B1: Managing professional trips

Managing professional trips

START

Introduction Read the short email below, paying special attention to the language related to traveling situations

Dear Hotel Manager, I’m writing to book a single room for three nights for my manager, Mr. Danny Williams, at your hotel in West London from Monday, February 13th to Wednesday, February 15th. Mr. Williams requires a room with a bathroom in a quiet area of the hotel. Also, please reserve a meeting rooM in your hotel for those two days, Monday and Tuesday. I would be grateful if you could confirm the reservation as soon as possible. Sincerely, Ann Costello, PA to Danny Williams, ABC Company.

Which words for travel reservations do you recognize?

Making a Reservation Complete the collocations or compound nouns by matching the words below:

Getting information Here are expressions to collect information for a reservation:

1. Can you provide information about your region?
2. Could you recommend a restaurant?
3. How long does it take to get to your hotel from the airport?
4. Does your hotel provide a courtesy shuttle bus?
5. What time do you serve breakfast?
6. Is there valet and concierge service at your hotel?

Complete the dialogue with the right term from the box below.

direct / package / all-inclusive / included / book / departure

A: Hello. I’d like to ___________ a round-trip ticket from Boston to Las Vegas, please. B: Of course. Are you flying for business or pleasure? A: This is a business trip. My ___________ date is May 15th, and I’m returning on the 17th. B: Will you be needing a hotel reservation? A: Yes. I’d like to stay at a four-star hotel. Is there a single room at the Bellagio? B: One moment. Let me check. First, there is a ___________ flight, no stopover, with Sunshine Airlines on the 15th. The departure is 8am. You get into Vegas around 10am. A: That’s fine. I’ll take it. B: The fare is $199. A: Actually, I’d like to buy an ___________ deal. B: Okay. We have a two-day ___________ price of $499 at the Bellagio. A: That’s great. Does it include everything? B: Yes, all the meals are ___________ and you even get a free show. A: Please send the confirmation to my business email: johndavid90@abc.com

How to prepare for an excellent business trip

1. Be prepared. If you travel regularly for business, always have compact bags for your makeup and toiletries so it’s easy to get ready for the trip. Find out where exactly you need to go from the airport using GPS and arrange transport to your company or hotel in advance. This will save you time… and panic. 2. Plan for delays. Business travel usually involves transport delays, both in the airport and on the road. When calculating your travel time, include these possible delays so you can reach your business meeting on time. 3. Create a travel plan. Always have a list of items you need for your work trip, such as documents and your computer. Research the weather at your destination so you can adapt quickly to the new environment. 4. Contact your foreign contacts. Get in touch with your colleagues, customers or suppliers before you leave. Remind them of your travel plans and find out about their jobs so you can get to know them more easily. 5. Pack light and take care of yourself. Don’t check a bag as it may delay you due to airport baggage problems. Just bring a carry-on bag. Don’t bring too much luggage with you, or you’ll be exhausted trying to carry it around! Manage your health during the trip by drinking water, eating properly and getting exercise.

Reading Comprehension

Answer the questions based on the reading passage.

1. How can a traveler find his way around? 2. Why is it important to plan travel time? 3. How can you be ready for a new climate? 4. Why should you not check a bag at the airport?

Match the words and expressions with their synonyms or definitions.

Renting a car

Here are expressions related to renting a car:

I’d like a compact, automatic car, please. Excuse me. Is this car a stick shift? The rate for renting a car is $50 per day. Is there an extra charge for insurance? What is the excess on the insurance contract? You can buy third-party liability or comprehensive insurance. You can add a second driver at no extra cost. Is unlimited mileage included in this contract?

Complete the email by choosing the correct words:

Dear Tim Peters, Thank you for your inquiry about renting / borrowing a car through our agency. We can provide you with a medium-sized BMW i4 on arrival at Dublin airport from our business service. It’s an automatic, electric vehicle and the rate / fare is 80 euro per day. It has excessive / unlimited mileage. There is an extra fee / charge for insurance of 9 euro per day. This covers your car in the case of any damage, and there is an excess / a waiver of 300 euro. You may also add an extra driver at no extra cost / quantity to you. Let me know if you need any further services. Best Regards, Kim Walter EUROZ RENTALS

Checking into a hotel

Here are expressions related to handling hotel services:

I’d like to check into my room. Can I get a wake-up call in the morning? The hotel offers concierge services and housekeeping. There is a mini-bar and facilities for making tea and coffee. The hotel amenities include a swimming pool, gym and a bar. There is air-conditioning in all hotel rooms. There is a courtesy shuttle service to the hotel. Breakfast is served in the dining hall. Checkout is at 12pm. You need to be ready to leave by this time.

