top of page

<Beginner> Lesson No.6

Response to Delivery Schedule Acceleration Request from Overseas Customer / 海外顧客からの納期短縮要求への対応

0.Greetings & Ice-break (2min.)|挨拶と導入

 

0-1 Greetings

Let’s practice a short small talk that you can use to greet a business partner and start building a good relationship.

講師との挨拶を兼ねて、ビジネスパートナーと信頼関係を築くための短いスモールトークを練習してみましょう。

[Tips / 会話のヒント]

・Can you hear me clearly? 

 私の声はクリアに聞こえますか?
・How's your day going so far?

 今日はどんな一日でしたか?
・Talk about one small topic (Work, Weather, News, Hometown, Sports event, etc.)

 軽い話題について話しましょう(仕事、天気、ニュース、地元、スポーツイベントなど)

0-2 Introduction​

In today’s lesson, we’ll learn about the following situation. Have you ever experienced something similar?

本日のレッスンでは以下のようなシチュエーションについて学びます。同様のシチュエーションを経験したことがありますか?​

​​

- If you have experience, please tell us what it was like, what was difficult, or what you learned.

   経験があれば、どんな内容だったか、難しかったことや学んだことなどを教えて下さい。 

- If you don’t have experience, try to imagine yourself handling that situation in English.

  What do you think would be challenging?

  経験がなければ、英語でその状況に対応しているところを想像してみましょう。どんなことが難しそうですか?

Situation / シチュエーション

Discussing delivery schedule acceleration requests from overseas customers who need to meet earlier market launch deadlines.
海外顧客からの市場投入前倒しに伴う納期短縮要求について協議する場面です。

1. Read (2 min)|型を学ぶ
Let's read the following key sentences aloud!
下記の文章や単語を順番に音読しましょう!

1-1 Basic phrases
1.Let me explain our current situation(現在の状況を説明させてください)
2.Our production team confirmed that...(生産チームに確認したところ...)
3.We need your approval on...(...についてご承認をいただく必要があります)
4.Let me break down the cost structure for you(コスト構造を詳しく説明いたします)
5.We will provide weekly progress reports to...(...するため毎週進捗報告を提供いたします)
6.We can guarantee the 2-month acceleration if...(...すれば2か月の前倒しを保証できます)
7.We have prepared a backup plan that includes...(...を含むバックアッププランを準備しております)

1-2 Essential words
1.understand(理解する)
2.confirm(確認する)
3.reduce(短縮する)
4.increase(上昇する)
5.approve(承認する)
6.provide(提供する)
7.ensure(確実にする)
8.guarantee(保証する)
9.assign(配置する)
10.prepare(準備する)
2. Try  (3 min)|ロールプレイ練習

Let’s practice the role-play.

ロールプレイの練習をしましょう!

Situation / シチュエーション(Reference again)

Discussing delivery schedule acceleration requests from overseas customers who need to meet earlier market launch deadlines.
海外顧客からの市場投入前倒しに伴う納期短縮要求について協議する場面です。

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. We need to discuss the launch schedule for the new product line. Our market analysis shows that we must bring forward the release date by 2 months to stay ahead of our competitors. This earlier timeline is absolutely critical for our market positioning.
(本日はお時間をいただきありがとうございます。新製品ラインの発売スケジュールについて話し合う必要があります。市場分析によると、競合他社に先んじるため、発売日を2か月前倒しする必要があります。この早期のスケジュールは、市場でのポジショニングにとって絶対に重要です。)
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
I understand your requirements and the competitive pressure you are facing. Let me explain our current situation. Our production team confirmed that we can reduce the lead time by 6 weeks if we adjust the manufacturing schedule and add overtime shifts. However, this will increase the unit cost by approximately 8 percent due to the additional labor and expedited material procurement. We need your approval on this cost increase to move forward with the accelerated timeline.
(貴社の要件と直面している競争圧力は理解しております。現在の状況を説明させてください。生産チームに確認したところ、製造スケジュールを調整し、残業シフトを追加すれば、納期を6週間短縮できます。ただし、追加の人件費と材料調達の迅速化により、単価が約8パーセント上昇します。この短縮スケジュールを進めるには、このコスト増加についてご承認をいただく必要があります。)

