … (you are the only sales manager)

I'm an account manager at … (you are one of several account managers)

The company produces software / machines / …

We develop (or: we market) …

I'm a freelance consultant / journalist.

Your work and responsibilities

I'm responsible for European operations / I look after …

I work in banking. (alternatives: marketing, sales, accounting, product development, research, HR etc.)[6]

I manage a team of 8 people.

I support our sales team.

My job involves …

I report to the Business Development Director.

Job titles

It is often difficult to translate German job titles and you may have to use a different job title when talking in English. The most important thing is to choose a title that reflects your position and level of responsibility. You will find that the word ”manager” is used more often in English than in German. In international business, a manager title is normal if you are the only person responsible for a particular key function or activity in your company; for example ”Marketing Communications Manager” instead of ”Marketing Communications Specialist”.

How long you have been with your current company

I have been working for Whitehouse Electronics since 2011 / for 4 years.

I have worked at Whitehouse Electronics since 2011. (not ”am working at”)

I joined Whitehouse Electronics in 2011.

About you personally

In my free time I enjoy reading, cooking and playing the piano.

Outside of work I enjoy in-line skating and Nordic walking.

I'm very keen on football and support our local team.

I'm married with two children and live in Kiel.

Wichtig

The use of first names when talking to colleagues, business partners and even customers is standard practice (normal) throughout the English-speaking world. It does not imply any special relationship. Using only your family name / surname may create barriers in business relationships. When introducing yourself or meeting someone for the first time, it is recommended to use both your first and family name. Many English speakers will then automatically address you by your first name; others may continue to use your family name until invited to call you by your first name. To invite someone to call you by your first name, simply say, for example, ”Please call me Gabi”; or to ask someone if it is OK to use their first name, ”May I call you David?”.[7]

Useful vocabulary:

Please note that the German translations given in this TaschenGuide relate only to the specific situations described in the sections where they appear.

socialising:unter Leuten sein / Kontakte knüpfen / Kontakte pflegenmarket something:etwas vermarkten oder verkaufenautomotive industry:Automobilbranchecorporate events:Firmenveranstaltungen

Telephoning

Despite the growth in email, many customers still prefer to talk to someone personally, rather than communicate in writing; it's often quicker to resolve a problem this way and helps to build good customer relationships. English speakers put particular importance on ”politeness” when telephoning. This section provides you with the necessary phrases and vocabulary to make telephoning fun and effective.

Calling someone

When making a telephone call it's advisable to be well prepared! If your call involves discussing figures or dates, spend a few moments thinking about how to say them in English before you dial. Telephoning is sometimes difficult because we are not able to use non-verbal communication or body language to help us.[8]

Example: The person you are calling is not there

A: Good morning, Euro Exhibitions, Peter Jones speaking, how can I help you?

B: Good morning, could I speak to Alison Holvey please?

A: Certainly. I'll put you through. Can I ask who's calling?

B: Yes, my name is Peter Schneider from Hamtek in Cologne.

A: Thank you, Mr Schneider; I'm putting you through now … I'm sorry her line's busy at the moment. Would you like to hold?

B: No, I'm sorry I have to make another call. Would it be possible for her to call me back as soon as possible, it's rather urgent?

A: No problem! If you give me your telephone number where she can reach you, I'll leave a note for her to call you.

B: Thank you. My direct line is ”zero zero four nine” for Germany, ”two two one, two four seven, eight nine double three” (0049 – 221 – 247 8933)

A: Thank you Mr Schneider. Can I just check how you spell your last name?

B: Sure, it's with a ”c”; ”s – c – h – n -e – i -d – e – r”

A: Thanks. I'll make sure she calls you as matter of urgency.

B: Thanks, goodbye.

Wichtig

You will often be asked to spell your name and sometimes be asked for other information such as your address. You can practice spelling your name and address using the English phonetic spelling shown in the Appendix. Be careful! Several letters of the alphabet are easily confused (e.g. German ”i” and English ”e” and the consonants ”t” and ”d”).

Identifying yourself

Good morning / afternoon my name is … from …[9]

This is Anton Müller from GBS in Munich.

Speaking to a particular person

Could I speak to Gill Morris please?

Could you put me through to …

Please could I speak to …

Is it possible to speak to your Managing Director please?

Purpose of the call

I'm calling about … (or: I'm calling with regard to …)

I would like to speak to someone about …

Leaving a message

Please could you ask her/him to call me? My number is …

Please could you let him/her know that I called?

I would appreciate it if someone could call me back as soon as possible.

The person you are trying to call is not there or is busy

When would be the best time to reach him/her?

When would it be convenient for me to call back?

Finding out who you are speaking to

English speakers do not automatically give their names when calling to speak to someone, so be prepared to ask for this information.

Example:

C: Good morning, could I speak to Peter Müller in your IT Department please?

D: Certainly, may I ask who's calling please?