Effective Business Communication & Meeting Protocols

Rescheduling a Meeting

Ellie: Good morning, Ann. This is Ellie from Computers Direct. I’m Emma Ryan’s assistant. Emma has a meeting with Dan scheduled for tomorrow at 2:00 PM.

Ann: Just a moment, please. Yes, I see it in Dan’s diary.

Ellie: Unfortunately, I’m going to have to postpone the meeting. I’m sorry it’s last minute, but Emma must stay in New York for another day.

Ann: I see. Would you like to reschedule now?

Ellie: Yes, let’s try for next week.

Ann: Would Thursday, May 11th, suit Emma?

Ellie: Let me check her diary. I’m afraid that won’t work, as she has a previous commitment.

Ann: I see. Would an early morning meeting on Friday, May 12th, be convenient?

Ellie: That’ll be fine.

Ann: Alright, let’s schedule it for May 12th at 8:30 AM.

Ellie: That’s perfect. Thank you.

Ann: My pleasure, Ellie. Have a nice day.

Planning an Annual Convention

Speaker 1: Josh, we need to start planning our annual convention. I’d like you to look for a venue.

Josh: Sure. I’ll get my notepad.

Speaker 1: Here’s a list of places for you to call. We’re going to need the venue from November 14th to 16th.

Josh: How many participants are there going to be?

Speaker 1: Between 50 and 70. We’ll have an accurate number by the end of October.

Josh: Will you require any special equipment?

Speaker 1: Just standard audio-visual equipment: microphones, projectors, and screens. Oh, and also podiums and laser pointers.

Josh: What about catering?

Speaker 1: We want two catered coffee breaks a day, as well as a buffet lunch and dinner.

Josh: Okay. I’ll get menus from several caterers. What other requirements have you got?

Speaker 1: We’re going to need access to the convention hall three hours in advance so we can set up our equipment and display.

Josh: Right. I’ll contact a few places and get quotes. I’ll update you by the end of this week.

Program for a Product Launch Event

Speaker 1: Let’s go over the program so you can take care of all the details.

Speaker 2: Sure, I’ll just get my laptop.

Speaker 1: Okay. The doors open at 9:00 AM. The reps are going to greet customers and hand out name tags and brochures.

Speaker 2: Okay. What’s next on the program?

Speaker 1: First, the CEO has 15 minutes for his opening remarks, from 9:45 AM. Then, there’s Adam’s presentation at 10:00 AM: “Robotic Technology News”.

Speaker 2: How long is Adam’s presentation supposed to be?

Speaker 1: About 45 minutes. Then we’ve got 20 minutes for an open discussion and a 30-minute break.

Speaker 2: That means the coffee break ends at 11:35 AM.

Speaker 1: Right. Next on the program is the presentation “Unmanned Vehicles”. It’s an hour long, plus 25 minutes for questions.

Speaker 2: Alright. When is the lunch break?

Speaker 1: From 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. After lunch, we’re giving a demonstration of our new line of products.

Speaker 2: Okay. And what’s the closing session?

Speaker 1: “Strategies for the Future”. It’s from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Taking Meeting Minutes

Speaker 1: I’ve been assigned the task of taking minutes at the meeting next Thursday. I’ve never taken minutes.

Speaker 2: It’s not hard, but you have to come prepared.

Speaker 1: How do you prepare?

Speaker 2: First, I read through the agenda carefully. I make sure I know what the objectives of the meeting are. That helps me focus on what notes to take at the meeting.

Speaker 1: What notes do you take?

Speaker 2: I don’t try to write everything down. You should concentrate on the key decisions, the actions, and who is going to do each task.

Speaker 1: Got it. Anything else?

Speaker 2: List the central issues that are raised. Also, record any objections that are raised.

Speaker 1: What do you do with the minutes after the meeting?

Speaker 2: Type up your notes soon after the meeting. Then, send them to the participants and everyone on the CC list.