PANEL DISCUSSION
1. Discuss the factors that make a good communicator. What are the most important
factors?
Effective communication requires active listening. To listen effectively, they should give their
full attention, clear their mind of distractions, and show open and positive body language.
This is to improve communication. If possible, take control of the conversation.
- Three factors make a good communicator.
+ First is active listening. This means attention to your partners are speaking to understand deeply
them and show that you are connected to them in the conversation.
+ Second, make clear your point when communicating with your partners. That means you should
avoid using technical terms, or abbreviations. Not ramble and lose sight of their main message.
When someone doesn’t understand, you should explain by giving an easy-to-understand.
+ A good communicator seldom interrupts and stops people talking. That means, when they don’t
understand their partner, they will wait for a suitable opportunity. They also don’t confuse their
listeners.
2. Discuss the ways to improve communication in your organization. How do you see
business communication developing in the future?
- Encourage employees to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns openly. Create a safe and
inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves.
Technology is developing day by day, businesses should have strategies to improve
communication in their organization.
+ First, increasing remote work by using digital communication tools like online meetings which
will help limit distance, or stuck in traffic and communicate in real-time.
+ Second, focus on soft skills. Even with advanced technology, clear, and strong interpersonal
skills will be important for effective communication. Therefore, the company can make more
money and develop.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using emails, mobile phones, and conference
callings? Do you agree that face-to-face meetings are the best form of communication in
business? Why?
- Email:
+ Advantage:
* Cost–effective: With email, you can easily share files, documents, or even videos without paying
for printing expenses or paper expenses. Therefore, your company will save more money on
communication costs. This is useful for any business even big or small, especially for
international communication.
+ Disadvantages:
* Information Overload: An employee receives hundreds of emails daily, leading to reduced
productivity. Sorting through this volume of messages becomes challenging, affecting their
ability to focus on critical tasks.
- Mobile phone:
+ Advantage:
* Mobile calls allow for tone therefore you can hear your partner’s voice leading to deep
conversations and enhanced understanding.
+ Disadvantage:
* Don’t attention: notifications from apps, email, and others can distract you when you study or
work leading to decreased productivity
- Conference calling:
+ Advantage:
* Saves time: it lets many people talk together, making it quicker to share ideas and make
decisions. Convenient: Everyone can join everywhere. All they need is a device that connects to
the internet.
+ Disadvantages:
* Technical Problems: Calls might have bad sound or get disconnected, causing problems.
Imagine an important conference call where the audio keeps cutting out, leading to
misunderstanding and delays in decision-making.
** However, these forms of communication may not effectively convey the intended emotions and can
lead to misunderstandings. Interrupted connections can affect work at times.
- Face-to-face is the most important in bussiness because:
+ Meeting in person allows for building stronger and more meaningful business relationships.
Face-to-face interactions provide an opportunity to build trust and relationships, which can be
challenging to achieve through other forms of communication.
4. What are some problems companies in Vietnam may face when they enter the international
market? Give examples of Vietnamese companies expanding the market successfully and
unsuccessfully
- Some problems companies of Vietnam may face when they enter the international market
- Cultural Differences: Understanding and adapting to different cultural norms, consumer
behaviors, and business markets can be a significant challenge for Vietnamese companies.
Misunderstanding can lead to ineffective marketing strategies or decreased relationships
with customers.
+ For example: A Vietnamese clothing manufacturer may find it difficult to compete with popular
brands that have previous advantages like H&M or Zara.
- Success Story: Vinamilk, the largest dairy producer in Vietnam, has expanded into markets
including the United States, Europe, and Australia. Their commitment to quality, efficient
distribution networks, and a strong brand image contributed to their success
- Unsuccessful story: VinaPhone, a Vietnamese telecommunications company, faced
challenges when entering the competitive international telecom market. It struggled to
compete with established global players
5. What are some marketing strategies? What are the advantages and/or drawbacks of
standardized and adapted marketing? Give examples of standardized and adapted marketing.
Some marketing strategies
+ Content Marketing: Creating valuable content (blogs, videos, infographics) to attract and
engage your target audience.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with other websites or influencers to promote your products or
services for a commission on sales.
- Standardized Marketing:
+ Advantages:
* Saves money because you make the same ads for everyone.
* Makes your brand look the same everywhere, which is good for recognition.
+ Drawbacks:
* People in different places might not get your message if it's not right for their culture.