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
An 8 percent cost increase is quite significant for our budget. Can you provide a detailed breakdown of where these additional costs come from? We need to understand exactly what we are paying for before we can approve this change.
(8パーセントのコスト増加は、当社の予算にとってかなり大きいです。この追加コストがどこから発生するのか、詳細な内訳を提供していただけますか。この変更を承認する前に、何に対して支払うのかを正確に理解する必要があります。)
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
Certainly. Let me break down the cost structure for you. The overtime labor accounts for 5 percent of the increase, as we will need to operate 3 additional shifts per week for 10 weeks. The expedited material procurement adds another 2 percent because our suppliers charge premium rates for faster delivery. The remaining 1 percent covers quality control testing to ensure that the accelerated production does not compromise product quality. We will provide weekly progress reports to keep you updated on the manufacturing status and confirm that all quality standards are maintained throughout this process.
(承知しました。コスト構造を詳しく説明いたします。残業による人件費が5パーセントを占めます。これは10週間にわたり週3回の追加シフトを運用する必要があるためです。材料調達の迅速化でさらに2パーセント追加されます。これは、サプライヤーが迅速な納品に対してプレミアム料金を請求するためです。残りの1パーセントは品質管理テストに充てられ、生産の加速が製品品質を損なわないことを確認します。製造状況について最新情報をお伝えするため、毎週進捗報告を提供し、このプロセス全体を通じて全ての品質基準が維持されることを確認いたします。)

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
I appreciate the detailed explanation. The quality assurance aspect is particularly important to us. If we approve this 8 percent increase, can you guarantee that the delivery will happen exactly 2 months earlier than the original schedule? We cannot accept any further delays once we commit to this new timeline with our retail partners.
(詳細な説明をありがとうございます。品質保証の側面は特に重要です。この8パーセントの増加を承認した場合、当初のスケジュールより正確に2か月早く納品されることを保証していただけますか。小売パートナーとこの新しいスケジュールを約束した後は、これ以上の遅延は受け入れられません。)
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
Yes, we can guarantee the 2-month acceleration if you approve the cost increase by the end of this week. Our production manager has already reserved the necessary equipment and confirmed the availability of key materials with our suppliers. We will also assign a dedicated project coordinator to monitor the daily progress and immediately escalate any potential issues to both our teams. To minimize risk, we have prepared a backup plan that includes alternative suppliers for critical components. This ensures that even if we run into unexpected problems, we can still meet the deadline you require.
(はい、今週末までにコスト増加をご承認いただければ、2か月の前倒しを保証できます。生産マネージャーはすでに必要な設備を確保し、サプライヤーと主要材料の入手可能性を確認しております。また、日々の進捗を監視し、潜在的な問題を直ちに両チームにエスカレーションする専任のプロジェクトコーディネーターを配置いたします。リスクを最小限に抑えるため、重要部品の代替サプライヤーを含むバックアッププランを準備しております。これにより、予期しない問題が発生した場合でも、貴社が必要とする納期を満たすことができます。)

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
That sounds like a solid plan with good risk management. I will discuss this proposal with our finance team today and get back to you with our decision by Thursday. Thank you for working with us to find a solution that meets our urgent market needs.
(それは適切なリスク管理を伴う堅実な計画のようです。本日、この提案を財務チームと話し合い、木曜日までに決定をお伝えします。当社の緊急の市場ニーズを満たす解決策を見つけるためにご協力いただき、ありがとうございます。)
3. Use  (4 min)|ロールプレイ & 実践(空欄補完)

Let's perform the role-play and fill in the blanks by translating the Japanese into English!
空欄の日本語を英語に訳しながら、ロールプレイを実践してみましょう!

