Weihnachten in guter Gesellschaft · 2012-04-05 · know as many of your co-workers as you can. Network! (see Networking-Events meistern, OBET 10/2007). At first you might find this

Believe it or not, one thing we take pride in here at OBET is the accuracy of our star charts. This month, we thought we’d prove it with a freebie. Your horoscope for Decem-ber: You will be invited to attend a company Christmas party. Wow, huh? Almost as excit-ing as winning the lottery. We’ll even take it one step further. Unlike other astrologists, who pump you full of positive-sounding generalities and then leave you to sort out the mysterious cosmic meanings yourself, we’ll help out with a bit of useful information that will help you enjoy (or survive) your impending December destiny.If you’re like most people, the first thing that pops to mind as you write that important political date into your calendar is “too bad, could be good, but always deadly dull”. “Why do companies do these things?” you ask yourself. Then you wonder why it seems that no Christmas party takes place without at least one person’s behind being photocopied and sent around the office the next day.

Most businesses lay out quite a lot of cash each year on their office Christmas party. Companies on a budget might have food brought into the office or offer a company Christmas dinner instead. Large firms often pull out all the stops, booking the most expensive venues they can find and setting no limits when it comes to food, beverages and entertainment.

Is it all just one big Thank You to employees? Partly, but that’s just scratching the sur-face. The real reason businesses spend so much money and make so much effort every Christmas is family. Yes, family. Executives learned way back in the 20th Century that a company that works together as a family has more power in the market than one that doesn’t. The annual Christmas party, then, is the company’s attempt to use the

spirit of the season to allow employees to get to know each other better in the hopes that they will work together better. No stress and no work: just friendship, good cheer and fun. The entire event is usually designed with this goal in mind.

So why do people often find office Christ-mas parties boring? Usually because their expectations don’t match the event’s pur-pose, and they have, as a result, failed to adequately prepare for their attendance.

Change your perspectiveThis year, try something different. Instead of showing up, being passively engaged and humbly allowing yourself to be thanked for a year of hard work, set a new goal of getting to know as many of your co-workers as you can. Network! (see Networking-Events meistern, OBET 10/2007).

At first you might find this suggestion a bit overwhelming, but consider the facts:

You’ll be networking with fellow em-•ployees and their spouses, i.e. your business family. That’s a lot easier than networking with strangers.

You don’t have to talk about work or •your industry (and you shouldn’t).

If you find you have nothing in common •with someone you started speaking with, it’s easy to wish him or her happy holiday, say goodbye and move on.

Why should I do this?Most people can find or fabricate an un-limited supply of excuses that conveniently justify sitting around the entire evening with office chums or spending the whole evening on the dance floor with their spouses ignoring everyone.

But have you considered:

The Christmas party is your opportu-•nity to get to know your own manag-ers, managers from other divisions, fellow employees and their spouses.

Some of the people you meet will •be responsible for raises and pro-motions, and others may even be the source for job offers and other personal growth opportunities. Your secretary’s husband might be a bigwig at Lufthansa looking for someone like you, for example, or your manager’s girlfriend might be looking for a business partner (you) for a new art gallery she wants to open.

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BUSINESS SKILLSFOCUSOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20072

Others you meet might share common •interests or inspire you to new hobbies or leisure-time activities.

If you’re lucky, you might meet a new •best friend, the jogging partner you’ve always been looking for or even your next significant other.

While you’re getting to know other po-•tentially useful people, they’re getting to know you. This makes you a “player” at your company – a colleague every-one knows and respects.

Deflating the excuse balloonHere are a few of the most frequently used excuse balloons people send up to justify avoiding contact with new people:

I’m not important to the business, so •it’s not important that other people meet me. Others have much more respect for you than you think. Every-one in a business is important in some way. Start talking and find out.

Those managers and/or executives •are too far above me to be interested in speaking with me. Not true. Most execu-tives have so little time that they never get the chance to meet anyone other than their secretaries and a few senior managers in the company. They want to get to know their employees. Be friendly.

I don’t have anything to say to most of these •people. You don’t need to be an expert at conversation to spend 5-10 minutes mak-ing small talk with each person you meet.

What to talk aboutIn general, talking about work should be avoided – especially with those higher up. The goal is to get to know people person-ally. Try asking about hobbies, music, books, where people live and for how long, films, the weather, cooking, sports and any other topics you feel may be of interest. Questions like “are you married”, “do you have kids” and “do you like your job” should be avoided, as well as loaded questions like “how’s your wife” or sensitive issues like “is your kid still having trouble in school?” These can lead to very unpleasant scenarios.

To be safe, choose questions that require answers to be sentences and could not lead to discussions of the depressing facts of life. Prepare a few of these in advance. And avoid making personal comments.

Tip!

Be sure you’ve prepared and rehearsed a 30-second response to the question “what do you do?”. Instead of focusing on who you work for or your job title, focus on your value to the company. What do you really do or enable? You can use this anytime, not just at the party.

