Office management

SITUATION

In this lesson we look at what happens in the offices of Bookmart Publishing Services. We see how people work together and how they deal with the problems that arise, both within the office and with their customers.

CHARACTERS

All of these characters are British.

LANGUAGE

Working with people

6.1 Listen and read

It's Thursday, 18 April 1991, at Bookmart Publishing Services. Terry Cabe, the Personnel Manager, is having his weekly meeting with Elsie Donnell, the Dispatch Room Supervisor. Listen to what they say. How do we know that Terry isn't really interested in the holiday arrangements?

6.2 Listen and read

Elsie is looking for Frank Penny. She finds his colleague, Jane. Listen to what they say. What time should Frank start work? What time will he start today?

6.3 Structure practice: suppose

Elsie uses the word 'suppose' in three different ways:

Now look at the sentences below. All of them include the word 'suppose'. Decide for each one whether 'suppose' is used like a, b or c above:

6.4 Listen and read

Elsie sees Frank when he comes to work. Listen to what they say. Why can't Frank change his holiday dates?

ELSIE	Frank, can I have a word with you?
FRANK	Look, if it's about me coming in late , I said I'm sorry.
ELSIE	That's not what I wanted to see you about. It's your holiday dates. You've put down for the first two weeks in August. Now, we discussed all this last year, remember? You know everyone wants the first two weeks in August, and everyone else has young children. I really can't let you have those two weeks, two years in a row. Wouldn't you like to go in June instead?
FRANK	No way. I can't. We've already booked our holiday. We're going on a cruise. And Chrissy's arranged with her employer to get those two weeks. She didn't have any hassle.
ELSIE	Frank, I'm not hassling you. I just don't think it's fair, that's all.

6.5 Document study: a holiday chart

This is part of the Dispatch Room holiday chart. In the left-hand column are the names of the staff. Study this chart. You will need to refer to it for 6.6.

6.6 Speaking practice: sorting out the holidays

Gemma Tripp is Elsie's manager. She phones Elsie to discuss the holiday arrangements for the department. Read through the dialogue first, and write what you think Elsie says to Gemma (a-g). You will need to look at the holiday chart in 6.5. Then listen to the conversation. Don't worry if your answers are not exactly the same as the ones you hear. Listen again, and speak the part of Elsie.

GEMMA	I ve got to go away for a fortnight from 29 July. You'll be standing in for me, as usual. You've got the holiday chart there, haven't you? Let's see if we can sort it out so it's fair to everyone. When were you planning to take your holiday?
ELSIE	(a)
GEMMA	Hm. We overlap by a week. Suppose you were to postpone your holiday till 12 August? How many people would be away from the office that week?
ELSIE	(b)
GEMMA	And the following week, the week of the nineteenth?
ELSIE	(c)
GEMMA	Mm. If you were away then, who could deputise for you?
ELSIE	(d)
GEMMA	No, not Queenie, I think. Victor's too new, and so is Lola. That leaves Frank or Richard. How would you feel about Frank being in charge of the Dispatch Room?
ELSIE	(e)
GEMMA	Yes, I thought you'd say that. I'll have a word with Richard Ogden. Why can't Frank take his fortnight off before the school holidays?
ELSIE	(f)
GEMMA	Yes, but she hasn't got any children, has she? Go on, tell Frank to persuade her to go in June. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll just have to change your dates.
ELSIE	(g)

Dealing with complaints

6.7 Speaking practice: a complaint

Other staff at Bookmart deal with customers and suppliers. Listen to this telephone conversation, then listen again and speak the part of Mr Field, the bookseller.

SUSAN	Hello, Order Processing, can I help you?
FIELD	Good morning. My name's Field, I have a bookshop in York.
SUSAN	Yes. What can I do for you, Mr Field?
FIELD	I'm calling about an order that I've been waiting for since the end of March.
SUSAN	The end of March! Can you give me the order number, please?
FIELD	Yes, the order number was one two two seven.
SUSAN	I'll just call it up on the computer. One two double-seven, did you say?
FIELD	No, one double-two seven.
SUSAN	Oh sorry, one double-two seven. Yes, I've got it. Well, it was dispatched to you on the twelfth of this month, so it should arrive any time now. Can you give it another couple of days?
FIELD	Well, all right, as long as it has been sent. But if it doesn't arrive in the next forty-eight hours you'll be hearing from me again.
SUSAN	Yes, do please contact me again if it hasn't arrived by then, Mr Field.
FIELD	Who shall I ask for?
SUSAN	Susan - I'm Susan. Thank you! Goodbye!
FIELD	Goodbye.

