周大官人

T: How are things in your graphic designing business,Mr.H?
H:Great! I really like being my own boss
T: you started your own business last year ,didn’t you?
H: Yes,right after I was laid off
T:weren't you working for an advertising firm?
H:Before they down sized
T: Being down sized worked out.your new business is a cuccess
H:As I said,it’s good to be your own boss,no one can laid you off
T: your graphic design business has worked out for you
H:It has ,even Tate associats uses my designing services
T:That’s right ,didn’t you design our logo?
H:I designed your logo and your letter head
T: you are going to do our website ,too.right?
H:If I get into web design
T: yes ? web design is a logical next step for a graphic designer
Herhaps ,but it’s a big step
T:so you come to us to…….?
H:I’ve come to you for advice,I need to expand,I need to grow.
T:you want to expand into designing websites?
H:I want to design websites .no, I have to design websites.but…
T: but with an expansion comes investment
H:Yes ,I need to invest computers and personnel
T:you need powerful computers to do web designs.
H:And skilled designers to use the computers.

周大官人

T: Mr. H, you are worried about making more investment.
H: especially investing in computers. The technology changes so rapidly.
T: and you have to change with it.
H: when I started, I had one simple phone, one single-line phone.
T: life was simpler then.
H: that was only last year. Now I have a multi-line phone, a beeper and a cell phone
T: no e-mail?
H: of course e-mail and voice mail and fax.
T: you should be used to changing technology.
H: I can’t keep up with the changes. They happen too fast.
T: technology really changed the way we do business.
H: I know, with today’s technology, there is no down time.
T: do you staying in touch with the office all the time?
H: my clients can reach me anywhere by cell phone.
T: so if they can get in touch with any time, your office is always open.
H: as I said, no down time.
T: you could turn off your cell phone.
H: what? How was my clients get hold of me?
T: your clients could always email you.
H: and they do. I have computer savvy clients.
T: e-mail is really convenient. All you need is a computer and a modem.
H: and a fast and reliable connection to the internet.
T: is your modem fast, isn’t it?
H: I had to get a faster modem to keep up.
T: why don’t you get a direct connection to the internet? A direct internet connection is necessity for you.
H: a costly necessity.

周大官人

T: how did your web search go?
H: super! I visited lots of vender sites.
T: did you check out their product pages?
H: sure! That’s why I found the technical specs.
T: what about the facts? Did you read the vendor’s fax?
H: The faxes were really useful. A lot of people had the same questions I had.
T: so these vendor sites answered all your questions?
H: all my technical questions anyway.
T: where else did you search on the net?
H: some users had put up the sites on some specific products.
T: well, when the comments are puzzletivities.
H: you mean users post negative comments, too? What a surprise!
T: some. But the topics were more on how to use the products.
T: and how to avoid their bugs?
H: those are good tips get posted on those user sites.
T: did you email any users?
H: no, not yet. I don’t think I need to.
T: you go enough information just from the sites?
H: every site had links to other sites.
T: so you just surf from site to site?
H: I follow the links from site to site, reading about designing software.
T: and you know what you want now?
H: I got a good picture just by following the links.

周大官人

H: In my research on the internet, I learned one thing.
T: what’s that?
H: you can never have enough memory.
T: that works for both people and computers.
H: designing software takes a lot computer memory.
T: most computer applications take enormous amounts of memory.
H: but especially design software. Graphics files are huge.
T: so you need a lot of memory.
H: and storage, I need a lot of disk space to store these files.
T: and you back them up?
H: right! If the computer crashes, I don’t want to lose my work.
T: so you need a lot of storage on your computer.
H; and some backup storage devices.
T: sure. You have to back up copies of your file.
H; once my computer crashed, I lost all my work, I had no backup files.
T: no backup, eh? You only did that once.
H: isn’t there shareware available to help you backup files?
T; sure! You can pull the applications down from the shareware site.
H: I think my browser has at least one shareware link.
T: you must. Pull your browser to one of those browsers.
H: what about news groups on shareware?
T: there must be newsgroups on shareware.
H: there are newsgroups on everything.
T: cover or basis, looking every corner on the net.

周大官人

T: let me ask you this. Do you send files over the internet?
H: a lot .we send graphics files back and forth all the time.
T: so you download a lot of files, too?
H: that’s why we got a faster modem. Large files take forever to download.
T: listen to what I am telling you, get a direct internet connection.
H: is it that much faster?
T: you can download most files in no time and get back to your designing work.
H: all right. Let’s put them on the list.
T: speaking of lists, that’s what we should be working on.
H: I started making a wish list, a list of the computer equipment.
T: let’s take a look.
H: it’s not quite complete.
T: It looks like you listed every peripheral on the market.
H: looks that way, doesn’t it?
T: you want all the staff. But do you need it?
H: yeah, sure, don’t I?
T: before you purchase any hardware, you should do more research.
H: where should I do this research?
T: get on the net, starts surf, check out what’s hot.
H: where on the net, do I look?
T: search for the hardware and software reviews.
H: ok, I will read the hardware and software reviews, then what?
T: email people who use the hardware, email designers who use the software.
H: ok, I will start searching on the net.

周大官人

T: How are things in your graphic designing business, Mr. H?
H: Great! I really like being my own boss
T: you started your own business last year, didn’t you?
H: Yes, right after I was laid off
T: weren't you working for an advertising firm?
H: Before they down sized
T: Being down sized worked out. your new business is a Success
H: As I said, it’s good to be your own boss, no one can laid you off
T: your graphic design business has worked out for you
H: It has ,even Tate associates uses my designing services
T: That’s right ,didn’t you design our logo?
H:I designed your logo and your letter head
T: you are going to do our website ,too. Right?
H: If I get into web design
T: yes? Web design is a logical next step for a graphic designer
H: Perhaps, but it’s a big step
T: so you come to us to…….?
H: I’ve come to you for advice, I need to expand, I need to grow.
T: you want to expand into designing websites?
H:I want to design websites .no, I have to design websites. but…
T: but with an expansion comes investment
H: Yes, I need to invest computers and personnel
T: you need powerful computers to do web designs.
H: And skilled designers to use the computers.

周大官人

M: Tate Associates is a global consultant firm, right?
F: t hat's right, few years ago, we had just two offices, now we're up to ninety
M: why so many, so fast?
F: we have to, to be a global player we need an access to local markets, a local office gives us access to these markets
M: so local companies come to you
F: they come to us and ask what i do now.
M: in what areas?
F: you mean it, accounting, computers, all areas
M: so you consult in all areas
F: we consult wherever there's a need, and then if there isn't a need, we create one.
M: specifically though, what are your strengths?
F: The core of our business is accounting, we provide accounting services for many our clients
M: you are more than bookkeepers,
F: Of course, we are planers, we help our clients keep pace with global economy.
M: having offices around the globe helps
F: we can say to our clients, we have access, we know people my friend in Tokyo, my friend in Washington, my friend in Beijing
M: so you network is another your strength
F: yes, a global network is a major strength.
M: Global network isn't easy.
F: for us it's easy. All our employees speak several languages
M: so they are sensitive to local cultures
F: they are sensitive and they're objective
M: Objectivity is?
F: it's necessity for consultants, you have to be objective or you can not do your job
M: so sensitivity and objectivity are the major strengths of your employees, correct?
F: correct, let me add, competent, my employees are very very good at their jobs
M: In sum them, your employees are sensitive, objective and competent
F: that sums up nicely