Warning!

The following topics should be avoided: office romances, office politics, gossip, physical appearances, health and weight, race, politics, toilet humour, ethnic jokes, religion, discussion about Christmas shopping stress, personal and business finances, downsizing actions and the effects of mergers. If your conversation partner strays onto one of these topics, switch to a discussion of work (in this one situation) and then say goodbye.

TipsDress appropriately. If the dress stand-1. ard is not clear on the invitation, ask. If the party is after hours, remember that it is still an office function, not a disco.

Drink in moderation, but enjoy. Don’t 2. get drunk. Consider sticking to soft (non-alcoholic) drinks, and eat some-thing healthy before the party. Bring cash in case there’s no open bar.

Eat wisely, but enjoy. Avoid overeating 3. or eating food that will make you thirsty, make you feel sick or force you to take too many trips to the loo.

Behave as you would at any business 4. function and keep in mind that there’s always one employee looking to catch any embarrassing act on film. So if you’re tempted to wrap one of those scrump-tious shrimp appetizers in a serviette and stuff it into your bag for later, consider that you and your purloined prawn might be starring in the next day’s smash hit video on YouTube. Most mobile phones these days can take photos and record videos with the click of a button.

Arrive on time or even early (to meet with 5. managers and executives before they are mobbed). Leave on time.

Smile, laugh at jokes and be seen 6. having a good time.

Don’t complain about the food, the 7. work, fellow colleagues or indeed about anything. It’s Christmas! Keep things positive!

Keep an eye on your guest(s). If you’ve 8. brought someone, make sure they are not embarrassed and make sure they don’t embarrass you. This includes your spouse.

Be accepting and positive about all gifts.9.

If you’re asked to dance, find a way 10. to say yes; otherwise decline with a smile and a thank you. No dirty dancing! (YouTube awaits!)

Shake hands with everyone you meet and 11. wish them a happy holiday. Be careful with Happy/Merry Christmas – not eve-ryone celebrates Christmas.

If you meet someone you like, call a few 12. days later and ask if he or she would like to continue your conversation over coffee.

Don’t call in sick the next day. No one will 13. believe you!

One of the biggest political blunders people make is skipping their annual Christmas party. Please go. With the right mindset, you’ll even have fun. But remember, your responsibility as an employee is to under-stand the expectations of any meeting you’ve been asked to attend and adequately prepare for your role in the meeting. Even though they remain unwritten, the agenda, expectations and required involvement at a company Christmas party are well-defined. So prepare, and enjoy!

VOKABELN ZUM TEXT• impending bevorstehend, drohend• dull stumpf; hier: langweilig• to pull out all the

stopsalle Register ziehen

• venue Lokalität• to scratch the

surfaceoberflächlich anreißen

• humbly bescheiden• spouse Ehegatte• to fabricate herstellen;

hier: fabrizieren• chum Kumpel, guter Freund• bigwig hohes Tier• leisure time Freizeit• significant other Lebensgefährte• loaded question heikle Frage

mit Zündstoff• open bar Bar mit Freigetränken• loo (BrE) Klo• scrumptious köstlich• purloined prawn gestohlene Garnele• to decline fallen, sinken;

hier: höflich ablehnen• blunder Patzer

Hier anhören und trainieren: Klick

Example

You say: So, what ever happened to your girlfriend Margie?He says: Well, she’s not my girlfriend anymore.You say: That’s a relief. I never under-stood how you two could be a pair. And you’d be shocked to hear how the executives talk about her.He says: She’s now my wife.

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LANGUAGE SKILLSOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20073

Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over

if you just sit there. – Will Rogers, Cherokee-

American cowboy, comedian and humourist

Between two ev i ls, I always pick the one I never tried before. –

Mae West, American actress

When you come to a fork in the road, take it. – Yogi Berra

Inspiration

Success is going from fail-ure to failure without a loss of en-

thusiasm. – Winston Churchill

If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right. –

Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

Many of us spend half our time wishing for things we could have if we didn’t spend half our time wishing. – Alexander Wooll-cott, American critic and commentator

If fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade. – Dale Carnegie

You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it! – Charles Buxton, English brewer, philanthropist, writer and Member of Parliament

You miss 100% of the shots you never take. – Wayne Gretsky, Canadian profes-sional ice hockey player

It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you are not. – Denis Waitley, contemporary American f inancial, professional and personal success coach

Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he should be, and he will become what he could be. – Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essay-ist and poet

Be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Ghandi, Indian political and spiritual leader

Some people look at the world and say “why?” Some people look at the world and say “why not?” – George Bernard Shaw, Irish author

Whether you’re giving a presentation, speaking in a meeting, talking on the tel-ephone or giving a Christmas toast, it’s always helpful to have a famous quote ready that underscores or adds humour to what you’re saying.Quotes become famous because they are recognised as sources of encouragement and support. Also known as “words of wisdom” or “pearls of wisdom”, famous quotes capture human psychology in a short phrase, help us understand the world around us and inspire us to achieve more than we thought we could.

