Extended Tasks and Activities
1.Reception Etiquette
Read the following passage and try to get some knowledge about farewell dinner etiquette.
Good Manners and Etiquette at a Farewell Dinner
Before leaving a farewell dinner, guests should make certain that they will wait until the guest of honor has been toasted and presented with a gift, if there is one to be given. A guest should also always wish the guest of honor well before leaving the dinner or party.As far as leaving before the check has been paid, it certainly depends upon who is responsible for the check. If the company is paying the tab, it would be bad manners on the guests’ part to leave before the meal ends, unless it has been cleared with the superior beforehand.
It would be rude to sit down at the head table without being invited to do so. However,after all of the guests at your table leave, you could exit yourself instead of awkwardly staying there by yourself. Again, you should make a point of thanking the senior executive in charge and tell him or her how much you enjoyed the meal.
When attending a sit-down party or general gathering, guests should leave with the people they came with, unless they have discussed another option and let the others know.Simply ignoring them and going with someone else is very rude.
Normally, when people come to an event together they sit together. However,sometimes place cards will be distributed or table numbers will be given to guests and then they will sit where the host would like them to. If that is not the case and one of the parties would like to sit with someone else, he or she should ask the people he or she came with if they would mind if he or she joins another group. If the person is your date or escort, you should remain with that person. Although it is perfectly fine to mingle among the other guests, then join your date for the meal.
When someone approaches you when you are eating, it is acceptable to remain seated and nod to acknowledge the other person. A quick “Hello” is appropriate in that circumstance, not a long involved conversation.
Social and business introductions include a proper handshake, eye contact and recognizing the order of precedence. In both formal and informal social settings, women have precedence over men; older people over younger (as long as they are of the same gender); and smaller groups over larger ones.
2.Extended Reading
Business Etiquette for a Business Trip
By Lydia Ramsey
Business travel is often a necessity whether you work for a Fortune 500 company or own a small home based business. Only so much business can be conducted by telephone, e-mail,computer and fax. There will come a day when you need to travel for business and how you conduct yourself will make all the difference in determining your success in getting that new client or sealing the deal.
Always remember that you are representing your company during your entire journey,starting and ending with your trip from and to the airport. Be considerate to airline personnel,hotel porters, restaurant employees and anyone else you meet on your trip. You never know when someone you meet may be related to the CEO of your client company or when someone you treat badly makes a formal complaint to your employer. Stay on your best behavior when you are traveling and you will build relationships that can impact the bottom line. As a bonus you will enjoy your trip a lot more when you treat others with courtesy and kindness.
After your travel reservations are made you can do some research. Start by studying the customs and culture of your destination if you are visiting a foreign country or by reading an online newspaper from the city where you will be staying. Use the internet to select a restaurant for wining and dining your client, and make reservations ahead of time. Refresh your memory on the basics of introductions, table manners and gift giving before you leave home.
If you are traveling with someone else, ask that you be seated next to your business associates on the airplane. Sitting together will ensure you keep your conversations confidential and other passengers will appreciate not having to listen to you talk across an aisle or over the seat. Avoid alcohol on the airplane and during your entire trip. Traveling is not an excuse to indulge in alcoholic beverages and your boss will not appreciate being billed for your overindulgence or hearing about your wild antics on the plane.
Prior to traveling familiarize yourself with the gift giving etiquette of the company you are visiting. Be aware that many corporations and government offices have strict rules about accepting gifts. Call the company receptionist or the secretary of the person you will meet with on your trip to inquire about the company guidelines and ask for suggestions if a gift is appropriate.
Use technology sparingly in order to show respect for those around you. Make use of earphones with your laptop or hand held gadgets. Turn your cell phone off while flying and when attending a meeting. If you do have to take a call, let others know ahead of time and leave the meeting when the call comes in.
Be punctual for all of your meetings and dress professionally. Leave your casual clothes for evenings and weekends when you won’t be spending time with your client. Plan on keeping yourself occupied on off hours and do not expect your client to entertain you. If you are invited to a casual meal or other activity on off hours, feel free to accept but pay attention to your attire. Even if your host suggests that you dress casually, keep in mind that you are still doing business and make sure you keep the “business” in “business casual”.
Refrain from discussing inappropriate issues while traveling such as religion, politics and your latest surgery. Respond respectfully when asked your opinion on sticky subjects then move on quickly to another topic. If anyone, including a client, begins to bash Americans, do not take offense. Tell them you understand how they might feel that way and change the subject. Client meetings are no place to advance your personal causes or opinions.
When you return to your office, send a handwritten thank-you note immediately. Let your client know how much you appreciate their hospitality and how much you enjoyed your trip. A handwritten note is much more personal than a hastily sent e-mail.
Paying careful attention to your business etiquette while traveling may help you achieve that promotion you have wanted, seal that deal you have been working on for months or enhance the otherwise lukewarm client relationship. You may not have control over your travel schedule, where your luggage ends up or the clients you need to meet, but you do have total control of your own behavior and your personal attitude. By minding your business manners your trip will be pleasant, productive and profitable.
