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Business Word/Phrase of the Day

word-phrase-descEvery day we publish a business word or phrase together with audio pronunciation, phonetics, definition and example sentences. This is a great way to improve your workplace vocabulary as well as your pronunciation. To receive 'Business Word/Phrase of the Day' by email, just subscribe to our newsletter from the link above. 

BOND /band/

noun

  • an official paper given by the government or a company to show that you have lent them money that they will pay back to you at an interest rate that does not change
Example Sentences:I invested some money in savings bonds.
When bank interest rates are low, government bonds are often the best investment option.
 

STAKEHOLDER /stāk′hōl′dər/

noun

  • Person, group, or organization that has direct or indirect stake in an organization because it can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives, and policies. Key stakeholders in a business organization include creditors, customers, directors, employees, government (and its agencies), owners (shareholders), suppliers, unions, and the community from which the business draws its resources.
Example Sentences:As one of the major stakeholders in the company, we have three representatives on the board of directors.
Who is the biggest stakeholder in this company?
 

GOODS /go̵odz/

noun

  • Things we buy and sell that can be made or grown such as clothes, food and cars.
Example Sentences:What is the total value of the goods in this shipment?
The goods we ordered are currently in port awaiting clearance from customs.
 

ORDER BACKLOG /ôr′dər bak lôg′/

phrase

  • Value of unfulfilled orders, or the number of unprocessed jobs, on a given day. While a backlog indicates the workload that is beyond the production capacity of a department or firm, it also serves as a pointer toward the firm's future sales revenue and earnings.
Example Sentences:We have an order backlog of about $670,000.
Due to a large order backlog, all orders are currently delayed by about two weeks.
 

FREIGHT / frāt/

noun

  • A transportation term meaning any goods transported by a vehicle or ship, and/or any charges incurred for such transport.
Example Sentences:What is the freight charge for sending a container of this size to the UK?
90% of all freight entering the country is transported by rail to China.
 

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN /sər tif′i kit ʌv ôr′ə jin/

phrase

  • A certificate stating the country in which a commodity has been grown, milled, produced, manufactured or assembled.
Example Sentences:According to the certificate of origin, this lamp shade was made in Thailand.
 

WHOLESALE PRICE /ˈhoʊlˌseɪl prīs/

phrase

  • the price of goods charged to shops and businesses for buying large quantities of the goods
Example Sentences:The wholesale price of goods is always cheaper than the retail price.
If you buy this bed in a shop, you’ll pay around $600. However, the wholesale price is only $400.
 

IMPORT LICENSE /ɪmˈpɔrt lahy-suh ns/

phrase

  • An import license is a document issued by a national government authorizing the importation of certain goods into its territory.
Example Sentences:You won’t be able to import wood products into the country unless you have an import license to do so.
Although I had the correct import license, customs did not allow my shipment out of the port of entry.
 

CUSTOMS /kuhs-tuh mz/

noun

  • Government agency entrusted with enforcement of laws and regulations to collect and protect import-revenues, and to regulate and document the flow of goods in and out of the country.
Example Sentences:I was searched by customs when I entered China on business last month.
Customs calculated that the necessary duty to be paid on the shipment was $9,560.
 

DISCOUNT /dis′ko̵unt′/

noun

  • a reduction in price from the original sale price
Example Sentences:The company is offering a discount of 30% on their standard price for all goods purchased before the end of the month.
We offered them a further discount of 5% but they rejected it.
 

STANDING ORDER /stan′diŋ ôr′dər/

phrase

  • Purchase order covering repeated deliveries of goods or services in specified quantities, at specified prices, and according to a specified schedule.
Example Sentences:We have a standing order for 100 reams of A4 paper each month.
Since we’re ordering regularly from this supplier, I suggest we set up a standing order with them.
 

REGULAR CUSTOMER /reg′yə lər kus′tə mər/

phrase

  • a customer who often buys a product or service from the same company
Example Sentences:We generally give better sales terms to our regular customers.
As I’m a regular customer, can you offer me a bigger discount?
 

SALES FORCE /seɪlz fôrs/

phrase

  • all the employees of a company whose job is persuading customers to buy their company's products or services
Example Sentences:The company has a worldwide sales force of around 3,000 people.
The company’s sales force has just been cut by 20% due to falling demand for the company’s products.
 

SALES COMMISSION /seɪlz kəˈmɪʃ ən/

phrase

  • payment to a salesperson for their efforts in marketing and selling something, usually calculated as a percentage of the total sales
Example Sentences:All our sales staff earn a 2.5% commission on their sales.
He’s moving to a company that pays a much better sales commission.
 

CONFIRM AN ORDER / kən fʉrm′ ən ôr′dər/

phrase

  • say by phone or in writing that the order can be processed
Example Sentences:We can deliver the goods between two to five days after you confirm the order.
Once an order is confirmed, an invoice is issued and emailed to the client.
 
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