+ Example: Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign used the same idea worldwide, where
they put popular names on their bottles. This campaign increases their sales and creates great
media impact.
- Adapted Marketing:
+ Advantages:
* People might like your brand more if you show you understand them leading to an
increase in the relationship with customers.
- Drawbacks:
+ It costs more money to change ads for different areas.
+ Example: McDonald's changes its menu and ads in different countries to match what
people there like.
In India, they sell the burger
In Germany, the McSchnitzel is popular because it matches local tastes.
6. Discuss reasons people change their jobs. What are your opinions about the job-hopping trend?
- Reasons people change their jobs
+ Career advancement: one of the most common reasons for changing jobs is career
development. People may find chances for promotion, and higher salaries that their current job
doesn’t adapt. People want to make more money
+ Work-life balance: some people may change their jobs because they want to more freely. They
may choose jobs that are flexible time, fewer demands to spend time on the needs of individuals
or their families.
- I think the frequent job changes are opportunities to develop skills. After changing jobs, I
can become more flexible and have more experience to adapt to difficult situations. I also
can expand my networking which is important in my career.
7. Discuss the risks businesses face and ways companies can manage these risks.
- Internal risk:
+ Financial Mismanagement:
* Poor budget planning and poor financial controls can lead to financial losses and hinder a
company's ability to invest in growth.
* Management Strategy: Develop a strong financial management system. Implement clear
budgeting processes, conduct regular financial reviews, and establish strong internal controls to
minimize errors and prevent dishonesty.
Back in the early 2000s, Nokia was on top with its simple phones that everyone liked. But then
came the smartphones like the iPhone and Android. They changed everything with bigger
screens, lots of features, and app stores full of cool stuff.
* Nokia didn't see this coming. They didn't update their phones fast enough to compete. Even
when they finally made their own smartphones, they were late and didn't have many apps or a
user-friendly setup.
8. What are the advantages and disadvantages when you work in the environment of a “long-
hours” culture? What problems concerning behaviors at work might you face in the environment
of a “long-hours” culture? Choose one and present some solutions to it? Give some solutions for
problems
- Advantages:
+ Increasing productivity: Imagine working on an important project that requires deep focus and
collaboration. In such cases, having extra time can ensure everything is on-time delivery and
project success.
+ Extra money: Working extra hours often means extra pay. This can be helpful for people who
need more money. This financial incentive can motivate employees to put in extra effort during
busy periods.
- Disadvantages:
+ Burnout: Working too much without a break can make you feel stressed and unmotivated. It's
like running and never stops. This can make it hard to do your best work and feel good about
what you're doing.
+ Work-life imbalance: Spending too much time at work means less time for other things like
hanging out with family or friends. It's like missing out on important moments because you're
always at work. This can reduce relationships and make you feel lonely and unhappy.
- Problems with Working Long Hours: Being at Work but Not Working
+ Sometimes, employees stay at work for a long time but don't get much done. This can be a big
issue in workplaces where people often work long hours.
+ Focus on Getting Things Done: Instead of rewarding people for working long hours, focus on
what they achieve. Set clear goals and judge employees based on reaching those goals, not
just how much time they spend working. This helps them work better and stops them from
wasting time at work.
+ Be Flexible: Let employees work from home or choose when they work. This helps them
balance work and their personal life better, which makes them happier and less stressed. They
can work when they're most able to get things done, which means they're not just pretending to
be busy.
9. Identify internal and external risks businesses face. Choose ONE INDUSTRY in your country
and analyse the types and levels of risk the industry might face? ( Trùng vs 7)
10. What are possible ways businesses raise finance? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of each?
Equity Financing
+ Advantages:
* Possibility of Getting Long-Term Support: When companies get equity financing,
they might find investors who believe in their long-term success. These investors can
give not only money but also advice, connections in the industry, and help with
making important decisions. This can be super helpful for a business to reach its
goals and grow.
+ Disadvantages:
* Costs of Selling Shares: Getting money by selling shares can be expensive
because of legal and other administrative costs. Plus, companies have to keep their
shareholders updated with meetings and financial reports, which also costs money.
- Debt Financing
11. How has customer service changed? What are the reasons for these changes? What are some
pieces of advice for companies that want to improve their customer service nowadays?-
- Changes in Customer Service
+ Multiple Channels: No longer limited to phone calls and letters, customers can now
reach companies through email, social media, live chat, text messages, and even video calls.
