QuickStudy - Business Letters.pdf - Books - emi876

BarCharts, Inc. ®

WORLD’S #1 QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

THE BASICS

E. Salutation

1. Where your correspondent’s name is known,

use Dear (Mr. Ford, Ms. Pinckney, etc.).

a. Use first name salutations (Dear John/Lucretia)

only when you are already on a “first name”

basis with the correspondent and wish to convey

a sense of cordiality.

b. Avoid the use of “Dear Sir,” “Dear Madam,” etc.

While these may be formally correct, they tend

to indicate aloofness and even anger.

c. Avoid using just the correspondent’s name (no

“Dear”) unless trying to convey a sense of

urgency or great intimacy.

d. In instances where you are unsure of your level

of familiarity with the correspondent, or when

faced with an ambiguous name and no further

details (“Reply to J.L. Mallard”), it is

permissible to use the full name after “Dear”

(e.g. “Dear Lucretia Pinckney,” “Dear J.L.

Mallard”).

2. Where the correspondent’s name is unknown,

“Gentlemen” may be used, although “Gentlemen

and Ladies” is considered more correct.

a. Avoid the archaic: “Dear Sir, or Madam,

whichever the case may be.”

3. Other variants can include: Dear (Title), i.e. “Dear

Accounting Manager”; Dear (Department), i.e.

“Dear Accounting Department”; or “To Whom It

May Concern.” These, however, are awkward, may

be counterproductive, and should only be used

if all other salutations are unavailable.

F. Re: (Regarding)

1. An encapsulation of the general reason for the

letter. For example, “Re: Billing Errors by

Accounting Department,” not “Re: The Total

Intransigence of your Accounting Department

in Solving Billing Errors.”

2. This, too, should be highlighted by CAPS,

underlining, or other. If using both “Attention”

and “Re:” lines, highlight them differently (e.g.

CAPS for ATTENTION, Underlining for

Subject ).

G. The Body of the Letter : The letter itself (see:

individual areas below).

H. Closing

1. Generally should be polite and formal.

2. “Yours truly,” “Sincerely,” “Respectfully,” etc.

a. Some guides recommend “... yours” after

“Sincerely” or “Respectfully.” Others consider

this old-fashioned.

b. Some guides differentiate between these, saying

that “sincerely” should be used when you have,

indeed, made a sincere (i.e. impassioned)

statement, and “respectfully” when trying to

impress the receiver with the fact that you have

turned to him/her because he/she is uniquely

able to deal with the problem.

3. Personal closings ranging from “Regards” to

“Best Wishes” to “Fondly,” etc. should be

avoided even when writing to someone you

know well , unless either the letter itself is of a

more personal nature, or you are actively trying

to use that personal relationship to achieve the

letter’s goals.

I. Typed/Printed Name/Title of Writer

1. Leave about four lines between this and closing

for a handwritten signature.

2. If writing on behalf of the company itself, the

company name should appear just after closing

and before you space for signature.

For example: A request for payment of an overdue

bill may be written by The Jones Company to The

Smith Company. You, as vice president, are merely

the “vessel” through which it is being delivered.

J. Transcriber’s Initials

1. If someone else actually types the letter, his/her

initials should appear in the lower-left corner, after

yours, in lower case, preceded by a backslash. SB

( author of letter)/ka (initials of typist ).

2. This determines if any errors, omissions or

addenda were initiated by the author or typist.

K. Enclosure (Encl.)

1. Used to alert the recipient that there is more

being mailed than just the letter.

2. Anything that is not the letter itself, no matter

how big/small, significant/insignificant, is

considered an enclosure.

3. When there is more than one enclosure, the

letter should state, at the very least,

“enclosures” (encls.). However, the specific

number of enclosures is preferable.

4. Each separate item is considered a separate

enclosure.

L. Copies (CC)

1. Lists the name/title of all others to whom you are

sending the letter. (Although the days of “carbon

copies” are past, the abbreviation “CC”

remains.)

M. Blind Copies (BCC)

1. You may wish to send copies to someone

without alerting your correspondent to this fact.

He/she receives “blind copies.”

2. This notation should not appear on the letter you

send , but only on copies you keep for your file.

Memos, email, customer correspondence, and

complaints.

Note: Many computer word processing

software programs contain files that can

automatically format letters in some or all of

the first two sections below. If you use these,

you can skip immediately to the body of this

chart containing tips, suggestions, and styles.

All business correspondence contains the

following items, listed in the order in which they

will appear in the letter. Those marked with an

asterisk(*) may be omitted on occasions when

they are either unknown or unnecessary.

A. Letterhead/Return Address

1. Name of the company/individual sending the

letter. Often the company logo.

2. Address/phone, email, fax number(s), etc.

For stylistic reasons, this information may appear

either directly below name, at the bottom of the

page, or in some other variant.

3. If you don’t have printed letterhead, type this

information in the appropriate place ( see: Letter

Formats ).

B. Date: This is the date the letter is written,

regardless of the date of mailing.

C. Inside Address: This is the full address to

which the letter is being sent, exactly as it will

appear on the envelope.

1. Name, title of individual to whom you are

writing*

2. Company name

3. Department name*

4. Street address, including suite/office/room

numbers, etc.

