distributor

An entity that buys noncompeting products or product lines, warehouses them, and resells them to
retailers or direct to the end users or customers. Most distributors provide strong manpower and cash
support to the supplier or manufacturer's promotional efforts. They usually also provide a range of
services (such as product information, estimates, technical support, after-sales services, credit) to
their customers.

handling allowance

Special discount or reduced pricing offered by a manufacturer to retailers and distributors who must
provide special handling to stock and sell the product. The handling allowance provides
compensation for the additional work required on the part of the retailer or distributor.

distribution channel

The path through which goods and services travel from the vendor to the consumer or payments for
those products travel from the consumer to the vendor. A distribution channel can be as short as a
direct transaction from the vendor to the consumer, or may include several interconnected
intermediaries along the way such as wholesalers, distributers, agents and retailers. Each
intermediary receives the item at one pricing point and movies it to the next higher pricing point until
it reaches the final buyer. Coffee does not reach the consumer before first going through a channel
involving the farmer, exporter, importer, distributor and the retailer.

B channel

Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/B-channel.html

Distribution channel through which usually second quality goods are sold, but may also include first-
quality goods that had been returned.

overhead

1. Resource consumed or lost in completing a process, that does not contribute directly to the end-
product. Also called burden cost.
2. Accounting: A cost or expense (such as for administration, insurance, rent, and utility charges) that
(1) relates to an operation or the companyas a whole, (2) does not become an integral part of a good
or service (unlike raw material or direct labor), and (3) cannot be applied or traced to any specific unit
of output. Overheads are indirect costs.
3. Data communications: Data bits added to user-transmitted data, for carrying routing information
and error correcting and operational instructions.
4. Utilities: Energy or water lost during delivery from the generating or production plant to the end
user.

pool

1. Investing: Amalgamation of the resources of the participants in an association or scheme for their
common advantage, such as in making a large investment
2. Accounting: Accumulation of overhead costs in logical cost groupings for subsequent allocation to
appropriate contracts and work orders.

unicorn company (unicorn)

A start-up company that has achieved a valuation exceeding $1 billion. Unicorns can be considered
the new "dot-com" startups, a term popularized in the late 90s and early 2000s.
In today's business climate, a unicorn is a widely successful company that has attracted venture
capital, after which the company is valued (called "post-money" valuation). According to Fortune's
"Unicorn List" in January 2016, Uber, Xiaomi and Airbnb are the top three Unicorns.

Uber was founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp in San Francisco.

c/o

Care of. An abbreviation that is used to direct correspondence to a particular place. It is typically
used for an addressee who is not at the usual place where he or she would receive correspondence.
For example, a letter could be sent to "ABC Company, c/o John Smith", or "XYZ Company, c/o
Human Resources department".

prorated

Divided based on another value, usually a unit of time. Common examples of things that are prorated
are rent or utility bills, which are reduced based on the amount of time you have lived in the house. If
you start living in a residence mid-month, your bills are usually prorated to take into account that you
only lived there a percentage of the regular billing cycle.

pipeline theory

Belief that corporations that pass all capital gains, interest and dividends to shareholders and
customers should not be taxed at the corporate level. Income is passed through the corporation to
the investors who pay income taxes on the money as individuals. Also called conduit theory.

stakeholder

A person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization.

Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives and policies. Some
examples of key stakeholders are creditors, directors, employees, government (and its agencies),
owners (shareholders), suppliers, unions, and the community from which the business draws its
resources.

Not all stakeholders are equal. A company's customers are entitled to fair trading practices but they
are not entitled to the same consideration as the company's employees.

