Search Results for: telephone

BEP 46 – Cold Calling: Getting off to a Good Start

Today’s lesson is the first in a three-part Business English Pod series on cold calling, the skill of making unsolicited telephone sales calls. Unsolicited means “not asked for.” So cold calling is the skill of making a sales call to someone who is not expecting you.

Cold calling skills are very useful in many parts of business life. To cold call successfully, you need to be persuasive. And persuasion is fundamental to business success, whether you are trying to convince a customer to buy something or your boss or colleagues to accept your point of view.

In today’s listening you’ll here two examples, one bad one good. We’ll listen to the bad one first. Josh Knight of Nexus Communications International is cold calling Linda Darling, who works for the law firm Drucker and Smythe. So Linda is Josh’s prospect, or potential customer.

Listening Questions

1. Identify four things that Josh does wrong.
2. What is Josh selling?

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BEP 23 – Telephoning: Handling a Difficult Customer

A new version of this lesson is available here: BEP 23c – Telephone English: Getting Action

In a recent Business English Podcast (BEP 22), we looked at how to deal with technical problems when speaking on the telephone in English. Today, we’re going to talk how to deal with problems with the caller, which are of course much harder to handle! But, with the proper language and phrases, you can show the caller that you want to help, and reassure them that you can help solve the problem.

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BEP 22 – Telephoning: Handling Enquiries and Technical Problems

A new version of this lesson is available here: BEP 22c – Telephone English: Making Enquiries

In this Business English Podcast lesson we continue our series on making telephone calls in English by looking at how to deal with technical problems and clarify information using alternative choice questions. This questioning technique is useful when you need to clarify important information or reach a decision.

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BEP 21 – Telephoning: Opening Calls and Taking Messages

A new version of this lesson is available here: BEP 21 A – Telephone Skills: Starting a Call

This is an intermediate level Business English Podcast on making telephone calls in English. Some of the key language phrases we cover in this episode are: identifying yourself and the caller, stating the purpose of your call and leaving a message.

These telephone calls are about a contract between a large aircraft company and one of its suppliers, also known as a subcontractor. The contracts department from the client is calling to ask about a proposal it is expecting from the supplier for a new contract. Time is very short for all the proposals to be received, and so far, the aircraft company hasn’t received anything from this supplier.

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About

Business English Pod publishes free business English ESL podcast lessons and audio / eBook courses for intermediate and advanced business English learners. Each business English podcast lesson is focused on a particular workplace English skill (meetings, presentations, telephoning, negotiating, socializing, travel, conversation etc.) and language function (clarifying, disagreeing, questioning, expressing opinions, persuasion etc.).

Business English Pod’s MP3 lessons feature example training dialogs with clear explanations of the target language, vocabulary, idioms and useful phrases, followed by a short practice and review session. The audio lessons can be downloaded directly from the website and mobile apps or transferred to your mobile device using free software.

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Business English Pod is brought to you by an expert team of language trainers with over 50 years hands-on Business English training experience with some of the worlds leading companies. Our team is able to draw on professional experience in aerospace, consulting, engineering, financial services, medical and telecommunication industries to make our podcasts relevant and applicable to the needs of our audience.

BEP 15 – Telephoning: Handling a Problem

*Update: A new version of BEP 15 is available here. The new version includes a new recording of the explanations and greatly improved audio for the dialog and examples.

Problems, and more problems. Sometimes business seems to be all about dealing with problems. And when dealing with problems in a second language over the telephone, we need to be especially careful in our discussions, since we cannot see the reactions of the other party.

In today’s Business English Podcast we’ll listen to business people discussing a delivery problem over the phone. Then, we’ll review the language that is used to establish relationships, discuss the problem and come to agreement on a solution.

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Job Interview in English | Business English Interview Lessons

Explore Business English Pod’s collection of lessons for navigating a job interview in English. We cover all the essential English for interviews language you need to handle your next interview with confidence.

Whether it’s your first interview in English or you’re a seasoned professional looking to polish your business English interview skills, we’ve got lots of lessons to help you ace your next interview. Learn how to answer common interview questions, discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and handle difficult questions that might come up in a job interview.

A good place to start is with our early lessons that cover all stages of an interview in English. Learn how to introduce yourself and use small talk to establish a rapport with the interviewer. We’ll show you how to emphasize relevant skills and achievements when discussing your previous experience.

Explain your accomplishments while acknowledging weaknesses and show what steps you’re taking to improve on them. Stay calm when addressing difficult questions and demonstrate enthusiasm by asking questions about the job. As you progress to the second round, maintain confidence and communicate your unique strengths. Lastly, when discussing salary and benefits during an English interview, know your worth and clearly express your expectations.

In advanced interview situations, such as a technical or behavioral interviews, it’s crucial to demonstrate your expertise and suitability for the role. Prepare by reviewing technical concepts or behavioral scenarios relevant to the position. Additionally, be ready to navigate difficult interview situations with professionalism, showcasing your ability to handle challenges calmly.

For internal job interviews in English or when transitioning to a new career, explain your qualifications and reasons for seeking the role clearly. Highlight transferable skills and explain how they align with the new position or company’s needs.

Special situations, such as online job interviews or telephone interviews, require adaptation to different communication methods. Practice using appropriate interview phrases and techniques for virtual interviews. Additionally, if it’s your first job interview in English, you can learn about common interview questions and confidently discuss your qualifications for the job.

All our lessons for job interviews in English are listed below with the latest lessons at the top.

Telephone English | Business English Telephone Calls

Learn telephone English with Business English Pod lessons for telephoning in English.

In today’s busy business world, being comfortable with English for telephoning is very important. Whether you’re answering the phone, making sales calls, or helping customers, being comfortable handling business English telephone calls can make a big difference.

With lessons covering making and receiving business English telephone calls, leaving messages, taking orders, and handling complaints, learners can develop the telephone English necessary to communicate effectively over the phone in English. These lessons on business English telephone skills are designed for anyone needing to make business phone calls in English, such as customer service representatives, salespeople, and managers. The practical scenarios and real-world situations provided ensure success in phone calls in English.

Our English for telephoning lessons are listed below with the latest lessons first.