5. City, state, zip code

Note: Some authorities on business writing take

great pains to discuss when, where, and if

abbreviations should be used in the letter for

designations, such as street (st., ave.), state

names (Missouri vs. MO), room designations

(suite vs. ste., room vs. rm., department vs.

dept.), etc. They insist on consistency

throughout. Others lean towards letting the

“look” of the letter determine this.

D. Attention: *

1. Used when you want your letter immediately

directed to a specific individual/department

(see: C, 1 & 3 above).

2. The differences between using the complete

address and using “attention” are subtle, but

important.

a. When using the full address, you are writing to a

specific individual because you feel he/she

should be aware of the content of the letter and

should be the primary actor on whatever

information the letter contains.

b. The “attention” line indicates that you believe

the matters discussed are full company matters,

but ones which the “attention” addressee should

be first to know about.

c. The difference can also affect the impression of

importance of the letter. For example: Your

company has discovered a mistake in billing.

Your first letter to correct this may be addressed:

Attention: Accounting Department. If, however,

the matter is not straightened out to your

satisfaction, subsequent letters may be addressed

to “John Jones, Accounting Department

Manager,” or even the CEO of the company.

i. This, in essence, is saying, quite specifically,

“I expected you, personally , to solve this

problem.”

ii. “Attention” lines should draw attention by

full capitalization, underlining, or other

highlighting.

THE MAILING ENVELOPE

A. Return address (or letterhead/company logo) in

upper-left corner.

It is also permissible to place this on the back flap of

the envelope.

B. Addressee should appear exactly as it does on

inside address above.

1. Exceptions: If one has chosen to spell out such

words as “street,” “room,” “suite,” etc. in the

letter, one may abbreviate these on the envelope,

or vice versa.

2. State abbreviations should always conform to

postal abbreviations, which allows for speedier

handling of mail within the postal service.

C. Attention line(s) may appear directly under

company name, but for emphasis should appear

either directly below address (capitalized or

with a space in between last “address” line – for

emphasis), or in the lower-left hand corner.

D. Any special handling instructions/information

( Contains Photos- Do Not Bend; Urgent;

Immediate Reply Requested; etc. ) should also

appear in lower-left, under Attention line.

E. Always use the proper size envelope. ( Note: In

all instances below, we are assuming materials

in standard 8 1 / 2 '' x 11 '' format )

1. A single letter, no matter the length, can be

folded in three and go in a standard (#10)

envelope.

2. Letters accompanied by other text material,

such as contracts, price lists, letters of

recommendation, resumes, etc., may be sent as

above. However, if the accompanying material

is extensive and will cause the envelope to

bulge, or if the envelope contains materials that

will be read by numerous people, is likely to be

filed, or may be subject to

copying/faxing/scanning, etc., it should be sent

unfolded in an 8 1 / 2 '' x 11'' envelope. This will

preserve its readability.

3. Naturally, such items as catalogues,

photographs, etc. must be sent this way. (Note:

Always enclose a stiff cardboard into envelopes

containing materials that should not be bent.)

4. Avoid, if possible, using envelopes larger than

necessary (e.g. 11'' x 14'' envelope for 8''x10''

material). If the proper envelope is not

available, it is preferable to use a larger one than

to cram materials into a smaller one.

5. Typed or printed addresses are preferable. If you

must handprint an address (except on personal

or one-to-one correspondence), use BLOCK

LETTERS for clarity.

TYPES OF CORRESPONDENCE

INFORMATIONAL LETTER

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION LETTER

Note: In the examples that follow, we are concerned solely with the body

text unless otherwise indicated. (See: Letter Formats)

Usually falls into one of three broad categories:

A. Request for readily available information, such as company’s catalogue, price list, etc.

1. Can be simple and direct: “Dear BarCharts: Please send me your latest catalogue

and price list. Thank you.”

2. There is no need to personalize or to go into detail as to why you are requesting

information.

3. Obvious as this may be, in this and all letters, be sure your return address is stated clearly

and completely. Be sure to include any office or suite numbers, etc.

B. Request for readily available information that you need, culled to meet a specific need.

Dear Ms. Pinckney:

In reply to your letter of March 21st, I am pleased to send you the following:

We have been publishing full-color, laminated guides in academic, business, home and

computer areas for almost a decade and are continually expanding our areas of

expertise to meet the needs of our clients. (See encl.)

We use only the finest talents in each area covered by our guides to assure that the

information they contain is accurate, up-to-date, and presented in an exciting,

easy-to-understand manner. Our graphics department then makes each presentation

both abundantly clear and enticing to the eye. Thanks to state-of-the-art printing and

production methods, we can usually promise shipment of any order, of any title, new or

old, within 48 hours of receipt.

We also offer customized guides (minimum order 5,000 copies) that can put your logo,

or other desired information, on the guide at no extra cost, and in minimum “turn-around”

time.

We can further tailor any guide to your needs by adding/removing material which may be

desired for your individual purposes, or provide an entirely new guide to meet your

individual needs. Naturally, the cost/time factor on such a project will be negotiated, but

we can assure you that it will be the lowest cost, fastest time available within the industry.

I am enclosing a complete catalogue, containing price lists, shipping costs, delivery

information, etc., as well as some sample guides, for your perusal.