6.8 Document study

Ben is the office junior. He is opening the morning post. Listen to what he says. What problem does he find?

BEN	Susan? There's a remittance here , they've sent a cheque, but it's less than what it says on the statement.
SUSAN	Really? Any explanation?
BEN	Oh yes! There's this letter.
SUSAN	Ben, get me the customer file on this, will you? I'll be back in ten minutes. Can you leave it on my desk so I don't forget to deal with it?

Bookmart Publishing Services Ltd
Unit 8
Ironbridge Way
Telford
Shropshire TF89 4RD

15 April 1991

Dear Sirs

We enclose a cheque for £12,344.67 against your March statement (copy also enclosed). We are withholding payment on your invoice 8874503 for £1,340.03 because you have not yet given us a satisfactory reply to our letter of 22 January.

6.9 Document study

Susan is reading the file on Martinu Books. She finds a letter from Martinu. Read the letter and the handwritten comments from her manager, George Harvey, carefully. Should Martinu have the extra discount? Why/why not?

Bookmart Publishing Services Ltd
Unit 8
Ironbridge Way
Telford
Shropshire TF89 4RD

22 January 1991

Dear Sirs

Invoice no. 8874503 dated 17 December 1990

We have to draw your attention to an error in this invoice. You have deducted a trade discount of 35 per cent. You will recall, however, that your sales representative agreed on 1 October that we should benefit under the terms of your 'Major Customer' plan. We are therefore deducting an additional 5 per cent from this invoice, and claim a similar deduction from invoices 8789820, 8791087 and 8849204.

We trust that you will find this in order, and remain

Yours faithfully

M J Martinu
General Manager

Cheek! George Harvey is suggesting that Martinu are deliberately misinterpreting the discount terms to avoid payment.
play this by ear wait and see what happens, and decide what to do then.

6.10 Listen and read: explaining discounts

Susan has explained about Martinu Books to George Harvey. He reads the file, and then telephones Susan. Listen to what he says, then do 6.11.

GEORGE

Susan, thanks for sending me the details about Martinu. I'd like you to write to them. Point out that we don't understand why they've knocked off five per cent , but say that we'll allow them a special discount of two point five per cent on everything since the beginning of December, OK? It'll be deducted from their April statement. No need to mention the invoice that they haven't paid; it'll just appear again on their next statement. Of course, assuming they go on ordering five thousand plus every month , they'll qualify for the full five per cent discount starting in August anyway. Is that OK?

SUSAN

OK, Mr Harvey. Thanks.

6.11 Writing practice: a letter to Martinu Books

Susan now has to write to Martinu Books explaining how the discount works. Write the letter for her. The letter should be formal, but polite. The aim is to persuade Martinu to pay, not to force them. Remember, you don't want to lose a customer.
Nearly all the phrases you need are shown in the text, but you will have to think carefully before starting to write. The following points must be covered:

6.12 Speaking practice: an angry customer

Susan has another telephone call from an angry Mr Field. Listen to what they say. Why is he angry? Listen again, and speak the part of Mr Field. Remember - you're supposed to be angry!

SUSAN	Hello, Order Processing, can I help you?
FIELD	Hello, this is Field Booksellers, in York. I'm calling about my order, number one two two seven ...
SUSAN	Oh, good morning, Mr Field. Did the books reach you all right?
FIELD	They were finally delivered a few minutes ago.
SUSAN	Oh good!
FIELD	But most of them were damaged, and it's due to bad packaging.
SUSAN	Oh dear! Was the packaging damaged in any way?
FIELD	Yes. The boxes weren't banded , so they just split open.
SUSAN	I can't understand how that could've happened. Every parcel is supposed to be machine-banded before it leaves the warehouse. Look, can you return the books to us, carriage forward of course, and if you could possibly fax us a list of what's damaged, we'll get replacements sent off as soon as we can, provided of course we still have the titles in stock.
FIELD	And how long will that take?
SUSAN	Well, if you can send us the fax by, say, three o'clock this afternoon, I'll get back to you before you close tonight.
FIELD	Well if you could. You'll appreciate that I've got customers who've been waiting a long time for these books.
SUSAN	Yes, we do appreciate the inconvenience to your customers, and I assure you we'll do everything we possibly can to help. Thank you, Mr Field. Goodbye.

