Another Monday, two

 
 
 

shave	persuade	housemate
waffle	porridge	fry/fried/fried
slice	issue (2)	accessories
realize	sneakers	permanent
client	selection	representative
iron (2)	navy-blue	prospect (2)
earn	break (2)	recommendation
gather	staff (2)	commission
subway	illustrate	commercial (2)
wide	cold call	feature (2)
dessert	caught up	hit the phones
seminar	staff (2)	keep abreast
attend	trade fair	workshop (2)
venue	exhibition	every now and then
engage	full-time	participant
B2B	take place	encouragement
honest	distributor	recommendation
set up	issue (3)	appropriate
brief (2)	enterprise	commercial enterprise
uncover	sales call

 
 
 
 

Getting Ready

Milton wakes up as the sun rises. He looks at his clock. It says “6:00”. Slowly, he gets out of his warm bed.

It’s another MONDAY morning!

First it’s to the bathroom, where he takes a shower and shaves.

In his kitchen, he finds his housemates, Peggy and Richard cooking: fried eggs, sliced tomatoes and mushrooms with toast. Milton prepares and eats the same thing (other times he has pancakes, waffles, French toast or oat porridge).

After breakfast, he irons a navy-blue suit for work (on Fridays everyone can wear jeans and sneakers).

Commuting

At about seven, Milton leaves the house and walks to a nearby subway station. There he takes the number 21 train to his workplace near the city center.

However all the seats are taken, so he stands and takes out his smartphone. He checks his email and reads some news websites.

At Work

At 7:45 am Milton reaches his company, a distributor of electronic devices such as desktop computers, PCs, laptops, tablets, phablets, smartphones and accessories. They operate B2B, dealing mainly with commercial enterprises that buy in bulk.

As one of its sales representatives, he works in the sales and marketing department. There he and his colleagues talk to prospects and clients both on the phone and face-to-face.

This involves asking and answering questions to find out their needs and wants, and making recommendations. Milton also informs them about new models and helps with any problems or issues with their purchases.

Perhaps the most important, difficult and decisive part of Milton’s job is making sales calls: giving presentations and negotiating with prospects.

If Milton is able to persuade them, he closes the deal, does the paperwork — and earns a commission.

Sales calls can take place both at his company or a client’s office.

Breaks

At around mid-morning, the staff takes a break. They gather in the break room where they have coffee or tea, an apple or banana, and talk and relax.

For lunch employees head to the building cafeteria. There they have a wide selection of soups, salads, main courses, and desserts.

Other Tasks

When he is all caught up meeting with clients, and customer service, Milton hits the phones and cold-calls fresh prospects. He and other sales staff also have to keep abreast with the latest product developments through technical manuals, seminars, classes and workshops.

Every now and then, they attend trade fairs and exhibitions. At the venue, the sales team set up their stand and engage with participants.

Milton’s boss is nice. Most of the time. At the beginning of the day, he briefs the sales team on important issues and gives them words of encouragement.

At about 5:00 pm, Milton leaves and goes home, unless he has to visit a client.

Ambition

To be perfectly honest, Milton isn’t satisfied with his career — he had studied engineering at university, but would rather illustrate cartoons and write comics and stories on websites.

At the moment, he only does this as a hobby.

Indeed Milton feels lucky just to have a full-time, permanent job . . . unlike Charlie and Ernest, his friends from high school.

 

 

Questions

1. What time does Milton wake up? Milton wakes up at . . . .

2. Does he live with his mother and father?

3. He eats the same things for breakfast every morning. Is this correct or incorrect?

4. Does Milton wear blue jeans and T-shirts to work (every day)?

5. Is he an engineer, and does his company manufacture computers and other devices? What does he do? What are his duties and responsibilities?

6. What happens during breaks? Where do they have lunch? Do they eat sandwiches?

7. He always works on-site at his company. Yes or no?

8. Milton’s ultimate goal is to become an upper manager in the company. True or false?
 
 
A. Do you or your friends deal with clients, vendors, suppliers, customers, prospects or partners? Do you work in sales, marketing or advertising?

B. I have to give presentations and speeches. Yes or no?

C. Now talk about what you normally do every day.

1) What do you often have for breakfast? For breakfast, I have . . .

2) Do you have to wear a company uniform?

3) How do you or your parents get to work?

4) What do you or your parents do at work?

5) How do you take breaks from your work or study?

6) Where do you have lunch? What do you eat for lunch?

7) What are some of your career goals? How will you go about achieving it?
 

 

 

 

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