Thank you for your interest in (name of company) and I look forward to hearing from you

soon.

BarCharts, Inc.

(inner address)

Dear Mr. Taylor,

Please send us your current list of computer guides and your latest price list.

We are interested in distributing these to our employees and would need a minimum of

5,000 copies of any chart we purchase. Please advise us of:

1. Any discounts for bulk purchases and quantities involved.

2. Specific turn-around time required on such purchases.

3. The possibility of personalizing these charts with our company logo.

4. Cost, quantity, time, parameters on (3).

5. Any other information you deem important to our needs.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Yours truly,

A. Most likely generated in reply to a request, but can be self-initiated to

inform potential/current clients.

In reply to your letter of March 21st...

1. Immediately inform correspondent of the specific matter to which you

are responding.

2. Always include the specific date. Not “...your letter of the other day,” or

“...yesterday’s phone call.”

... I am pleased to send you the following:

3. Get directly, but politely, to the purpose of the mailing.

4. If the mailing is not in response to an inquiry, etc., a variation of “I am

pleased” can be the opener.

Note: For effectiveness or “advertising” purposes, this second type of

opening should be somewhat stronger, e.g. “I want to call your attention

to an important new policy we have adopted.” Note “buzz words”

attention, important, new.

We have been publishing full-color, laminated guides in

academic, business, home and computer areas for almost a

decade and are continually expanding our areas of expertise to

meet the needs of our clients. (See encl.)

5. May or may not be in specific response to an inquiry, but establishes the

credibility of the sender.

6. (See encl.) If applicable, would refer to letters of commendation,

advertising materials, or other materials that affirm the “pride.”

We use only the finest talents in each area covered by our

guides to assure that the information they contain is

accurate, up-to-date, and presented in an exciting, easy-to-

understand manner. Our graphics department then makes

each presentation both abundantly clear and enticing to the

eye. Thanks to state-of-the-art printing and production

methods, we can usually promise shipment of any order, of

any title, new or old, within 48 hours of receipt.

7. Remember, every letter you send, no matter how basic, is always an

advertisement for your company.

8. This paragraph tells the client that you have a complete, in-house team

to meet any need. But it also tells them that you are proud of their skills

and that they are the best in their field!

We also offer customized guides (minimum order 5,000

copies) that can put your logo, or other desired information, on

the guide at no extra cost, and in minimum “turnaround” time.

9. When offering specialized service, always place any restrictions, in this

case the “minimum order,” up front. This eliminates any

misunderstanding.

We can further tailor any guide to your needs by

adding/removing material which may be desired for your

individual purposes, or provide an entirely new guide to meet

your individual needs. Naturally, the cost/time factor on such

a project will be negotiated, but we can assure you that it will

be the lowest cost, fastest time available within the industry.

10. This is additional information that shows the scope and ability of your

company.

11. If, however, any of the above information blocks were the subject of the

client inquiry, that portion, with appropriate changes, should lead.

Always answer the client’s query first! Searching through the letter for

that answer causes frustration.

I am enclosing a complete catalogue, containing price lists,

shipping costs, delivery information, etc., as well as some

sample guides, for your perusal.

12. Give the client as much information as possible, but

13. Do not include the same information with subsequent mailings. This

only leads to excessive paper and client annoyance.

Thank you for your interest in (name of company) and I look

forward to hearing from you soon.

14. Polite closure combined with a spur to action.

15. Tells client the next step is his/hers, but leaves open the possibility of

follow-up by you.

1. Useful when you don’t wish to be inundated with a lot of extraneous information, or

when you have a specific need to be addressed.

2. Since you are now asking for some effort on the part of recipient, it is a good idea to

personalize this request if possible, and itemize your specific needs.

Mr. Dan Taylor, Corporate Sales Manager

3. Writer has clearly identified specific areas of interest without committing to any specific plan.

4. In 1-4 above, the writer has clearly laid out areas to be discussed.

5. In 5, the writer flatters the recipient by implying his expertise and asks for additional

facts without extraneous material.

6. All other segments of letter simply conform to basics.

C. Request for specific information that may not be readily available and requires both a

very specific response and a devotion of time and resources on the part of the recipient.

Mr. Evan Samuels

Colossal Pictures

(Inner address)

Dear Mr. Samuels:

I am a film student at Florida Atlantic University, and I am writing a paper on “Politics and

its Effect on Films of the 40’s."

I wish to include an unbiased overview of the events involving your friend and mentor,

Director Darryl Arnold.

I would be extremely grateful for any information that you can provide that will help

present a fully rounded portrait of Mr. Arnold during those times.

Be assured that any parameters you may wish to place around the use of any

information (e.g. “background," “not for attribution," etc.) will be honored to the fullest.

I eagerly look forward to your reply. Thank you.

Sincerely,

I am a film student at Florida Atlantic University, and I am writing a paper

on “Politics and its Effect on Films of the '40s.”

1. Before asking for any information, the writer has generally established the reason for

what follows.

I wish to include an unbiased overview of the events involving your friend

and mentor, Director Darryl Arnold.

2. In this one sentence, the writer establishes a number of salient points.

a. That he/she will be fair about a matter of apparent controversy.

b. That the person to whom he/she is writing has specialized knowledge.

c. That he/she wants only very limited information (i.e. “Arnold” and the “controversy”) about

what could be a very broad subject (“Arnold’s” life as a whole, his films, etc.).

