Calling according to plan

Making phone calls in another language can be difficult at first, especially for someone who doesn't speak the language fluently yet. That is why important business telephone calls should never be made on the spur of the moment. Because telephone conversations tend to be short and you do not have eye contact, it is difficult to adjust what you are saying as you go along. Advance preparation can be a big help.

Vocabulary:

on the spur of the moment: spontan

objective: Zielsetzung

After the greeting

Try to identify yourself and your company clearly because there is only one first impression. But also try to make a positive closing, as that is usually best remembered. Always let the caller hang up first. At the beginning of a call there are a number of different ways of clarifying who you are. These follow a similar pattern:

Introducing yourself

• Good morning. It's Franziska Hauser here, from head office.

• Hello. My name's Andreas Obermaier from sales.

• Good afternoon, this is Chris from Tulip Technology.

• Hi, Jule speaking, from the Düsseldorf office.

• This is Antje. Is that Jack? Speaking.

Vocabulary: speaking: am Apparat

Using first names

In contact with Americans, Australians, New Zealanders or Irish, it is normal to switch quickly to using first names. People from cultures that use family names in combination with Mr and Mrs may feel a bit uneasy perhaps. But the social consequence of not being on first-name terms with a person is the risk of appearing distant or even unfriendly. So simply follow the approach of your conversation partner. It would probably sound exaggerated to suggest saying ‚Du’, as there is no difference between ‚Du’ and ‚Sie’ in English.

Nicknames

Many Americans or other English-speaking people commonly use nicknames in business contacts. To address them with their full first name could even look somewhat exaggerated. In the same way as names like Maximilian and Gabriele may be shortened to Max and Gabi, the English language shortens first names. Examples of common nicknames are: Harry for Harold, Tony for Anthony, Bob for Robert, Gene for Eugene, Jack for John, Bill for William, Frank for Francis and Ted for Edward. Irish nicknames can also be spelled in Gaelic sometimes (for example: Seán for John, Liam for William).

Vocabulary:

be on first-name terms with somebody: duzen

nickname: Spitzname

Gaelic: gälisch

What's in a name?

In certain countries other words than first and ‚last name’ may also be used. For instance, in the Republic of Ireland the word ‚Christian name’ is often used in official papers. Also note that ‚first name’ may refer to any forename, not just the very first.

Most married women (still) adopt their husband's family name. When a woman decides to use both names (e.g. Hillary Rodham Clinton), the second last name (unlike the practice in German-speaking areas) is the husband's family name. However, when two last names are written with a hyphen, this indicates that it is a double last name.

Asking to speak to someone

When asking to speak to a person it is best to use politer expressions such as: ‚could I’ or ‚I'd like to speak to’ instead of a too direct phrasing like ‚I want to speak to’.

• Could I speak to Jack Miller please?

• Could you put me through to Mrs Schätzing, the import department, please?

• I should like to speak to Mr. Staebel, please.

• I'd like to speak to the head of the purchasing department, please.

• Can I speak to his secretary / assistant, please?

Who's calling please?

• Sorry, who's calling / speaking, please?

• I'm sorry, who shall I say is calling?

• Yes, of course. And your name again?

• Sorry, what did you say your name was?

• Are you one of our suppliers?

• What would you like to speak to him / her about?

Vocabulary:

phrasing: Formulierung

supplier: Lieferant

The reason for the call

Whether you get to talk to a person directly, or by way of a secretariat or colleague, it is always important to know how to explain the reason for your telephone call. In the illustration below you can see the normal grammatical arrangement of noun and verb (verb + ing form) after an introductory phrase.

• It's / I'm calling in connection with Friday's conference.

• I'm phoning / ringing about the PowerPoint presentation.

• I'm calling to discuss the conference of next Friday.

• I'm phoning to inform you about the changes.

• It's about placing an order.

• The reason I'm phoning is Friday's conference.

Is it convenient?

To check if the person who answers the phone has time to talk can be done with the following phrases:

• Are you busy right now?

• Do you have a sec / second?

• Is this a good moment to talk?

• Have I rung you at a bad moment, Christa?

• Can we talk now or perhaps later?

• What time do you want me to call you back?

• Do you mind calling back this afternoon?

• Sorry, can you call again later?