Topics for discussion A

Answered by Rahela Monarissa Br. Hutasoit, Sahat Anjulio Alexsandro Silitonga, Amor
Idola Sitompul, Theresia Elaine Aritonang, Armansyah Siregar, Cindi Yadira.
1. When you receive callers, why would it be advantageous to know something about their
business? (Answered by Rahela Monarissa Br Hutasoit)
Answer: Knowing something about the caller's business is useful for knowing the true purpose
of the caller, and will make it easier to recognize the caller when making an appointment and
coming to the office.

2. Your employer, Mr Black, is interviewing a valuable client, Mrs Bartholomew, who is always
most reluctant to leave. You know this from past experience. Mr Black does not wish to
antagonize her, but cannot afford to give her any more time. Is there any way in which you
could help? (Answered by Rahela Monarissa Br Hutasoit)
Answer: The way I helped Mr. Black was to say that there was a schedule of work activities
that Mr. Black had to attend with other clients, so as to indirectly tell Mrs. Bartholomew to end
the meeting with my employer, Mr. Black.

3. How would you make a visitor feel at ease while waiting for an appointment with your
employer? (Answered by Rahela Monarissa Br Hutasoit)
Answer: give a polite greeting, please sit down and serve food and drinks, accompany chatting.

4. Your employer, Mr Black, has an appointment with the managing director at 3 pm. It is now
2.56 but he still has a client with him who shows no sign of leaving. It is possible that Mr Black
has overlooked the time. Would you do anything about this? (Answered by Sahat Anjulio
Alexsandro Silitonga)
Answer : I think as an employee will tell Mr Black said he promised to meet with the managing
director at 3 pm. Then I asked Mr. Black's permission to represent a few minutes to meet with
the managing director. I do this by calling Mr. Black because it’s not good to discuss this in
front of clients.
When Mr. Black seems very serious in discussing with a client, I will leave Mr.Black to decide
to meet the managing director early. Leave a massage to other employees to convey the
message that I have gone to meet the managing director. My job is to make it comfortable for
the managing director to wait for Mr. Black. For example, talk to him. But be polite and not
interrupt the conversation. If Mr. Black hadn’t come yet I would have called him and said that
the managing director had arrived. I will call back Mr. Black by saying “the managing director
is here now, Mr. Black”

5. A client calls to see your employer (a solicitor) about a contract which was to have been
completed for him today. Your employer is out, but you know that the contract will not be
ready for at least a week. What will you say to the caller? (Answered by Sahat Anjulio
Alexsandro Silitonga)
Answer : First I apologize to the client and I will tell the client that the employer is not in the
room, I will ask why the caller wants to talk to Mr. black, I would say “Do you have an
appointment?” then I tell the client about the estimated time to make the contract if the client
asks about it. I would say "I'm sorry, sir, we didn't confirm the estimated time for making the
contract to you, for making the contract it can't be completed in a few days sir, it could take at
least a week to make the contract, sir, because it has to be detailed in the process, sir." “I will
tell Mr. Black about this contract, can we call you back?.”. Then i will also offer the client to
leave a message. I'd say "Would you like to leave a message?"
6. Two men arrive together and you find that each has an appointment with your employer for 10
am. You find that you made the appointment for Mr Wilkins, but your employer made the
appointment for Mr Thomas. (Answered by Amor Idola Sitompul)
a. Why should this never have happened?
Answer: Because as a secretary it is the duty to manage the employer properly so that the
agreed appointment is in accordance with the time determined by the superior so that there
will be no double appointments.
b. How will you deal with the matter?
Answer: I will apologize to Mr Wilkins and reschedule the meeting with the employer.

7. An insurance salesman calls. You have heard your employer say recently that she is thinking
of taking out more insurance. However, she is particularly busy at present and you hesitate to
disturb her. What will you do? (Answered by Amor Idola Sitompul)
Answer: I told the insurance that my employer is busy later I will talk to him, and I will ask
for a contact that can be contacted from the insurance company, and if my employer is not
busy I will try to talk to him

8. When Mr Carling called, you notified your employer, who was busy completing a document
and said he would be ready in five minutes. However, nearly twenty minutes have passed, and
you have heard nothing from Mr Black. Do you think it is your duty to do anything about this?
Why? ( Answered by Thresia Elaine Aritonang)
Answer : I as an employee who received a call from Mr. Carling considers it my duty to remind
Mr. Black's promise to call Mr. Carling because the time to call back Mr. Carling has been
more than 5 minutes. And if Mr. Black's work is not finished, I will offer to help Mr. Black's
work in completing a document, so that he can immediately call Mr. Carling.

9. A close friend of your employer (from Denpasar) calls. He is just passing through your town,
Medan, and will be there (in Medan) for only an hour. Your employer has just gone to lunch
in the firm‟s dining room. What will you do? (Answered by Thresia Elaine Aritonang)
Answer : I as an employee will tell and convey everything that my employer's close friends
have said to me and ask my employer what I can do to respond to my employer's close friends.

10. Ms Kelly arrives on time for an appointment with Mr Black (your employer) at 2 pm. It is now
2.30 and Mr Black has not yet returned from lunch. You do not know what has caused the
delay. What will you do?(Answered by Armansyah)
Answer: Apologizing to Ms lely for being late to the meeting that was promised, and
explaining that Mr Black has not returned from lunch and I will inform you that you are here,
then offer Ms lely to wait a moment for Mr Black to come

11. As each caller leaves, Miss Brown is further behind with her appointments, and is now nearly
half an hour behind schedule. Would you bring this to her notice? How? (Answered by
Armansyah)
Answer: yes, Excume Ms Brown, sorry to disturb your time, I wanted to inform you that you
had an appointment half an hour ago, that’s all I can say, thank you
12. Mr Jones has called three times to see your employer. The latter is deliberately avoiding him
and you know that is the case. What would you tell Mr Jones on the third occasion? (Answered
by Cindi Yadira)
Answer: I would say "I apologize in advance for the inconvenience Mr. Jones, I didn't mean
to ignore your call. Is there anything I can help you with?"

13. You have been appointed secretary to the assistant sales manager, Mr Black. On your second
day in the position, a caller without an appointment asks to see Mr Black. In answer to your
enquiry, he says the call is a personal one. Knowing that Mr Black is free, you show the visitor
in.
It later transpired that he is a member of an organization to which your employer belongs and
is one who regularly borrows money and forgets to repay it. Mr Black has always been at great
pains to avoid him, and later tells you that he is displeased with your handling of the situation.
Has he had reason to be?(Answered by Cindi Yadira)
Answer: Of course Mr. Black was not happy with his secretary's handling of the meeting
without an appointment. One of the reasons was because the caller was someone Mr. Black
had avoided. Another reason is because the secretary does not screen visitors who come.
Before the secretary shows visitors to Mr. Black, the secretary should first ask Mr. Black's
willingness