I would be extremely grateful for any information that you can provide that will

help present a fully rounded portrait of Mr. Arnold during those times.

3. Again, several points are being covered.

a. The specific request for information.

b. The writer’s desire to be unbiased.

c. The implication that the writer already has some information, but fears it may be biased.

Be assured that any parameters you may wish to place around the use of

any information (e.g. “background,” “not for attribution,” etc.) will be

honored to the fullest.

4. While the terminology of the above, with such phrases as “not for attribution,” are

specific to the trade of journalism, it is important to assure your correspondent that the

information will not be misused.

5. Nevertheless, the phrasing of the above (“you may wish to place”) allows correspondent

to place no restrictions and does not emphasize the need to do so.

I eagerly look forward to your reply. Thank you.

6. Always “assume” the reply will be positive.

TYPES OF CORRESPONDENCE

MEMOS

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Memos are interoffice correspondence used to briefly tell/ask about a

single subject in an informal manner.

A. This statement, based on information contained in several sources on

letter-writing, contains at least three misleading ideas.

1. Primarily due to the rise of email as a prime means of communication,

the memo format is now widely used in correspondence in any number

of instances beyond interoffice communication.

2. While a memo should be as brief as possible , it is often necessary to go

into details that may expand it considerably.

3. Informal should not be taken to mean unimportant. They are informal

only in the sense that they do away with some of the formalities of letter

writing, such as internal address, formal openings/closings, etc.

B. Purposes of Memos

1. Urgency

a. Memos contain important or time-sensitive material that cannot wait for

regular channels.

b. They contain material that will be diluted in formal letter format.

2. Brevity—no matter their length, their conversational tone and informal

layout allow for less cumbersome sentence structure than letters.

3. They leave a written record of material/events. Phone calls and

conversations can be misunderstood, incorrectly remembered, or denied.

Memos are there in black-and-white.

4. Similar to (3), they clarify points made in discussion so both sides can

see what the other person heard, thought they heard, or misheard.

Basic Memo Information

A. To :

1. Name of the specific person or persons to whom the memo is addressed.

a. Not to be confused with people being copied (See: CC, below).

2. Department or title, or title & department.

3. Company name, if going outside of sender’s own company.

4. Phone number/ext. and/or email/fax number.

B. From : (As above)

C. Date : (In certain cases, it is also useful to note the Time sent.)

D. Regarding (Re):

1. Wherever possible, one or two words pointing to material to be

discussed.

2. Do not try to sum up contents of memo, e.g. Staff meeting, not Staff

meeting to discuss the current economic picture and plans for the future.

E. Text of Memo - no signature is required.

F. CC :

1. Those not directly involved in the actions of the memo, but who should

be informed of its contents.

2. If you wish John, Joe, and Dennis to attend the meeting, they appear in

“To.” If you want Sheila to know about the meeting, she is “CC.”

G. BCC : (Blind Copies)

1. For your records, only!

2. If you want Sheila to know about the meeting, but don’t want John, Joe,

and Dennis to know that she has been alerted, BCC Sheila.

Basic Memo Formats

A. Issued to employees leaving the company as an aid to gaining future employment.

B. There are two kinds of letters of recommendation.

1. Specific : Employee is being recommended to a known employer for a specific position.

a. Standard letter format is used.

b. Goes into detail as to what employee will bring to new position.

It is my pleasure to recommend Arnold Gale for the position of comptroller.

In the 3 years he has been employed by Jones Publishing he has shown a grasp of his

position that is far above the norm.

He has, on more than one occasion, initiated or implemented procedures that have

saved the company many thousands of dollars.

Moreover, he has always shown great team spirit and willingness to participate in

endeavors that go far beyond the routine requirements of his position.

We at Jones Publishing will sorely miss him and wish him all the best in his future

endeavors.

It is my pleasure to recommend Arnold Gale for the position of comptroller.

i. Get immediately to the purpose of the letter.

In the 3 years he has been employed by Jones Publishing, he has shown a

grasp of his position that is far above the norm.

ii. Overview of length of employment, accompanied by a general appraisal of his work.

He has, on more than one occasion, initiated or implemented procedures

that have saved the company many thousands of dollars.

iii. Instance(s) of his using skills to benefit his employer.

Moreover, he has always shown great team spirit and willingness to

participate in endeavors that go far beyond the routine requirements of his

position.

iv. General statement designed to show that he “fits in.”

We at Jones Publishing will sorely miss him and wish him all the best in his

future endeavors.

v. Since the thrust of any letter of recommendation is that the employee is extremely

valuable, it can by questioned as to why he/she is leaving. The above is usable when the

employee is leaving of his/her own volition.

vi. If this is not the case, a statement such as in the general letter is better.

2. General: Employee can take to any future employer.

a. Letter is addressed “To Whom It May Concern.”

b. Concentrates on the employee’s overall qualities and work habits, rather than talents that may

relate to the job being left, but not be relevant to job being sought.

