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Comment vont les affaires ?
Listen to the adventures of Daniel, a foreigner on a training course at French company Paragem. Twenty episodes help you get familiar with the language and workings of a French company : from first meetings with colleagues to payroll via stationary orders and business lunches. With transcripts and explanations
Introduction
"Hello! My name is Danielle. I'm a student at a business school. I've just come back from France, where I did a three month training session at the Paragem company Paragem. The experience allowed me to improve my French, and especially my professional communication skills… But before I start my story, let me present you the Paragem company and all the people I met ….."
Lesson 1 : Qui sont-ils ?
Meeting people
I remember my arrival at the Paragem company and how I met all the employees who were there that day….When I arrived at the reception area, I noticed a woman facing me, seated at her desk in front of her computer. …
Lesson 2 : Les produits Paragem
Describing the products
The next day, I was so scared of being late for work that I arrived 40 minutes early. No one was there yet, at least, that's what I thought at first. And then I heard a noise coming from an office whose door was half open. It was the sales representatives office. I went towards that office…..
Lesson 3 : Où sont-ils ?
The sales representatives
I had been working at Paragem for almost a week. That morning, I was in the office of Stéphane Petibon, the office manager. He was explaining to me how he had met Madame Catherine Leblanc and how she had suggested to him that they start the Paragem Company. I was trying to understand what he was telling me when someone knocked on the door. It was Madame Leblanc herself…
Lesson 4 : B comme Balifol
B for Balifol
It was only one week after the European pharmaceutical fair in Madrid that a Spanish wholesaler, Mr Fernandez, who was passing through Paris, contacted the Paragem company to discuss the terms of a possible contract. Madame Leblanc preferred to meet him first, and invited him out for dinner with the sales representatives and Stéphane Petitbon, at a parisian restaurant. That morning, when I arrived at work, Françoise Vittel handed me an internal note that was addressed to me . Let me read it to you.
Lesson 5 : Horaires de travail
Working hours
It was a Friday, in the early afternoon. That day, there was no lack of work at Paragem. The telephone rang and rang, but Françoise Vittel didn't budge. So I offered to answer it for her.
Lesson 6 : La commande des fournitures
Ordering office supplies
Today, Stéphane Petitbon, the office manager, had requested my services to help him prepare the order for office supplies.
Lesson 7 : Paragem fait des achats
Paragem makes some purchases.
Isabelle Mercier, when asked whether she needed any office supplies, had responded that she wanted a new computer ! Françoise Vittel had found this to be an extravagant request, but Isabelle had finally got her way with the Director. Madame Leblanc even seemed to have given her the green light to buy a new printer, to replace the company's old one. The very next day, Isabelle asked me to accompany her to Ordiplus, a store specialized in computer equipment.
Lesson 8 : Un Suisse chez Paragem
A Swiss at Paragem
I was with Françoise Vittel when Monsieur Barnier, of the Swiss company Barnier arrived. Monsieur Barnier was the exclusive distributor of Paragem products in Switzerland. He was taking advantage of his trip to Paris to meet Madame Leblanc and probably also, as I learned later, Isabelle Mercier, who he had meet a number of times in Switzerland and of whom he seemed to be very fond.
Lesson 9 : Aérofrance réservations, bonjour !
Aérofrance reservations, good morning !
Madame Leblanc had asked Isabelle Mercier to go to Switzerland as soon as possible. In fact, Paragem had been losing market shares there to its competitor, the Gripoux company. I was in Isabelle Mercier's office when she called Aérofrance to reserve a seat on a flight from Paris to Geneva.
Lesson 10 : Le Grand Palace
The hotel "Le Grand Palace"
Isabelle Mercier was supposed to go to Geneva in Switzerland. She herself had reserved her seat on the plane. Stephane Petitbon had asked Françoise Vittel to take care of the hotel reservations.
Lesson 11 : En route pour la Suisse
On the way to Switzerland
Isabelle Mercier's departure for Switzerland was approaching. That morning, I was working with the Office Manager, Stéphane Petitbon. We were taking care of some correspondence.
Lesson 12 : Un courrier gênant
An embarassing piece of mail
That morning I had been assigned to opening the mail since Françoise Vittel, who was slightly overworked, had taken a day off.
Lesson 13 : Chez le sous-traitant !
At the sub-contractor's
Paragem entrusted the production of its line of three products to a sub-contractor, a laboratory run by the Dupeyron family and specializing in parapharmaceutical goods. Each month, Catherine Leblanc went there on a quality control visit. Since, as you may recall, she, as the biologist who invented the active ingredient, Paragem, was responsible for all the production follow-up. That day, Madame Leblanc suggested that I accompany her on this quality control visit.
Lesson 14 : A la banque
At the bank
That morning, on the way to the office, I stopped at the automatic cash machine of my bank, which was also the Paragem company's bank. When I opened my account at the BIP Bank, I had ordered a debit card. Of a small size, personal and confidential thanks to its code, it is a means of paying for purchases in authorized stores and taking out cash.
Lesson 15 : Faites partir le courrier !
At the post-office
For several days, I had been working on the preparation of a publicity mailing to inform 200 clients about our new rates, under the responsibility of Françoise Vittel. Today, Friday, we were up to stuffing the envelopes and sending out the mail. The week had been long and difficult, and there was a storm brewing...
Lesson 16 : Négociations des moyens de paiement
Conditions of payment
For the past week, Monsieur Petitbon had assigned me to the sales department, where I was working with Philippe Cadet and Isabelle Mercier…
Lesson 17 : Un mauvais payeur
A bad payer
That day I was working with Stéphane Petitbon taking stock of unpaid bills…
Lesson 18 : Paragem, mini-prix, mini-tube, maxi-protection !
Paragem, mini price, mini-tube, maxi protection !
For several days, Paragem had been in a whirl. In fact, market research was being carried out for the launching of a new product. That day, very important decisions had to be made…
Lesson 19 : Jour de grève et jour de paie
Strike day and pay day
That day, I arrived at work an hour late. A public transport strike had paralysed Paris…
Lesson 20 : L'interculturel au service des PME-PMI exportatrices
International business-cultures
That day, the sales representatives were working on a report about the fluctuation in sales volume by geographic area. Isabelle Mercier seemed very satisfied with the results of the two areas she was responsible for : France and Europe. As for Philippe Cadet, he seemed more worried…
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