BusinessEnglishToday
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BusinessEnglishToday
July 2013 7/2013 Business English Today Souverän kommunizieren, verhandeln und präsentieren für Fach- und Führungskräfte || med ium Payment Mit diesen 3 Tipps kommen Sie ab sofort noch schneller an Ihr Geld You can save yourself the trouble of having to write reminder and collection letters if you make it clear from the start when payments are due. Waiting for payment is costly. As well as the missing revenue, you have the expense of writing reminders and collection letters. But you can encourage your customers to pay promptly, saving both of you unnecessary hassle and costs, with these three simple tips. Tip no. 1: Make the payment terms clear in both contracts and agreements Always make it clear exactly how long the customer has to pay. Here is an example of what you can write in contracts and agreements. After we have shipped the goods, we will send you an invoice. This invoice is payable in full within 30 days. A discount of 2% will be applied to payment received within 7 days. English Deutsch collection letter |kəˈlɛkʃ(ə)n ˈlɛtə| costly |ˈkɒs(t)li| hassle |ˈhas(ə)l| reminder |rɪˈmʌɪndə| revenue |ˈrɛvənjuː| term |təːm| Mahnung teuer Unannehmlichkeiten Zahlungserinnerung Umsatz Bedingung Continued on page 2 || Adva nced Living language Test Kennen Sie eigentlich Bob und diese anderen wichtigen Personen? If you hear English native speakers talk about Tom, Dick and Harry, they don’t always mean real people! Put these names in the correct spaces to complete these English expressions. Alec Bob 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hobson Jack McCoy Pete Tom, Dick and Harry Jack Robinson Don’t worry, I’ll be there before you can say __________. Both options were bad, so it was __________’s choice. (BE) Alex can do everything. He’s a real __________ of all trades. She has a great job. Why is she complaining, for __________’s sake? Tom thinks he knows everything. He’s a real smart __________. These burgers are made from American beef. They’re the real ________. Shhh! We don’t want every __________ to hear us. To use the camera, look through the lens, press here and _________’s your uncle. (BE) Read the full expressions with German translations on page 6. www.business-english-today.de Give away your time You know the feeling: there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done. But according to research done at the University of Pennsylvania, you’ll feel less rushed if you give away some of your time. Cassie Mogilner, who lead the research, says that in experiments, those who donated some of their time each day to making other people happier felt that they had more time than before. The same applies to money; in a similar experiment, individuals who gave money to charity felt richer than those who spent the money on themselves. By giving just a few minutes each day, we can win time for ourselves! I like it! Best regards Jean Lennox Editor-in-Chief and Business English Coach English Deutsch to donate |də(ʊ)ˈneɪt| research |ˈriːsəːtʃ| rushed |rʌʃ d| similar |ˈsɪmɪlə| spenden Forschung unter Zeitdruck ähnlich IHRE VORTEILE 1. Fachwissen 2. Englischwissen 3. Kostenloser Übersetzungsservice AE = American English – BE = British English July 2013 Business English Today Podcast Vocabulary focus Default – benutzen Sie dieses Wort immer richtig? The word default |dɪˈfɔːlt| (which can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective) can be confusing. In the article on the right, it is used in the sense of failure to pay an obligation. Here are two similar examples. The company will have to restructure its debts to avoid default. One of the results of the current economic crisis in the US is that many homeowners defaulted on their mortgages. A completely different meaning is a preselected option in a computer program or other mechanism. The default font setting on my computer was Times New Roman 12 points, but I changed it to Arial 12 points. When you open a new document, the program defaults to its own style. Pronunciation focus Note that the words debt and mortgage both have a letter that is absolutely silent. In debt, it’s the letter “b”. In mortgage, it’s the letter “t”. Download the podcast to hear me pronouncing both words. Continued from page 1 Tip no. 2: Include the exact due date in your invoice My first tip was that you request payment within a certain number of days and write this