Date

To Whom It May Concern:

Arnold Gale has been employed by Jones Publishing for the past three years. During that

time he not only performed each and every task in the fullest and most professional of

manners, he has demonstrated innovative ability and dedication that goes far beyond the

norm. It is solely due to the downsizing of our company and the closing of Arnold’s

department that we are forced to end our relationship.

I know that he will prove a valuable asset to any employer, and I write this recommendation

of both his skills and his personality, most wholeheartedly.

To:

i. The letter is more concerned with the values of the employee, not specifics of job

performance.

ii. While the employee may be seeking a job similar to the one previously held, that is not

necessarily the case.

Suggested Solution for an Awkward Situation

A. One may be confronted with writing a letter of recommendation for an employee one

doesn’t, in fact, wish to recommend.

1. This may be for legal reasons.

2. This may be because it is easier to do so than refuse.

From:

XxxXxxxx, Xxx.

Xxxxxxx Xxxx

XXXX X. Xxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxxx Xxxxx, XX XXXXX

Date

Xx. Xxxx Xxxxx

Xxxxxxxx X Xx.

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx

XXXX Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx

Xxxxxxx, XX XXXXX

Xxxxxxxxx XX, XXXX

Re:

Text of Memo

Re: Xxxxxxxxxxx

Xx xx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxxxxx. Xx xxx X xxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xx

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx x xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx. Xx xxx, xx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx,

xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx.

Xx xx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxxxxx. Xx xxx X xxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xx

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx x xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx. Xx xxx, xx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx,

xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx.

CC:

To Whom it May Concern:

Arnold Gale has been employed by Jones Publishing for the past six months.

Although this is a relatively short time, I realized quite early the qualities and job

performance we could expect from Mr. Gale, and he has lived up to or exceeded every

expectation.

I am confident that, in the proper position, Mr. Gale would prove an asset to any company,

and that, in any position he will make his skills and abilities known quickly.

CC: XXX Xxxxxxxx xxx Xxxxxxxx, XXX Xxxxxxxx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx

May be linear (as above) or may be “Squared” (as below):

To:

From:

B. One doesn’t want to mislead future employers, nor anger the employee.

To Whom it May Concern:

Arnold Gale has been employed by Jones Publishing for the past six months.

1. Simple statement of fact.

Although this is a relatively short time, I realized quite early the qualities

and job performance we could expect from Mr. Gale, and he has lived up

to or exceeded every expectation.

2. This sounds positive. But it never states what was expected from Mr. Gale after they got

to know him.

3. Can be read by the discerning eye as: “We knew early on we had made a mistake, and

Mr. Gale did nothing to disprove our opinion.”

I am confident that, in the proper position, Mr. Gale would prove an asset

to any company,

4. Note “in the proper position...” (This one wasn’t it!)

and that, in any position, he will make his skills and abilities known

quickly.

5. If you make the same mistake we did, you’ll know it soon enough.

XxxXxxxx, Xxx.

Xxxxxxx Xxxx

XXXX X. Xxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxxx Xxxxx, XX XXXXX

Xx. Xxxx Xxxxx

Xxxxxxxx X Xx.

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx

XXXX Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx

Xxxxxxx, XX XXXXX

Date

Re:

Text of Memo

Xxxxxxxxx XX, XXXX

Re:

Xx xx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxxxxx. Xx xxx X xxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xx

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx x xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx. Xx xxx, xx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx,

xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx.

Xx xx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxxxxx. Xx xxx X xxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xx

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx x xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx. Xx xxx, xx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx,

xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx.

Xx xx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxxxxxxx. Xx xxx X xxxxx xx x

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx x xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx. Xx xxx, xx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx,

xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx.

CC:

CC: XXX Xxxxxxxx xxx Xxxxxxxx, XXX Xxxxxxxx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx

COMPLAINT LETTERS

COVER LETTERS

LETTERS OF COMPLAINT

A. Cover letters introduce the material they cover.

B. Material may be resumes, sales brochures, manuscripts, products,

pictures, etc.

C. The important point to remember is that the material the cover letter

accompanies is the important part of the mailing.

D. Therefore, the cover letter should be as brief as possible.

1. Resumes, sales brochures, etc., are documents that have been designed to

present the best possible picture. These are what you want the recipient to

read. If you spend time in your cover letter itemizing the contents of that

resume or sales brochure, you will not do it as well, and you negate the need

to read the piece itself.

2. If the materials sent are extensive, or not self-evident (a large catalogue,

information/material on a CD-rom, etc.), you can highlight key points.

Example (1)

A. There are several different types of complaint letters.

B. Unlike most letters in this guide, complaint letters may contain

considerable emotion; usually anger.

1. The writer has the right to be angry at poor performance.

2. However, keep anger in check, or it may turn a possibility for redress into a

tirade that causes the recipient to stonewall.

C. We will examine the following:

1. Faulty product/service complaints from one company to another.

2. Faulty product/service complaints from individual to company.

3. Job performance complaints to employees.

4. Job complaints from employees to management.

Company to Company Letter

Note: Always on company letterhead, as there is a chance that this may

become a legal document if the complaint goes uncorrected and/or has

ramifications that may impact upon your company.

I am extremely pleased to send you the enclosed resume, which I know you will find meets

all your requirements.

I am writing to you on behalf of our Production Manager Bill Spear in regard to the problem

of defective widgets received from your company on Dec. 8th of this year.

