This is part of an ongoing series on negotiations. In this Business English Podcast episode, we ll study how to open a traditional commercial negotiation between buyer and seller. We ll focus on creating goodwill, starting off, setting ground rules, suggesting an agenda and exploring possibilities. We ll be listening to a telephone conversation between Tony, a supplier of building materials, and Paul, a purchasing manager for a large construction company in Canada. Paul is buying materials for a harbor project. A harbor is a protected area of water where boats dock, or park. For this project, Paul needs to buy anchor bolts. These bolts are the thick steel screws that are embedded or buried in concrete to support or anchor structural steel columns. Structural columns refer to the steel frameworks that hold buildings up.

This Business English Podcast episode on relationship building is part of an ongoing series on negotiation skills. In negotiation, establishing a good relationship based on trust makes it possible to jointly search for creative solutions, to overcome blockage and even to turn conflict into a productive force.

As we ve discussed in other episodes on job interviews, one goal of the person conducting the interview is to get you to let your guard down. Often, after a series of warm-up questions, the interviewer will give you a tough question. This will likely come out of the blue, that is, unexpectedly. We call these types of questions stress questions because part of the intention is to see how you react under pressure. Common types of stress questions range from problems, such as how to solve a business case study or even a mathematics question, to behavioral questions, such as how to deal with imaginary work situation involving conflict or communication.

You ve had your first and second interviews, you ve performed well, and you ve been selected. You re one of the lucky few - you ve succeeded: You ve got a job offer in hand. But now comes one of the hardest parts of the whole process - negotiating your salary. If you make a mistake here, all of your time and effort might be wasted. For salary negotiation, preparation - doing your research - is obviously important. In the internet age, there are many websites that focus on salary information, so investigating the market is much easier than it has been in the past.

This is the second in a two-part advanced business English lesson on negotiation strategy. It is part of a longer series of podcasts on the language and skills of negotiating in English. In the first episode, management consultant Bryan Fields discussed the basics of making a deal. We learned how to avoid some top common mistakes and we reviewed important vocabulary, such as BATNA, bottom line, bargaining chip, win-win, and zone of possible agreement. Today s podcast continues the interview with Bryan. In the dialog, we ll learn five important elements of strategy parties, interests, value, power and ethics. And along the way we ll study useful vocabulary and idioms.

Today s show is the first in a two-part sequence on the fundamentals of negotiation strategy. We will be hearing an interview with experienced management consultant Brian Fields. Brian discusses key concepts and important strategic considerations. The dialog teaches us both useful vocabulary and helpful skills.

This is the second episode of our new video podcast series: Email Tune-up. In today s video we examine a very common type of email - a request for feedback on a document. Each video lesson features a review of a real-life email from one of our members. After reviewing the background and contents of the email, we ll then see what improvements we can make by analyzing the writing according to 3 main criteria: mechanics, style and tone. A video podcast in the M4V format.

In this Business English Podcast lesson, we ll be studying some phrases and vocabulary that you can use to discuss the economy and economic issues, including voicing and reassuring concerns. No deal gets made, no contract gets signed, no business gets done just between two people or two companies. Everything occurs against the background of networks of relationships on the local, regional, and global scales. These relationships of price and production form what s called the economy. People who study the economy economists like to point out, for example, that the price of soybeans in Brazil can affect the price of meat in China. It s no wonder, then, that a favorite activity of business people everywhere is talking about the economy. Only by understanding the economic environment in which we do business can we operate effectively in it.

In most parts of the world, having lunch or dinner together is an important part of doing business. In places such as North America, eating meals is a way of building a relationship or celebrating a partnership. And in other cultures, such as China, much of the real work of making deals actually often gets done over the dinner table. No matter where you are doing business, it s important to be able to handle the basics of dining out. This includes ordering food, recommending dishes, proposing a toast, and paying for the check, among other things. These skills will be the focus of this episode.

This is the second in a two-part Business English Podcast lesson on resolving conflict, in which we ve been focusing on solving everyday disagreements in the office. Ben, a new training specialist at a manufacturing company, feels that he is doing an unfair share (that is, too much) of the work in his department. Gerry, Ben s manager, talks with him to solve the problem. In the first episode, we studied how Gerry opened the discussion in an informal, non-threatening way, and we looked at how he listened actively to Ben to win his trust. In this episode, we ll pay attention to how Gerry and Ben work together to come up with a solution. In particular, we ll focus on how they state common goals, raise concerns, and agree action.

People do not always get along, so dealing with conflict is part of any job. And as often as not, work disagreements get resolved as much as in informal discussions in the hallway, as they do in the conference room. So, in this two-part series on resolving conflict, we ll be studying useful language for discussing and resolving disagreements. We will be focusing not on major conflicts between companies or inside organizations, but rather on the everyday sort of disagreements that all of us have to deal with to be successful in our work.