into your purchase agreement or contract. The second logical step is to specify in your invoice the exact date on which the sum is due. Example Payable immediately upon receipt. The invoice amount is due by 4 July 2013, less 2% cash discount. Payable in full within 24 days (2 August 2013) net. Tip no. 3: Include a default of payment clause A default clause states what will happen if the customer fails to pay on time, or does not pay the full amount. It includes what you can do if the other party fails to fulfil the terms English Deutsch of the contract. For instance, you default |dɪˈfɔːlt| hier: Nichterfüllung can stop work, demand interest, or due date |djuː deɪt| Fälligkeitsdatum ask for your goods back. If payment is not made within 30 days, we reserve the right to charge 6% interest. We reserve the right to halt construction if payment is not made within 30 days of invoice. Handelsrechnung das Recht vorbehalten med ium Gestalten Sie Ihre englische Einladung wirklich einladend Here is an example of a simple but warm invitation. Let it inspire you if you have something to celebrate. Look at this email that Business English Today reader Ria L. asked me to check for her. I like it because it is nice and simple but also warm and friendly. It should help you know what to write if you plan to send an invitation to international guests this summer. Download Dear colleagues and friends of the HGS Institute, We are delighted that the funding for the HGS graduate school has been extended. We want to celebrate this good news with you and your friends and families. You are warmly invited us to join us for a barbecue. Date: Wednesday, 17 July Time: 6.30 pm Place: HGS Goethestrasse 14, 53177 Bonn Deutsch to avoid |əˈvɔɪd| debt |dɛt| mortgage |ˈmɔːgɪdʒ| obligation |ɒblɪˈgeɪʃ(ə)n| similar |ˈsɪmɪlə| umgehen Schuld Hypothek RSVP at [Doodle-link] by 8 July. Verpflichtung Ria L. on behalf of Professor Peter B. and the HGS team July 2013 hier: unterlassen erfüllen Zinsen From reader to reader English ähnlich to fail |feɪl| to fulfil |fʊlˈfɪl| interest |ˈɪnt(ə)rɪst| invoice |ˈɪnvɔɪs| to reserve the right |rɪˈzəːv| || Adva nced || 2 We’re all very much looking forward to welcoming you to the Institute. English Deutsch to extend |ɪkˈstɛnd| funding |fəndɪŋ| verlängern Finanzierung, Aufbringung von Mitteln Hochschule oder Studienprogramm für Aufbaustudenten im Auftrag von graduate school |ˈgradʒʊət skuːl| on behalf of |ɒn bɪˈhɑːf əv| www.business-english-today.de Business English Today || med ium From reader to reader Podcast Business correspondence So erklären Sie in gutem und verständlichem Englisch Ihren neuen Wareneingangsprozess More often than not, your suppliers will not be native English speakers, so make sure you write in such a way that they will understand you. Business English Today reader Peter W. asked me to help him write an email to suppliers from Pakistan and China. He wanted me to keep the language as simple as possible, as his business partners don’t speak very good English. This is what I wrote for him. It saved him €52 and will, hopefully, get his suppliers to cooperate without any difficulties. Wie sage ich auf Englisch: „Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis?“ I have to write to some customers explaining about a delivery delay. When I write in German, I always finish with ‘Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis’. Can I say ‘Thank you for your understanding’? Email introducing a new procedure for incoming goods Download Subj: Please take part in the test run of our new procedure for incoming goods Dear Mr Zhang We are in the process of standardising our incoming goods procedure, and we will need all our suppliers to fill in (BE)/out (AE) a new label. Before the new procedure comes into effect on 1 August 2013, we want to see if the new labels are practical for your company. Please fill in and return the attached test label (VDA KLT Label) to us. If you have any questions about how to fill in the label please contact Mr Frank M. in our Logistics Department. You can reach Frank M. on +49 (0)2355 …. or by email: [email protected]. Please send us your reply by 22 July 2013. Thank you very much in advance for helping us to improve our procedures. Your sincerely Michael Schumacher Logistics Manager English Deutsch supplier |səˈplaɪ(ə)r| Lieferant test run |tɛst rʌn | Versuch Under a minute – the quick language tip I see ‘Thank you for your understanding’ at the end of many German