I would be most interested in working with one of the pre-eminent companies in the field,

and I know my experience and expertise would be a great asset to you.

As you have been informed on several occasions, they arrived at our plant over a week late

and in a damaged condition.

“As you will see from the enclosed....”

“I felt you were more than deserving of the Ffaffner Award in 1998.”

Unless we receive replacements for this shipment within 5 (five) working days of receipt of

this letter, we will be forced to take further action.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future so that we may get together and

discuss the matter in greater detail.

Since this delay, combined with the condition of the widgets, caused us to lose an important

sale, I feel restitution must be made by your company. I expect to hear from you within

5 (five) working days of receipt of this letter so that we may discuss a fair resolution of this

matter.

Yours truly,

I am extremely pleased to send you the enclosed resume,

1. Always open with a statement of what the cover letter is covering.

If answering an ad, open with a variant on:

“In regards to your ad in today’s paper for an (repeat exact

wording of ad). Then, “I am extremely...”

.... which I know you will find meets all your requirements.

2. Aside from adding flow to the opening sentence, the key word is “know.”

Never “think,” “believe” or “hope.” If you aren’t sure, why should the reader be?

I would be most interested in working with one of the pre-

eminent companies in the field, and I know my experience and

expertise would be a great asset to you.

3. In the example, we are general. In the letter, you would, of course, name the

company and the area of your experience and expertise.

4. Do not go into the details of the experience/expertise. Let the resume do it.

A good rule of thumb: If you find yourself writing something like:

“As you will see from the enclosed....” STOP! If they’re going to

see it, let them!

5. You can embellish on any knowledge you may have of the company.

a. E.g. after “...pre-eminent company...” “I felt you were more than deserving of

the Faffner Award in 1998.”

b. Companies, like people, love to hear praise.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future so that we

may get together and discuss the matter in greater detail.

6. You’ve said what you needed to say. You’ve enclosed your strength (the

resume, etc.). Close politely.

Example (2)

I am writing to you on behalf of our Production Manager Bill

Spear in regard to the problem of defective widgets received

from your company on Dec. 8th of this year.

1. Companies have hierarchies. Departments have certain responsibilities. The

person writing will, often, be different from the person who suffered the problem.

2. Needless to say, if the writer is the one directly impacted, leave out the

phrase “... on behalf of...,” etc.

3. State immediately the specific problem. Whereas with individual complaints

(below), it is necessary to establish one’s position, in cross-company

complaints, your position vis-a-vis the other company should be in place.

As you have been informed on several occasions, they arrived

at our plant over a week late and in a damaged condition.

4. Now, go into greater detail as to the specifics of the problem.

5. “As you have been...” The formal letter is almost always a last resort. It is

inconceivable that Bill Spear hasn’t complained about the problem previously.

6. In any event, assume this to be the case and, unless this becomes a full legal

proceeding, you need not document such prior contact.

Unless we receive replacements for this shipment within 5 (five)

working days of receipt of this letter, we will be forced to take

further action.

Since this delay, combined with the condition of the widgets,

caused us to lose an important sale, I feel restitution must be

made by your company. I expect to hear from you within 5 (five)

working days of receipt of this letter so that we may discuss a

fair resolution of this matter.

7. This is the “action” statement.

a. What you say here depends on the results you want.

b. Always state a specific time frame in which to receive those results.

c. Always state the results you want in the affirmative, and in the form of a statement,

not a question. Never in terms such as “What do you plan to do about this?”

Yours truly,

8. Brief, succinct, to the point.

9. This type of letter is not the place for “chit-chat” or mending fences, etc.

Individual Complaint to Company Letter

To Whom It May Concern: or Dear Customer Service Manager or

We are extremely pleased to send you the enclosed BarCharts 2001 catalogue, containing

a complete listing of all our study guides.

While we know you will find much of interest throughout, we specifically want to call your

attention to pages 31-35, our Science Series, which we feel will be of particular help in

meeting the needs you have described.

We look forward to hearing from you soon, and to working with you in the future.

We are extremely pleased to send you the enclosed BarCharts 2001

catalogue, containing a complete listing of all our study guides.

1. Similar to the opening of Example (1).

While we know you will find much of interest throughout, we

specifically want to call your attention to pages 31-35, our

Science Series, which we feel will be of particular help in

meeting the needs you have described.

2. This type of phrase is the only relevant change from (1). You either know,

or have reason to believe, that one part of an extensive mailing is of more

interest to your correspondent. You want them to see the totality of your

presentation, yet not be frustrated in finding that specific section.

We look forward to hearing from you soon, and to working with

you in the future.

3. Again, don’t overload the cover letter. Let the enclosure speak.

Dear Customer Service Manager:

I have been a customer of Neversure Airlines for many years (“Do we arrive on time?

We’re Neversure!”).

I have always been pleased with your exceptional service, and have recommended you

to many of my friends and colleagues.

Therefore you can imagine how angry and dismayed I was at the appalling events I

encountered on flight 1017 on January 19th, from Los Angeles to New York.

The plane was scheduled to leave LAX at 10 a.m. (PST). It did not leave until 12:45. At

no time were passengers offered any explanation for the delay. Indeed, on several

occasions when I asked for one, I was rudely rebuffed and told to “be patient."

