BBC 6 minute English-Business English: Using technology at work

Transcript of the podcast

NB: This is not a word-for-word transcript

Feifei: Hello and welcome to another episode of 6 Minute English with me Feifei

Neil: And me Neil

Feifei: How are you Neil and what have you been up to

Neil: I’m annoyed – I was doing all this work on the script for this programme on my smartphone and it crashed! Because it’s my phone, I can’t get IT support at work to sort it out for me

Feifei: Serves you right for using your own device

Neil: Yeah, I’m not alone though! A survey by a business technology company called Avenade has found that 88% of executives said employees were using their own personal computing technologies for business purposes

Feifei: So you’re saying lots of people are using their own smartphones and laptops instead of the company computers

Neil: Yes, more or less: either instead of company technology, or as well as the company technology, and in the name of further research I went out and did my own very unscientific survey

Examples

Woman 1: When we have a problem with our laptops, we would normally call IT support really. So we can call them at any time but they don’t always sort out the problems, so that in a way creates a problem, especially when we try to catch a deadline

Man 1: Sometimes I find it hard to speak with the IT department because it seems to me that they speak one language and the rest of us speak a different language. They use too many technical terms, I so sometimes find it very frustrating dealing with technology

Woman 2: I constantly come across problems with software update, such as Flash Player which is required to play video and audio, but you need to have the most updated version of Flash Player which we don’t always have, so that’s the problem. It can be very frustrating if you don’t have it, and then you ask for IT support, but sometimes they don’t know what you are talking about

Feifei: So it’s not always easy to get everything up and running, even if it’s the office computer

Neil: No, as I’m sure you know Feifei, there are always glitches, or problems, and that’s when you need to be able to talk to your company’s IT support – that’s information technology, to get things up and running again. But what should you say? Oh look, it’s Business Betty! Hi Betty, great to have you here as usual

BB: Thank you Neil

Neil: Love the hat

BB: Thank you Neil! Always good to be here. Now, whatever device you’re using and wherever you are, when you have a technological problem you need to be able to explain what the problem is, and you need to be able to understand what the IT expert is saying to you. Let’s start with the problems. Maybe you can’t connect to the internet

Feifei: I can’t connect to the internet

BB: You can’t print anything

Feifei: I can’t print anything

BB: Maybe you saved some files to your hard drive and they’ve disappeared, Feifei

Feifei: I saved some files to my hard drive and they have disappeared

BB: So the IT support person might ask you a few questions. Has this happened before

Neil: Has this happened before

BB: What operating system are you running

Neil: What operating system are you running

BB: What version of the software are you using

Neil: What version of the software are you using

BB: He or she might offer you some advice. For example: You need to install an update

Neil: You need to install an update

BB: Try re-installing the programme

Neil: Try re-installing the programme

BB: Or the problem might be more difficult to fix. For example, they might say your system needs a rebuild

Neil: Your system needs a rebuild

BB: Or maybe it can’t be fixed at all

Neil: I’m afraid this can’t be fixed

BB: Hopefully it won’t ever be that bad! And, of course, they might give the advice most of us have heard at one time and which seems to work very well: give your computer a re-boot – turn it off and on again

Neil: Give your computer a re-boot – turn it off and on again

Betty: So, there you have everything you need to keep the technology in your life working well

Neil: Brilliant Betty, thanks

Betty: My pleasure. So if there’s nothing else, I’ll be off. Bye for now

Both: Bye Betty

Neil: That’s our Betty. She knows all about IT issues you know

Feifei: She is a legend… do you feel a technology role-play coming on

Neil: Yeah, I’m the boss right

Feifei: There isn’t a boss in this one, but you can be the IT support worker if you like

Neil: OK, alright. So you have an IT problem and you’re asking me for help, right

Feifei: Yes, are you ready

Neil: I’m ready

Role-play

Neil: Hello, IT support, can I help you

Feifei: Hello, yes, I’ve got a problem. I saved some files to my hard drive and they have just disappeared

Neil: Has this happened before

Feifei: Yes, a couple of times

Neil: Hmm. If it’s happened a couple of times, you might need to install an update

Feifei: And if that doesn’t work

Neil: Well, if that doesn’t work, your system needs a rebuild. Try installing the update, and let me know how it goes

Feifei: OK, thanks for your help

Neil: You’re welcome

Feifei: And that’s the end of today’s role-play

Neil: How was it for you

Feifei: It was great, Neil. You sounded like you actually knew what you were talking about

Neil: Well, that’s because I’m brilliant. You can call me anytime you have a problem Feifei

Feifei: But you’re not really an IT expert, are you? You can’t even fix your own smartphone

Neil: Ah, don’t joke Feifei, I’ve lost the whole of the series

Feifei: You are just going to have to write them again. Good luck to you for the next time you’re dealing with any IT issues

Neil: Yes, it’s good luck from me too and goodbye from both of us. Join us again soon for another episode of 6 Minute English

Both: Bye