6.13 Listen and read

Susan rings George Harvey to remind him about an order for packaging materials. Listen to what they say. Susan thinks that George had forgotten about the order. How do we know this?

SUSAN	Mr Harvey, you remember we asked several office supply firms to quote us for bulk packaging materials.
GEORGE	Oh, when what's-his-name went out of business. I remember. Have we had the quotations?
SUSAN	Yes, and I think we should put in an order. The warehouse say they're starting to run low on most items , and we need stock for the office as well.
GEORGE	All right then. Perhaps I'd better have a look at the quotes. Meanwhile, if you'll make a list of what we want...

6.14 Document study

George Harvey decides that the order should go to Beloff Supplies. Susan makes out the order form below. Read through it carefully, and note how it is laid out. You will need to refer back to this order in 6.16.

	ORDER
Order	No. 00983
From:	Bookmart Publishing Services Ltd Unit 8 Ironbridge Way Telford Shropshire TFB9 4RD
Date:	22 April 1991
To:	Beloff Supplies Ltd Oakengates Road Telford Shropshire TF13 8AE

PLEASE SUPPLY:

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Cat. no.

DESCRIPTION

Qty.

Unit price

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213 346 471a 474

Corrugated paper, 100 cm Plastic cell-wrap, 180 cm Parcel tape, brown Clear adhesive tape, 2 cm

50 rolls 20 rolls 8 cartons 2 cartons

3.80 10.45 13.20 14.85

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When acknowledging order please notify us of any alteration to the prices shown above.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Deliver by:	30.04.91
to:	as above

6.15 Listen and read

Susan is teaching Ben about order forms. Listen to what they say. What mistake does Ben make? What would the correct figure be?

SUSAN	Now, Ben - remember what I told you? We've raised the order in four copies.
BEN	Top copy to the supplier. Pink to Warehouse. Blue to Accounts. Yellow, file copy. Right?
SUSAN	Right. But get Mr Harvey to initial them first , otherwise the order's not valid.
BEN	Oh, and there's something else you haven't done. You haven't put the total price. Let me see, it's, er, forty-two pounds thirty.
SUSAN	Ben, those are unit prices. You've got to multiply them by the quantities. The total will be several hundred pounds.
BEN	Then why don't you show it on the order form?
SUSAN	Because the prices may have changed, or Beloff may not have all the goods in stock. They'll show the total on their invoice. It's their job, not ours.

6.16 Document study

A delivery arrives from Beloff. Ben signs for the goods, and takes out the delivery note and invoice. Check the invoice against the order in 6.14. Is everything correct?

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INVOICE

Bookmart Publishing Services Ltd	Date and tax point:
Unit 8	29 Apri1 1991
Ironbridge Way
Telford
Shropshire TF89 4RD	Invoice no. 59207

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Order no. 00983

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Cat. no.

DESCRIPTION

Qty.

Total

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213 346 471a 474	Corrugated paper, 100 cm Plastic cell-wrap, 180 cm Parcel tape, brown Clear adhesive tape, 2 cm	50 rolls 20 rolls 8 cartons 2 cartons 3.80 10.45 13.20 14.85	190.00 209.00 105.60 29.70
	VAT at 17.5%		534.30 93.50
	TOTAL		627.80
			E&OE

Terms:	30 days from date of invoice.
	2.5% discount allowed for payment within 7 days.

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6.17 Listen and read

Ben unpacks the goods, and ticks off each item against the invoice. Listen to his conversation with Susan. What does Ben have to do now?

SUSAN	Have you checked that everything's there?
BEN	It’s all here. Only I think they've sent two and a half centimetre tape instead of two centimetre.
SUSAN	Oh no! It'll have to go back. All our tape dispensers are two centimetres wide. Check it, will you, Ben? If it is the wrong stuff , make out a returns slip and ask them to replace the tape as soon as they can. And in the meantime we'll expect a credit note from them.