The plane did, finally, take off. Upon arrival in New York, I went to claim my baggage,

which did not arrive for more than 35 minutes after my arrival at baggage claim. When my

bag finally came down, it was in a ripped and filthy condition. I immediately complained

and was accused of trying to file a false damage claim! Your employees made it clear that

they thought I had boarded the plane with luggage in this sorry state, and was merely

trying to “milk” the company for new luggage.

SOME NOTES ON EMAIL

I have submitted a claim for the damage done to my luggage, and I expect it to be honored

completely and quickly. If I have not heard from your company regarding this within 30

days of this mailing, I shall be forced to take further appropriate measures.

A. Most email formats appear in memo form (i.e. “To,” “From,” etc.).

This is due to necessities of the system. The email itself need not

conform to the above and can be any type of correspondence one

chooses, from a memo to a formal letter, etc.

B. Most emails have a reply box that most respondees will

automatically use. The email reply address received by the recipient

is not necessarily the address of the sender.

C. There are no “enclosures” (encl.) in email. Rather, there are

“attachments,” which are the same thing.

Dear Mr.(Ms.) Name of Senior Officer:

1. Salutations are listed in ascending order of whom to address for best results.

2. Some companies treat every complaint seriously. Some do not. Therefore, it

is best to address the letter to the most likely source of action.

a. If you know the name and address of a major corporate officer, he/she will be

more likely to get action for you than an overworked lower employee.

b. If that is not possible, get your letter to the appropriate department head or you risk

it being lost in the labyrinth of corporate structure.

I have been a customer of Neversure Airlines for many years (“Do

we arrive on time? We’re Neversure!”).

3. Two important points are made in this statement.

COMPLAINT LETTERS

a. Mention of the name of the company, along with its slogan, reinforces what

will follow.

b. Unlike the company letter ( see: previous page ), the individual is not known

to the company, so identification as a long-term customer adds weight.

I have always been pleased with your exceptional service, and

have recommended you to many of my friends and colleagues.

4. Further “identification” of the writer.

5. Explanation of why he/she has used service (product).

6. His/her displeasure has ramifications (“... friends and colleagues.”)

Therefore, you can imagine how angry and dismayed I was at

the appalling events I encountered on flight 1017 on January

19th, from Los Angeles to New York.

7. Gets to the reason for the letter in strong terms conveying one’s emotions.

8. Sets up the specifics surrounding complaint.

The plane was scheduled to leave LAX at 10 a.m. (PST). It did

not leave until 12:45. At no time were passengers offered any

explanation for the delay. Indeed, on several occasions when I

asked for one, I was rudely rebuffed and told to “be patient.”

The plane did, finally, take off. Upon arrival in New York, I went

to claim my baggage, which did not arrive for more than 35

minutes after my arrival at baggage claim. When my bag finally

came down, it was in a ripped and filthy condition. I immediately

complained and was accused of trying to file a false damage

claim! Your employees made it clear that they thought I had

boarded the plane with luggage in this sorry state, and was

merely trying to “milk” the company for new luggage.

9. Do not hold back on any aspect of the complaint that is valid.

10. Key descriptive words, such as (in their appropriate place) “rudely

rebuffed,” “immediately,” “made it clear,” heighten the situation.

However , do not go off on tangents such as “I have never been treated this

way,” or “I am an upstanding citizen who has never had so much as a

parking ticket.” This self-justification is both time-consuming and

irrelevant. If one feels a company is at fault, it does not matter if the fault

befalls the Pope or Jack the Ripper. There is no mitigation of responsibility

(or enhanced responsibility) based on the character of the customer.

I have submitted a claim for the damage done to my luggage,

and I expect it to be honored completely and quickly. If I have not

heard from your company regarding this within 30 days of this

mailing, I shall be forced to take further appropriate measures.

11. This is the action statement:

Since you will probably be unaware of all company procedures regarding such a

matter, it is unwise to put too restrictive a burden on them for full satisfaction. You

can, however, give them a deadline for some appropriate response.

12. Enclose copies of any materials you feel are relevant, such as ticket stubs,

claim checks, etc.

In short, the bulk of the letter (statement of complaint, expectations of

results) is similar to the company letter. The major difference is in the

introduction, which tells the recipient who you are.

Job Performance Complaint Letter

A. Usually in memo form and interoffice, even if employee is at another

location.

B. Copied to appropriate personnel, but kept confidential from all others.

C. Contains all relevant complaints, but only those for which you have a

firm basis of knowledge. For example, a phrase such as: “You spend far

too much time thinking about non-job related business” is weak. You

cannot know what someone else is thinking. However, “You appear to

spend too much time...” is o.k., if based on observations.

7. This could be softened by, for example, use of the employee’s name (Marv;

Recently, a number of...), and by the personal “I,” instead of the corporate “we.”

They are as follows:

1. You have on more than one occasion arrived more than 10

minutes late for work.

2. You have taken well over your allotted hour for lunch on

numerous occasions.

3. Your work has, on one or more occasions, been late, incomplete,

and sloppy.

4. You have been rude to fellow employees and customers.

5. You have kept others from their assigned tasks through

disruptive or counterproductive behavior.