Answer the following questions according to the passage.
(1) Why should you be considerate to airline personnel, hotel porters, restaurant employees and anyone else you meet on your trip?
(2) What kind of research can you do after your travel reservations are made?
(3) If you are traveling with someone else, why should you be seated next to your business associates on the airplane?
(4) How can you refrain from discussing inappropriate issues while traveling?
(5) When you return to your office, what should be finished first?
Minding Your Global Manners
By Lydia Ramsey
To say that today’s business environment is becoming increasingly more global is to state the obvious. Meetings, phone calls and conferences are held all over the world and attendees can come from any point on the globe. On any given business day, you can find yourself dealing face-to-face, over the phone, by e-mail and, on rare occasions, by postal letter with people whose customs and cultures differ from your own. You may never have to leave home to interact on an international level.
While the old adage “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” still holds true, business clients and colleagues who are visiting this country should be treated with sensitivity and with an awareness of their unique culture. Not to do your homework and put your best international foot forward can cost you relationships and future business. One small misstep such as using first names inappropriately, not observing the rules of timing or sending the wrong color flower in the welcome bouquet can be costly.
Building relationships: Few other people are as eager to get down to business as we Americans. So take time to get to know your international clients and build rapport before you rush to the bottom line. Business relationships are built on trust that is developed over time,especially with people from Asia and Latin America.
Dressing conservatively: Americans like to dress for fashion and comfort, but people from other parts of the world are generally more conservative. Your choice of business attire is a signal of your respect for the other person or organization. Leave your trendy clothes in the closet on the days that you meet with your foreign guests.
Using titles and correct forms of address: We are very informal in the United States and are quick to call people by their first name. Approach first names with caution when dealing with people from other cultures. Use titles and last names until you have been invited to use the person’s first name. In some cases, this may never occur. Use of first names is reserved for family and close friends in some cultures.(https://www.daowen.com)
Titles are given more significance around the world than in the United States and are another important aspect of addressing business people. Earned academic degrees are acknowledged. For example, a German engineer is addressed as “Herr Ingenieur” and a professor as “Herr Professor”. Listen carefully when you are introduced to someone and pay attention to business cards when you receive them.
Exchanging business cards: The key to giving out business cards in any culture is to show respect for the other person. Present your card so that the other person does not have to turn it over to read your information. Use both hands to present your card to visitors from Japan, China or Singapore. When you receive someone else’s business card, always look at it and acknowledge it. When you put it away, place it carefully in your card case or with your business documents. Sticking it haphazardly in your pocket is demeaning to the giver. In most cases, wait until you have been introduced to give someone your card.
Whether the world comes to you or you go out to it, the greatest compliment you can pay your international clients is to learn about their country and their customs. Understand differences in behavior and honor them with your actions. Don’t take offense when visitors behave according to their norms. People from other cultures will appreciate your efforts to accommodate them and you will find yourself building your international clientele.
Read the passage above and decide whether the sentences below are true or false.
(1) One small misstep such as using first names inappropriately, not observing the rules of timing will cost you a lot while you are purchasing in foreign countries. ( )
(2) You can get down to business while you are in the United States. ( )
(3) While you are in a foreign country, you can wear comfort dress to show that you are very welcome. ( )
(4) While you are in the United States, you can use the first name to call your client. ( )
(5) While in China, you can use your right hand to present your business card to your client. ( )
3.Translation
A. Translate the following sentences from English into Chinese.
(1) A farewell speech is delivered to a person who is leaving, usually by the boss or colleagues.
(2) Farewell is the last, but not the least work for reception.
(3) An FA secretary should get farewell well-arranged to make the foreign guests feel home and want to come back.
(4) The FA secretary should call the administration office two or three days in advance,and confirm the car arrangement one day before.
(5) It is only after the secretary sees the plane take off and disappear in sight can she leave the airport.
B. Translate the following sentences from Chinese into English.
（1）我希望不久能再见到你，请保持联系。
（2）跟你一起工作觉得很愉快。
（3）谢谢你们送我们到机场。
（4）请您代我向你们经理表示感谢，感谢他的盛情款待。
（5）期望再次见面，进一步洽谈我们的合作事宜。
4.Practical Training Project
Background:
Suppose you work in a shoe making company in Guangzhou and you are in charge of receiving some clients from Germany. During the clients’ stay in Guangzhou, you took them to the Canton Fair and showed them around your factory. You had fruitful negotiations with them and signed a contract at last. After that, you took them to Pearl River Night Cruise and guided them to some famous scenic spots in Guangzhou. Now you will arrange a farewell dinner for them.
Tasks:
Task 1: Writing
Draft a farewell speech. You can recall some good memories during the clients stay in Guangzhou and then you say goodbye and good luck to the clients. At last, you express your wish to have a good cooperation between the two parties. You may refer to the above passage about how to say goodbye to guests.
Task 2: Oral Presentation
Simulate the situation of seeing goodbye to the clients at the farewell dinner and present your farewell speech.