BBCEnglish at Work Episode 30: Two heads are better than one
BBC白領工作英語第 30 集：兩人合作智慧多 議價用語
Anna: (On the phone) …yes, we have plenty in stock. They’re £4 per unit… Oh, well, they are good quality ones…
Narrator: Anna 聯繫的法國公司回電了。真希望他們能下訂單。
Anna: ….laser technology isn’t cheap… hmm, I see… Well, thanks for calling back… Bye.
Paul: Everything OK Anna?
Anna: Not really. One of the companies I cold called has rung back…
Paul: Good, good…
Anna: …but they don’t want to place an order. They say we’re too expensive.
Paul: So you let them go? Didn’t you negotiate with them?
Anna: Oh, was I meant to? I wasn’t sure what to say.
Tom: Having trouble Anna? Don’t worry, I’m sure I can help. Negotiating is my thing! Narrator: "Negotiating is my thing"! 這麼驕傲？不過 Tom 當過年度最佳雪梨銷售員，所以 他還是有點兒能耐的。
Anna: Are you sure Tom? Don’t you want to negotiate your own deals?
Tom: I owe you one Anna after you saved my bacon with Mr Socrates the other night. And besides, you and me…
Paul: Come on you two. Get a move on. Europe is waiting for us! Custard cream?
Tom: Right. Now you need to call that French company back and ask them what kind of price they are willing to pay.
Anna: And then say that’s fine?
Tom: No. Negotiate. Say "I don’t think we can go that low."
Anna: "I don’t think we can go that low."
Tom: If they want a bigger discount, tell them they would have to buy more stock.
Anna: More stock, bigger discount.
Tom: And if you still can’t agree a price tell them "I』ll meet you half way."
Anna: Meet half way?! That means going to Paris.
Tom: No! Half way on the price. That line always works for me. I sold a load of plastic pears that way once.
Anna: So that’s "I』ll meet you half way". Thanks Tom. I’m really impressed. You… you…
Tom: Do you?!
Anna: What? I was going to say, you really do know your stuff – despite what other people say.
Tom: Uh?
Anna: Right, I’m off to make that call right now. Narrator: 祝你好運 Anna, Tom 表現真不錯！他的建議還挺有用的，不過能行嗎？讓我們再聽 聽 Tom 的建議。 What kind of price are you willing to pay? I don’t think we can go that low. If you buy more stock I can offer you a bigger discount. I』ll meet you half way. Narrator: 不知道 Anna 那邊怎樣了…
Anna: Success! They』ve agreed to buy 5,000 Imperial Lemons.
Tom: Brilliant. I knew you would be great. Did those killer lines of mine work?
Anna: Sort of – but when I said what price were they looking to pay, they said the full price as long as I send them the contract today so I had better get an envelope and post it as soon as I can.
Tom: Oh great.
Anna: Tom… Tom…can you come over here to the stationery cupboard and get an envelope from the top shelf for me?
Tom: Suppose so… (Door slams shut)…oh!
Anna: Oh Tom, why did you do that? It won’t open… it’s locked… help, help!
Tom: Help! Narrator: Uh Oh. 這可有意思了，Anna 和 Tom 被反鎖在文具櫃裡了，他們該怎麼解釋呢？ 我們下期節目繼續。Bye!
Listening Challenge 聽力挑戰
法國的公司同意從 Tip Top Trading 購買什麼商品？
答案：5000 個皇家檸檬。