An example of a negative impact on stakeholders is when a company needs to cut costs and plans a
round of layoffs.

voice of business (VOB)

Encompasses the primary needs of a business and its stakeholders, including profitability, revenue,
growth and market share, and can be used to establish goals and define success within a life cycle
map.

gap analysis

A technique that businesses use to determine what steps need to be taken in order to move from its
current state to its desired, future state. Also called need-gap analysis, needs analysis, and needs
assessment.
Gap analysis consists of (1) listing of characteristic factors (such as attributes, competencies,
performance levels) of the present situation ("what is"), (2) listing factors needed to achieve future
objectives ("what should be"), and then (3) highlighting the gaps that exist and need to be filled. Gap
analysis forces a company to reflect on who it is and ask who they want to be in the future.
 distributor agreement (distribution agreement)
A distributor agreement, also known as a distribution agreement, is a
contract between channel partners that stipulates the
responsibilities of both parties. The agreement is usually between a
manufacturer or vendor and a distributor but in some cases may
involve two distributors or a distributor and some
other channel entity.

Business English  convince  join

Verbs (94 Words)  count  lend
=== Things You Can Do w ith This Word List ===
 decide  lengthen
 accept  decrease  lower
 add  deliver  maintain
 admit  develop  manage
 advertise  discount  measure
 advise  dismiss  mention
 afford  dispatch  obtain
 approve  distribute  order
 authorize  divide  organize
 avoid  employ  owe
 borrow  encourage  own
 build  establish  pack
 buy  estimate  participate
 calculate  exchange  pay
 cancel  extend  plan
 change  fix  present
 charge  fund  prevent
 check  improve  process
 choose  increase  produce
 complain  inform  promise
 complete  install  promote
 confirm  invest  provide
 consider  invoice  purchase
 raise  remove  separate

 reach  reply  shorten

 receive  resign  split

 recruit  respond  structure

 reduce  return  succeed

 refuse  rise  suggest

 reject  sell

 remind  send

Business English Nouns (97 Words)

=== Things You Can Do w ith This Word List ===

 advantage  equipment  permission

 advertisement  estimate  possibility
 advice  experience  product
 agenda  explanation  production
 apology  facilities  profit
 authorization  factory  promotion
 bill  feedback  purchase
 brand  goal  reduction
 budget  goods  refund
 commission  growth  reminder
 comparison  guarantee  repairs
 competition  improvement  report
 competitor  increase  responsibility
 confirmation  industry  result
 costs  instructions  retailer
 creditor  interest  rise
 customer  inventory  risk
 deadline  invoice  salary
 debt  knowledge  sales
 debtor  limit  schedule
 decision  loss  share
 decrease  margin  signature
 deficit  market  stock
 delivery  message  success
 department  mistake  suggestion
 description  objective  supply
 difference  offer  support
 disadvantage  opinion  target
 distribution  option  transport
 employee  order  turnover
 employer  output  wholesaler
 enquiry  payment
 environment  penalty

BUSINESS  ENGLISH  VOCABULARY

 Abbreviations and Acronyms

Word Meaning
@ at

a/c account

AGM annual general meeting

a.m. ante meridiem  (before  noon)

a/o account of  (on behalf of)

AOB any other business

ASAP as soon as possible

ATM automated teller machine (cash dispenser)

attn for the attention of

approx approximately

cc copy to

CEO chief executive officer

c/o care of  (on letters:  at the address of)

Co company

cm centimetre

COD cash on delivery

dept department

e.g. exempli gratia (for example)

EGM extraordinary general meeting

ETA estimated time of arrival

etc et caetera  (and so on)

GDP gross domestic product

GNP gross national product

GMT Greenwich mean time  (time in London)

i.e. id est  (meaning : 'that is')

Inc incorporated

IOU I owe you

IPO initial public offer

Jr junior

K thousand

lb pound (weight)

£ pound (money/currency)
Presenting Visuals -  useful phrases & vocabulary :

 As you will see from this graph ...

 I'd like to show you this chart on which you will see ...
 Let me draw your attention to this part of the graph.
 Let's look more closely at this month's figures.
 This figure refers to the sales in China only.
 This pie chart shows our share of the European market today.
 As you can see, our main competitor has an even bigger share.
 The bar chart represents sales in our Asian outlets.
 Here you can see a comparison between ...
 On the line graph you will note :

 a strong upward trend in the sales of product A ...

o despite occasional fluctuations ...

o with a slight drop during the holiday season ...
o with occasional variations due to ...

 the overall performance of product B is good. 

o The initial surge in sales was followed by a period

of slower growth in the second half of the year.
o The instant success of the product was followed by a 
period of stability in the level of sales.