Situation / シチュエーション(Reference again)

Discussing delivery schedule acceleration requests from overseas customers who need to meet earlier market launch deadlines.
海外顧客からの市場投入前倒しに伴う納期短縮要求について協議する場面です。

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. We need to discuss the launch schedule for the new product line. Our market analysis shows that we must bring forward the release date by 2 months to stay ahead of our competitors. This earlier timeline is absolutely critical for our market positioning.
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
I [理解する] your requirements and the competitive pressure you are facing. Let me explain our current situation. Our production team [確認した] that we can [短縮する] the lead time by 6 weeks if we adjust the manufacturing schedule and add overtime shifts. However, this will [上昇する] the unit cost by approximately 8 percent due to the additional labor and expedited material procurement. We need your approval on this cost [上昇する] to move forward with the accelerated timeline.

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
An 8 percent cost increase is quite significant for our budget. Can you provide a detailed breakdown of where these additional costs come from? We need to understand exactly what we are paying for before we can approve this change.
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
Certainly. Let me break down the cost structure for you. The overtime labor accounts for 5 percent of the [上昇する], as we will need to operate 3 additional shifts per week for 10 weeks. The expedited material procurement adds another 2 percent because our suppliers charge premium rates for faster delivery. The remaining 1 percent covers quality control testing to [確実にする] that the accelerated production does not compromise product quality. We will [提供する] weekly progress reports to keep you updated on the manufacturing status and [確認する] that all quality standards are maintained throughout this process.

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
I appreciate the detailed explanation. The quality assurance aspect is particularly important to us. If we approve this 8 percent increase, can you guarantee that the delivery will happen exactly 2 months earlier than the original schedule? We cannot accept any further delays once we commit to this new timeline with our retail partners.
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
Yes, we can [保証する] the 2-month acceleration if you [承認する] the cost [上昇する] by the end of this week. Our production manager has already reserved the necessary equipment and [確認した] the availability of key materials with our suppliers. We will also [配置する] a dedicated project coordinator to monitor the daily progress and immediately escalate any potential issues to both our teams. To minimize risk, we have [準備した] a backup plan that includes alternative suppliers for critical components. This [確実にする] that even if we run into unexpected problems, we can still meet the deadline you require.

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
That sounds like a solid plan with good risk management. I will discuss this proposal with our finance team today and get back to you with our decision by Thursday. Thank you for working with us to find a solution that meets our urgent market needs.
4. Challenge (7 min)|応用実践

Let's perform the role-play and fill in the blanks by translating the Japanese into English!
空欄の日本語を英語に訳しながら、ロールプレイを実践してみましょう!

*Let's practice this part repeatedly until we can speak it smoothly.

  このパートはスムーズにスピーキングできるようになるまで繰り返し練習しましょう。

Situation / シチュエーション(Reference again)

Discussing delivery schedule acceleration requests from overseas customers who need to meet earlier market launch deadlines.
海外顧客からの市場投入前倒しに伴う納期短縮要求について協議する場面です。

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. We need to discuss the launch schedule for the new product line. Our market analysis shows that we must bring forward the release date by 2 months to stay ahead of our competitors. This earlier timeline is absolutely critical for our market positioning.
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
I understand your requirements and the competitive pressure you are facing. [現在の状況を説明させてください。] [生産チームに確認したところ、製造スケジュールを調整し、残業シフトを追加すれば、納期を6週間短縮できます。] However, this will increase the unit cost by approximately 8 percent due to the additional labor and expedited material procurement. [この短縮スケジュールを進めるには、このコスト増加についてご承認をいただく必要があります。]

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
An 8 percent cost increase is quite significant for our budget. Can you provide a detailed breakdown of where these additional costs come from? We need to understand exactly what we are paying for before we can approve this change.
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
Certainly. [コスト構造を詳しく説明いたします。] The overtime labor accounts for 5 percent of the increase, as we will need to operate 3 additional shifts per week for 10 weeks. The expedited material procurement adds another 2 percent because our suppliers charge premium rates for faster delivery. The remaining 1 percent covers quality control testing to ensure that the accelerated production does not compromise product quality. We will provide weekly progress reports to keep you updated on the manufacturing status and confirm that all quality standards are maintained throughout this process.

