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Business English
Click here for an Introduction to Business English
Business Vocabulary
Business English Vocabulary
Jargon & BuzzWords 1
Jargon & BuzzWords 2
Business Idioms
Online Business
English Quizzes
Lessons & Activities Business Functions
Greetings
Introductions
Telephoning
Taking/Leaving Messages
Making Appointments

Discussing Products/Services
Dealing with Complaints
Requests & Offers
Expressing Opinions
Giving Directions
Business Skills
Make Better Presentations: Five Pages of Tips

All About Numbers
Using Charts and Graphs
 

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When you are finished with this lesson go to the Messages Activity

Business English:
Taking and Leaving Messages

** This lesson begins where the Telephoning Lesson and Activity finished.

Everyone except the very top executives end up taking messages for someone at some time. 
The basics of the process are easy and fairly routine.

The structure of a typical conversation where you might take a message is like this:

[the first three exchanges are from the structure of the telephoning lesson, the new components of the dialog are in the gray boxes below]
A: 1. Greeting     2. Name of Company    3. Offer of Assistance
A: Good morning, Olympia Shipping.  May I help you?
B: 1. Response to question [if asked]   2. Request person or department
     3. Please
B: Yes, good morning.  This is Alice Stillman, I need to speak with Sven Jannsen, please.
A: 1. Request a moment  2. Give an apology   3. Give information
A: One moment please . . .  I am sorry, but Mr. Jannsen is out of the office right now, can I take a message?
B:  1. Answer the question   2. Leave message OR say you will call back

B: Yes, please.  Would you tell him that we need to reschedule our meeting for tomorrow?  I have a conflicting appointment that I can't change.

A:  1. Confirm that you will give the message  
      2. Repeat the message   3. Confirm the accuracy of the message
A: Of course.  I'll let him know that you have a conflicting appointment tomorrow that you can not change it, is that correct Ms. Stillman?
B: Yes, that is correct.
A: 1. Ask for the caller's telephone number
A: And may I have you number please, Ms. Stillman?
B: Yes, I am at 422-5692, that's Hanson Furniture Company.
A: 1. Confirm the telephone number  2. Ask if anything else is needed
A:  That's 422-5692.  Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Stillman?
B: No, thank you.  That's all I needed.  Bye bye.
A: Good bye, Ms. Stillman.
 

Practice the dialog with a partner

A: Good morning, Olympia Shipping.  May I help you?

B: Yes, good morning.  This is Alice Stillman, I need to speak with Sven Jannsen, please.

A: One moment please . . .  I am sorry, but Mr. Jannsen is out of the office right now, can I take a message?

B: Yes, please.  Would you tell him that we need to reschedule our meeting for tomorrow?  I have a conflicting appointment that I can't change.

A: Of course.  I'll let him know that you have a conflicting appointment tomorrow that you can not change it, is that correct Ms. Stillman?

B: Yes, that is correct.

A: And may I have you number please, Ms. Stillman?

B: Yes, I am at 422-5692, that's Hanson Furniture Company.

A:  That's 422-5692.  Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Stillman?

B: No, thank you.  That's all I needed.  Bye bye.

A: Goodbye, Ms. Stillman.

When you are finished with this lesson go to
the
Taking and Leaving Messages Activities

 
 

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