emails and on websites. But it is not quite right. Instead, a common, and very suitable English phrase is: This is why Native speakers do not usually thank people in advance for showing consideration. But we do say thank you to people after they have shown some kind of understanding, or while they are being considerate. For example, if you have apologised to your boss because you are behind on a project, and your boss has said that he or she will wait and that they understand, you could say: I want to thank you for being so understanding. I really appreciate your understanding. How do you say “Meine neue Kollegin ist richtig sympathisch!” in English? What you should not say is: “My new colleague is really sympathetic.” This would mean “Meine neue Kollegin ist sehr einfühlsam.” We apologise (BE) / apologize (AE) in advance for any inconvenience. So how do you say sympathisch in English? You can usually use simple words like nice or like or likeable. English Deutsch Here are some examples: My new colleague is really nice. I really like my new colleague. My new co-worker is very likeable. to be behind on |bɪˈhʌɪnd ɒn| common |ˈkɒmən| consideration |kənsɪdəˈreɪʃ(ə)n| im Verzug sein www.business-english-today.de häufig Rücksicht, Verständnis July 2013 3 Business English Today Podcast Sie sind enttäuscht? So drücken Sie sich diplomatisch aus You’re at a conference or a meeting, and everything is really boring. But you can’t risk offending others, who might have a different opinion and think everything is great. So you should be careful how you voice your criticism. The best approach is a tentative one. For instance, you can say something is interesting when in reality you don’t like it at all. This gives the person with whom you’re talking the chance to react and develop the conversation. What do you think of the presentations? Some of them were interesting. And I thought the last one was very good. Yes, I enjoyed that, too. But to be honest, I didn’t like the others too much. I’d really like to see more case studies. Yes I agree. I suppose it’s actually not quite as good as last year. Adva nced Commercial correspondence || med ium Communication || 4 Auf diese 2 Arten bekommen Sie einen Kredit bei einem neuen Lieferanten As a new customer, you will need to prove you are creditworthy before you can purchase goods on credit. This is how to show that you are trustworthy. If you want to purchase goods on credit, the company you are buying from must be reasonably sure of your financial stability and willingness to pay. If this is your first order with a company, you should send it together with a letter asking for a credit account. Include credit references, for instance banks and other businesses that have extended credit to you in the past. Here is an example. Sample letter requesting a credit account Download Dear Sir or Madam: Enclosed is our purchase order 123 for 200 boxes of part no. 567ABC. We would like to place this order on open account according to your regular terms. Our import business has been operating since August 2011, and you may check our credit rating with Mr Berhard K., Bank Manager Deutsche Bank 10000 Neustadt Telephone number:….. Email:….. You may also check our credit standing with the following companies: [Name and contact details of companies you have credit with.] Please let us know your decision regarding our credit, as well as an approximate delivery date for our first order. Yes, there were more practical examples last year, weren’t there? Dennis Müller Exactly. I thought that was much more interesting. Enclosure: Purchase order no. 123 Well, it has fallen short of my expectations, so far. But let’s see what the afternoon brings. Maybe things will brighten up. Purchasing Manager Fill in an application form If you are ordering on the Internet, you may be asked to fill in an online application form. On the next page is an example of a typical form. English Deutsch English Deutsch English Deutsch boring |ˈbɔːrɪŋ| to fall short of |fɔːl ʃɔːt ɒv| to offend |əˈfɛnd| tentative |ˈtɛntətɪv| to voice something |vɔɪs| langweilig nicht erfüllen credit account |ˈkrɛdɪt əˈkaʊnt| credit rating |ˈkrɛdɪt ˈreɪtɪŋ| to extend credit |ɪkˈstɛnd ˈkrɛdɪt | to prove |pruːv| Kredit to purchase |ˈpəːtʃɪs| reasonably |ˈriːz(ə)nəblɪ| standing |ˈstøndɪŋ| willingness |ˈwɪlɪŋn1s| einkaufen July 2013 beleidigen vorsichtig etwas zum Ausdruck bringen Bonitätsbeurteilung Kredit gewähren beweisen hier: ziemlich Status Bereitschaft www.business-english-today.de Business English Today || Adva nced False friends A typical application form ... Test Tappen Sie bloß nicht in diese Sprachfalle! Here’s an exercise for you to do to see if you are in danger of falling into the trap of false friends – words that sound the same in different languages but have different meanings. Each of these sentences contains one word that sounds similar to a German word, but that has a different meaning. See how many you can recognise and correct. 