Today, we re launching a new video podcast series: Email Tune-up. Each video will feature a review of a real-life email from one of our members. After reviewing the background and contents of the email, we ll then see what improvements we can make by analyzing the writing according to 3 main criteria:1. Mechanics - the grammar, punctuation, spelling and layout of the email.2. Style - the use of vocabulary and the way sentences are structured.3. Tone - the overall impression, or feeling, the text creates.After reviewing and editing the email, we ll go over some tips for improving your writing and then we ll finish off with a writing task so you can practice. A video of an example answer to the writing task will be published in a few days so that you can compare your own efforts with our suggested answer. A video podcast in the M4V format.

Today, we re launching a new video podcast series: Email Tune-up. Each video will feature a review of a real-life email from one of our members. After reviewing the background and contents of the email, we ll then see what improvements we can make by analyzing the writing according to 3 main criteria:1. Mechanics - the grammar, punctuation, spelling and layout of the email.2. Style - the use of vocabulary and the way sentences are structured.3. Tone - the overall impression, or feeling, the text creates.After reviewing and editing the email, we ll go over some tips for improving your writing and then we ll finish off with a writing task so you can practice. A video of an example answer to the writing task will be published in a few days so that you can compare your own efforts with our suggested answer. A video podcast in the M4V format.

In this Business English Pod episode, we ll be focusing on the language of taking an order and discussing standard terms, such as delivery time, payment method, and so on. The listening takes us back to the Foxtrot showroom in Las Vegas. As you ll recall, Foxtrot is the American distributor for Viva, an Italian clothing, or Apparel, manufacturer. Bill is a buyer for a chain of department stores, who has now decided to purchase from Viva. Foxtrot representative Adrianne and her Viva partner, Mario, discuss Bill s order with him.

For today s Business ENglish Podcast lesson, we re going to focus on the classic sales approach to selling products and services. This approach is based on explaining the features, attributes and benefits of your products using the FAB technique. The FAB technique is useful for people working in the manufacturing and retail trade - anyone who has to present products. In particular, we ll look at how this approach can be applied in the Merchandizing business. Merchandizing is the trade name for businesses involved in the design and manufacture of clothing and household items.

There is one question that you will definitely be asked in any job interview, a question for which you should always prepare a response. That is: Do you have any questions for me? In this Business English Podcast lesson, we will focus on how to deal with this question. We ll talk about what interviewers expect from you and we ll emphasize the importance of preparation. We ll also study how you can use this opportunity to interview the interviewer - that is, to find out whether the company is a good fit for you. Meanwhile, we ll talk about how, for the interviewer, this is a chance to put your company in the best possible light.

In this episode, we will likewise deal with another extremely common question. Unfortunately, it s almost as challenging to answer as it is popular to ask. It requires you to think about possible problems with your working style and personality, and to give an answer that demonstrates professionalism and the ability to present your weakness as a strength. That s right, you guessed it, the question is: What s your greatest weakness?

In the second part of our new ESL podcast series on business vocabulary, we continue with the topic of human resources (HR) by looking at useful language and collocations to describe the role and responsibilities of a training manager. In this fast-changing global world, everything is moving. To make a successful business, it s not enough just to follow yesterday s trend. Companies and people need to constantly acquire new skills to succeed in tomorrow s marketplace. This means driving new training initiatives to enhance performance. However, not all training is equally successful. To ensure training effectiveness, it s important to track results and to have standard criteria for measuring outcomes. In this podcast, we ll listen to Andrea, a training manager, describing her function and responsibilities. Afterwards, we ll study some key vocabulary. Then we ll practice what we ve learned.

Today we re kicking off a new series of business vocabulary podcasts based on people talking about their jobs. In these episodes, we ll learn vocabulary and language that are useful across a wide range of different professions and industries. In this podcast we ll hear an HR manager, Greg, describe his work and responsibilities. Afterwards, we ll study some key vocabulary. In particular we ll be focusing on how words are collocated, or used together. Then we ll practice what we ve learned.

Booking tickets on the phone is a basic part of business travel. In this intermediate Business English Podcast, we will practice useful phrases and language for making airplane arrangements on the telephone. Viva is an Italian manufacturer of ladies apparel, or clothing. Marco and Francesca, Viva employees, are on a business trip. After visiting customers in the UK, they are now heading to Las Vegas in the United States to meet with their American distributor - the company that sells their product there. Marco calls a travel agent to book tickets for them.

You re listening to the second in a two-part Business English Podcast series on talking about accomplishments. This is one of an ongoing sequence of podcasts on job interviews. The theme for this episode and the last is provide examples. In the first part, we looked at a bad and good version of a recent university graduate talking about his academic successes. We studied how to use our accomplishments to demonstrate skills and characteristics that will be attractive to our potential employer.