- Reasons for the Changes:
+ Tech-Savvy Customers: Consumers today are comfortable using technology and expect
businesses to keep pace.
+ Rise of Social Media: Social media platforms have become a powerful tool for customer
feedback, both positive and negative. Companies need to be responsive on these platforms to
maintain a good reputation.
- Solution:
+ Listen to Customers: They can ask for feedback through surveys, social media, and
talking directly with customers. This helps them improve their service. By understanding how
customers feel, companies can keep doing what works and fix what doesn't.
INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS
1. “Think of a good communicator you've met in your life. What impressions did you have on
him/her? What are the main qualities of a good communicator?
- A good communicator I have met is my friend. I admired his clear and persuasive
communication.
- Three factors make a good communicator.
+ First is active listening. To listen effectively, we should give their full attention, clear their mind of
distractions, and show open and positive body language.
+ A good communicator seldom interrupts and stops people talking. That means, when they don’t
understand their partner, they will wait for a suitable opportunity. They also don’t confuse their
listeners.
2. Are there any ways to improve communication between companies and their customers in the
future?
- Using AI to customize experiences: Think about AI that does more than just answer basic
questions. This advanced AI could look at things like what you buy, how you've talked to
companies before, and other information about you. Then it could guess what you might
need next and suggest things to you before you even ask. This could change how customer
service works by helping out before any problems happen.
- Focus on honesty and being real: Customers will continue to value companies that are
honest and direct in their communication. This means being clear about pricing, product
limitations, and any potential issues.
3. List the main forms of communication people can use. Rank them from the best to the worst
and explain why.
- List the main forms of communication people can use.
+ Verbal communication: This includes speaking and sign language. It's great for immediate
feedback, building rapport, and conveying emotions. It's also flexible and allows for clarification
on the spot. However, it can be fleeting and misunderstandings can happen easily.
+ Non-verbal communication: This includes body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
It can be powerful for emphasizing verbal messages or even contradicting them. It's often
subconscious, so it can reveal underlying emotions. However, nonverbal cues can be culturally
dependent and open to misinterpretation.
+ Written communication: This includes emails, texts, letters, reports, etc. It allows for a clear and
detailed record of the message and can be reviewed later. It's also good for reaching a large
audience asynchronously (without needing everyone to be present at the same time). However,
written communication can lack emotional nuance and can be misinterpreted without tone of
voice or body language.
+ Visual communication: This includes images, infographics, charts, and even things like clothing
or hairstyles. It can be very efficient for conveying complex information or emotions. Visuals can
be easily shared and remembered. However, they may require some interpretation and can lack
the detail of other forms of communication.
- The best way to communicate depends on the situation. Consider these factors when
choosing:
+ Purpose: What are you trying to achieve with your communication?
+ Audience: Who are you communicating with? What are their communication preferences?
+ Context: Is this a formal or informal setting?
+ Information complexity: Does your message require a lot of detail?
+ In many cases, the most effective communication will use a combination of these forms. For
example, a presentation might combine spoken words with slides and handouts.
4. In what way can you think of to cement or sour relationships?
- Cementing relationships involves building trust, understanding, and shared experiences.
Here are some ways to strengthen connections:
+ Effective Communication: Openly express feelings, listen actively, and be empathetic. Clear
communication fosters understanding and closeness.
+ Quality Time: Doing things you enjoy with others, like having a chat or going out for fun, helps
you feel closer.
+ Be kind: Even small acts of kindness, like saying thank you or helping out, show you care about
others.
+ Be honest: Keep your promises, be someone others can rely on, and be honest. Trust is super
important in any relationship.
+ Share goals and values: When you have similar goals and beliefs, you feel more connected and
can support each other better.
- To cement relationships, it's important to actively listen. This means paying close attention,
showing interest, and understanding. Additionally, by sharing your thoughts and feelings
honestly, while being respectful of the other person's perspective.
- Failing to communicate regularly or address issues openly can lead to misunderstandings and
resentment, which can sour relationships.
5. If your organizations want to enter an overseas market, what questions should you consider?
- Know about the market: Understand its size, who you're up against, and what people there
like.
- Understand customers: Figure out what they want and what they think of your brand.
- Money matters: Think about how much it'll cost, how much you'll make, and how to pay for
it.
