ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（63）
7月24日(水)
Two days after the visit to the Taiwanese company, Arun invites Malay to his office in Bangkok durying Malay and Arun's meeting. A small surprise occurs.
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What does Malay think about the length of the contract?
-She thinks the three-year contract is a bit too long.
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Sorry to interupt, but would you mind if I join you?
-Mr. Naka. What a surprise. I thought you'd already left Thailand.
-Malay, how could I leave Bangkok knowing that you're here. So what's your impression of our service?
-Now I understand what one stop solutions really mean.
-I take that is a compliment. How about our pricing?
-It's reasonable. But the three-year contract is a bit too long and we can't guarantee the volume of goods you requested.
-As Arun probably explained, our competitive pricing is based on a long-term contract on a bulk trade, which I'm afraid we can't compromise on.
-Understood. We'll review the details and get back to you.
-Thank you. It would be a great honor for us to do business with you.
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one stop solution
compliment
reasonable
bulk trade
compromise (+ on...)
honor
one-stop
providing a range of goods and services, so that you do not have to go to different places or ask different people
Relating to or providing a comprehensive selection of goods or services at a single location
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- Would you mind if I join you?
- Would you mind if I open the window to let in some fresh air?
- Would you mind if I ask a few questions about your project?
Could I possibly ..?
Could I possibly join you?
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I'm afraid we can't compromise on.
Well, our standard practice is to offer a three-year contract. We can proceed with a two-year contract while maintaining the volume of transactions. I believe this adjustments strikes a balance between our respetive needs and moves our relashionship forward.
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We can't adjust the contracts duration. We're willing to accommodate your request by reducing the volume of transactions by 10 percent. This adjustment allow us to address your needs to some extet.
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Mr. Shibata, do you have any memorable projects from your time as a banker?
-Yes, when I worked in London, we arranged new finacing scheme for Japanese clients. The hardest part of launching a new product is determing (to derterm) whethere it will sell. We visited Europian and Asian investors to sound them out. The investor response was not bad. But we were not convieced that it would sell. So, we were released when it sold out on the launch date.
-I see. So the launch date must have been nerve-wracking.
-Oh, yes.
nerve-wracking
Intensely distressing or irritating to the nerves.
soud ... out
探る、探りを入れる、
意向を打診する，考えを探る、叩くTo try to ascertain or gauge someone's knowledge or opinion about something.
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ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（62）
7月23日(火)
Malay beging to talk aboiut logistical challenges. In response, Mr. Naka and Arun make a proposal.
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What is a way to address the document related issues?
-It's to visualize and analyze the entire process.
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What are the issues if any in the logistics process?
-Well, there are document related issues like delays in customs declarations and permits. These impact production lines and sales processes.
-Mmm, that must be frustrating for you. One way to address the problems would be to visualize and analyze the entire process. Why don't you visit our Bangkok office and our warehouse? If you look at our operation and compare them with yours, you'll have a better idea of what we can offer.
-That's not a bad idea. I'm interested in understanding what Japanese style services.
-Great. Well, thank you for your time today. It's been a pleasure talking to you. Arun will follow up on your visit.
-Okay, thank you for coming all the way here.
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declarations
[ˌdɛkləˈreɪʃənz]
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- if any -> What are the issues if any in the logistics process?
-> If there's any issues - customes declarations
- procustion line
- frustrating
- visualize
- follow up
- Arun will follow up on your visit.
- Could you follow up on the additional information Isabella requested?
- I will follow up with the client after the meeting.
get back to ...
Arun will get back to you regarding your visit.
reach out
Arum will reach out about your visit.
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Thank you, but honestly, I'm not interested. Changing a logistics process would be a significant administrative burden.
-In the short time, maybe yes, but considering the long-term perspective, it would ultimately simplify your workflow. By observing our operations. You'll understand the benefits of working with us and in turn, we'll have a better understanding of your needs.