Commenting trends - useful phrases :

 Increases :
 a slight/constant/marked/substantial/increase in sales
 an increase of about/roughly/approximately/in the region of ... %
 a little over/above what we predicted
 the recovery/upturn began in (month)
 an overall increase in ...
 an upward trend in the demand for ...
 sales reached record levels / reached a peak in (month)
 a strong surge in the sales of ...
 by (month), the figure had risen to ...
 we predict that sales will soar in the coming year / over the next ... months
 Decreases :
 just under our target
 way below our expectations
 a slight / notable / significant decrease in ...
 the downturn began in (month)
 the situation began to deteriorate in (month)
 the number has continued to fall
 Fluctuations :
 a slow start developed into steady progress in sales
  an initial upward trend was followed by ...
 we note slight fluctuations through the year
 normal seasonal variations are the cause of occasional downward trends
 sales have been (rather) irregular
 the level / the rate has been unstable since ...
 you will note a certain instability in the rate of ...

Conclusions - useful phrases :

 We must focus our attention on ...

 What I suggest is ...
 There is a necessity for ...
 We need more ...
 We have no choice but to ...
 Appropriate measures must be taken
 The only option we have is to ...
 These changes are inevitable.
 We will have to revise our estimation.
 The result / outcome will be ...
 I strongly recommend ...
 To conclude, I am happy / I regret to announce that 

BUSINESS  ENGLISH  VOCABULARY

Advertising

Word Meaning

advertisement Item of publicity to promote a product or service in newspapers, magazines,

on TV, etc.

advertising agency Marketing services firm that assists companies in planning advertisements.

AIDA Attention, Interest, Desire, Action - the aim of all advertising.

benefit Advantage of a product or service.

billboard Signboard for advertising posters.

broadsheet Newspaper printed in a large format.

campaign organised course or plan of action.

circulation Average number of copies of newspapers or magazines sold over a period of

time.

classified ads Small advertisements in newspapers or magazines, divided into categories.

commercial Advertisement on radio or television.

coupon Part of a printed advertisement to be used to order goods or samples.

direct mail Advertisement sent by post to prospective customers.

double-page spread Advertisement printed across two pages in a newspaper or magazine.

editing Reviewing or rewriting in order to make suitable for publication.

eye-catcher Something that particularly attracts one's attention.

features Special characteristics of a product.

generic advertising Advertising for a whole sector, such as tourism, rather than a specific
product.

hoarding Wooden structure or signboard, used to carry advertisements.

hype Excessive or intensive publicity;  exaggerated claims made in advertising.

jingle Catchy tune, with a short simple rhyme, used to promote a product.

key words Informative words chosen to indicate the content of a document.

launch To start an action in order to introduce something (e.g. a new proeduct).

mailshot Piece of advertising material sent to potential customers by post.

mass media The main means of mass communication (newspapers, TV and radio).

plug Favourable publicity in the media for a commercial product

(e.g. a book).

poster Large sheet of paper used in advertising.

prime time Hours on radio and TV with the largest audience, usually the evening.

promote Use advertising and publicity to try to increase sales of a product.

roadside signs Large panels along roads and motorways used for outdoor advertising.

slogan Phrase used to advertise a product, or to identify a company or organisation.

slot Specific time in a broadcasting schedule allotted for a commercial.

soundbite Short extract from a recorded interview or speech.

spam Unsolicited advertising sent through the internet as an email message.

spot Position of a commercial in a radio programme or TV schedule.

tabloid Newspaper printed in small format, usually with a lot of photographs.

target Objective;  what is aimed at.

U.S.P. Unique Selling Proposition;  a declaration of what makes a product different.

write copy Write a text to be printed or spoken in an advertisement or a commercial.

BUSINESS  ENGLISH  VOCABULARY

Interview Questions

Preparation for an interview is essential.

The list of questions below is designed to serve as a guide so that you are not taken by
surprise.

Before the interview :

 Prepare and practise giving responses to the questions without trying to

memorise them.
 Find out as much as possible about the company as well as the position you
are interested in. 
 Remember to take an extra copy of your CV/résumé with you so that the
employer can refer to it.

