电话英语简明课程.docVIP

电话英语简明课程 Telephoning You are probably used to making informal calls to family and friends. When making calls to companies, however, some special rules and conventions apply. On this page we explain how to call someone in a company that you do not know personally (the most common kind of formal call made by students) and give you some models and language that you can use. General rules When making a formal call, three rules should influence your choice of words: ? Be brief. Do not waste the receivers time. ? Be clear. Explain the background and purpose of your call. ? Be polite. Recognize the receivers point of view. These rules can sometimes conflict. If you are too brief, you may confuse the receiver or appear impolite. Try to balance the three rules. Making a call to someone you do not know The most difficult calls to make are calls to people that you do not know. Usually, the purpose of your call will be to make a request for information or a meeting. This kind of call can be divided into sections according to the function each serves: ? Locate the person ? Make request ? Make arrangement ? Close the call In the following examples, we will imagine that you are calling Mr. Lau to arrange a visit to his office. Locate the person If the person you want to speak to answers the call, this part is simple. If the receiver gives her name when he answers your call, you can skip to the next stage. If the receiver does not give his name, you can confirm that you have the right person: Hello, is that Mr Lau? More often the number that you have will connect you to an operator or secretary. In this case you will have to ask to speak to Mr. Lau: Hello, Id like to speak to Mr. Lau Kam-cheong, please. If Mr. Lau is not available, you will need to find out when you can speak to him: Could you tell me when he will be available? If the person you are calling has a busy schedule, you may have to call several times. When you are finally connected, it is best to