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ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（61）
7月22日(月)
Mr. Naka and a Rune from the Bangkok office are visiting the Thai local subsidiary of the Taiwanese company and having a meeting with Mallai the person in charge. After Naka's presentation, they delve into specific discussions.
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Where does a major portion of the parts as Mallai's company come from?
-A major portion comes from China.
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Thank you for the overview of your company. I'm impressed by your customer-centric logistics servieces.
-Thank you. Our customer satisfaction rate is indeed very hight. Now, we'd love to explore potential ways we can streamline your operations. Could you tell us about your logistics need?
-Sure. Here in Thailand, we manufacture PCBs, printed circuit boards and laptop computers at three locations. We import parts from various countries in Asia with a major portion coming from China.
-What does the logistics process look like for importing from China?
-We are using two Chinese firms and one Thai logistics firms. They collect parts from different companies and transport them to different warehouses in places like Guagzhou and Shenzhen. The parts are then shipped directly from these warehouses to our production site in Thailand.
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customer-centiric -> custmer oriented / customer driven
streamline
PCB printed circuit board
laptop computer -> laptop <> desktop computer
Guangzhou
Shenzhen
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be impressed by...
- I'm impressed by your customer-centric logistics services.
- I was impressed by the level of creativity in the artwork.
- We were impressed by the quality of service at the restaurant.
Your customer-driven logistics services are remarkable.
Your custmoer focused logistics services have caught my attention.
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- I'm impressed by your customer-centric logistics services.
Your customer-centric logistics servieces seem promissing, but I was hoping for something more innovative or tailored to our specific needs.
-Thank you for sharing that. It's great to hear your thoughts. We're always loking for warys to optimize processes and enhance efficiency. Are there any pain points or areas where you feel there's room for improvement?
*tailored to ..
*pain points where you fees there's room for improvement
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ラジオビジネス英語 Interview（2-7）
7月19日(金)
Kailene Falls
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What is Kainene's second piece of advice?
-It is to throw out your embarassment.
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My final question is about languages.
-Yeah..
And what advice wouild you offer to our listners here if you were a presenter of this program?
-Whatever I talk to preople who are studying a foreigh language, there's two tips I always give. One is if possible, your ultimate goal shouldn't be just learning the language. Becaue unless you are somebody that is a absolute language nerd, you are going to lose your passion for it and if you're self-studying in particular, it would be hard to stay motivated. So I would highly recommend somebody finding their own hobbies and finding a way to combine that hobby with their language learning. Because it will give you another reason to study. Now a simple one which I think a lot of people use is international media, so whether they like, you know, foreign films and foreign movies, foreign TV dramas. That's a very easy one. But again, things like ares, things like cooking, there is a lot of information online specifically in English that you cannot get in Japanese. And so, having a goal to better yourself in your hobby and your interests in addition to learning the language gives you another motivation to study because motivation I think is a really difficult aspect of language study. My second one is to throw out your embarrasment. I think that's very difficult for Japanese people and it was difficult for me at first. Because I kind of consider myself somebody that probably has a little bit too much pride and I did not want to look like I was making mistakes in front of my office mate. So the first year or so I was in Japan, I was a very quitet person because I didn't want to make any mistakes and yet somewhere along the line I realized it's less imprtant to be perfet than it is to communicate your idea. And onece you're able to make that realization in you head, your language abilities will grow much more rapidly because you need to use it to get better. And so if you're too focused on the perfection aspect of it, you won't be using it. So find a way to get rid of your embarrassment.
-Great piece of advice. Well, Kailene Falls, thank you for joining our program. I'm very much look forward to how your career as a bilingualist will unfold in the futre.
- I am too, I'm very excited I've lived 10 years in Japan now, and I'm looking forward to the next 10 as well.
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nerd
The word, nerd on its own descrives someone who is highly intellectual but it has a negative connotation. Attaching nerd to an iterest or a school subject such as a lunguage nerd, simply means that the person is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about languages. Other examples are computer nerds, math nerds, book nerds, theater nerds, and so on. There is also a hint of social awkwardness implied in these cases, but it's generally considered cute or endearing.
