[职场礼节美语之二十]电话留言先问候

 陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作了几个月，从美籍华人Mary那里学到很多西方礼节。今天Mary有件重要的事要告诉陈豪，现在正在给他打电话。

 

(Office ambience, telephone rings....)

 

(CH's Voice mail): "This is Chen Hao. Leave a message."

 

M：(After the beep). Hi Chen Hao. This is Mary. Please call me back when you have a minute.

 

M：(CH passing by Mary's cubicle) Hey, Chen Hao. 来， 来， 来。 I'm looking for you. I just left a telephone message for you。

 

C：找我？ 有事吗？

 

M：有事。But let me tell you first that your telephone greeting sounds too abrupt¹。

 

C：不够客气？What's wrong with:"I'm Chen Hao. Leave a message". 我觉得干脆利落，no nonsense².

 

M：You know that other people will judge you by the greetings you recorded.

 

C：那你说该怎么说才有礼貌呀？

 

M：You should have offered a welcome like "Hello" first.

 

C：噢，这不是很简单吗，加一个词就行了。对，这样听起来是比较客气。

 

M：你在录音里把自己的姓和名都说了，这很好。But you should have said, "Please leave a message." Saying "please" is a simple but necessary courtesy³.

 

C： OK, Mary, but I got to go, my boss is waiting for me...

 

M：Hey Chen Hao, I have something to tell you...

 

******

 

C：Hi Mary. Sorry I was in a hurry this morning. You have something to tell me?

 

M：I have good news. I am leaving ABC company and will start working next week for D&E Company in Beijing as the head of the Human Resources Department.

 

C：Oh, congratulations! But... it's bad for ME. 我要有问题问谁呀，能打电话给你吗？

 

M：Sure. 不过，到了D&E我会经常出差的。

 

C：那我怎么知道你出差了，什么时候才能跟你通话呀？

 

M：I will record a greeting that says I am away from the office, when I will return and who you can contact if you can't wait for my return. 陈豪，你出差的时候也应该这样做。

 

C：是啊，有的客户是有意见，说给我打了电话好几天都没有回音。看来，我得先把平时的greeting改成：“Hello, I'm Chen Hao. Please leave a message."

 

M：That's good! When you're away from office for a few days, re-record the greeting to tell

 

callers that you are away, when you will return and who they should contact in case they need immediate⁴ attention.

 

C：Oh Mary, I am so happy for you, but I will miss you.

 

M：Don't worry. We still can have lunch together! 

1 abrupt   

adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的

参考例句：

• The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
• His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

2 nonsense   

n.胡说，废话

参考例句：

• Go along with you! What you say is all nonsense!去你的！你说的全是废话！
• "Don't talk nonsense",she said sharply.“别胡扯”，她严厉地说。

3 courtesy   

n.谦恭有礼，礼貌的举止，好意，恩惠

参考例句：

• She called on us merely for the sake of courtesy.她来访只是为了礼貌。
• After a few words of courtesy,they got down to business.双方客气了一番，就开始谈正事。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。