Complete the sentences with the correct words.

shuttle / amenities / check in / checkout / wake-up call / air-conditioning

1. We can’t ________________ to our room before 3pm. Let’s wait in the bar. 2. I have an early business meeting. I’d like a ________________ at 6:30am. 3. If you miss ________________ at 12pm, you may have to pay for another day at our hotel. 4. It’s very hot! Please turn on the ________________. 5. Please arrange a ________________ to transport us from the airport to your hotel. 6. You’re welcome to use our ________________, such as the spa and restaurants.

Making a Complaint

Sometimes, things can go wrong during a trip. Here are some useful expressions to make a complaint:

I’m writing to complain about a problem with your airline. I’m dissatisfied with my room. Can you move me to another one? Could you ask the manager to speak with me? I’m upset about this. The service is dissatisfactory. I’d like to speak with a manager, please. I’m very disappointed with this service. Could I speak with a manager? I’m afraid I have to ask for a discount because I’m not happy.

Insert the correct word(s) into the spaces to complete the dialogue.

dissatisfied / dissatisfactory / disappointed with / discount / upset / afraid

1. I’m ____________ I’m not pleased at all with my hotel room. Could you change it? 2. My colleague is ___________ because the meeting room is not ready. Can you fix this? 3. We had a poor experience at your restaurant. Can you offer a ___________? 4. My manager is ________________ the service on your airline. We want to make a complaint. 5. The food served at the conference was ______________. How did this happen? 6. I’m ______________ with the airline because they lost my bag - again!

Watch an excerpt from BBC series Fawlty Towers and name the 3 problems Mrs. Richards complains about.

Match the words with their definitions or synonyms.

Making small talk: Meeting your colleagues during a professional trip

Here are some expressions to break the ice when first meeting your colleagues.

It’s great to put a face to a name! It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dave from the NY Group. I’m delighted to meet you. Did you have a good trip? I’m planning to stay for just a few days. I’m looking forward to meeting the team. The weather seems good for the moment.

+info

Complete the dialogue using the words from the box

delighted / pleasure / planning / trip / looking forward / weather

A: Ah! You must be Lucy. Welcome to the NY Group! I’m Paul. B: Hello, Paul. A: So, how was your __________? B: It was long, but I’m __________ to be here. Thanks for the warm welcome. A: Tell me about yourself. B: I’m a project manager. I’m __________ to stay here for two days. A: Well, the __________ seems good for the moment. B: Yes, it’s just lovely. What about you, Paul? A: I’m the manager here. I’ve worked here for ten years. B: Really? Well, it’s a __________ to meet you. A: Would you like to meet the rest of the team? B: Yes, I’m ____________________ to meeting everyone.

Here are some tips to make a good first impression when you meet your foreign colleagues on a business trip.

1. Look professional: wear clean, well-tailored clothing to your business meeting. Make sure your shoes and accessories are also professional.2. Be prepared: do your homework! Take the time to understand who you’re meeting and the goal of your exchange, and prepare questions to ask your new contact. You don’t normally have much time during a business trip, so make the most of it. 3. Arrive on time: no matter where you are, be punctual for your business meeting. This shows your professionalism and respect for your colleagues. 4. Introduce yourself and give information about your role, but make sure to take the time to listen to your new contacts. Ask questions to engage them so you can build a strong working relationship. 5. Create an action plan. Present a plan for your business trip and communicate this with the colleagues you’re visiting. Include them in your plan so that you’re working as a team and getting their full support.

Reading comprehension

Answer the questions based on the text.

1. Why do you think it is important to dress professionally? 2. What does ‘do your homework’ mean? 3. Why should you include your colleagues in the plan you’re presenting? 4. Why is it important to be punctual for your business meeting?

Watch the video about how to make small talk when you first meet your foreign colleague.

Video Comprehension

Answer the questions based on the video.

1. Explain the meaning of the following words used in the video: ● anchor: ● reveal: ● encourage: 2. What questions should you stay away from when having small talk?

Match the words and expressions from the video with their definitions or synonyms.

Idioms: Practice

Finish the idioms by circling the correct word.

It’s nice to put a picture / face to the name. We’ve spoken many times on the phone. I’ve arrived to get everyone up to speed / reality on the new company policy. We only have one hour so let’s get down / up to business straight away. I’m here to touch base / contact with the director and to see the factory. Peter is here to keep you in the loop / circle about company changes. Thanks for the warm welcome. I’m looking forward to getting / learning the ropes.

Circle the correct preposition to complete the phrasal verbs in the discussion:

Company Manager: Hello! You must be James. I’m Julie, the company manager. Inspector: It’s nice to meet you, Julie. I’m just passing through / over Dublin for two days. Company Manager: Well, it’s great you had time to stop by / through. You’re very welcome. Inspector: I’m going to carry out / off an inspection. Company Manager: That’s fine. I suppose you’d like to meet up / over with the team. Inspector: Yes. I would like to go through / up the company files. Company Manager: I’ll arrange meetings with everyone for you. Inspector: I’ll write up / off reports about the company at the end of the inspection. Company Manager: I understand.

THANK YOU