Here are a few famous but not-so-well-known “pearls” you can use to spice up what you say in various business situa-tions. These can be used in many ways:

As a smart, humorous or reinforcing re-•sponse to something someone has said

As a motivating or • succinct statement used to frame a discussion

As part of a quick toast or final line of a •longer, custom toast you have written

We’ve identified, selected and categorised a number of (mostly) humorous quotes that are flexible enough to be used in a variety of business situations. Although we’ve always identified the source when known, you can decide to credit or not credit the source depending on your speaking context. Feel free to modify the original words to meet your needs and fit the occasion!

Famous quotesBusinessThe world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is usually interrupted by someone doing it. – Harry Emerson Fosdick, American Clergyman

Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital. The wise man puts all of his eggs in one basket and watches the basket. – Andrew Carnegie, Scottish industrialist

It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. – Mark Twain, American author

Customer service is either good or bad. There is no in-between. – Unknown

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. – Yogi Berra, former American Major League Baseball player and manager

If you always do what you always did — you’ll always get what you always got! – Unknown

If a little money doesn’t go out, great money won’t come in. – Chinese proverb Business travelThe towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase. – Yogi Berra

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six. – Yogi Berra

MeetingsI wish I had an answer to that because I’m tired of answering that question. – Yogi Berra

I cannot speak well enough to be unintel-ligible. – Jane Austen, British author

Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. – Dale Carnegie, American motivational author

If I look confused it is because I am thinking. – Samuel Goldwyn, American film producer

I’m just preparing my impromptu re-marks. – Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. – Unknown

I can give you a definite perhaps. – Samuel Goldwyn

SalesSilent and listen are spelled with the same letters! – Unknown

You don’t sell what it is, you sell what it does. – Unknown

You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. – Unknown

DecisionsI would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not. – Lucille Ball, American comedienne

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LANGUAGE SKILLSOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20074

May the wine brighten our minds and strengthen our resolutions!This is a good toast for many occasions, but don’t follow this advice at your company Christmas party:

Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, And live every day as if it were your last.

MiscellaneousThe best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. It’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale. – Arthur C. Clarke, British science-fiction author and inventor

Just about the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends. – Herbert Hoover, depression-era President of the USA

There was a time when a fool and his money were soon parted, but now it hap-pens to everybody. – Adlai E. Stevenson, American politician

You either get what you like or you like what you get. – Unknown

I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty. – Imelda Marcos, former First Lady of the Philippines

ToastingMany large gatherings require that at least one person proposes a toast to the host, guest of honour or occasion. For formal occasions, you’ll be required to propose a toast that lasts around 3-4 minutes. Such toasts are usually complex, referring to achievements, using humour and placing the recipient(s) of the toast in a positive light.

On other occasions, a short toast is enough to kick things off, keep things going, or pull everyone back together if things have drifted away from the event’s focus.

The following toasts can be used and modi-fied as needed and are an excellent way for a tongue-tied, non-native speaker to say what needs to be said and make a good impression without much preparation. They can be used alone, combined with each other, used to complete a custom toast or used after one of the quotes on the previous page.

Important!

Before you propose a toast, be sure your host has had the opportunity to do so first! If you know you will be expected to say something, read up on toasting etiquette at:http://www.ehow.com/how_1383_pro-pose-toast.html... and make sure you’ve practised your toast in advance!

Holiday toastsHere’s to the day of good will, cold weather and warm hearts.

May you be contented as Christmas finds you all the year round. To us and our success as a group this past year, and to you and your families for health, peace, and more wonderful times in the coming year.May all of our troubles this coming year be as short-lived as our New Year’s resolutions. May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas. Here’s to the year past and the friends who have left us. Here’s to the present and the friends who are here. Here’s to the New Year and the new friends who will join us. Here’s to new years, full pockets, and good drinks.May you never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten. Here’s a provocative, funny one that works well when things have become quite merry with a lot of drinking:

Here’s to those who wish us well, and those who don’t can go to hell! Wedding toastsMay you love each other more than yesterday, but less than tomorrow.Remember, on any disa-greement the husband is en-titled to the last few words...those words are: Yes dear.May you both live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live. Birthday toastsMay you live as long as you want to, and want to as long as you live.May the most you wish for be the least you get.May you live forever and may I never die.May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.May bad fortune follow you all your days and never catch up with you. All-purposeMay your home always be too small to hold all your friends.To friends: As long as we are able, let’s lift our glasses from the table.