1 Tell me about yourself.

2 How would you describe yourself? (character / personality)

3 Are you married?  Single?  Do you have partner?

4 What are your strengths / weaknesses?

5 What do you do in your free time?

What are your hobbies?  /  Do you have any hobbies?

6 Why are you interested in working for our company?

Why do you want to work for this company?

7 What type of position do you think you are suited for / would suit you?

8 How would you describe the position we have to offer?

9 What aspects of the position are you most / least interested in?

10 What would you like to find in this job that you didn't have in your previous job?
11 How do you think you could develop the position?
What would be your strategy to develop the position?

12 What have you got to offer us?

What could you contribute to our company?

13 What do you think you gained by working in your last job?

14 What were you responsible for?

What did your job involve?

15 What do you think of your (last) boss?

16 Why do you want to leave your present job?

Why do you want to change jobs?

17 What are your salary requirements?

How much would you hope to earn in this position?
How much do you think you should be offered for this position?
What salary would you expect (to be offered) for this position?

18 Have you received any offers of a job?

19 Why have you had to look for a job for so long?

Why have you been looking for a job for so long?
Why did it take you so long to find a new job?

20 How do your feel about your future in the profession?

21 Have you had any failures?  What failures have you had?
Have you had any negative experiences?

22 What sort of obstacles have you come across / encountered in your work?

23 If you had to recruit colleagues, what qualities would you look for?

24 Would you be willing to relocate/to move to another part of the country/to work abroad?

25 Don't you think you have too much experience / you are over-qualified for this job?

26 How long do you think you would stay with us?

If we offered you this job, how long would you expect to stay with us?

27 Which do you prefer : to work alone or in a team?

Do you prefer working alone or with other people as part of a team?

28 Do you know how to manage a team?

Are you capable of leading a team?
Do you think you have the ability to be a team leader?

29 Why should I recruit you?

How could you persuade me to recruit me?
 30 Do you have any comments to make, or any questions to ask?

BUSINESS  ENGLISH  VOCABULARY

Meetings

Word Meaning
A.G.M. Annual General Meeting

absentee Person not at the meeting, not present.

agenda Written list of points to be discussed at a meeting.

alternative Choice of two or more possibilities.

attendee Participant or person attending a meeting.

ballot System of secret voting; 

voters place their ballot-papers in a ballot-box;

casting vote Deciding vote, usually by the Chairman, when votes are
in equal number.

chairman / chairperson The person who conducts the meeting.

clarify Make something clearer by giving more information.

conference Formal meeting for discussion or exchange of views.

conference call Telephone call between three or more people in different places.

consensus General agreement.

deadline Future date at which something must be done.

decision Reach a conclusion or resolution concerning future action.

i-conference A meeting or discussion between two or more people via the internet.

interrupt Stop a person who is speaking in order to say or do something.

item A separate point for discussion on an agenda.

main point What is most essential.

minutes A written summary of the proceedings at a meeting.

objective What is aimed at, what one wants to achieve or obtain.

point out Draw attention to something e.g. point out an increase in demand.

proposal A course of action put forward for consideration; to make a proposal.

proxy vote A vote cast by one person for another.

recommend Advise a course of action;  make a recommendation.

show of hands Raised hands to express agreement or disagreement in a vote.

summary A brief statement of the main points. 

task A piece of work to be done;  to assign a task to someone.

unanimous In complete agreement.

video conference Conference linking people in different locations by satellite, TV, etc.

vote Express one's agreement or disagreement;  to cast a vote.