8. The body of the memo should, and must, cover all of the problems to

document the totality of your complaint, without going into such specific

detail as to make the memo unwieldy or seem either more important than

it is ( excessive length adds import), or less so (too general a statement;

“you haven’t been performing up to par,” makes it seem less important).

Note: You should maintain, in your files, a full accounting of each charge,

including as many names, dates, etc., as possible. This is for official

records, for use in discussion with the employee, and/or to justify

subsequent actions.

If these matters aren’t addressed and corrected immediately,

we will have to take further action.

9. This is the penultimate conclusion to the memo which, in the above, is left vague.

10. This can vary to the stronger “If these matters...immediately, it can (will)

result in your dismissal (reassignment)” or “If these matters aren’t resolved

by the end of work on Friday, Aug. 19th, we will be forced to ask for your

resignation,” etc.

11. It can also be weaker, e.g. “Please try to see what you can do about this.”

I think we should meet and discuss this in-depth. Call me to set

up an appointment at your earliest convenience.

12. You must offer the employee an opportunity to both hear the details of the

complaint(s), and respond to them.

13 This is true even if you both know they are valid.

14. This can also be strengthened to:

I will meet with you on Thursday, August 18th at 4 P.M. to

discuss this.

15. If you have already met with the employee on these same matters, this step

can be ignored. But that must be addressed in the memo .

We have discussed this on numerous occasions and see no

reason to rehash it ( No signature).

16. But, again in keeping with the tone you wish to set, you can lighten that

tone with a personal “Parker,” or strengthen it with a formal “Parker Plaise.”

Employee Complaint Letter

A. This may be the trickiest letter of all to write.

B. You want to express yourself in the strongest terms to achieve the result

desired.

C. You do not want to ruffle feathers to make an enemy within the company.

D. You do not want to lose your job, or have your employers think you are

looking to leave, if this is not the case.

E. If directing a complaint to immediate supervisors or within your own

general office/district area, a memo is preferable.

F. If, however, you are employed within, say, a branch of a large

national/multinational corporation, and feel the need to direct a

complaint to a CEO or other(s) at an office outside your own, a formal

letter should be used.

1. Always a last resort, after all other avenues of redress are closed.

G. Memo/Formal Letter Opening.

Dear Ms. Antropi

Confidential

I have been an office manager with Mercutio, Inc. for over three years and value that

experience highly. I have grown with the company, and sincerely hope to continue to do

so for many years to come.

Recently, a number of matters have come to our attention that we feel have a serious impact

on your job performance and the performance of the company.

In all that time, I have been proud of the organization and of the part I have played in its

success. However, in recent weeks I have seen certain trends and policies developing

which I feel are detrimental both to my own position, and the future of the company, as

well. As you are aware, it has been the policy of our company to promote managers

from within. Personally, I began as a clerk, was promoted to secretary, then assistant

manager, and then to my current position of office manager. I did so due to my own

abilities and hard work and, especially, thanks to the company’s recognition of same.

Indeed, it is that recognition that has been the mainstay of both my own loyalty and that

of many of my fellow employees.

They are as follows:

1. You have on more than one occasion arrived more than 10 minutes late for work.

2. You have taken well over your allotted hour for lunch on numerous occasions.

3. Your work has, on one or more occasions, been late, incomplete, and sloppy.

4. You have been rude to fellow employees and customers.

5. You have kept others from their assigned tasks through disruptive or counter-

productive behavior.

If these matters aren’t addressed and corrected immediately, we will have to take

further action.

Recently, however, I was passed over for a promotion, when my district manager hired

someone from outside of our organization to fill this post. Of course, I felt personally

betrayed because I believe I had proven myself worthy of the position due to

my job performance, and because I had been led to believe that the position would be

mine by that very same district manager. Moreover, I have reason to believe that others

feel this to be a reversal of company policy and a threat to their own security and

advancement potential.

I think we should meet and discuss this in-depth. Call me to set up an appointment at

your earliest convenience.

Confidential

1. The memo (or mailing) is confidential . State this for the record.

Recently, a number of matters have come to our attention that

we feel have a serious impact on your job performance and the

performance of the company.

2. This memo will have a negative impact on the employee, and his/her

relationship with the company.

3. The tone of the memo will either reinforce or mitigate that negativity.

4. Neither result is, in and of itself, either good or bad. It depends on the

result you want.

5. The severity of the infractions and (tentative) conclusions drawn from

them ( see: next column) dictate tone.

6. In the opening, we have chosen a brisk, no-nonsense, corporate opening.

I hasten to add, that I have absolutely no question about the ability or professionalism of

the person hired for the position. Although I know very little about him at this time, I am

sure he meets the highest standards. Nor, do I believe, as others have suggested, that

he was hired because he is the son of a long-time friend of the district manager.

I’m sure he was hired on his merit, and in a different situation would prove a valued

employee to this, or any other, company. However, in this instance, I cannot help but feel

that this matter, if not addressed immediately, will have a detrimental effect on the

company as a whole, and possibly on my performance in particular.

As I said at the outset, I love this company. I love working for it. I would hate to see

anything weaken that feeling, as I know you would. I hope to be able to talk with you in

the near future to discuss a resolution to the problem, before it is too late to make things

right for all concerned.

Sincerely

QuickStudy - Business Letters.pdf

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