VOKABELN ZUM TEXT• toast Trinkspruch• succinct präzise

zusammengefasst• to frame einrahmen; hier: einleiten• impromptu aus dem Stegreif• unintelligible unverständlich• fork in the road Weggabelung• lemonade süßes Zitronenwasser• good will Wohlwollen• to make ends

meetüber die Runden kommen

• contented zufrieden• resolution Lösung; hier: 1. Vorsatz;

2. Entschlossenheit• latch Verriegelung• to want wollen;

hier: Mangel leiden


Thank You! As the holiday season is upon us, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and on those who have helped shape our business and improve our ability to serve your Business English needs. We therefore take this moment to pause and say how much we value your readership and your feedback, and that we look forward to serving you in the year to come.

Wishing you a very happy holiday season and a New Year filled with

peace and prosperity,

A CHrISTMAS WISH FrOM OBET

Your OBET Team


COrrESPONDENCEOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20075

You’ve received a written complaint from an international customer and now need to resolve the issue. Your first step – even if you will be contacting the customer by telephone – is to respond in writing. You’ll need to write what’s called a response letter.Writing a response letter can be tricky because it requires more than just respond-ing to the complaint. The first thread in the rope representing the bond between your company and the customer has been broken. The entire customer relationship is now at stake. How you handle the com-plaint will determine whether the thread is repaired, leaving the relationship intact and strengthened, or broken, leading the entire rope to eventually snap.

What makes things difficult is that an ef-fective response involves more than just solving the customer’s problem. It requires restoring the customer’s confidence and loyalty to your company. A number of is-sues are simultaneously in play:

The problem•

The customer’s emotional state as a •result of the problem

The customer’s emotional state upon •receipt of your response letter

The customer’s satisfaction with your •proposed solution

The customer’s interpretation of your •sincerity and helpfulness

The customer’s feeling for how much •your company values his patronage

That’s a lot to deal with in one letter, but with a standard structure, helpful tips and a few important example building blocks and phrases, writing an effective response

letter can be easy.

pretty much guarantee the customer will look elsewhere in the future for a new supplier.

But take heart. These facts are what makes writing response letters fun. Think of yourself as the problem solver. The one who wants to make people happy, and the one empowered to do so!

response letter structureThe format of a response letter is no different than a standard letter (refer to Effektive Geschäftsbriefe schreiben, OBET 09/2007).

The content of your response letter should have the following structure:

Open by stating the reason you are 1. writing. Refer to the complaint letter by date.

Restate the complaint to demon-2. strate you have understood it.

Sympathise (refer to 3. Entschuldigen und Mitgefühl ausdrucken, OBET 10/2007). Keep in mind – if you will not be apologising – that you can still – and should – sympathise without neces-sarily agreeing with the customer’s complaint or accepting liability for the problem.

If your company is at fault, apologise. 4.

Explain how the problem or error oc-5. curred, if this is relevant.

State exactly what you will do to 6. solve the problem or compensate the customer. If you cannot accept the customer’s proposed solution, or if he has not suggested one, state your proposed solution.

Apologise for the situation and for 7. the customer’s inconvenience. State what you will do to compensate for these factors (this is the extra mile).

State the importance of the cus-8. tomer to your company and the value of his feedback.

Warning!

Before issuing any apology, determine if the apology and accompanying admit-tance of responsibility could result in a legal situation that could leave your company responsible for more than simply solving the problem. If there is any doubt, consult your management, corporate guidelines or company at-torney before proceeding.

Setting the stageBefore you sit down to write a response letter, it’s important to keep the following in mind:

You must respond to a complaint let-•ter immediately. If you can’t solve the problem immediately or don’t have enough information, the first response letter should acknowledge receipt of the complaint, inform the customer that the matter is now under review and request any missing information. The second let-ter should then address the complaint.

Be sure you understand your organi-•sation’s guidelines for service levels, approved actions, compensation and acceptance of liability. Review any response letter you’ve written to en-sure compliance with these guidelines before sending it.

Warning!

Failure to respond immediately informs the customer that your company does not take the matter seriously. Delay also allows the customer’s emotional situa-tion to become increasingly negative. This makes the issue more difficult to resolve by compromising your credibility and ability to solve the problem.

The right mindsetIn an age of large customer service call centres with nameless faces, customer service hotlines that cost 99c per minute and Web sites that bury customer serv-ice contact information so deep that the customer is steaming angry by the time he finds it, sending out a “Letter of Apol-ogy” response letter created with a form is usually the straw that will break the customer’s back.

Today’s response letter must be personal. It must use everyday rather than formal lan-guage. It must identify contact individuals, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses. It must sound like a person talking: someone

who understands the customer’s pain, cares about what happens and sincerely wants to help. Someone who doesn’t hide from problems.

Most important, today’s response letter must go the extra mile. It must provide a 150% solution for 100% of the customer’s problem. Failure to go 150% when other companies are doing so will

Beschwerdebriefe professionell beantworten

COrrESPONDENCEOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20076

Building blocks Open your letter (1)I was concerned to read your letter dated ... regarding ...I just read your letter dated ..., and I was alarmed/sorry to hear that ... restate the complaint (2)If I understand you correctly, you have ... and are not /no longer ... Sympathise (3)I appreciate your frustration.I appreciate how frustrating this may be.I agree with you, service/treatment such as you describe is unacceptable.I can certainly understand why you are feeling unhappy/frustrated / irritated. Apologise (4)Please accept my sincere and unreserved apology for this situation.First, let me say how sorry I am that ...

