Peggy is the office manager in the Hong Kong office of an American export company that has its shipping headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui. Listen to this discussion she has with her assistant about the upcoming visit of the company’s managing director from New York.
Introduction
Peggy is the manager in the Hong Kong office of an American export company that has its shipping headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui. The company exports small leather goods to the United States from China.
Next month, the managing director is visiting Hong Kong from New York. This will be his first trip to look at the Hong Kong operation. The previous managing director visited the Hong Kong office many times, but the present director has only been in the job for six months and this will be his first visit.
Peggy is in charge of the visit and obviously wants to make a good impression. Here she is discussing her plans with Christie, her assistant. Listen to what the two of them say.
Conversation
Peggy: Hi, Christie. I’ve just got an email from Mr West’s secretary in New York giving us a few details about his visit. I’m not looking forward to meeting him at all. Something tells me he’s visiting us for a reason we haven’t been told. Anyway, he’s arriving at ten in the morning on the fifth of next month on CX0026. A Thursday. Can you take some notes, then we won’t forget what we decide.
Christie: Of course. Are you going to the airport to meet him?
Peggy: You and I will go. I’ll meet you at the airport at ten on the fifth. Is that okay?
Christie: No problem. But ten will be a bit late, won’t it?
Peggy: It’ll be fine. His flight lands at ten but he’s got to get through customs and immigration. We’ll be there in plenty of time. Now, can you book a taxi to take the three of us to his hotel? We won’t use the Airport Express. It will be too much hassle. I don’t know how much luggage he’ll have.
Christie: Okay. Where’s he staying?
Peggy: Well, you’ve booked the hotel, haven’t you? Did you book the Holiday Lodge on Nathan Road?
Christie: I haven’t booked anything for him! You said you’d do the hotel booking yourself.
Peggy: Oh, I did, didn’t I? Ooooops... Anyway, you do it. As soon as possible.
Christie: We didn’t get a good rate at the Holiday Lodge last time when that buyer came from London. I’ll ring around to some other hotels.
Peggy: Can you do that this morning?
Christie: I’ll have to do it straight after lunch.
Peggy: Ok. We’ll let him settle in by himself until early evening. He’ll want to get some rest after the flight. We must arrange somewhere for dinner. Will you be available?
Christie: I won’t. Sorry. It’s my mother’s birthday that day. We’ve arranged to take her out for dinner.
Peggy: Oh, I don’t want to be on my own with him. Can you ask someone in the office to come to dinner with us that night? It doesn’t matter who. Just ask around and see who’s available.
Christie: Will do. I’m sure someone will take up the offer of a free dinner.
Peggy: Will you be able to go to his hotel to pick him up and bring him into the office the following morning? The sixth.
Christie: Yes, I’ll do that. No problem.
Peggy: Now, let’s decide what we’re going to do with Mr West for the rest of that day. Or perhaps we should just wait and see what he wants to do and what he wants to talk about. It would be much easier if we knew why he was coming. What do you think?