1 You’ll find the project reports in the blue map on my desk. Adva nced || Commercial correspondence Mit diesem Schreiben können Sie überprüfen, ob ein neuer Kunde kreditwürdig ist 2 I’ve completed the translation, but I think the introduction needs to be overworked. 3 We have sent a concept of the contract to our partners in Taiwan. Before you deliver goods on credit to a new customer, always make sure they are creditworthy. This letter will help you. On this and the previous page we looked at how you can ask for goods on credit. If you’re the supplier and not the buyer, this is how you can check your potential new customer’s references. Letter asking for credit information Download 4 Next year, we plan to open two new offices and a fabric in Romania. 5 Shall we have the meeting at one of the conference rooms in the hotel, or would you prefer to come to my bureau in Frankfurt? XYZ Company in Chicago has placed an order with us for $5000 worth of merchandise and listed you as a credit reference, as indicated on the attached letter. 6 I am very much looking forward to meeting you and to introducing you to my chef, Johannes Meyer. We would appreciate you sending us information regarding XYZ’s credit rating. We would especially like to know how long the owner, Joe Doe, has had an account with you and whether or not any of his debts are past due. We will, of course, keep any information we receive in the strictest confidence. 7 I will do my best to get to your house in time for the barbecue, but I will eventually be a little late. Dear Mr K. Yours sincerely English Robert Müller debt |dɛt| Schulden merchandise Ware |ˈməːtʃ(ə)ndʌɪs| past due |pɑːst djuː| nach Fälligkeit Sales Manager www.business-english-today.de Deutsch Turn to page 6 for the answers. English Deutsch similar |ˈsɪmɪlə| ähnlich July 2013 5 Business English Today Answers Page 1 1 before you can say Jack Robinson = sofort 2 to have Hobson’s choice = keine Wahl haben 3 Jack of all trades = Tausendsassa 4 for Pete’s sake = um Himmel’s willen 5 smart Alec = Schlaumeier 6 the real McCoy = der wahre Jakob 7 every Tom, Dick and Harry = Hinz und Kunz 8 and Bob’s your uncle (BE) = und fertig! Page 5 1 in the blue folder (map = Landkarte, Stadtplan) 2 needs to be revised (overworked = vor Arbeit übermüdet) 3 a draft of the contract (concept = Auffassung) 4 2 new offices and a factory (fabric = Stoff) 5 my office (bureau = a government department, e.g. the Federal Bureau of Investigation (AE) Schreibpult/Sekretär (BE)) 6 my boss (chef = Chefkoch) 7 I might possibly be a little late (eventually = schließlich, letztendlich) Page 7, Main page 1 fine 2 illegal 3 evidence 4 jury 5 allege 6 duty 7 sentence 8 bring 9 guilty 10 negligence Page 7, Column 1 2 3 4 5 6 sentence illegal jury fined guilty bring/action July 2013 med ium International etiquette || 6 Trinkgeld in den USA: So fallen Sie nicht unangenehm auf Ideally, tips are given to someone who performs a good service. In the USA, though, many employees rely on tips to make a living as a supplement to their low pay. In cultures where it is normal to tip – such as in the USA – it’s not just embarrassing when you don’t, it’s actually insensitive. Make sure you get it right with this tipping guide. Download it and study it before your next USA trip. Download Staff Appropriate tip Waiter/waitress Bartender Wine steward Room service Valet parking Taxi driver Hotel doorman Hotel bellhop Hotel maid Skycap (AE) 15% to 20% of pre-tax bill $1 to $2 per round or 15% to 20% of tab 15% of cost of bottle (less for very expensive bottles) 16% to 20% of pre-tax bill (if not already included) $2 to $3 when car is returned 15% plus $1 to $2 per bag $1 to $2 to hail a cab; $1 to $2 per bag for help with luggage $1 to $2 per bag $2 per night, paid daily, clearly marked “Housekeeping” $1 to $2 per bag, $2 minimum, in addition to any fee charged by the airline 15% to 20% 15% to 20% 10% to 15% with $2 minimum $5 – $10 (only if they