- •1. What unwritten rules do you imagine you might encounter?
- •2. How can companies help interns to adapt to their work culture?
- •3. Describe a company’s possible structure.
- •1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a call centre?
- •2. Are you for or against outsourcing call centers from industrialized countries to the developing world?
- •3. Describe skills and qualities of an efficient helpline operator.
- •4. What annoys you most as a customer?
- •1. What is the difference between customer service and customer support?
- •2. Why is customer support important?
- •3. How do many modern companies view complaints?
- •1. What communication facilities do you know (telephones and beyond)? (u.47)
- •2. Describe a phoning scenario. (u.48)
- •1. What are the functions of packaging?
- •2. What are the qualities and structure of a good presentation?
- •3. What stages of product development do you know?
- •1. What does the term product refer to?
- •2. What should sales staff know about the finished product?
- •1. What are the famous ‘4 Ps’ of marketing? (u.22-25)
- •2. What do you know about brands and branding? (u.22)
- •3. What can you say about pricing? (u.23)
- •4. What types of shops do you know? (u.24)
- •5. What is direct marketing? (u.24)
- •6. What advertising media can you name? (u.25)
- •7. What promotional activities may be used by retailers? (u.25)
- •4. Give an example of a person’s career (with the events in chronological order).
- •5. Think of advantages and disadvantages of taking a gap year and the ways of spending it.
- •2. What are skills and qualities of ‘the right person” companies look for? (u.4)
- •3. What types of pay and benefits may an employee receive? (u.5)
- •1. Do you prefer shopping in a store or on a website? Give your reasons.
- •2. What measures do e-tailers take to turn surfers into shoppers?
- •3. What is a conversational agent?
- •4. What steps in an e-tail transaction can you name?
- •1. What issues might be subject to negotiation?
- •2. What are the key techniques used during the negotiation?
- •2. What types of negotiation do you know? (u.62)
- •3. How can you prepare to negotiate? (u.63)
- •4. What should you do when negotiations get stuck? (u.65)
- •1. What are good and wrong reasons for mergers and acquisitions?
- •2. What are the five Gs of a possible acquisition?
- •3. How are mergers and acquisitions perceived by employees/ shareholders/ customers/ the general public?
- •4. Give examples of a company’s performance.
- •1. What problems may an acquisition bring to a target company?
- •5. What types of stakes do you know? (u.34)
1. What is the difference between customer service and customer support?
First of all the phrase “customer service” refers to pre-sales (enquiries), sales itself (including order processing) and post-sales (returns, complains, etc.). Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation. The phrase “customer support” is usually limited to post-sales only. Customer support is a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, trouble shooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product.
2. Why is customer support important?
Customer support is a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, trouble shooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product. So customer support is an extremely important point for every successful company.
First of all, sometimes there are situations, when many competing goods and services don’t differ greatly from each other, thus the quality of customer support can make all the difference.
Moreover good customer support leads to repeat business. A ‘silent complainer’ always tell all their friends about shortcoming of service and poor quality of products. It has a bad impact on the image of the company. In the long run the company could have to cut their prices or in the worst case go bust.
Therefore good service can have positive effect in the image of the company.
3. How do many modern companies view complaints?
Many modern companies see complaint as an opportunity. They are an excellent way of uncovering problems, and once the cause of the complaint has been eliminated it should never happen again. So an efficient complains procedure leads to constantly improving quality. It always will have a positive influence on the image of the company, therefore the sales will increase.
Business Vocabulary in Use
1. What communication facilities do you know (telephones and beyond)? (u.47)
2. Describe a phoning scenario. (u.48)
First we need to welcome companion (Good morning, hello), introduce yourself (This is Ksenia)
Then listen to the question (Can you put me through to…)
Then answer it (I’m afraid the line’s busy..)
Then say goodbye.
Module 3 Student’s Book
1. What are the functions of packaging?
The main function of packaging is to keep the food in good condition until it is sold and consumed.
A good package should therefore perform the following functions:
• It should provide a barrier against dirt and other contaminants thus keeping the product clean
• It should prevent losses. For example, packages should be securely closed to prevent leakage
• It should protect food against physical and chemical damage. For example the harmful effects of air, light, insects, and rodents. Each product will have its own needs
• The package design should provide protection and convenience in handling and transporting during distribution and marketing
• It should help the customers to identify the food and instruct them how to use it correctly.
• It should persuade the consumer to purchase the food. Promotional material placed on the packaging is intended to attract the potential purchaser's attention and to have a positive impact upon the purchasing decision. Promotional material on packaging plays a particularly important role on sales packaging as it is directly addressed to the consumer.