BUSINESS LETTERS. We have already spent some time on recognising that business correspondence is concise, clear, correct and courteous. We have emphasised the reasons for the 4 Cs and how important it is to be accessible. This means keep the language simple and direct. Business letters are often used to express complex information. They are easier to deal with than emails for information or demands that are complex in structure. They have many uses but the format tends to remain the same, no matter whether they are being used to seek information, give it, clarify it, complain or confirm. We have already explained the basic format of address, internal address and greeting. The format of the content follows a logical pattern as well.
Paragraph 1:
explains the purpose of the letter. This should be spelled out immediately. 1. Thank you for your letter of April 12. We are pleased to accept the quotation offered. 2. I regret that we have been unable to meet the delivery dates promised at our meeting on March 5 for 1000 K-joints.
Paragraph 2:
gives details or explanations to ensure that your position is very clear. This is especially important when you are want a change in stance from the other side, such as in apologising or complaining, but it is generally true of all business letters. This part of the letter may take more than one paragraph, depending on how complex the information or sequence of description is. 1. We would therefore like to proceed with the order as suggested. To confirm these details, the order is for 1500 reams of Oxford quality paper in pale cream 102B with another 250 reams in blue 354A. We understand delivery will be by April 30. 2. An electrical failure at our Pleasant Point plant on March 30 damaged the major extrusion machinery, which is currently being repaired. We are confident that this will take only one further week and production will
resume on April 10. Your order will be one of the first filled. This means that, though we cannot meet the April 8 delivery date, we can promise delivery by April 14. As a gesture of goodwill, we will meet the delivery charges of your order. (Note the gesture in the last line – a way of keeping the customer on side.)
Paragraph 3:
makes clear what you want the other side to do. It can be as simple as confirming but it can be much more than that, depending on the circumstances of the contact. In a letter of complaint, you may want the company to refund or replace or more. 1. We await confirmation of this order and your invoice. 2. We hope that this situation has not inconvenienced you and that the new delivery date is acceptable to you. Please advise us if you wish to proceed with your order.
Many students learning to write business letters are concerned by their brevity but this is the very point of them. They should not wander off the point and should be focussed, say what needs to be said and then STOP. Don’t be persuaded that business letters need to be fuller or more effusive – they DON’T.