... this has happened.

... you are dissatisfied with our product /service.

I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this has happened. Explain (5)After looking into the matter, I learned /was surprised to learn that ...This is not a situation I have run into before. This is a new complaint for us.We take great care to ensure that mat-ters such as this are properly managed /handled.Unfortunately, due to ..., we are /were not able to ...Other customers have recently com-plained about this as well.I believe something went wrong in processing your transaction. According to our records, the final steps were simply not taken.It looks like the incorrect amount was entered on our end.This is of course a major slip-up. State the solution (6)I have spoken with management /those involved, and we agree (with you) that ... would be a quite appropriate solution.I can assure you that we take your complaint quite seriously.

I have spoken with management about the situation, and am authorised to propose that we ...In light of this, we have decided to ...Of course we would be happy to replace your product and pay all related shipping charges.Simply discard the ... you received. I will put a new one in the post today.I am sorry that we were not able to pro-pose a solution in line with your sugges-tion, but would be happy to speak with you about it should you not find our solution to be a comparable alternative. Apologise for the inconvenience (7)Your confidence in MetaBook and satisfac-tion with our products is our top concern. When we don’t deliver, no excuse will do.Although we cannot guarantee that ..., we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience you have experienced.We sincerely apologise for any inconven-ience or delay that may have resulted from this.As an indication of how important your patronage is to us, I have ...

... enclosed a complimentary copy of ...

... sent you a gift coupon in the amount of ...

... authorised a partial refund in the amount of ...

You should receive this within the next three weeks.

State the customer’s importance (8)Your continued business as a satisfied cus-tomer is vitally important to our success.We are constantly and actively working to improve our service levels and feedback such as yours is invaluable to this process.Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.I will contact you soon to confirm that this solution meets your expectations.Please contact me should you have any further cause for concern.To help me address this situation quickly, I need a bit of additional information from you. Could you please fill out the accompanying form and fax it directly to me at ...

VOKABELN ZUM TEXT• guidelines Richtlinien• to compromise einen Kompromiss

schließen; hier: beeinträchtigen

• straw that breaks the camel's back

der Tropfen, der das Fass zum überlaufen bringt

• to determine bestimmen; hier: feststellen

• accompanying begleitend


Reduce the focus on you and increase •the focus on the customer. Replace I and we with you wherever possible.

Avoid placing blame, even if the cus-•tomer’s claim is weak. His feelings are not wrong, no matter what the situa-tion. The customer should never take the blame in a response letter. You can address almost any situation without placing blame.

Be sure your writing style sounds like •someone speaking in a friendly tone. A response letter that sounds formal will have the effect of a slap on the face.

Keep it short. Review each statement •you make and test its removal. If the letter has the same meaning without the statement, remove it.

If you need the customer to do something •in order to complete the problem resolu-tion process, be clear and strong about it at the end of your letter. The customer will feel like a process has started – one that will reliably lead to a solution.

Ask someone to check your letter for style, •tone, friendliness, spelling and grammar.

Re-read the letter and ask yourself if you •would personally be happy with the tone, message and resolution if you were in the customer’s shoes. If you have followed cor-porate guidelines and you would not be happy with the resolution yourself, raise the issue with your manager before sending the letter.

Do not respond to statements of anger or •accusations. Keep your focus on resolving the problem in a positive manner.

Beschwerdebriefe professionell beantworten – ChecklisteAfter you’ve completed your response letter, review it for the following issues:


GrAMMArOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20077

The future perfect tense is most com-monly used to describe an action that will be completed in the future before something else happens.

There are two forms:

will 1. + [adverb] + have + past participle

be 2. + [adverb] + going to have + past participle

Unlike the simple future, where the vari-ous forms can have different meanings in different contexts, the two forms of the future perfect can be used interchange-ably. Examples:

The “will have” formJames will have written the proposal by tomorrow.

Will James have written the proposal by tomorrow?

James wird das Angebot bis morgen erstellt haben.

Wird James das Angebot bis morgen erstellt haben ?

The “be going to have” formRebecca is going to have configured the printer by the time we need it.

Is Rebecca going to have configured the printer by the time we need it?

Rebecca wird den Drucker eingestellt haben, bis wir ihn brauchen.

Wird Rebecca den Drucker eingestellt haben, bis wir ihn brauchen?

Placement of adverbsNote the location of adverbs like probably, only, never, always, still, likely, just, etc.:

James will probably have written the proposal by tomorrow.

Wahrscheinlich wird James das Angebot bis morgen erstellt haben.

