白领的一天 场景124:谁能帮个忙Help! We need somebody

Narrator: 大家好。上次节目中，我们听到 Anna 在晚餐时离开了 Tom, 这可能不是Tom 想象中的约会。不过 Anna 受到了启发，有了一个新产品的想法，现在她需要得到领导Paul的支持。
Denise: (On phone)…. so I think I'll go for the blue Marge, it matches my eyes… well alMost…
Anna: Morning Denise!
Denise: Oh, hello Anna…, Anna, bright girl, what she sees in the Tom I never know… what?!, ha, I'm sure you would…
Anna: Oh hi Tom, you're in early.
Tom: Uh? Oh yeah, couldn't sleep after you'd left.
Anna: Tom, it was a fantastic night — unforgettable in fact — thanks so much.
Denise: Did you hear that Marge? She said it was 'unforgettable'! Looks like they're getting very serious…
Narrator: 你真多嘴 Denise! Anna 目前最关心的是她的新想法。How's it going?
Anna: I'm really excited about launching a new product, although Tom doesn't seem so keen.
Narrator: 别管他了。你得集中精力说服 Paul 你的想法能够给公司带来生意。
Anna: But how?
Narrator: 在你去见 Paul 之前，你得做调研 research.
Anna: Yes, of course — research — hmm, but how do I do that?
Narrator: 了解你们公司的竞争对手都在干什么，看看价格该怎么订，还有了解一下顾客会喜欢什么样的新产品。你要做一个顾客调查报告 customer survey!
Anna: A customer survey. Right. But what should I ask?
Narrator: 你可以问：
Could I ask for your opinion on a new product we are hoping to develop? 我能向您咨询一下您对我们准备研发产品的看法吗？
What Plastic products do you currently use? 您现在用了哪些塑料水果？
What products would you like us to make in the future? 您希望我们将来能提供什么样的产品？
How do you feel about the idea of selling plastic vegetables? 您对我们打算卖塑料蔬菜这个想法怎么看？
Any particular vegetable you would like to see? 有没有您特别希望我们生产的塑料蔬菜？
Anna: OK, so it's like a questionnaire. I need to do some cold calling again!
Narrator: Good luck! 祝你好运！
Anna: I think I'm going to need some help with this. Tom, Denise, have you got time to help me… please?
Denise: Of course Anna.
Tom: Yeah, well it's a bit tricky with my… ouch… sprained arm, but go on, as it's you.
Anna: Thanks. We need to call up some companies and find out how interested they would be in buying plastic vegetables.
Denise: Oh lovely, I love talking to people on the phone.
Tom: You certainly do Denise!
Anna: Good Denise. If you work your way through our business directory, call our existing customers and ask these questions.
Denise: I'll get onto it straight away.
Anna: Great, and Tom, could you help me by cold calling some new businesses?
Tom: Oh yeah sure. I've got loads of contacts.
Anna: I suppose I had better make some calls too. (Looks through directory) Hmm, let's try this one. 7-4-3-9-1-0-0.
Man: Hello. Plastic Purr-fection. Can I help you?
Anna: Oh hi. I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading, we make and sell plastic fruit. I'm trying some opinions on a new product we're trying to develop. Can you spare a few minutes to help me?
Man: Well I'm quite busy at the moment but I'll try and help.
Anna: Thank you. I'll be as quick as I can. Firstly, what plastic products do you use at the moment?
Man: All sorts — plastic balls, plastic fish, plastic mice….
Anna: Plastic mice?! Oh, I see. And… errr… what sort of things would you like us to sell…in the future?
Man: Let's think… erm… more squeaky toys.
Anna: Squeaky toys?! What about plastic vegetables?
Man: Do they squeak?
Anna: Err, not really. I think there might be some confusion here. Do you use plastic fruit in restaurants and shops?
Man: No. We just sell plastic toys for cats — hence the name 'plastic purr-fection'.
Anna: Oh I see, ha, ha. A good name — but — I'm sorry you're not really the business I was looking for. Thanks for your time anyway. Bye.
Man: Bye — (aside) get down Tiddles!
Narrator: Uh-Oh Anna. 在你开始做任何调查之前，最好先了解一下对方公司是干什么的。Better luck next time! 如果你准备做市场调查或者顾客调查，以下一些问题可能用得上：
Could I ask for your opinion on a new product we are hoping to develop?
What plastic products do you currently use?
What products would you like to see us sell in the future?
How do you feel about the idea of selling plastic vegetables?
Any particular vegetable you would like to see?
Narrator: 好了，让我们看看其他同事的工作进行得怎样。
Denise: That was fun. I called ten companies, asked them your questions — one man asked me out for dinner — anyway, I've created a database and put all the information there.
Tom: Well I've called twenty companies and they all say plastic vegetables would be a great addition to their range… especially aubergines!
Anna: Great. Well I had some success too so I'll put all the results in that database. Thanks everyone. Oh no… what's happened? Denise! Denise! Everything's disappeared off the computer!
Tom: Hey, my computer's gone blank. We've lost all our documents!
Narrator: Oh, No. 电脑死机了！难道公司所有的电脑都坏了？那电脑里储存的信息都没了？我们下期节目再见！

听力挑战：

What did the first company that Anna called, sell? Anna 打电话咨询的第一家公司是销售什么产品的？

上期答案：
What is Anna's 'brilliant' new idea? Anna 超棒的新想法是什么？
Answer: plastic aubergines 答案：塑料茄子。