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.
- Request for a catalogue
- Sending catalogue and terms
- Open an account with a company
- Agreeing to open account
- Sending an unsolicited article to a magazine
- Returning unsolicited article
- Asking for quotation 1
- Giving a quotation 1
- Asking for a quotation 2
- Giving a quotation 2
- Asking for an estimate 1
- Giving an estimate 1
- Asking for an estimate 2
- Giving an estimate 2
- Complaining of unsatisfactory job
- Requesting for samples of specimens
- Sending samples of specimens
- Ordering goods
- Sending goods and informing of temporary non-availability of certain goods
- Informing customer of discontinuation of old line of goods and introducing new line
- Offering alternative goods to customers
- Mail order-ordering goods
- Mail order-returning unsatisfactory goods
- Mail order-sending replacement goods
- Mail order-sending refund
- Asking a dealer to send a representative
- Sending a representative
- Reordering goods
- Informing retailer about goods on special offer
- Sending goods on special offer
- Returning offered goods
- Acknowledging receipt of an order
- Informing customer of delay in executing order
- Informing customer of inability to execute order
- Returning wrong goods
- Returning unsolicited goods
- Enquiring about non-receipt of goods
- Informing supplier of missing goods
- Cancelling order because of lateness in delivery
- Querying transport company about missing goods
- Requesting to send goods care through courier
- Order for hosiery
- Reply letter to order for hosiery
- Order for pocket transmitters
- Ordering goods at old prices
- Reply letter to ordering goods at old prices
- Asking the railway authorities to cancel railway receipt
- Re-booking of goods
- Request for open delivery of goods
- Requesting railway authorities for exemption of wharfage
- Requesting railway authorities to verify an indemnity note
- Submitting a claim for goods
- Acknowledgment of claim
- Letter from railway regarding payment of claim
- Asking road transport company to re-book parcel
- Asking the head office to send an advice
- Request for catalogues and price lists
- Reply to request for catalogues and price lists
- Request for advice
- Reply to letter request for advice
- Enquiries through recommendations
- Reply to enquiries through recommendations
- Request for sample for floor coverings
- Reply to request for sample for floor coverings
- Buyers seek to cancel order due to adequate stocks
- Reply from supplier agree to cancel order
- Reply from supplier refuses to cancel order
- Buyers insist cancellation of order through delay in delivery
- Letter of enquiry about trade terms
- Reply to letter of enquiry about trade terms regarding fibre glass furniture
- Letter requesting for catalogue and price list for electrical equipment
- Reply To The Letter Requesting For Catalogue And Price list For Electrical Equipment
- Letter from an individual customer enquiring about kitchen installation
- Letter of enquiry about carpets
- Letter requesting quotation for crockery
- A buyer’s letter requesting better terms
- Enquiry about books on sale or return basis
- Order for a cordless telephone and a receive amplifier
- Acknowledgement of receiving order from customer for a cordless telephone and a receive amplifier
- Order for a watch from an individual customer
- Reply to the order for a watch from an individual customer
- Letter placing an order
- Letter regretting delay in supply to customer
- Follow up letter as the order is incomplete