Page 32 - English for Executive Administrative Assistant

Below is a dialogue between two businessmen negotiating their terms. Read and complete the blanks with
useful expressions suitable to the context.

Key terms:

Manufacturing cycle time : a time it takes to go from raw materials to finished goods

Subsidiary company : a company that is owned or controlled by a parent or holding company

Contract Manufacturer (CM) : a manufacturer that contracts with a firm for components or products

Andrew Kirk : Good morning, Ms. Steel. After all those emails and phone calls, it’s great to finally
meet you in person.
Laura Steel : My pleasure, please call me Laura.
Andrew Kirk : Nice to see you, Laura. So, we are here to discuss what was left in our last email.
Laura Steel : It’s about the manufacturing cycle time, I believe.
Andrew Kirk : Yes, you see, getting you the short end of the stick is the least that we want, surely.
However, (1) …..……………………………………………………. that you can cut short the time so
we can proceed with our project by August next year.
[Insisting/ making stronger demands]
Laura Steel : I’m sorry, Andrew. But I’m afraid it would be difficult for us to meet. The time we need
to manufacture (2) ……………………………………………………………… your order scale. For a
[Urging/ making normal demands]
mass production like your order, our manufacturing cycle time (3) ……………………………….
……………………………………………. five months in range.
[Justifying/ providing reasons]
Andrew Kirk : (4) …………………………………………………. a slight raise to compensate for that tight schedule
[Showing flexibility]
if it works for you. Let me propose a 10% raise for three months.
Laura Steel : Appreciate the kind offer. (5) …………………………………………………………………….. Pardon me,
[Stating objection]
but 10% raise will solely go to the raw materials’ immediate supply. We still need to
distribute the load to more subsidiaries to complete your order within three months.
After all, we want to put quality over quantity.
Andrew Kirk : (6) …………………………………………………………………….., I’m afraid that we have to stand on
our grand with three months.
[Stating objection]
Laura Steel : (7) ………………………………….. raise it up to 25% ………………………………………… start our
[Wrapping up]
production right away.
Andrew Kirk : 25% is too high for our margin though. (8) ……………………………………………………10-20%.
[Urging/ making normal demands]

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English for Executive Administrative Assistant