Rebecca is never going to have configured the printer by the time we need it.

Rebecca wird den Drucker nie eingestellt haben, bis wir ihn brauchen.

UsageThe future perfect can be used to express three concepts:

an action that takes place and com-1. pletes in the future before another action takes place

an action that takes place and com-2. pletes in the future before a specific time

an action that continues into the 3. future up until another action takes place

Concept 1An action that takes place and completes in the future before another action takes place:

FuturePast Now

Future perfect 1Action 1 Action 2

We will have found your lost luggage by the time you arrive at the hotel.Is she going to have collected enough market data before she meets with the CEO?He will have made his first million by the time he is 20.

Important!

The Action 2 statements are always in the simple present tense because fu-ture tenses cannot be used in adverbial time clauses.

Incorrect:We will have found your lost luggage by the time you will have arrived at the hotel.Is she going to have collected enough market data before she is going to have met with the CEO?He will have made his first million by the time he will have been 20.

Concept 2An action that takes place and completes in the future before a specific time:

FuturePast Now

Future perfect 2Action 1 Time

We are going to have contacted all semi-nar participants by the end of the week.The customer is going to have received our complete proposal by the time they return from the tradeshow.

Concept 3An action that continues into the future up until another action takes place:

FuturePast Now

Future perfect 3Action 1 Time /Action 2

He will have been in the US for three years by the time they realise his visa has expired.They will have had our proposal for three months by the end of December.

Remember that adverbial time clauses (beginning with while, by, before, by the time, as soon as, etc.) can also be used at the beginning of the sentence. In all of the above examples, you are able to reverse the word ordering as follows:

By the time you arrive at the hotel, we will have found your lost luggage.By the end of the week, we are going to have contacted all seminar participants.By the end of December, they will have had our proposal for three months.

Passive constructs follow the same rules:

By the time you arrive at the hotel, your lost luggage will have been found.By the end of the week, all seminar participants are going to have been contacted.

Future perfect

TrAININGOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20078

You’re at your company Christmas party and want to meet people. Start by introducing yourself: Hi, I’m Miriam Burkholz from Accounting. Then add a lead-in phrase like “So, ...” or make a funny statement like “I’ve decided all of the food for my family’s Christmas dinner this year will be orange”. What questions can you then ask to get your partner talking? Complete the following starter templates with the best issues. Use each issue only once, and choose the best for each question template. Tip: Memorise these templates so they’re ready-to-use at your company’s Christmas party with any topic you choose.

the coming year – funny gifts – plans for the holidays – this time of the year holiday traditions – your creativity – holiday – food – life – challenges

1. What do you enjoy the most about ________________________________? 2. Do you find that the holiday season impacts ________________________________? 3. Bring me up to date about your ____________________ since the last time we got together. 4. Tell me about your ________________________________. 5. Describe your favourite ________________________________. 6. What ________________________________ do you encounter during the holiday season? 7. Have you received any ________________________________? 8. What is your favourite part of the ________________________________? Why? 9. What have you got planned for ________________________________? 10. What’s your favourite holiday ________________________________?

On a separate sheet of paper, put the following statements into the future perfect tense using the future perfect form indicated in parentheses.

1. James translates the contract before Monday (be going to have)

2. By the time we arrive in Scotland the train already leaves (will have)

3. The missing document finds before the CEO opens the conference on Wednesday (will have)

4. She signs the contract before we meet with her? (be going to have)

5. All seminar participants pay by the time we print the course books (will have)

6. Jonathan probably never finish before Saturday (will have)

7. Janice is struggling with the decision for three days by the time she realises the issue is irrelevant (will have)

8. By the end of this year we receive 3000 applications from students who complete the basic courses. (be going to have)

9. The plane departs for Canada before she finishes her meal? (will have)

ANSW

ErS

WEIHNACHTEN IN GUTEr GESELLSCHAFT – MEDIUM

FUTUrE PErFECT – MEDIUM

WEISE WOrTE – DIFFICULT

Weihnachten in guter Gesellschaft – MEDIUM

1. this time of the year — 2. your creativity — 3. life — 4. plans for the holidays — 5. holiday traditions — 6. challenges —

7. funny gifts — 8. holiday — 9. the coming year — 10. food

Future Perfect – MEDIUM

1. James is going to have translated the contract before Monday. — 2. By the time

we arrive in Scotland, the train will have already left.— 3. The missing document

will have been found before the CEO opens the conference on Wednesday. — 4. Is

she going to have signed the contract before we meet with her? — 5. All seminar

participants will have paid by the time we print the course books. — 6. Jonathan

will probably never have finished before Saturday. — 7. Janice will have been

struggling with the decision for three days by the time she realises the issue

is irrelevant. — 8. By the end of this year, we are going to have received 3000

applications from students who have completed the basic courses. — 9. Will the

plane have departed for Canada before she finishes her meal?