arranged tickets or reservations) $10 – 20 for a free ride from the airport Hairdresser Manicurist Food delivery Concierge Hotel limo driver Often, a clearly displayed “Service Charge” or “Gratuity” will be automatically added to your bill, especially for a party of 8 or more. Check your bill for these charges before you tip. If “Gratuity” has been included but you weren’t happy with the service, check with the manager. By definition, a gratuity is an amount you can choose whether or not to pay. These recommendations are based on those published by the Emily Post Institute (www.emilypost.com), the American equivalent of our Knigge. English Deutsch English Deutsch bartender |ˈbɑːtɛndə| bellhop |bɛl hɒp | doorman |ˈdɔːmən| insensitive |ɪnˈsɛnsɪtɪv| limo |ˈlɪməʊ| maid |meɪd| room service |ˈruːm səːvɪs | Barkeeper, Barmixer Hotelpage Portier gefühllos skycap |ˈskʌɪkap| Gepäckträger am Flughafen Ergänzung Limousine Zimmermädchen Zimmerservice supplement |ˈsʌplɪm(ə)nt| tip |tɪp| valet parking |ˈvalɪt pɑːkɪŋ| wine steward |ˈwʌɪn stjuːəd| Trinkgeld Einparkservice Weinkellner Impressum ISSN: 1864-6522 Erscheinungsweise 12 – 16 Mal im Jahr • VNR Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG, Theodor-Heuss-Str. 2-4, 53095 Bonn, Leserservice: 0228 9550160 • Vorstand: Helmut Graf, Bonn; Herausgeber: Joachim Müller, Bonn; Chefredakteurin: Jean Lennox, Bonn (V.i.S.d.P.); Produktmanagement: Kerstin Enk, Bonn; Satz: Reinhard Kruse, Wallenhorst; Druck: Weinmann Druck GmbH, Hockenheim-Talhaus. • Fragen an Jean Lennox: [email protected] • Alle Angaben in „Business English Today“ wurden mit äußerster Sorgfalt ermittelt und überprüft. Eine Gewähr kann jedoch nicht übernommen werden. • © 2013 by VNR Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG, Bonn, Warschau, Bukarest, Moskau, London, Manchester, Madrid, Johannesburg, Paris. www.business-english-today.de Business English Today Adva nced Test || Legal English Können Sie englischen Gerichtsverhandlungen folgen? Finden Sie es jetzt heraus! Following court proceedings or reading about them in the press is a real challenge. This basic vocabulary will go a long way towards helping you understand what’s going on. I hope that you never find yourself in a court of law! But even if you avoid going to court yourself, you might want to follow the proceedings of a court case in the media. This test will show you if you already have the basic vocabulary. Small talk So zeigen Sie Interesse, wenn es um internationale Gesetze geht Here’s your chance to put into practice some of the language you learned on the left-hand side of this page. Rearrange the letters to complete these sentences, all of which are useful for making small talk on the subject of the law in different countries. Match these words with their definitions: allege evidence illegal sentence bring fine jury duty guilty negligence 1 A sum of money an individual or organisation has to pay as a penalty for doing something wrong is a _________. 2 Something that is ________ is against the law. 3 Information given by a person, often based on documents or objects used to establish facts in an investigation, is ________. 4 A group of people (often 12) picked to give a verdict in a legal case is the ___________. 5 If you ________something, you say that someone has done something wrong or illegal, even if you don’t have any hard proof. 6 If you are obliged to do something for moral or legal reasons, it is your ________. 7 The punishment fixed by law for a particular offence is a ________. 8 If you ________ an action against someone, you start legal proceedings. 9 If someone is found beyond reasonable doubt to have committed a crime, we say they are __________. 10 Failure to take proper care when doing something is called ________. English Deutsch English Deutsch beyond reasonable doubt |bɪˈjɒnd ˈriːz(ə)nəb(ə)l daʊt| to commit |kəˈmɪt| court of law |kɔːt (ə)v ˈlɔː| crime |krʌɪm| ohne nennenswerten Zweifel legal proceedings |ˈliːg(ə)l prəˈsiːd ɪŋz| obliged |əˈblʌɪdʒ d| penalty |ˈpɛn(ə)lti| proof |pruːf| punishment |ˈpʌnɪʃm(ə)nt| verdict |ˈvəːdɪkt| Gerichtsverfahren begehen Gericht Verbrechen www.business-english-today.de verpflichtet Strafe Beweis, Beweise Strafe 1 Do you know what the maximum n e c e n e t s for tax evasion is in the UK? 2 Is it true that it’s l e g l a i l to drink alcohol in parks in the US? 3 Do they have trial by y j u r in your country? 4 Do you get d e f i n for not wearing your seatbelt in Australia? 