Business correspondence

In the everyday process of running a business, letters are required to deal with matters of ordering and sending goods, giving quotations and estimates, informing customers of changes in price, making enquiries, etc. There are seemingly hundreds of things that can crop up and letters need to be written to deal with them.
Invoices, statements, receipts, credit notes, checks and other ready-made forms are used extensively when dealing with routine things. Particulars concerning goods, payments etc. merely need to be filled in. However, mistakes can be made in the filling of forms, goods can be damaged in in transit, checks can be bounce and other unexpected things can happened. These are normal day-to-day occurrences. Many of these problems can be quickly settled in person or via the telephone. Nevertheless letters are still needed for the sake of formality, to correct mistakes or to make things clearer. Thus effective letters are of paramount importance. A badly written letter can make a bad situation worse and bring about the deterioration of business, among other things.
The sample letters that follow in this chapter cover a wide range of letters relating to the running of a business.

  1. Request for a catalogue

  2. Sending catalogue and terms

  3. Open an account with a company

  4. Agreeing to open account

  5. Sending an unsolicited article to a magazine

  6. Returning unsolicited article

  7. Asking for quotation 1

  8. Giving a quotation 1

  9. Asking for a quotation 2

  10. Giving a quotation 2

  11. Asking for an estimate 1

  12. Giving an estimate 1

  13. Asking for an estimate 2

  14. Giving an estimate 2

  15. Complaining of unsatisfactory job

  16. Requesting for samples of specimens

  17. Sending samples of specimens

  18. Ordering goods

  19. Sending goods and informing of temporary non-availability of certain goods

  20. Informing customer of discontinuation of old line of goods and introducing new line

  21. Offering alternative goods to customers

  22. Mail order-ordering goods

  23. Mail order-returning unsatisfactory goods

  24. Mail order-sending replacement goods

  25. Mail order-sending refund

  26. Asking a dealer to send a representative

  27. Sending a representative

  28. Reordering goods

  29. Informing retailer about goods on special offer

  30. Sending goods on special offer

  31. Returning offered goods

  32. Acknowledging receipt of an order

  33. Informing customer of delay in executing order

  34. Informing customer of inability to execute order

  35. Returning wrong goods

  36. Returning unsolicited goods

  37. Enquiring about non-receipt of goods

  38. Informing supplier of missing goods

  39. Canceling order because of lateness in delivery

  40. Querying transport company about missing goods

  41. Requesting to send goods care through courier

  42. Order for hosiery

  43. Reply letter to order for hosiery

  44. Order for pocket transmitters

  45. Ordering goods at old prices

  46. Reply letter to ordering goods at old prices

  47. Asking the railway authorities to cancel railway receipt

  48. Re-booking of goods

  49. Request for open delivery of goods

  50. Requesting railway authorities for exemption of wharfage

  51. Requesting railway authorities to verify an indemnity note

  52. Submitting a claim for goods

  53. Acknowledgment of claim

  54. Letter from railway regarding payment of claim

  55. Asking road transport company to re-book parcel

  56. Asking the head office to send an advice

More Business Letters