   

Word Meaning
A.T.M. Automated Teller Machine;  cash dispenser

banknote Piece of paper money.

bitcoin Digital currency which allows payments to be sent from one party to
another without going through a financial institution.

borrow Obtain money which must be returned.

broke  (to be) To have no money.

budget Amount of money available or needed for a specific use.

cash Coins or bank notes (not cheques);  actual money paid, not credit.

cash dispenser Automatic machine from which a bank customer can withdraw money.

cashier A person dealing with cash transactions in a bank, shop, etc.

cheque / check Written order to a pay the stated amount from one's account.

coin A piece of metal used as money.

currency The money used in a country.

debt Money owed by one person to another.

deposit Sum  or money payable as a first instalment on a purchase;

 Money placed in an account in a bank.

donate Givie money, especially to charity;  make a donation.

exchange rate The rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another.

fee Payment made to a professional person (doctor, lawyer, etc.).

interest Money paid for borrowing or investing money.

invest To put pmey into a business, property, etc. in order to earn interest or
profit.

legal tender Currency that cannot legally be refused as payment.

lend Give or allow the use of money which must be returned, usually with
interest.

loan Sum of money to be returned with interest.

owe To be in debt to someone;  to owe money to somebody.

petty cash Small amount of cash available for everyday expenses.

receipt Written statement that money has been paid.

refund Pay back money received;  reimburse.

tip Small sum of money given to a waiter, taxi driver, tec.

withdraw Take money from a bank account.

BUSINESS  ENGLISH  VOCABULARY

Negotiations

Word Meaning
agent Person or company that acts for another and provides a specified service.

agreement Arrangement between two or more people or companies.

bargain price Reduced price

bedrock price Lowest possible price.

commitment Engagement or undertaking;  to commit oneself.

compromise Each party gives up certain demands in order to reach an agreement.

condition A stipulation or requirement which must be fulfilled.

contract Written agreement between two or more parties.

counter-offer Offer made in response to an offer by the other party.

counter-productive Having the opposite effect to that intended.

deal A business transaction.

discount Reduction in price.

estimate Approximate calculation of the cost.

facilities Equipment (e.g. parking facilities).

feasible Possible, something that can be done.

figure out Find a solution;  estimate the cost.

know-how Practical knowledge or skill.

joint venture A way of entering a foreign market by joining with a foreign company to
manufacture or market a product or service.

negotiate Discuss a business deal  in order to reach an agreement.

point out Draw attention to something (e.g. the advantages of your proposal).

proposal Course of action, or plan, put forward for consideration;  

to make a proposal.

quote Give an estimated price (a quotation).

range A selection of products sold by a company.

rebate Reduction or discount.

supply Provide customers with goods or services.

supplier Person or company that supplies goods or services.

tender A written offer to execute work or supply goods at a fixed price

turnkey Equipment ready for use or operation (e.g. a plant or factory).

underestimate Make too low an estimate of something (cost, danger, difficulty).

work out Calculate (e.g. price of something); find a solution.

BUSINESS  ENGLISH  VOCABULARY

Marketing  -  Sales
 Word Meaning
after sales service Service that continues after the sale of a product (maintenance, etc.)

agent Person or company that acts for another and provides a specified service.

B2B e-commerce Business to business e-commerce : use of commercial networks, online product
catalogues and other online resources to obtain better prices and reach new
customers.

B2C e-commerce Business to consumer e-commerce :

online sale of goods and services directly to consumers.

benchmarking Comparing one's products to those of  competitors in order to improve quality and
performance.

buyer 1) Any person who makes a purchase.

2) A person employed to choose and buy stock for a company.

cash refund offer Offer to pay back part of the purchase price of a product to customers who send a
"proof of purchase" to the manufacturer.

chain store Two or more shops or outlets that have the same owner and sell similar lines of
merchandise.

client A person who buys services or advice from a lawyer, an accountant or other
professional.

close Finalize a sale or deal.

convenience store Small shop located near a residential area that opens long hours, seven days a week.

coupon Certificate that gives customers a saving when they purchase a specific product.

deal A business transaction.

department store A large shop or store that carries a wide variety of product lines.

direct investment Entering a foreign market by setting up assembly or manufacturing facilities in that
country.

discount A reduction in price.

e-commerce Buying and selling by electronic means, primarily on the internet.

e-marketing Promotion of products and services over the internet.

extranet Network that connects a company with its suppliers and distributors

follow-up Maintain contact after the sale to ensure customer satisfaction.

franchise Association between a manufacturer or wholesaler (franchiser) and an independent
business person (franchisee) who buys the right to own and operate a unit in the
franchise system.

