Faizal Akbar: January 2016

BUSSINESS LETTERS

A. DEFINITION AND ELEMENT OF LETTERS

A letter is a written message from one party to another containing information. Letters guarantee the preservation of communication between both parties. They bring friends or relatives closer together, enrich professional relationships and provide a satisfying mean of self-expression. Letters contribute to the protection and conservation of literacy, which is the ability to write and read. Letters have been sent since antiquity and are mentioned in the Iliad by Homer (lived around 7th or 8th centuries B.C.). Works by both Herodotus andThucydides, also mention letters.

1. APPLICATION LETTER

An application letter is a formally written one-page letter that accompanies a resume and other requested documentation in application for a job or academic program. Application letters are often synonymous with cover letters, and in addition to describing what materials are included in the application, an application letter should also take time to highlight the qualifications that prepare the writer for acceptance into the job or academic program.

2. INQUIRY LETTER

Inquiry Letter is a letter written to request information and/or ascertain its authenticity. A letter of inquiry deals with various matters like job vacancies, funding, grants, scholarships, projects, sales, pre-proposals and others. The term is common in various business setups as it implies fund request or pre-proposal information.

Owing to this usage, the term may be considered exclusive to these setups alone. But that is not the case, to this effect the below definition offers a justified meaning.

A document requesting information sent on behalf of an individual or an organisation for their own respective purposes, which can be mutually beneficial to the recipient and the sender.

The term ‘Inquiry’ is same as ‘Enquiry’. The former is more commonly used in U.S. and the latter one is more common in U.K. There are some other terms which represent the letters; these are Letter of Intent,Letter of Interest, Query letter, Prospecting Letter, Pre-proposal Letter and Concept Paper. The term ‘Cover Letter’, ‘Business Letter’, ‘Request Letter’ and ‘Sales Letter’ is also applied to an inquiry letter especially when the objective is same as that of letter for inquiry.

A letter of inquiry serves to facilitate business operations and satisfaction of the sender. Inquiry letters remove any misunderstanding and are time savers, especially when two parties want to reach an understanding. The communication towards this effect resolves the issue without any delay. With relation to it being a ‘Pre-proposal letter’, the inquiry letter is also termed as a ‘Condensed Version of a Proposal’. It is the outcome of the purpose of the letter which highlights the points of a proposal instead of a full-fledged proposal.

On an individual’s basis, these letters are sent to companies that are willing to hire but haven't advertised job openings. It can also be a letter addressed to editor in-charge of a publication proposing certain literary work. It can be a letter from a student who is vying for a seat in a college or a business that provides an internship. So, the objective of an enquiry letter is same but its projections and audiences are different. Same goes for its method of delivery, it can be sent via paper mail or electronic mail.

3. COMPLAINT LETTER

A letter written by a consumer to a manufacturer or retailer regarding a problem with a product or service. This type of letter is written usually with the expectation that corrective action will be taken.

A Complaint letter is a request for an adjustment. In other words, it is a letter that describes about the damage; errors or mistakes happened to the delivered goods and therefore claims for compensation is known to be a complaint letter.

In modern age, the chain of business is not limited within the boundary of country. As business is expanding, its complexities are also increasing. So, mistake or fault is not a strange matter in the arena of business. There may be wrong delivery of goods shipment of obsolete, poor quality or underweight goods, faulty packing, delivery after the specified date and other damages to the goods shipped. In the above cases, buyer is supposed to suffer financial loss and therefore he has every reason to complaint to the seller demanding compensation. Hence a letter is used to serve such purpose is called complaint letter.

To draft such a letter, buyer must have valid grounds to explain that he has suffered financial loss or otherwise there will be misunderstanding which may damage business relation buyer requires special care with the art of convincing the seller. Clarity and courtesy are the important factors to write a letter of complaint. The complaint should be made politely without showing any sign of anger.

1. Problem with the delivered goods: If the goods that are delivered are :

- Under weight,

- Obsolete,

- Defective,

- Incomplete,

- Not according to buyer’s specification such as color, brand, size etc.

- Wrong or poor quality; then buyer can make a claim to the seller for the mistake.

2. Pricing: If there is any mistake in preparing the invoice of the shipped goods, then such letter is written.

3. Packing: Faulty or poor packing of the goods causes damage to the goods which can be claimed to the seller.

4. Transport: Goods are supposed to be shipped according to convenience of the buyer. But if wrong carrier is used it may call for writing such letter.

5. Terms & Condition: If the terms and condition of business are violated by the seller then such a letter is placed.

6. Faulty Insurance: If insurance coverage is not made properly according to instruction of the buyer, then there may be claim through complaint letter.

On the above grounds, buyer can complaint but it must be in a decent and polite way.

4. PURCHASE ORDER LETTER

As per the life cycle of a product an enquiry about it does not always end in a sale. Once a customer likes a product it results in a sale but only through a verbal order or a written one. A Purchase Order is the document that initiates the purchase and helps close the sale. In today’s times of multiple companiesavailable for all products, there is some amount of trust in the customer and even a verbal confirmation of an order is acceptable. But most of the times it is only against some advance.

A Purchase Order Letter is a document that confirms to the seller that the customer in a specified time frame requires a particular quantity of the product. Nowadays one company to the other confirming the order, which is generally a bulk order, writes Purchase Order Letters or it is written by an individual to a company again in the case of placing a bulk order.

B. EXAMPLE OF LETTERS

1. APPLICATION LETTER

A. JOB APPLICATION LETTER