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
I appreciate the detailed explanation. The quality assurance aspect is particularly important to us. If we approve this 8 percent increase, can you guarantee that the delivery will happen exactly 2 months earlier than the original schedule? We cannot accept any further delays once we commit to this new timeline with our retail partners.
🧑‍🎓【Student / Sales Representative】:
Yes, we can guarantee the 2-month acceleration if you approve the cost increase by the end of this week. Our production manager has already reserved the necessary equipment and confirmed the availability of key materials with our suppliers. We will also assign a dedicated project coordinator to monitor the daily progress and immediately escalate any potential issues to both our teams. To minimize risk, we have prepared a backup plan that includes alternative suppliers for critical components. This ensures that even if we run into unexpected problems, we can still meet the deadline you require.

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
That sounds like a solid plan with good risk management. I will discuss this proposal with our finance team today and get back to you with our decision by Thursday. Thank you for working with us to find a solution that meets our urgent market needs.
\ If you have some extra capacity, give it a try(余力があればやってみましょう)/
5. Real-world application (5 min)|実務応用

Let's speak freely with the phrases and flow we learned today. If you can, imagine your real job—it makes practice more effective.
本日学習した単語やフレーズ、会話の流れを思い出しながら、自由に話してみましょう。可能であれば、自身の実務を想像しながら話すと効果的です。​

Situation / シチュエーション
A key customer requests a 2-month acceleration of the product launch schedule to gain competitive advantage.
The sales representative must coordinate with production and present a feasible plan that addresses cost and quality concerns.
重要顧客が競争優位を得るため、製品発売スケジュールの2か月前倒しを要求している。
営業担当者は生産部門と調整し、コストと品質の懸念に対応する実現可能な計画を提示する必要がある。

👨‍💼【Teacher / Key Account Manager】:
We need to bring forward our launch date significantly to compete effectively in the market. Can you explain what options are available and what the implications would be for cost and delivery timing?
(市場で効果的に競争するため、発売日を大幅に前倒しする必要があります。どのような選択肢があり、コストと納期にどのような影響があるか説明していただけますか。)

🧑‍🎓【Student / Your Role】:
(Free Speaking based on today's lesson)

Hints / ヒント
1.Explain the production adjustment plan(生産調整計画を説明する)
2.Break down the additional costs(追加コストの内訳を示す)
3.Confirm quality assurance measures(品質保証対策を確認する)
4.Present risk mitigation strategies(リスク軽減策を提示する)
​※This is not a role-play. Please speak until you finish your thoughts.
 このパートはロールプレイ形式ではありません。最後まで通して話してみましょう。
6.  Wrap-up (2 min) |レッスンの振り返り

Let's review today's lesson with your teacher!
今日のレッスンについて講師と振り返ってみましょう!

 

6-1 Comments from student

・Good points / 良かったところ・上手くできたところ
・Things to work on / 今後強化したいところ

 

6-2 Feedback from teacher

・Good points / 良かった点
・Things to work on / 今後の強化ポイント
・What to review / 復習ポイント

 

*6-3 Questions from student (if any)

Japanese translation(日本語訳)

1. Read (2min)(型を学ぶ)|基本フレーズ

2. Try  (4min)(ロールプレイ練習)|型を使った練習
Let’s practice the role-play.
ロールプレイの練習をしましょう!

3. Use  (7min)|応用
Let’s perform the role-play and filling in the missing English!
英語を補完しながら、ロールプレイを実践してみましょう!

4. Challenge (7min)|実践
Let’s perform the role-play and filling in the missing English!
英語を補完しながら、ロールプレイを実践してみましょう!

5. Wrap-up (3min) – レッスンの振り返り

"Let’s review today’s lesson with your teacher!”

「今日のレッスンについて講師と振り返ってみましょう!」

5-1.  Comments from Student

  - Good points / 良かったところ・上手くできたところ

  - Things to work on / 今後強化したいところ

5-2.  Feedback from Teacher

  - Good points / 良かった点

  - Things to work on / 今後の強化ポイント

  - What to review / 復習ポイント

5-3. Question from Students (If any)

bottom of page