5 Are you considered innocent until proved l u g i t y in Japan? 6 If you say something negative about your job on facebook, can your boss g r i b n legal t o n i c a against you? English Deutsch tax evasion |taks ɪˈveɪʒ(ə)n| trial |ˈtrʌɪəl| Steuerhinterziehung Gerichtsverhandlung Joke Smith goes to see his boss. ‘We’re doing some heavy house-cleaning at home tomorrow, and my wife needs me to help with the cellar and the garage, moving stuff.’ ‘We’re short-handed, Smith,’ the boss replies. ‘I can’t give you the day off.’ ‘Thanks, boss,’ says Smith, ‘I knew I could count on you!’ Urteil July 2013 7 Business English Today Vocabulary focus Podcast Ground – so vielseitig ist das Wort! In the article on the right, I used the expressions to stand ground and to find common ground. There are many more expressions using ground. To be thick (or thin) on the ground means existing (or not existing) in large quantities. New textbooks on particle physics are thin on the ground. If you break ground, you dig or do other work in preparation for building something. You can also use the term to describe doing something innovative. We have broken ground at a new hotel site in Amsterdam. This new AIDS medication is a groundbreaking discovery. If something gets off the ground, it starts. It was hard work, but we have now got the negotiations off the ground. If you are on your own ground, you are in your own territory or in your own range of knowledge and experience. I feel reasonably relaxed if I’m interviewed on my own ground. Finally, if you run yourself into the ground, you exhaust yourself by working too hard. I’ve run myself into the ground with this project. I just hope it was worth it. Podcast Mit diesen Gegenargumenten halten Sie Ihr Gegenüber vom ewigen Feilschen ab The price of your product or service is important, but it’s not the only aspect you need to take into consideration. Here is a typical conversation between a salesperson (Seller) and a purchasing manager (Buyer). Look at the phrases the salesperson uses to move the focus away from price and onto value. Buyer Seller Buyer Seller Buyer Seller Buyer Seller Buyer Seller Conversation Comments Your price is twice as high as any other vendor. Because our solution offers far more value. Let’s look at the pricing of your components and compare them with your competitor’s prices. We could do that. But it would be like comparing apples with oranges. We have to put you into our supplier database. But with those prices, you’ve no chance. What are you going to do about it? I can gladly give you a breakdown of our solution, with a cost-value analysis. But what about the price? As our current clients know – the investment is competitive. It provides you with a guarantee of quality and long-term performance. For all that you’ve talked about value, all I can see is an impossibly high price. I get the feeling that I’m struggling to convey the benefits you’ll get, and the savings you’ll make. I realise that price is important to you but I don’t think we’re going to reach common ground unless we bring in a third party. Could we perhaps talk with a key user from your operations unit? The seller brings the word “value” into the game. The seller stands his or her ground. The seller continues to stand his ground. Mentioning “our other clients” suggests that they have better judgement than the seller. The seller remains non-confrontational (I get the feeling, I realise, I suggest) even though things are stuck. Talking on different wavelengths wastes time and is frustrating. The expressions the seller uses will help you talk about your view and move the negotiation forward. English Deutsch common ground Gemeinsamkeit |ˈkɒmən graʊnd| current |ˈkʌr(ə)nt| aktuell non-confrontational nicht herausfordernd |nɒn ˈkɑnfrənˈteɪʃənl| Haben Sie Fragen? Für Fragen zur Lieferung und Bestellung, rufen Sie bitte den Leserservice an: 0228 9550160. Haben Sie Fragen oder Vorschläge zum Inhalt? Sie erreichen mich montags von 10 bis 12:30 Uhr unter 0228 1806863. Oder schreiben Sie mir: [email protected] July 2013 Adva nced English for Sales || 8 English Deutsch to stand ground |stand graʊnd| vendor |ˈvɛndər| wavelength |ˈweɪvlɛŋθ| konsequent bleiben Lieferant Wellenlänge Vorschau – Next month read about Diese 10 Networking-Regeln sind ein Muss! Wer bezahlt eigentlich, wenn Sie eingeladen sind? 12 wichtige Formulierungen, die Ihnen bei Vertragsverletzungen helfen Bye for now! www.business-english-today.de