Introduction
Note that each row of the table represents the content of the conversation in order.
1.Work report
| Senior Executive /ɪɡˈzekjətɪv/ | Head of sales | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning, Barry. I just wanted to set up this call with you to review our sales performance for the past quarter. | Sure, Alex. My team has assembled some core data and trend in this report which you can read in your own time. I can take you through some key findings here, but I regret to inform you that recent sales haven’t been good. | 1. set up a call v.安排一场电话会议; 2. assemble v.集合，整理； 3. take sb through sth v.带…过一下… |
| Could you be more specific? I know given this economy, we shouldn’t be too optimistic, but I’d still like to know where the main issues lie. | Sure. For starters, COVID-19 lockdowns are bearing a negative impact on our furniture exports. From clearance to shipping, our average delivery time has increased by 150% in the last quarter, and there’s not much we can do to alleviate this dilemma. | 1. lockdowns 封锁; 2. bear an impact on sth v.对…造成影响； 3. furniture n.家具； 4. from … to …从…到…（中文里常用“无论是A还是B”）； 5. clearance n.清关； 6. alleviate /əˈliːvieɪt/ v.缓解； 7. dilemma /dɪˈlemə/ n.难题； |
| That’s understandable. These impacts are inevitable and beyond our control. What about sales volume? | It’s plunged significantly, I’m afraid. We’re seeing a YoY drop of 50%. This time last year, we broke the 100 million CNY mark and anticipated a very healthy growth trajectory, but our financials have been hit hard by this round of lockdowns. | 1. inevitable adj.必然的; 2. sales volume 销售量； 3. plunged v.锐减; 4. a YoY drop of 同比下降, YoY(young year); 5. break a … mark v.突破了…大关; 6. anticipate v.预计; 7. growth trajectory /trəˈdʒektəri/ n.增长轨迹/趋势; 8. been hit hard by sth v.深受打击； |
| That’s still quite shocking, to be frank. I wasn’t ready for this… Anything else I should know? | Well, you won’t be happy to hear that we’re also seeing a spike in labor costs which have grown by 40% YoY. If this drags on, our reputation with local clients will be at stake. | 1. to be frank 坦白讲； 2. spike n.激增； 3. labor costs n.劳动成本； 4. drags on v.拖下去； 5. be at stake 有潜在风险； |
| Ouch. These costs will really add up. We don’t want to be operating at loss. | I spoke with Finance about this. And yes, we’re on the verge of operating at loss next quarter. I’m hesitant about raising our pricing since it could potentially cost us our entire client base abroad. | 1. Ouch 语气词，表示心疼时可以用； 2. really add up v.加起来也不少； 3. operating at loss v.亏本经营； 4. on the verge of (表达)在…的边缘 |
| I agree. We don’t want to do that in the current circumstances. My advice would be to keep doing what you’re doing and see if things improve this quarter. | Noted. Thanks for the feedback. In the meantime, we’ll play around with our strategy and come back to you with proposed adjustments soon. | 1. circumstances /ˈsɜːkəmstənsɪz/ 环境； 2. pay around with v.做些调整； |
2. Bargain price
| Client | Supplier | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hi Barry, thanks for making time for this call. I’m back to place another order. I know it’s been a while since we last spoke. | Hi Alex, anytime. It’s great to speak with you again! Don’t worry, I remember you. I’ve been meaning to follow up with you on how you guys found the last batch of chairs. | 1. make time for sth v.为…抽出时间； 2. place an order v.下单； 3. I’ve been meaning to do sth. 我一直想/本来就想…； 4. how sb. found sth. 某人对…的反馈； 5.follow up with 跟进； |
| Well, I wouldn’t be back if we didn’t have a good experience with them. We received a lot of positive feedback - the chairs are comfortable and resonably priced. I’m here today to purchase another shipment of 200 pieces. | I’m thrilled to hear that! Are you after the same kind as last time? | 1. resonably priced 价格合理； 2. shipment n.运输的货物； 3. be after 你还想要？ |
| Actually, no, and I’m wondering if you can help me on this. Our company is going to RTO next month and due to the rapid growth of our workforce, our office furniture is undersupplied. We’ve been getting feedback that some of our teams would like ergonomic chairs since they need to sit behind their desks for long hours, so they need help with their posture support. Ergo chairs are easier on the back and obviously we want out employees to stay healthy. | Well, here’s our latest catalogue with all the pricing listed. You’re in luck, because we just manufactured our first batch of ergo chairs for the US market. | 1. TRO(return to office)复工； 2. workforce n.编制(团队规模)； 3. undersupplied adj.供给紧张； 4. ergonomic /ˌɜːɡəˈnɒmɪk/ adj.人体工学的； 5. easy on the back adj.不会对腰部造成压力；back在口语中一般指“腰”，比如back pain 腰疼，但全称是lower back； 6. You’re in luck 你很幸运； |
| This one looks good. My immediate concern is that it’s priced at USD $950 per price, which is way over our budget. | Yes, ergo chairs are technically much harder to manufacture, so the pricing will capture that accordingly. But for such a large bulk like yours, we can negotiate that. What did you have in mind? | 1. My immediate concern is that 我的第一反应是… 2. way over our budget 远超我们的预算； 3. accordingly 因此； |
| Well, we were thinking something along the lines of $500 per piece. | I appreciate you have a tight budget, but you’ll drive me bankrupt if I agree to that! Also, you mentioned that your RTO plan is kicking off next month, so we have to race against time to put this order together. I’ll also have to incur overtime costs for my workers. | 1. something along the lines of 大约、大致； 2. drive sb. bankrupt v.让某人破产； 3. kick off v.启动、生效； 4. race against time v.争分夺秒； 5. incur v.承担…成本； 6.appreciate 理解； |
| Perfectly understood. I’ll push for revisions to this budget internally, but I think I should be able to meet you somewhere in the middle, around $700 per peice. I know that’s still substantially lower than what you quoted in the catalogue, but just letting you in on some intelligence - we’re currently piloting ergo chairs with one BU and if it proves popular, we plan on replacing all of our chairs with ergo ones soon. So that’s potentially another order for 2500 pieces in a few months’ time. | Wow, that sure sounds tempting. And I appreciate you reconsidering the pricing. How about this, if you can get the budget fixed at $700 a piece, we’ll close the deal and I’ll process the order right away. I’ll wait for your direction and meanwhile, I’ll get some samples ready to ship off to your address and forward you an offer for confirmation. It’ll be great if you could send me an enquiry first just so we have official record of this communication. | 1. push for revisions v.争取更新、调整； 2. meet in the middle v.折中、妥协； 3. substantially 明显地； 4. let sb. in on sth. 给某人透露某消息； 5. intelligence n.情报（这里指“内部消息”）； 6. pilot v.试点 n.飞行员； 7. BU(business unit) 业务部门； 8. tempting adj.诱人的； 9. How about this 要不这样吧； 10. fixed at adj.固定在、稳定在； 11. close the deal 签单； 12. ship off 发货； 13. forward v.转发 adj.向前的； 14. official record of this communication 正式的沟通记录； |
| No problem. I’ll revert on this ASAP. | \ | 1. revert on sth. v.答复； 2. ASAP(as soon as possible)； |
Reference video【实用商务英语口语】场景演绎-外贸和职场
扫一扫
被折叠的 条评论
为什么被折叠?
到【灌水乐园】发言