- combine with
better oneself 自分を磨く
To improve. To try to be the best that you can be. To learn and grow. To work to be more successful. To sharpen your skills. Kailene suggested using language to better yourself or improve yourself when it comes to hobbies and interests.
- throw out
- embarrassment
somewhere along the line
At some point. Something that happened or changed at a particular moment during a process, but we don't know exactly when. Here's an example. He worked as a software engineer for 10 years, but somewhere along the line he decided he wanted to become a designer. This means that at some point during those 10 years, he decided he wanted to become a designer.
Get rid of
Discard. Throw something in the garbage. Similar to throw out. To not use or keep something because it's unhelpful. To remove something that doesn't suit you or something that causes trouble. Kailene's advice for language learning is to get rid of your embarrasment. This means remove embarassment becuase the learner is better without it. Another example would be, I got rid of all my old books from university that I wasn't using. I have so much more space now.
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benchmark
To maintain consistency in my study routine, I listen to NHK radio programs every day as a benchmark.
in real life situations
I joined online cominities to compensate for limited opportunities to use English in real life situations.
game changer
Incorporating my hobby of traveling with language, learning has been a game changer for me.
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By watching Japanese films with English subtitiles, I've become able to express my thougts more quickly in English.
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I would highly recommend somebody finding their own hobbies and finding a way to combine that hobby with their language learning.
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Kill two birds with one stone.
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ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（60）
7月18日(木)
クレーム対応
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Subject: Urgent complaint: Missing construction materials.
Dear Ken,
I'm writing to express our frustration regarding missing materials at the construction site. Please see the details on the attached sheet. The absence of essential items is not only causing delays, but also jeopardizing the quality of our work. I urge you to take immediate action to rectify this matter.
Many thanks,
Relecca
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complaint = クレーム
<> claim 要求する, 請求する
jeopardizing
[ˈʤɛpərˌdaɪzɪŋ]
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ご不便をおかけしたことをお詫びいたします。
- I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
- I'm sorry for any trouble you may have experienced.
Dear Rebecca,
Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention. I understand the urgency and importance of having all the necessary materials on site. I personally investigate the matter and ensure that all the required materials are delivered as soon as possible. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Regards,
Ken
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Subject: Clarification regarding recent incident.
Dear Jeremy,
I'd like to follow up on the recent incident. I understand there may have been some frustration on your end and for that, I sincerely apoligize. However, upon reviewing the situation, it appears there were multiple factors that contributed to the issue. I'd like to discuss the details either online or in person. Would you be available sometime this week?
Best regards,
Ken
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In this email it says at the end that they want to discuss it verbally. What do you think about that?
-Expecially when it comes to complaints or issues, there's a higher risk of misunderstanding with emails. So I think to suggest talking verbally like this is an effective approach.
-That makes sense. This is even more so when it comes to communication in a foreign language.
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- Thank you for sharing the progress on this issue.
- I appreciate your transparency.
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Dear Ken,
Thank you for sharing the progress on this issue. I understand that various factors contributed to it. I'd be happy to discuss the matter with you online. How about this Friday afternoon?
Best regards,
Jeremy
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ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（59）
7月17日(水)
Mr. Naka is trying to share challenges with Helen and Arun related to approaching non-Japanese companies. There may be some concerns about human resources.
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Why are human resources a concern?
-Because providing meticulous Japanese style service will require additional staff.
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I'd be thrilled if we couls finalize deals with these companies. One concer however is Human Resources. Providing meticulous Japanese style service will require additional staff. How supportive is Tokyo regarding this?
-We also recognize that our current resources wouldn't be sufficinent. Mr. Okamoto, the CEO views expanding into non-Japanese business as a pivotal moment in our overall company storategy. The manegement is commited to making upfront investments.
-Thank you. I appreciate your strong support.
-My pleasure. Arun, Do you have any thoughts?
