Telephone Conversation

Cart. - John Cartwright.

K. - Hello, John. This is Victor Klimov, from Moscow.

Cart. - Hello, Victor. Any problems?

K. - Yes, Did you receive our e-mail yesterday?

Cart. – Yes, we did.

K. - I’d like to know your reaction to it.

Cart. - We've carefully studied your complaints, Victor. You're perfectly correct as to the short-delivery. Items 2.5 and 2.6 lacked in the consignment of equipment we sent you. It was overlooked by our controller. We apologize for the oversight. It won't happen again.

K. - When will you send us these parts?

Cart. - This week. By air. We'll also send you some documents to facilitate customs clearance at your end.

K. - Fine. But what about the packaging? The cover of one of the containers was badly damaged. The equipment in this container was damaged a little too.

Cart. - It wasn't our fault, Victor. The equipment was packed in the required way. You should take this up with the captain of the ship.

K. - We've already done it, John. He believes that your packing is to blame.

Cart. - I must disagree totally with him- Perhaps you should have been firmer in dealing with him.

K. - Let's come back to this matter in a couple of days, John, I'll try to discuss it with the ship-owners. But there is one more problem: the three-week delay in delivery of the equipment. We suffered some losses through this delay. I'd like to remind you that according to the sanctions clause of our contract we have the right to claim compensation.

Cart. - I'm afraid you haven't that right, Victor. This delay was caused by a strike in the Brighton port. We consider this strike to be a force majeure circumstance that had a direct effect on the execution of our liabilities. We did

our best to meet the deadline.

K. - I don't agree, John. English ports are often hit by strikes. You were able to foresee this complication. Moreover, to meet the deadline you could have delivered the equipment to other port.

Cart. - We couldn't have done it owing to circumstances outside our control.

K. - If we don't reach mutual understanding, our company will have to go

through arbitration procedures.

Cart. - There's no need to get aggressive, Victor. There will be a meeting of our top executives at 11 o'clock where your claim will be on the agenda. I'll try

to settle it and ring you back after the meeting.

K. -All right. I'm waiting for your call. John.

Cart. - Bye, Victor.

14. Scan the text of the dialogue to be able to answer the following questions.

1. What problems does Victor Klimov come out with in his telephone call?

2. How was the problem of short delivery solved?

3. Did Mr. Cartwright admit the fact that his firm was to blame for faulty packaging?

4. How did Mr. Cartwright explain the fact of the three day delay in the delivery of the equipment?

5. How did V. Klimov disprove Mr. Cartwight’s arguments?

6. What measures does V. Klimov’s firm intend to take?

7. How does Mr. Cartwright hope to finally settle the problem of the delay in delivery?