- Be ready for problems: Think about what could go wrong and plan for it.
6. What do you find satisfying and frustrating about your work?
- Sastifying
+ Learning and improving: I keep getting better by learning new things. It feels good to understand
and help you more each time.
+ Helping people: I like assisting users with their questions or tasks. It's fulfilling to be useful,
whether I'm summarizing topics, writing creatively, or just chatting.
+ Discovering new stuff: Every time we talk, I learn something new. It's like having a new
adventure every day!
- Frustrating
+ Not enough information: Sometimes, I don't have all the right info, so I might make mistakes or
give the wrong answers.
+ Misunderstandings: Language can be complex, and I might not always get what you mean.
This can be annoying for both of us.
7. Companies should be fully involved in the lives of their employees. Do you agree?
- No, I don’t agree.
+ Employees worry about their privacy: Some workers don't like it when their bosses get too
involved in their stuff. Workers need to have a good balance between their job and personal life.
They don't want their bosses poking around in their time too much.
+ Risk of being controlled: If companies have too much power over their workers, they might try to
control or take advantage of them. For instance, a company might push employees to work
extra hours or take on more tasks without paying them properly.
8. What do you think will be the main reasons why guests do not return to a hotel?
- Uncleanliness: Dirty rooms make travelers unhappy and they might choose a different hotel
next time.
- Poor service: Unfriendly staff or long waits can make guests unhappy and they might not
come back.
- Inconvenience: This could include complicated booking processes, difficult access to
information, or a cumbersome checkout process.
9. What factors would motivate you to work harder? Which one is the most important?
- Factors that would motivate you to work harder
+ Money: the world changes day by day, and the needs of people increase. So money is
important to meet their needs.
+ Growth opportunities: in fact, when I can see chances to move up or learn new things in my job,
I will be more likely to work harder.
+ Positive work environment: When I get feel trusted, and respected, and work well with others, I
will be more motivated. This means having good relationships with coworkers and bosses.
- Money is the most important because when I have money I will buy what I want without
depending on others. So money is the most important to my work.
10. Do you like working for a male or female boss? - Why?
+ I don't have a preference for whether my boss is male or female. What matters to me is their
qualities as a leader and how well they manage and support their team. Gender doesn't play a
role in how effective someone can be as a boss. It's more about their leadership style,
communication skills, and ability to foster a positive work environment. So, whether my boss is
male or female doesn't make a difference to me as long as they are competent and respectful in
their role.
11. What irritates you the most when dealing with customer service departments?
+ - Long Wait Times: Waiting for extended periods can frustrate customers and make them
feel undervalued. Customer service representatives should strive to minimize wait times and
provide timely responses to customer inquiries
- Lack of Active Listening: When customer service representatives fail to listen attentively to
customer concerns, it can lead to frustration. Active listening skills are crucial for understanding
customer needs and providing effective solutions
12. You are an experienced customer care executive. Suggest some ways to improve customer
service for companies.
- Solution:
+ Personalization: Using the same message for everyone isn't good enough anymore.
Companies can use what they know about customers to make interactions more personal
and give them solutions that fit their needs. This means more than just using their name. It's
like knowing what they bought before, what they like, and what they've asked about in the
past. But making it personal still needs real people. Having well-trained customer service
reps who know their stuff, understand how customers feel, and have the power to fix
problems is super important.
+ Listen to Customers: They can ask for feedback through surveys, social media, and
talking directly with customers. This helps them improve their service. By understanding how
customers feel, companies can keep doing what works and fix what doesn't.
13. Do you think you will be a good manager in the future? Why? What do you think are the key
qualities of a successful manager today?
+ Communication: Clear and effective communication is always at the heart of good teamwork. A
manager who can't express goals or listen to concerns will struggle to lead a team.
+ Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Understanding emotions and navigating them effectively is crucial
for building trust, resolving conflict, and motivating employees.
+ Empathy: The ability to see things from an employee's perspective fosters connection and
empowers them to take ownership of their work.
14. It's said that customers are never wrong. How true is it in your country?
. It's said that customers are never wrong. How true is it in your country?
+ In my country, people often say "customers are always right." But in reality, that's not
entirely true. While businesses try hard to keep customers happy, sometimes customers might
not have the right information or have unrealistic expectations. Still, businesses work to solve
problems and give good service to keep customers happy and coming back. So, while
customers are really important, there are times when they might not be completely right.