guarantee A promise that product will be repaired or replaced if faulty.

intranet A network that connects people to each other within a company.

joint venture A way of entering a foreign market by joining with a foreign company to manufacture
or market a product or service.

market leader The company with the largest market share in an industry.

mark up Percentage of the price added to the cost to reach a selling price.

opinion leader Person with a reference, who, because of competence, knowledge, or other
characteristics, exerts influence on others.

packaging Designing and producing the container or wrapper for a product.

product line A group of products that are closely related.

prospect A potential customer.

representative A person who represents and sells for a company.

retail To sell in small quantities, as in a shop, directly to customers.

shopping centre Group of shops developed and managed as a unit.

telephone marketing Using the telephone to sell directly to customers.

trade fair An exhibition at which companies in a specific industry can show or demonstrate thei
products.

viral marketing The internet version of word-of-mouth marketing - email messages that customers
pass on to friends.

wholesale To sell goods and services to those buying for resale (e.g. a shop) or for business use.

Unfinished sentences - Business

Ask students to suggest an ending for the following sentences and explain their choice : 

1. What I would like to change in my office is  .........................................................

2. The most important quality for a manager is  ....................................................... 

 3. If I were transferred abroad, the country I would prefer to be sent to is  .................

4. If I could change the way my company was run, I would  ....................................

5. What I would like to find in an airport is ...............................................................

6. I would like to have an opportunity to  ..................................................................

7. Every employee should know  ..............................................................................

8. Every manager should be able to  ........................................................................

9. Work would be more fun if ...................................................................................

10. The best way to relax is ........................................................................................

11. Appearance is important at work but  ...................................................................

12. Candidates nowadays should  ...............................................................................

13. The thing that irritates me most in my company is ................................................

14. If I had the time I would ........................................................................................

15. It would be a good idea if all companies ..............................................................

16. Travelling is tiring but   .........................................................................................

17. If I had to attend fewer meetings I could ...............................................................

18. If I were transferred abroad, what I would miss most is ........................................

19. The ideal retirement system would be ..................................................................

BUSINESS CONVERSATION TOPICS

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? 

1. It doesn't matter whether you enjoy your job or not as long as it's a well-paid job. 

2. Self-employment is more stimulating than working for a large organisation.

3. Social networks have rapidly become communication tools for many companies.
They will be further developed for business in the future.

4. Innovation is different from invention.

5. In the future most companies will be online companies.

There will be fewer offices and more call centres.
 6. Anyone who has contact with a customer is a salesperson - and that includes the person
who answers the phone! 

7. Small companies can adapt more quickly to changes in the market place than large
corporations.

8. Companies become more efficient as they grow in size.

9. More time is wasted during meetings than during any other business activity. 

10. It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life. 

You have to choose one or the other. 

11. It is impossible for young people to find a (good) job today without help from someone.

12. A successful salesperson knows the strengths and weaknesses of competing products.

13. Small companies cannot offer employees opportunities for promotion. 

14. There is more creativity in multinational companies than in small firms.

15. Qualifications are more important today than ever before. 

Fill in the blanks in the text below with one of the following words :

INCREASE    STEM    LACK    PAY    LEAVE    WORKPLACES   SALARIES   

SENIOR    
CAUSES    EQUAL    FOUND    CONNECTED    PROMOTING    SOLUTION

If in difficulty, you may ask for a hint (?), but you will lose points.

A report has revealed that men are paid higher  [?] and receive bigger

bonuses than women. 

The gender pay gap still exists in companies and  [?] in many

countries, despite legislation to ensure  [?] pay. 

What are the causes? Some people believe that women are more hesitant in

asking for a pay  [?].  Others suggest a variety of reasons such

as  [?] of ambition, poor role models or problems  [?] with

maternity  [?]  and time off for child care. 

However, the problem could also  [?] from the fact that it’s usually 

[?]managers who decide on  [?] rises, and most of those are men! 

It is also thought in some companies that there is no in point in  [?] a

woman who might leave to have a baby and never come back.

Whatever the  [?], this modern-day problem continues to exist and

a  [?] needs to be  [?].