Weise Worte – DIFFICULT

1. c — 2. c — 3. b — 4. b — 5. b — 6. a — 7. b — 8. a — 9. c — 10. b

Without looking at pages 3–4, complete the following words of wisdom with the missing elements. To help identify the correct answer, look for word repetition and word play.

1. If you always do what you always did, a you’ll never find time for anything. b make lemonade. c you’ll always get what you always got.

2. It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s a trying to please everybody. b regretting the things that you’ve done. c what you think you are not.

3. You either get what you like or a you get run over just sitting there. b you like what you get. c you pick the one you never tried before.

4. If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, a you can’t. b you’re right. c think again.

5. You can get everything in life you want if you will just a make the time to get it. b help enough other people get what they want. c become what you could be.

6. The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is usually interrupted by a someone doing it. b impromptu remarks. c the man worrying about tomorrow.

7. Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just a take it. b sit there. c make lemonade.

8. When you come to a fork in the road, a take it. b pick the one you never tried before. c put all your eggs in one basket and watch it.

9. I would rather regret the things that I have done than a the shots I never took. b my one thousand and sixty pairs of shoes. c the things I have not.

10. Many of us spend half our time wishing for things we could have if we didn’t a find time for anything. b spend half our time wishing. c regret the time we spent wishing.

Kreuzworträtsel

Beschwerdebriefe professionell beantworten - MEDIUM

1. I was concerned to read your letter dated 29 November regarding the damaged lamps you received. — 2. If I understand you correctly, the marble bases themselves have cracked to such an extent that the lamps will

no long stand up and are thus unusable. — 3. After having waited so long to receive them, I can appreciate your frustration. — 4. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that this has happened. — 5. After looking into the matter,

I was surprised to learn that the incorrect packing material had been used. Although we would normally consider transport damage to be an insurance issue and not our responsibility, it is clear that safe transport cannot

be expected when the packing materials are incorrect. — 6. I have spoken with management about the issue, and am authorised to propose that we immediately ship you another three lamps at our cost. There is no need

to return the damaged lamps to us. You should receive your new lamps within three weeks. — 7. Your confidence in WorldLamp and satisfaction with our products and services is our top concern. When we don’t deliver,

no excuse will do. We sincerely apologise for this mistake and for any inconvenience that may have resulted. As an indication of how important your patronage is to us, I have requested that an Amazon gift certificate in the

amount of US$50 be issued in your name. You should receive this in the next few weeks in the normal post. — 8. We are constantly and actively working to improve our service levels and feedback such as yours is invaluable

to this process. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention, and please contact me directly should you have any further reason for concern. Question: As a customer, how would you feel if you received this letter?

TrAININGOWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 20079

Cologne Publishing GroupUnter Käster 1, 50667 KölnTelefon: 0049-01805 233633-56250Telefax: 0049-01805 233633-56250E-Mail: [email protected]: www.owad.de/trainer

Geschäftsführung: Dipl.-Kfm. Kai Thürbach u.a.ViSdP: Paul Smith

Gestaltung & Satz: Stefan Schiessl, www.schiessldesign.de

Die Informationen dieser Publikation dienen ausschließlich der Information des Empfängers. Alle Daten wurden nach bestem Gewissen er-stellt, jedoch ohne Gewähr. Eine vollständige oder nur auszugsweise Vervielfältigung oder Wiedergabe bedarf der schriftlichen Einwilli-gung des Verlages. OWAD Business English Trainer erscheint monatlich, Jahrespreis € 58,80 inkl. MwSt. und Versand.

These standard business words may be advanced, but they are frequently used even in conversation. Practise first with the attached flashcards, and then test your new vocabulary here!

KrEUZWOrTräTSEL

IMPrESSUM

Across2. being or going along with4. marriage partner6. to express polite refusal8. satisfied with things as they are13. to introduce or set the stage for14. spoken or done with little or no preparation

and prompted by the occasion15. the state of being impossible to be understood17. characterised by clear, precise expression of

words18. a set of rules defining required processes

and/or behaviours19. to manufacture or create, sometimes in

order to deceive

Down1. boring3. to be about to occur or to be threatening to occur5. a place where a gathering takes place7. to expose to danger or to affect negatively9. to find out for certain10. an intention11. to be poor and in need of12. characterised by modesty in behaviour16. a stupid mistake

One of your customers, BeHappy Ltd. in Singapore, recently purchased three very heavy standing lamps from your company (the bases are made of marble, Marmor ). After paying for the expensive shipping fees and waiting for more than a month, he opened the shipping crate, only to find that the bases on all three lamps were cracked. The lamps are useless, and the customer is angry that your packing did not protect against this. You just received his letter, dated 29 November, in which he states his complaint and asks that you ship three replacement lamps and use bet-ter packing materials. Using the information from the article on pages 5-6, put together the framework for a good response letter by filling in the following essential structural elements. Compare your letter with the sample provided in the answers section.

