#47 Taking Job Interviews｜English Business Phrases
Izumi English Morning
#76 Visiting a Business Partner｜English Business Phrases
Izumi
When visiting a business partner, there are many necessary interactions, such as greeting the receptionist, explaining the purpose of your visit, and asking to be connected to the person in charge.
By learning commonly used set phrases in advance, you can handle even a first visit with confidence and professionalism.
In this article, I explain useful English expressions for business visits in detail, based on a sample conversation.
Contents
Dialogue
Good afternoon. I have an appointment with Mr. Brown at 2 p.m.
May I have your name, please?
Yes, my name is Sato from ABC Solutions.
Thank you. I’ll let him know you’re here.
I see.
Mr. Brown will be with you shortly. Please have a seat.
I appreciate it.
1. Telling the Receptionist You Have an Appointment
When you arrive at a client’s office, the first step is to inform the receptionist who you are meeting and at what time.
Example
- I have an appointment with Mr. Brown at 2 p.m.
The expression “have an appointment with ～” is frequently used in business settings. By stating that you have an appointment at the beginning, you clearly communicate the purpose of your visit.
Including the appointment time also helps the receptionist understand the situation immediately.
2. Giving Your Name and Company Name
At reception, it is standard practice to state your name and company name together.
Example
- My name is Sato from ABC Solutions.
Here, “from” means “belonging to” or “representing” and is commonly used when stating your company affiliation.
Related Expressions
- I’m Sato, representing ABC Solutions.
- My name is Sato. I work for ABC Solutions.
These variations are all appropriate in formal business situations.
3. Asking to Be Announced to the Person in Charge
When asking the receptionist to notify the person you are visiting, you may hear the following expression:
Example
- I’ll let him know you’re here.
The phrase “let someone know ～” means “to inform someone” and is widely used in visits, phone calls, and emails.
If you would like to make the request yourself, you can say:
Example
- Could you let him know that I’ve arrived?
This phrasing is polite and suitable for formal business interactions.
4. Politely Asking Someone to Wait
It is common to wait briefly until the person in charge arrives. In such cases, the receptionist may say:
Example
- Mr. Brown will be with you shortly. Please have a seat.
“Shortly” means “soon,” and “Please have a seat.” is a standard, highly formal phrase used when welcoming guests.
Summary
Key English Phrases
- I have an appointment with ～.
→ Used to inform the receptionist that you have a scheduled meeting. - My name is ～ from ～.
→ A standard and concise way to state your name and company. - I’ll let her know you’re here.
→ Commonly used to inform someone of a visitor’s arrival. - Please have a seat.
→ A formal expression used to politely ask someone to wait.