-In that context, we should target long-term contracts instead of short-term deals. Also, to generate profit, we should pursure a certain volume of transactions. We should aim for long-term transactions right from the begining.
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finalize とりまとめる・結実させる
Human resources
meticulous -> meticulous service / meticulous care
pivotal
be committed to
up front investment
long-term
short-term
generate profit
meticulous
[məˈtɪkjələs]
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generate profit
- To generat profit, we should pursue a certain volume of transactions.
- Diversifying the product line is a strategy to generate profit from multiple sources.
- Effective cost management is essential to generating profit.
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It depends on the volume of new customer transactions. If the volume is hight enough to justfy the additonal staff, we can consider expanding our theam. I'll discuss this with Mr. Okamoto to evaluate our options.
It's not easy to increase the number of staff at the moment as we are operating with the maximum number of personnel based on this year's staffing plan. However, I'll explore alternative solutions with Mr. Okamoto.
alternative
[ɔlˈtɜrnətɪv]
ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（58）
7月16日(火)
Mr. Naka, Helen and Srun are each narrowing down potential target from the new prospect lists for their respective offices.
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delve into
delve
探究する, 詮索する
To search deeply and laboriously.
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How many target companies do they select in total from the list?
-They select six companies.
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Could you please select three companies form your target list and rank them? Shall we start with Helen?
-Sure. Let me check. For the Hong Kong office, the top priority is number seven followed by number three and probably number four. So, tow Chinese companies and one American company.
-Okay. How about the Bangkok office, Arun?
-It's pretty straight forward. Number nice, number one and number six. A Taiwanese, a German and a Chinese company.
-Thank you both. The companies you've chosen are in sync with my thoughts. Six target companies should be sufficient for the first stage. Before we delive into porposals for each firm, do you have any questions or concerns on your end?
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followed by
straight forword
in sync with
delve into -> delve 掘り下げる
concern
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be in sync with... *sync <- cynchronization
- The companies you've chosen are in sync with my thoughts.
- The music and visuals in the movie were perfectly in sync with each other.
- The design is in sync with the client's expectation.
The companies you've picked correspond well with my thinking.
be in line with..
The companies you've chosen are in line with my perspective.
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- I appreciate your input, but I have a slight different perspective.
- Well, I see the merit in the companies you've chosen. I'd like to propose a slight modification.
- I believe we should include number two instead of number four. This Shingaporean company has recently expanded its operations in Thailand and could be an interesting target.
- How do you feel about adjusting our list accordingly?
- Whould you be opne to exploring this option furtehr?
ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson（57）
7月15日(月)
declutter
to simplify or get rid of mess, disorder, complications,
clutter
[ˈklʌtər]
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Mr. Naka holds a discission via an online meeting with Helen from the Hong Kong office and Arun from the Bangkok office regarding marketing for non-Japanese companies.
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What does Mr. Naka thank the paraticipants for?
-He thanks them for submitting the client acquisition list.
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Hi Arun, how are things on you end? Is it hot in Bangkok as usual?
-Hi Naka-san. You know, we only have two ways to describe the weather here. Very hot or hotter. And today is hotter.
-I hope the office air conditioning is working. Oh, looks like Helen is coming in.
-Hello, Naka-san and Arun. Sorry for the wait. The earlier meeting ran longer than expected.
-Tha's all right. We've just come in as well. So shall we get started? First of all, thank you for submitting the client acquisition list. It seems like every company is worth approaching, but winning deals may not be easy. Let's start with ranking these campanies.
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submit -> submitting
client acquisition -> M & A: Mergers and Acquisions
be worth .. ing
win 獲得する
deal 案件・取引・契約
rank
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rank
- Let's start with ranking these campanies.
- The survey ranks Japan as the top tourist destination.
- The interviewer ranks Chris as the best condidate.
assign priorities to...
Let's begin by assigning priorities to these companiese.
grade
Can we begin with grading these companies?
