🤵 Corporate English : Problem-Solving Conversation
Project Manager: Good morning. I’ve noticed a problem with the monthly budget. Our expenses for raw materials have exceeded the estimate by 20%. Can you explain what happened?
Factory Accounts Officer: Good morning. Yes, I’ve reviewed the figures. The main reason is the sudden increase in steel prices last month. We had to purchase additional stock to avoid shortages.
Project Manager: That makes sense, but why wasn’t this increase communicated earlier? It has thrown off our cash flow projections.
Factory Accounts Officer: I apologize for the oversight. The purchase orders were finalized in urgency. I’ll ensure better communication with procurement in the future.
Project Manager: Alright, let’s address this. Can we offset the additional cost by reducing expenses in other areas this month?
Factory Accounts Officer: We can reduce maintenance expenses by postponing non-critical repairs. That could save around ৳50,000. Will that help?
Project Manager: That’s a good start. We should also monitor discretionary expenses like travel and utilities. Let’s aim for at least a 10% reduction there.
Factory Accounts Officer: Agreed. I’ll revise the budget accordingly and send it for your review by tomorrow.
Project Manager: Thank you. Please also set up a meeting with procurement to discuss better strategies for managing price fluctuations.
Factory Accounts Officer: Will do. I’ll schedule the meeting for later this week. Let’s ensure this doesn’t happen again.
Project Manager: Great. I appreciate your cooperation. Let’s work together to keep the budget on track.
