Business English: Company Structure, Departments and Office Conversations

Unit 3: Organizations and Workplace Roles

Part 13: Department Descriptions and Responsibilities

1. Finance and Software Meeting

In our department, we do reports at the end of each month which show all the money going to and out of the company. It takes a really long time. I have a meeting today with Anna Neves, who's responsible for our software. She's coming to show me a new program she wants to buy. She says it will help us a lot with all our financial reporting.

2. Logistics and Supply Chain

Our company is divided into three business units: Home, Industrial, and Public Services. I work in the Industrial Business Unit. I organize all the transport from suppliers to our factories and from our factories to customers. Today I have a visit from Ralf Ehrling. He's the person in charge of buying for the whole group. He wants to use just three or four big international transporters for all three of our business units. He thinks it will cost less to have a small number of suppliers.

3. Human Resources and Training

I have contact with a lot of training organizations. We have a lot of people learning English here. We're also organizing a lot of IT courses this year because we're changing our marketing software at the moment. I report to the HR Director. She's coming here for a meeting today. We're employing a lot of new people this year, and she thinks they have special training needs. We're talking about what courses we can offer them.

Part 14: Office Tour and Introductions

Dialogue 1: Executive Offices

A: Here on the first floor we have all the administrative offices. This is the CEO's office, just here on the right. He's not here today.

B: How often does he use this office?

A: Oh, he's here about one day a week.

B: Where does he come from? He's American, isn't he?

A: Yes, he's from New York.

Dialogue 2: Meeting the HR Manager

A: This is our HR Manager, Carla Brookes. Carla, this is Robert Sielicki. He's interested in doing some marketing work for us in Poland.

C: Ah, that's good news. Nice to meet you, Mr...

B: Sielicki. But please call me Robert. Nice to meet you too, Carla.

C: How long are you staying here, Robert?

B: Just two days: today and tomorrow.

C: And who do you want to see while you're here?

B: Well, one or two people in Sales and Marketing. But I'd also like to see you later, if possible. I'm very interested in the training programmes you have here.

Dialogue 3: Visiting the Call Centre

A: We're now going into the new part of the building. This is where we have our new call centre for customers from all over the world.

B: When did it open?

A: Just two months ago, in January.

B: And how many calls a day do you receive?

A: I think it's about 500 a day. Let's ask the Customer Service Managers.

Dialogue 4: Northern Europe Business Development

A: Can I introduce you to Alex Fenton? Alex is responsible for new business in Northern Europe. He's on the road most of the time talking to new customers.

B: Hello, Alex. So which countries do you cover?

D: Sweden and Denmark mostly. But we're also very interested in Poland.

B: How much do you know about the Polish market?

D: Not very much. I think we have a meeting this afternoon to talk about it.