Материал: 4809

76

Exercise 1. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Discuss them.

1.The annual loss of customers will render European routes unprofitable

2.Orientair competes effectively.

3.Fare reductions and variations in routes may give Orientair an edge over its competitors.

4.The customer survey shows that Orientair is weak in the service area.

5.The main recommendations were given to update the fleet of planes.

Θ On 15th August, the Board meets to discuss the customer survey report and to consider the proposal put forward by the Marketing Department.

Exercise 2. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the words given below.

survey considered in-flight unexpected costly outside unions

Chan: Thank you, Stephen. The findings of the customer survey are very clear. It is obvious that a ... (c) of customers regard our cabin service and catering as either poor or unsatisfactory.

Lee: These are disturbing findings, but not altogether ... (d).

Tang: I must point out that many of the items in the questionnaire are ... (e) of our control. Punctuality, for example, depends on traffic volume, air traffic control system, and, of course, the weather.

Chan: Yes, and although our customers are happy with our check-in personnel, there are continuing problems with check-in facilities.

Marsh: Those facilities would prove ... (f) to improve.

Lee: I’d like to come back to Tony’s earlier point. The major finding is that there is strong dissatisfaction with our ... (g) services. Let’s concentrate on that for a moment,

77

shall we? We can come back to the ground services later.

Kwon: It’s only fair to say our cabin staff do a good job in the ... (h). The question we have to answer is how we can improve in-flight services without putting too much strain on their goodwill. We must also avoid problems with the ... (i).

Tang: We’re going to need extra cabin staff on our larger aircraft if we are to improve in-flight ... (j).

Kwon: This is quite likely, though increased pay might be an attractive ... (k). Marsh: Erm-may I come in here Stephen?

Lee: Yes, go ahead, Gary.

Marsh: As Financial Director, I must remind the meeting that we are operating within strict financial restraints at this time. I’m sorry to keep repeating myself, but I think it is important we remember the realities of the situation.

Lee: Don’t apologize, Gary. It’s a very good point. In any case, we don’t yet know whether these extra costs will be necessary. We’ve seen the proposals from Marketing. Let’s look at them in ... (l) first.

Now listen to the recorded conversation, and the exercise which follows it.

Exercise 3. Rewrite these examples using an expression from the meeting.

Let me ask Tony to speak now.

Let me hand over to Tony now

a)That’s not completely true.

_______________________________________________________________

b)I must tell you that the report was prepared at short notice.

_______________________________________________________________

c)Implementing these proposals could be costly.

________________________________________________________________

d)I’d like to return to that point later.

________________________________________________________________

e)What you say is quite possible, but what difference does it make?

________________________________________________________________

Exercise 4. Read these two accounts of the meeting. Which one do you think was included in the minutes of the meeting?

a. The Marketing Department’s report indicated that there is dissatisfaction with general areas of Orientair’s service. It was felt that several of the items mentioned, such

78

as punctuality and check-in facilities, were either outside Orientair’s control or too expensive to improve in the short-term. Referring to the dissatisfaction with in-flight services, the Personnel Director felt that it was important to find solutions that did not put a strain on the cabin staff’s goodwill and did not create problems with the unions.

b. The major finding in the report by the Marketing Department was that there is strong dissatisfaction with Orientair’s in-flight services. It was felt that in order to improve these services, it would be necessary either to increase staffing ratios among cabin staff, or to increase pay. The financial Director, Gary Marsh, reminded the meeting that the company was operating within strict financial restraints at this time.

Θ Operations Director, Paul Tang, knows that if the Marketing Department’s proposals are adopted, it will be necessary to increase cabin staff on long-haul flights by a factor of two per flight. He also knows that the Board is unlikely to accept this increase in costs. He decides to seek support from his opposite number in Personnel.

Read the memo

Please refer to the minutes of the Board meeting held on 3 August and to the Marketing Department’s recommendations on the review of European services.

The implications of recommendations 5.1, 5.2, 5.4 and 5.5 are considerable from an operations point of view. Having considered the requirements of such a wide-ranging improvement in services, particularly in relation to staffing, I feel that we should meet to discuss options and priorities. Please contact my secretary on extension 2173 to set up a meeting.

79

Θ Exercise 5. Listen to the recorded meeting between Alice Kwon and Paul Tang. Tick the correct statements (√).

Exercise 6. Reproduce the conversation.

Revision of the file

Exercise 1. Find the sentences in which the words from the glossary list are used, paraphrase them and translate.

Exercise 2. Give English equivalent for the following words and use them in the sentences (short situations) of your own.

Рассылать (письма, документацию); ежегодная потеря; способ решить проблему; основные конкуренты; делать неприбыльным; иметь преимущество; сокращение стоимости проезда; благоприятный; быть связанным (обязанным); изменения маршрутов; строгий контроль; гражданская авиация; заинтересованные страны; повысить качество; при условии; расширить ассортимент; факты, вызывающие беспокойство; дорогой (дорогостоящий); злоупотреблять расположением; профсоюз; дальние рейсы; коллега по должности; смысл (значение); анализ экономической целесообразности; отступление, уступка.

Exercise 3. Give the summary of the file.

80

FILE 3

GLOSSARY

Make sure that you know these words. Find their Russian equivalents.

deadlock – disagreement that cannot be settled money well spent – money successfully invested

tight financial margin – strict financial limits (tight financial restraints) costing - calculating the costs of future activity or a product

costings – calculation of the costs

sobering – making or becoming serious or thoughtful

profit margin – difference between the price of a product or a service and the cost of producing it

to estimate – to calculate what the value, size, amount, etc. of smth is or will probably be operating profit – profit relating to a company’s normal activities

to go round in circles – discuss the same ideas returning to the same arguments angle of a problem – point of view

to strike – to come suddenly to the mind, astonish

long and expensive exercise – time and money consuming activity

to introduce note of reality - to draw attention to the real situation (state) to go through the roof – to increase sharply

to launch – to cause an activity to begin ( to launch a product, project, club, magazine) rule book – book containing rules or regulations

The question of the Marketing Department’s recommendations is item one on the agenda for the next Board meeting, which is to take place on the 28th August. As the date approaches, the conflict between the Marketing and Finance departments intensifies.

Θ Discussions continue on the Marketing Department’s proposals for improving in-flight services. Financial Director, Gary Marsh, who is leading the fight against the proposals, meets Marketing Manager, Jimmy Mo, at a meeting. He asks to see him afterwards.