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Latest episodes

Jun 22, 2025 • 18min
BEP 43c – Meeting English: Managing the Discussion
Learn how to run effective meetings by maintaining focus and inviting diverse viewpoints. Discover the balance between cost savings and employee morale during a discussion about outsourcing cleaning services. Explore collaborative efforts in redesigning marketing materials, emphasizing teamwork and creative solutions. Gain insights into achieving consensus and steering discussions smoothly, ensuring all voices are heard while managing agendas effectively. These skills are essential for anyone looking to enhance their meeting facilitation abilities.

6 snips
Jun 8, 2025 • 15min
BEP 42c – Meeting in English: Starting a Meeting
Discover essential skills for starting a successful meeting in English, from grabbing attention to clarifying the agenda. Learn how to acknowledge participants effectively and set clear objectives, especially in challenging situations like budget cuts. Explore the dynamics of engaging attendees and fostering collaboration, using real-world examples. Master the art of initiating discussions to ensure all points are addressed, enhancing the overall efficiency of your meetings.

May 25, 2025 • 7min
Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (2)
Explore the importance of building a collaborative culture in competitive workplaces. Discover how effective leadership fosters trust and transparency among teams. Learn about the significance of communication that prioritizes listening and understanding. Dive into the structures and digital tools that break down silos and promote teamwork. Understand that not every decision requires a group consensus, especially when trust needs strengthening. Create an environment where collaboration thrives for innovative success.

May 11, 2025 • 7min
Skills 360 – Fostering a Culture of Collaboration (1)
Discover the essentials of fostering a collaborative culture at work. Learn how shared goals and trust drive innovation while enhancing resilience within teams. Hear about the significance of bringing together diverse skills to tackle challenges and create new ideas. Understand why collaboration boosts employee engagement and motivation. The discussion also highlights the effort required, emphasizing the need for open communication and a willingness to share control for true collaboration to flourish.

7 snips
Apr 27, 2025 • 23min
BEP 415 – Purchasing 6: Managing Purchase Orders
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bizpod/BEP-415-Purchasing-6.mp3
Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English for purchasing. This lesson looks at language for evaluating proposals from vendors.
Business is all about buying and selling. And just as your company sells products to individual consumers or other companies, you also have to purchase goods and services to make it all happen. For ongoing purchasing relationships, this means evaluating different vendors to find the best match.
So, when you sit with your team to evaluate vendor proposals, what will you talk about? These discussions often involve comparing pricing, timelines, quality, and service. You might also talk about warranties, reliability, and risks. And just like any group process, the quality of the decision will come down not just to the facts in front of you, but your ability to communicate clearly about them.
In conversations about vendor proposals, there are several aspects you might consider. You might assess risk as well as vendor capacity. You might also evaluate the total cost and compare value, as opposed to the basic contract price. And finally, you might prioritize the different criteria you use to assess the vendors.
In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between managers at a fitness equipment company called xFit. Hazel, Adam, and Nick are evaluating proposals to choose a manufacturer of a specific part for their line of treadmills. In previous lessons on purchasing, we heard xFit choose a company called VinMech to produce a part for a different exercise machine.
Listening Questions
1. What does Adam say about SteelWorks production capacity?
2. What does Nick say adds value to VinMech as a possible vendor?
3. Which criteria does Adam say are the most important consideration in this decision?
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12 snips
Apr 13, 2025 • 21min
BEP 414 – Purchasing 5: Evaluating Vendor Proposals
Dive into the nitty-gritty of evaluating vendor proposals! This discussion reveals the key criteria for making informed decisions, from pricing and timelines to reliability and quality. Explore the importance of clear communication and the long-term impacts of vendor performance. Learn to prioritize critical elements like technical compatibility and warranty specifics while assessing risks. With engaging practical exercises, this episode equips you with essential vocabulary and skills for successful negotiations.

10 snips
Mar 30, 2025 • 20min
BEP 41c – Interview English: First-Round Job Interviews (2)
Explore the essential skills needed for acing first-round job interviews. Discover strategies to confidently tackle tough questions, including how to discuss your strengths and weaknesses. Listen in as a candidate navigates challenging inquiries while showcasing problem-solving abilities through real-life examples. Delve into the importance of effective communication and analytical skills in overcoming workplace challenges. Practical exercises are also shared to enhance your interviewing prowess and prepare you for success.

12 snips
Mar 16, 2025 • 19min
BEP 40c – Interview English: First-Round Job Interviews (1)
Delve into the art of acing first-round job interviews in English. Discover key skills like self-introduction and summarizing your career path. Learn how to clarify responses, buy time, and connect answers back to the questions. Hear a mock interview that showcases the balance between education and experience, along with techniques to effectively present yourself, especially using the STAR method. Engage with practical exercises to enhance communication and make a lasting impression on interviewers.

16 snips
Mar 2, 2025 • 7min
Business English News 59 – DeepSeek
Discover the surprising rise of DeepSeek, a small Chinese AI lab that's shaking up the tech industry. Their innovative R1 model reveals a budget-friendly approach to building advanced AI, challenging major American players. The episode dives into the implications of this shakeup, including how it could democratize access to AI technologies and what it means for the future of the industry. Tune in for an insightful look at the new dynamics in the world of artificial intelligence!

52 snips
Feb 16, 2025 • 24min
BEP 413 – Business English Idioms about Technology (2)
This discussion dives into the fascinating world of technology-related idioms. A dialogue among engineering teammates reveals insights on upgrading tech systems. Listeners learn about the nuances of idioms like being 'on the same wavelength.' The team navigates challenges of integrating new software while addressing complexities in next-gen technology. They reflect on the balance between essential features and unnecessary extras in payroll software, emphasizing the value of modern tools in maximizing team efficiency. This engaging exploration enhances your business English vocabulary.