Globalization has helped to make the telephone an essential business communication tool. Before you read the article, discuss the questions.

1. Do you like using the phone?

2. What makes you angry on the phone?

3. What are the special problems of telephone communication compared to face-to-face communication.

Read the article and translate the sentences containing highlighted phrazes.

Text A

What makes you lose your temper on the telephone? Being kept waiting, being connected to voice mail or being passed on to someone else are all common cases. But according to survey published today talking to someone, who sounds inattentive, unconcerned or insincere makes people furious most of all.

The study by Reed Employment Services, a recruitment company, found that nearly two-thirds of people feel that “phone rage” – people losing their temper on the telephone – has become more common over the last five years. More than half the respondents, who were from 536 organisations, said that they themselves had lost their tempers on the phone that year.

There are three reasons for this, according to Reed. People are much more likely to express anger on the phone, rather than in writing or face-to-face. Moreover, telephone usage has been rising steeply over recent years. Increasing numbers of transactions take place entirely by phone, from arranging insurance to paying bills.

In addition, people’s expectations have risen. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents to the Reed survey said they were more confident that their problems could be solved over the telephone than they had been five years before.

Companies are taking steps to improve their staff’s telephone answering techniques. The survey found that 70 % of organisations require their staff to answer the telephone with a formal company greeting. In 43 % of organisations, staff have to give their own names when they answer the telephone.

But a third of organisations do not give any training, or they train only their receptionists. That may not be enough, the report says. As companies move towards “remote working”, the need for the right tone of voice extends to every level of the organisation.

Notes: unconcerned – байдужий

voice mail - голосова пошта

Read the article again and find the answers to these questions.

1. What do people find most annoying on the phone?

2. What three reasons for the rise in phone rage are given? Do you agree?

3. Are telephone techniques improving?

4. What do you think is meant by remote working?

Discuss ways of improving employees telephone skills.

Write some guidelines on using the telephone at work. For example, Always give your name.