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Have you been on any exciting trips lately? I'm always curious to hear about new destinations.
-Actually. I just got back from a trip to Bali. It was amazing.
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Arun, have you been kieeping up with your photography hobby? I remember you showed me some incredible shots last time.
-Yes, I've been trying to get out with my camera whenever I can. It's my escape from the hustle and bustle.
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Have you been hitting the gym lately? Oh I need some motivation to get back into a fitness routine..
-Oh you know, me, trying to stay active. I've been getting into boxing lately.
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Jenny, what do you do in your free time?
-I like to relax and recharge my batteires. I love binge watching shows that make me laugh. I also find it relaxing to reorganize and declutter my home. But it seems never ending. Exploring new areas is always fun, especially because walking is my favorite form of exercise. So Mr. Shibata, what are some things you've been into lately?
-You do a lot of different things. I like to travel, so the first thing I dow when I book my next trip is to do thorough preparation. I watch films and videos related to the country or region as well as I read books. The more I research, the more impressed I am when I actually travel to the place.
-Oh nice.
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ラジオビジネス英語 Interview（2-6）
7月12日(金)Kailene Falls
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Why did Kailene chose watercolor?
-Because watercolor cannot be erased unlike oil painting or penciles.
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Why have you changed from digital to watercolor? ... go to watercolor...
-Yes, it's an interesting transition and I think we'll see more people transitioning this way in the future as well. But I think most people start in traditional methods and go to digital. I started in digital and that was really good for when I was working on a graphic design agency because digital art is very easy to edit. However when I worked at an agency, there was not a need for a style of artwork that was specific to me. So, my Senpai at the office would have a project and they said Kailene, "Can you digitally illustrate a flower in this style?" or "Can you digitally illustrate an apple in this style?" And I got very skilled at imitating a wide variety of styles, but in that process I lost my own style. Every time I sat down to do artwork privately on my own, something entirely different would come out and it woudn't be recognizable as illustrated by the same person and that sort of bothered me. I wanated a brand as an illustrator. I wanted somebody to see my artwork ...and recognize me That's an illlustration that Kailine did. So I realized that habit or that skill of imitating artwork, imitating styles was too ingrained for me digitally. And so I needed to try a different sort of art technique, learn something new in order to find my own style. And I chose watercolor because watercolor cannot be eraced unlike oilpainting and uh well, pencils obviously can be eraced, but even acrylic and oil painting you can use white paint to cover up mistakes. But watercolors are transparent. So once you put something down, you can put something darker on top of it, but you can't make it light again. And I found that appealing because I found that if I put something down, I was forced to work with what instincts were. I had to go with my initial instincts and build off of that, which naturally evolved into my own artistic taste, my own artistic style. So that's why I chose watercolor and now find it very fulfilling to work in traditional media. And honestly, I'm go out I did, because now with the advent of AI arts. I think the value for traditional painting styles is going to increase as time goes on.
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recognizable
acrylic
cover up
To hide, to conceal. To cover up could mean to hide something that we can see. Such as Keiline's menition of covering up mistakes in a painting. I can also be used to describe hide something that is not physical. For example she lied to her boss to cover up the mistake.
transparent
Visually taransparent means something that you can see through like glass from a window. The opposit of transparent is opaque like a stone wall.
Instinct
Build off of ->> to develop from" "elaborate on
ivolve into
fulfilling
advant
The arrival or start of something. The onset. The initial period of something that comes into use. Keiline talked about the advent of AI art. Meaning how AI art starging to be used more widely. For example, the advent of the internet has transformed our society and changed how we communicate.
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stand out
In the world of fasion design, originarity is key. So I create designs that stand out.
push the boundaries
Let's push the boundaries of traditional marketing strategies to bring out innovative campaigns.
challenge
We're passionate about designing spaces that challenge conventional norms.
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- Instead of following our competitors, why don't we make our own way?
*make one's own way -> make one's own path to it.
ラジオビジネス英語 Interview
Kailene Falls