This is the first in a two-part Business English Podcast series on talking about your accomplishments. It is one of an ongoing sequence of podcasts that focus on the job interview process. Along with your previous experience, your greatest accomplishment is one of the topics that is sure to come up in almost any job interview. This question appears in a variety of forms: What was your proudest achievement? What was your most significant accomplishment? What do you consider to be your greatest success?

In this Business English Podcast lesson, we re going to look at the language of presenting your products and services to potential clients in informal situations. Following on from our episode on hosting a site visit, we return to our friends at the railway tunnel. Stanley Wang is a site agent for a railway construction project in western China. He has just taken Matt and Paul, sales engineers from a small American company, on a tour of the tunnel. Now, in the evening, Stanley and his boss Bill Zhang are hosting a dinner for Matt and Paula. The group is discussing possibilities for future cooperation.

This Business English Podcast lesson is the first in a series of shows that will follow an employee of a manufacturing company on a training trip to the U.S. Over the series, we???ll practice many situations that will be useful for you on your business trips overseas, including going through immigration, renting a car, checking into a hotel, using wireless internet and so on. The main character in our story is Alan Chen. He works for a major multinational electronics manufacturer, Ambient, which is headquartered in Michigan in the USA. Having recently received a promotion, Alan is going to America to learn 6 Sigma, which is a system for improving quality.

There are many different kinds of sites. We often speak of construction sites, a site where something is being built such as buildings, roads, bridges, airports, and so on. But a site can also be a completed structure, like a factory or even sometimes an office. In a site visit, visitors come on site to have a look around. Someone in your company will usually play host and give them a tour. This is often part of the sales process: Sometimes it s the visitors who are selling something to the host, and sometimes it s other way around. The language we re going to study in this episode will be useful for anyone who needs to host visitors. No matter whether we are giving journalists a demonstration of a factory, or introducing potential customers to our work site, or giving government officials a tour of a construction project, we need to show people around and point out areas of interest.

There are many different kinds of sites. We often speak of construction sites, a site where something is being built such as buildings, roads, bridges, airports, and so on. But a site can also be a completed structure, like a factory or even sometimes an office. In a site visit, visitors come on site to have a look around. Someone in your company will usually play host and give them a tour. This is often part of the sales process: Sometimes it s the visitors who are selling something to the host, and sometimes it s other way around. The language we re going to study in this episode will be useful for anyone who needs to host visitors. No matter whether we are giving journalists a demonstration of a factory, or introducing potential customers to our work site, or giving government officials a tour of a construction project, we need to show people around and point out areas of interest.

This is the second in a two-part Business English Podcast series on discussing previous experience in workplace English job interviews. It is one of an ongoing sequence of ESL podcasts that covers the whole interview process. In the first part of this series, we examined a bad example of everything that can go wrong when we talk about our previous experience. We used the theme Don t let your guard down! to highlight the importance of maintaining an appropriate level of formality and professionalism, even when the interviewer is attempting to strike a casual tone. In Part 2 today, we listen to a better interview performance by someone who has prepared to talk about their previous experience more effectively. In this good example, Sherry Shen, from Hong Kong, is interviewing with a multinational accounting company for her first job after graduating with a Master s in finance.

This is the first in a two-part Business English Podcast series on talking about your previous experience in a job interview for ESL. It is one of a longer sequence of podcasts that will focus on the complete job interview process. When you sit down to start a job interview, more than likely you will be a little nervous. Interviewers have a variety of techniques to get you to relax and to feel at ease. Usually, they will make some small talk and generally try to lighten the atmosphere. One of the biggest mistakes you can make, however, is to interpret this friendliness as an invitation to be informal. Another reason interviewers try to get you to relax is to make you drop your defenses so they can see the real you. That s why successful job hunters will tell you, Don t let your guard down! - that is, don t lower all your defenses. That is the main message of this lesson - the first of eight themes we ll be exploring during this and future episodes on the topic of job interviews.

It s the end of a meeting, and everyone wants to go, but wait! We have one last thing to do: Action points. That means: Tell everyone who is going to do what, and when. Having no clear action points is a number one reason meetings are unproductive. So in this episode, we ll study language we can use to assign work to people, and also some phrases to finish off the meeting. We ll be listening in to a group of bank managers discuss how to deal with credit risk problems before a major year-end report to top management. They have already discussed and decided what to do, and now they need to finish the meeting. As you listen, pay attention to how the boss, Lisa, gives action points to her team, that is, reminds them of what they need to do.

Arriving at a hotel after a long, hard day of travel, you need to do one last thing before you can take a hot shower and relax in front of the TV - you need to check in. That means registering for the room by filling out any necessary forms and giving the hotel your credit card number. Checking in to hotels is another important part of travel, whether it s for business or for pleasure. This episode follows on from BEP 79 Travel: Reserving a Hotel Room, in which Sarah Johnson called to reserve a room at the Majestic Hotel in New York. Sarah has now arrived, and she is ready to begin her stay.