BESCHWErDEBrIEFE PrOFESSIONELL BEANTWOrTEN – MEDIUM

Dear Mr Mingo,

Replacement of damaged marble lamps

1_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

2_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

3_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

5_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

6_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

7_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely,

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.owad.de/trainer

http://www.schiessldesign.de

OWAD Business English Trainer – Dezember 200710

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vielen Dank für Ihr Vertrauen in unsere Produkte und Ihre Bestellung. Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen die aktuelle Ausgabe gefallen hat. Da wir den OWAD Business English Trainer möglichst exakt nach Ihren Wünschen erstellen möchten, bitten wir Sie um Ihre Meinung:

Ihr Feedback zur Dezember -Ausgabe

Vielen Dank für Ihre Mühe

Ihr OWAD Business English Trainer-Team

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3, 4

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8, 9

Über Ihre Themenwünsche und Anregungen freuen wir uns sehr:

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© Paul Smithwww.owad.de / trainer

Blindtext Blindtext

OWAD Business English Trainer – Vokabelkarten 12|2007

Blindtext

-1 © Paul Smithwww.owad.de / trainer

Blindtext Blindtext


Blindtext

0


impending bevorstehend,

drohend


to be about to occur or to be threatening to occur

1 © Paul Smithwww.owad.de / trainer

dull langweilig


boring

2


to pull out all the stops

alle Register ziehen


to use all resources available with no limit


venue Lokalität


a place where a gathering takes place

4


to scratch the surface

oberfl ächlich anreißen


to investigate, treat or consider something superfi cially


humbly bescheiden


characterised by modesty in behaviour

6

Bitte hier schneiden bzw. vorgestanzte Karteikarten von AVERY ZWECKFORM (Art.-Nr. C32254) oder von Sigel (Art.-Nr. LP 701) benutzen.

Exklusiver Service von OWADOWAD Business English Trainer – Vokabelkarten 12|2007

Liebe Leser,

alle Vokabeln, die wir Ihnen in der vorliegenden Ausgabe

des OWAD Business English Trainers vorgestellt haben,

können Sie sich im Karteikartenformat selbst ausdrucken.

Das vorliegende PDF ist bereits für den Ausdruck opti-

miert. Sie können sowohl normales Papier für den Ausdruck

benutzen als auch spezielles, bereits mikroperforiertes Kar-

teikartenpapier der Hersteller Avery Zweckform (Art.-Nr.

C 32254) oder Sigel (Art.-Nr. LP 701).

Falls Sie Probleme haben sollten, wenden Sie sich bitte per

E-Mail an unseren Kundenservice: [email protected]

Viel Spaß beim Lernen.

Ihr

OWAD Business English Trainer-Team


spouse Ehegatte


marriage partner


to fabricate fabrizieren


to manufacture or create, sometimes in order to deceive

8


chum Kumpel, guter Freund


a good friend


bigwig hohes Tier


a very important person

10


leisure time Freizeit


time away from responsibilities for relaxation or other activities


significant other Lebensgefährte


a person with whom one shares a long-term relationship

12


loaded question heikle Frage mit

Zündstoff


a question that leads the other person to an unpleasant or explosive answer


open bar Bar mit

Freigetränken


a bar where an unlimited number of drinks can be ordered without payment

14



loo (BrE) Klo


water closet (W.C.)


scrumptious köstlich


greatly pleasing to the taste

16


to decline höfl ich ablehnen


to express polite refusal


blunder Patzer


a stupid mistake

18


toast Trinkspruch


a drink in honour of or to the health of a person or event


succinct präzise

zusammengefasst


characterised by clear, precise expression of words

20


to frame einleiten


to introduce or set the stage for


impromptu aus dem Stegreif


spoken or done with little or no preparation and prompted by the occasion

22



unintelligible unverständlich


the state of being impossible to be understood


fork in the road Weggabelung


the point at which something separates into two or more directions

24


good will Wohlwollen


an attitude of kindness or friendliness


to make ends meet über die Runden

kommen


to have enough money to pay the bills

26


contented zufrieden


satisfi ed with things as they are


resolution 1. Vorsatz;

2. Entschlossenheit


1. an intention; 2. the state of being fi rmly determined

28


latch Verriegelung


a door lock that is opened from the outside with a key


to want Mangel leiden


to be poor and in need of

30



guidelines Richtlinien


a set of rules defi ning required processes and/or behaviours


to compromise beeinträchtigen


to expose to danger or to affect negatively

32


straw that breaks the camel’s back

der Tropfen, der das Fass zum Überlaufen

bringt


the fi nal irritation, which, even though minor, makes one lose his patience


to determine feststellen


to fi nd out for certain

34


accompanying begleitend


being or going along with

35


Documents

Weihnachten in guter Gesellschaft · 2012-04-05 · know as many of your co-workers as you can. Network! (see Networking-Events meistern, OBET 10/2007). At first you might find this