Making introductions

Lesson 3

Introducing Business Guests to Colleagues

1. DIALOGUE Ω disk 1-08

Listen to the dialogue and note the numbered expressions.

(introducing a colleague to a business guest who is visiting the company)

Ms. Marks: Excuse me, Mr. Holt, if you have a moment,²² I'd like to introduce you²³ to Mr. Uchiyama from our Kobe office.

Mr. Holt: Yes, of course.²⁴ I'd be delighted.²⁵

Ms. Marks: Mr. Holt, this is²⁶ Mr. Tomoaki Uchiyama, the manager of our sister-division...Mr. Uchiyama, this is Mr. Rex Holt. He is the managing director of this division.

Mr. Uchiyama: It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Holt.

(they shake hands)

Mr. Holt: It's a pleasure to meet you, too. I hope you're enjoying your visit here.

Mr. Uchiyama: Very much so.²⁷ Ms. Marks has been very helpful in introducing me to people and in showing me around.

Mr. Holt: Yes, she's one of our finest²⁸ employees.... Well, if there's anything that I can do to make your visit more pleasant, please don't hesitate to ask me.²⁹

Mr. Uchiyama: Thank you. I appreciate your kind offer, but I think Ms. Marks has everything covered.³⁰

Mr. Holt: Very well, then. Do take care and enjoy the rest of your stay here.³¹

Mr. Uchiyama: Thank you, I will. Good day.³²

²² ...if you have a moment... ­= this phrase basically means “Do you have time right now?” (a polite way to ask for someone’s time). [e.g. “If you have a moment, I’d like to talk to you…”]

²³ I'd like to introduce you... = Ms. Marks uses very polite language here. Instead of saying simply “I want to introduce you…,” she uses this form in order to show respect to her superior and the guest.

²⁴ Yes, of course. = This phrase is just another way for Mr. Hilt to say, “Yes, I do have time right now.”

²⁵ I'd be delighted. = A formal way for Mr. Holt to say, “I’d be happy to meet him.”

²⁶ ...this is... = when introducing two people to another one, it is best to stand somewhere between them and gesture with your hand slightly toward the person you are introducing (not pointing, but with the palm of the hand slanted upward while looking at the other person). These actions are then reversed and repeated for the other person. And say, “This is… (title and full-name).” In addition, Ms. Marks makes a point to offer a bit of information to each of the men to make it clear who the person is (in this case, position, title and division).

²⁷ very much so = A more formal way to say, “Yes, a lot.” In business situations, when you are trying to impress the other person, it is best to speak and conduct yourself more formally in the beginning.

²⁸ finest = best [e.g. The finest hotel in New York is supposed to be the Waldorf Astoria.]

²⁹ please don't hesitate to ask me = This phrase is used sometimes as a way to offer assistance, as well as to begin the process of taking leave from a conversation. It is a friendly way to draw a conversation to a close.

³⁰ ...has everything covered. = has thought of every possible situation that might come up. Mr. Uchiyama is complementing Ms. Marks for her efficiency in seeing to his needs while visiting the company.

³¹ do take care and enjoy the rest of your stay here. = Americans will often end a conversation with “take care” upon departing. In addition, Mr. Holt wishes Mr. Uchiyama an enjoyable stay (this is another common custom of Americans when taking leave from another person – well-wishing the other person).

³² good day. = A different way to say “good bye.”

2. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Answer the following questions with short answers from the dialogue.

1. Where is Mr. Uchiyama's office located?

2. What is Mr. Holt's position in the company?

3. Has Mr. Uchiyama been shown around and introduced to people?

4. Who is one of the company's "finest" employees?

5. What did Mr. Holt wish to Mr. Uchiyama as they departed?

3. MATCHING

Match the best combination of sentences from Column A and B.

COLUMN A	COLUMN B
• Are you going on a trip soon? • Have you ever been overseas? • Do you like traveling abroad?	- Very much so.
- Would you like to meet my boss?	• Yes, that has been covered. • Yes, if you have a moment. • Yes, I’d be delighted.
• Hello, to you. • Good by, ma’am. • How is the weather?	- Good day.
- Take care and have a safe trip.	• Thank you, I will. • Excuse me, I will. • Of course, I will.

4. MINI-DIALOGUES Ω disk 1-09

Listen and fill in the blanks and then role-play the dialogues with a partner.

A: Mr. Takamatsu, ( ) ( ) introduce you to my ( ). ...Jane, ( ) is Mr. Go Takamatsu. He's an engineer at the Fukuoka ( ) of our company. Mr. Takamatsu, this is Ms. Jane Price. She's in charge of ( ) relations here at the main office. B: It's a ( ) to meet you, Ms. Price. C: It's a pleasure to meet you, too. Please ( ) ( ) Jane. B: All right. By all ( ), please call me Go. C: I ( ) you're enjoying your visit here. B: Yes, very much so.

A: ( ) me to introduce you to my ( ). ...Sally, this is Ms. Amber Walsh. She's the ( ) of a company that sells corn products and is visiting here from Pella, Iowa. B: It's a pleasure to ( ) you, Ms. Walsh. I'm Sally Kline. If there's ( ) that I can do for you, ( ) don't hesitate to ask. C: Oh, thank you. But I think ( ) has been ( ). A: Well, we should get ( )... C: All right.... It was nice meeting you, Sally. Take care. B: It was nice meeting you, too. ( ) the rest of your visit.

A: Have you met my ( ), Carl? B: No, I don't believe I have... . A: Carl, let me ( ) you to Mr. Takaaki Satoh. He's the sales representative for the ( ) district. Takaaki, this is Mr. Carl Lucas. He and I work ( ) on developing new products. C: It's ( ) ( ) ( ) you, Mr. Satoh. B: It's nice to meet you, too. I'm very ( ) with the layout of the new product line you helped to develop...the one I'll be ( ). C: Oh, thank you. We're very hopeful that it will be ( ).

5. PAIRWORK-PRACTICE

Rearrange the sentences to make a conversation, then practice the dialogue with a partner.

Conversation A

– It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shaw. – I'd like to introduce you to my supervisor, Mr. Shaw. – Yes, very much so. – It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Ms. Fix. Are you enjoying your visit? – Ms. Fix, this is Mr. Edward Shaw. – Mr. Shaw, this is Ms. Maggie Fix, a lawyer at R & R Associates.

Conversation B

– Have you met my business partner, Jack? – No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure. – All right, Jack. Please call me Mary. – Mary, this is Mr. Jack Brown. He and I started this company together some 30 years ago. Jack, this is Ms. Mary Shaw. She's a computer programmer visiting from New York, the USA. – It's nice to meet you, Mr. Brown. – It's nice to meet you, too. Please call me Jack.

6. READING. AMERICAN BUSINESS CULTURE