Part 3: Meeting of the after-school club
Questions 21–26
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Willows Studies
21. What field is Willows currently focused on?
A. Specialising in one product
B. Making a variety of products
C. Adding a lot of retail outlet
22. How did the students feel about the software?
A. The professor contacted the company.
B. An article was read in a newspaper.
C. A student work their part-time during the vacations.
23. How did the student feel about the software?
A. It’s not easy to predict.
B. It’s slow for drawing designs.
C. It had a good interface.
24. How did the students find out about the effects of the software on the company?
A. They went to the IT department.
B. They talked with the manager.
C. They inspected the accounts.
25. The reason why the students have a face-to-face interview alone is that
A. they could prepare for exams.
B. there will be less disturbance.
C. it’s less realistic.
26. How did the two students perform in the exam?
A. very disappointing
B. significantly good
C. above the average
Questions 27–28
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
In which TWO ways will the new system affect the company?
A. gain more profit
B. employ more new staff
C. increase sales
D. reduce production time
E. cut labour costs
Questions 29–30
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Which TWO effects will the new system have on new clients?
A. getting more involved in the design
B. obtaining more contacts
C. linking at home to do online work
D. wasting less time
E. decreasing labour costs
Transcripts
You will hear two students called Tom and Bella attending the third meeting of the after-school club. They are talking with their professor about the furniture company.
Before we start, Tom and Bella, thanks for coming in today to talk about the key case studies that will help you to understand your classwork better. Now I hope you’ve read the notes I gave you last week on the furniture company Willows, as this will be the focus of our discussion today. Let’s begin. Who can tell me what the current focus of the company’s business is?
The company used to be very large, with many resale outlets across the country. However, since the recession, there have been fewer people spending money on furniture, and so the company was forced to close all of its outlets, and now only operates online.
Well done, Tom. Bella, can you add anything?
Willows used to produce a very large number of products such as tables, chairs, and light fittings. However, through market research, they realised that most of their profit was made from the sale of bookcases, so they now specialise in this one product.
Very good. Does anyone know how our department began its contact with Willows?
Did you contact the company, Professor?
No, Tom. It wasn’t through me. Our headmaster saw an article that the manager had written in the newspaper and became very interested in the company. He contacted Willows and arranged for a student to work there full-time during the summer.
Yes, exactly. Does anyone know what the student thought of their time working at Willows?
Yes, he’s a friend of ours. He worked as a member of the design team, creating technical drawings of the furniture using a computer. There was a special software that he used, which he said had a bad interface and was very difficult to predict. However, it was very efficient and helpful for quickly drawing up furniture designs.
How interesting.
Yes, it was. We both visited him whilst he was working there and he showed us around. Unfortunately, visitors were not allowed to access the IT department, but it was great to chat with his colleagues.
Did you meet his manager?
His manager is a very busy man, so he didn’t have time to meet with us. However, we were allowed to inspect the account, which really helped us to understand the effects of the software on the company.
Well, what an exciting experience! Now, before I forget, next week I’ll be conducting face-to-face interviews with each of you to prepare for job interviews.
Can we do it as a group?
I’m afraid not, Bella. I want to give each of you my undivided attention, and there would be too much disturbance if I interviewed you altogether. Plus, it will be more realistic if I interview you alone.
Have you finished writing the feedback on our exam results, Professor?
Yes, I have, Tom, and I must say that I was not disappointed. I am glad to say that your performance has dramatically increased since you began attending this after-school club, and you have both scored above the average. If you continue to work hard, your results should soon improve significantly.
Now, back to our discussion about Willows. Can anyone tell me what business decisions might benefit the company?
A new system would definitely benefit Willows. Their system is very outdated. I don’t think it would help them to gain more profit. However, the system is capable of doing the work of hundreds of people. This would, therefore, significantly lower labour costs.
I agree. Unfortunately, unless they also replace the machinery in their workshop, the new system won’t reduce the production time.
That is a shame. If they can’t reduce their production time, they won’t be able to increase sales. The answer is to hire more staff in order to increase the efficiency of the production line.
Yes, you have both made interesting points. Now for one final question before we finish this week’s session. How will new clients be affected by the new system?
Unfortunately, the new system does not allow clients to connect to the Willow system from home, so they are unable to access their work online. This also means that the system presents no opportunity to attract more contacts, since clients are unable to view it from their homes.
Yes, that’s true. However, it could definitely benefit clients who visit the showroom. The system is very interactive and allows clients to easily browse the furniture catalogue, which will save them a lot of time. It’s a shame that staff are still needed to guide clients through the online system, as it means that no savings can be made in labour costs.
I think the major benefit of the new system is that it enables staff to design the furniture in front of the client, which allows them to get a lot more involved in the design.
You’ve both contributed fantastic points to our conversation. That concludes our session for today. I’ll see you next week.
