🔙 Quay lại trang tải sách pdf ebook Giáo trình tiếng Anh thư tín thương mại Ebooks Nhóm Zalo NGUYEN DC LIEU SO GIAO DUC VA DAO TAO HA NOI GIAO TRINH NHA XUAT BAN HA NOI so g iA o d u c v A d A o t a o h A NOI NGUYEN BICH NGOC - DAO THI HUONG G lA O T R tN H TIENG ANH THIT TIN THITONG MAI ENGLISH FOR COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCES (Dung trong cac tritdng THCN) DA! tfOC THAI NGUYEN • ♦ TRUNG TAM HOC LIEU__ i NHA XUAT BAN h A NOI - 2006 n h A x u a t b a n h A n 0 i 4 - TONG DUY TAN, QUAN HOAn Klfi'M, h A NOI DT: (04) 8252916, 8257063 - FAX: (04) 8257063 GlAO TRiNH TIENG ANH THlfUN THUtfNG MAI ENGLISH FOR COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCES NHA XUAT BAN HA NOl - 2006 Chiu trach nhiem xuS't ban NGUYEN KHAC OANH Bien tap PHAM QUOC TUAN Bia TRAN QUANG Ky thuat vi ti'nh HAI YEN Sira ban in PHAM QUOC TUAN In 570cuoVl, kho 17x24 cm. Tai Cd sd 2 - Cong ty Co phan inl5. GPXB so: 154 - 2006/ CXB/ 649 GT-15/ HN cap ngay 28/2/2006. In xong va nop lufu chieu quy IV nam 2006. Ldi gio'i thieu A T udc ta dang budc vao thdi ky cong nghiep hoa, hien 1 V dai hoa nham di/a Viet Nam trd thanh nude cong nghiep van minh, hien clai. Trong si/ nghiep cach mqng to lan do, cong tdc ddo tqo nhdn life luon gii? vai trd quan trong. Bdo cdo Chinh tri cua Ban Chap hanh Trung Kang Dang Cong sdn Viet Nam tai D ai hoi Dang toan quoc Ian this IX dd chi rd: “Phat trien giao due va dao tao la mot trong nhung dong lire quan trong thuc day sir nghiep cong nghiep hoa, hien dqi hoa, la dieu kien de phat trien nguon lire con ngudi - yeu to co ban de phat trien xa hoi, tang trudng kinh te nhanh va ben vung”. Quan triet chit trKOng, Nghi quyet cua Dang va Nha mfdc vd nhdn thuc dung dan ve tdm quan trong cua chuang trinh, gido trinh doi vai viec nang cao chat luang ddo tqo, theo de nghi cua So Gido due vd Ddo tqo Ha Noi, ngay 23/9/2003, Uy ban nhdn dan thanh pho Ha Noi dd ra Quyet dinh so 5620/Q D -U B cho phep So Gido due vd D do tqo tlu/c hien de an hien soqn chuang trinh, gido trinh trong cdc trudng Trung hoc chuyen nghiep (TH CN ) Hd Noi. Q uyet dinh nay the hien su" quan tdm sail sac cua Thanh uy, UBND thanh pho trong viec nang cao chat luang ddo tqo vd phat trien nguon nhdn life Thu do. Tren ca sd chuang trinh killing cua Bo Gido due vd Ddo tqo ban lianli vd nhung kinh nghiem rut ra tif thuc te ddo tqo, So Gido due vd Ddo tqo dd chi dao cdc trudng T H C N to chuc bien soqn chuong trinh, gido trinh mot cach khoa hoc, lie 3 thong vd cap nhat nhung kien thuc thuc tien phi) hap vai doi titang hoc sinh TH C N Ha Noi. Bo gido trinh nay la tdi lieu gidng day vd hoc tap trong cdc trudng TH C N a Ha Noi, dong thdi la tdi lieu tham khdo hitu ich cho cdc trudng co ddo tqo cdc ngdnh ky thuat - nghiep vu vd dong ddo ban doc quan tdm den van de hudng nghiep, day nghe. Viec to chi'tc bien soqn bo chuang trinh, gido trinh nay la m ot trong nhieu hoqt dong thiet thuc ciia ngdnh gido due vd ddo tqo Thu do de ky niem “50 ndm gidi p lw ng Thu dd ”, "50 ndm thanh lap ngdnh ” vd hudng tdi ky niem “1000 ndm Thdng Long - Ha N oi So Gido due vd Dao tqo Ha N oi chan thanh cam an Thanh uy, UBND, cdc sd, ban, ngdnh cua Thanh pho, \ ’u Gido due chuyen nghiep Bo Gido due vd Ddo tqo, cdc nha khoa hoc, cdc chuyen gia dan ngdnh, cdc gidng vien, cdc nha quan ly, cdc nha doqnh nghiep dd tqo dieu kien giiip dd, ddng gop y kien, tham gia Hoi ddng phdn bien, Hoi dong tham dinh vd Hoi ddng nghiem thu cdc chifong trinh, gido trinh. D ay la Ian ddu tien Sd Gido due vd D do tqo Hd N oi to chi'tc bien soqn chuo’ng trinh, gido trinh. Du d d het sue co gang nhung chdc chan khong trdnh khoi thieu sot, bat cap. Cluing tdi mong nhdn duqc nhung y kien ddng gop cua ban doc de tifng budc hoan thien bo gido trinh trong cdc Idn tdi ban sail. GIAm DOC SCS GlAo DUG vA d Ao TAO 4 INTRODUCTION "English fo r com m ercial correspondences' is an important material for business persons. The success of any modem business to a large extent, depends on the proper use of business letters. Someone has rightly said: “A letter in business is what medicine is to a patient". Good letters are little ambassadors that traverse every nook and comer of the present-day commercial world. They constitute the biggest source of active liaison that is necessary for procuring business. A good command of written commercial English is one of the most important qualifications of a business person, because a good business letter can: - sell goods - create new customers - give an incentive io the dealers - bring back confidence among the buyers - bring more finance / profits - open new markets This book aims at meeting the needs of all students in commercial English department at the Ha Noi Commercial and Tourism College, and at the same time, it can serve as a hand book for those who are engaged in foreign trade transactions in Vietnam. The book is divided into 7 units containing: - Letter fo rm , letter parts - D ifferent kinds o f business letters: Goodwill, Inquiries, Quotations, Complaints... - What is to be written in business letters - How business letters are to be written - Specimen letters - Useful phrases in business letters - Exercises fo r practice 5 It is desired that further research is necessary to find out specific problems of commercial students in writing commercial letters in English so as to help them to write efficiently and accurately at the discourse level. Please let us know how you enjoy this book f 6 U nit 1 THE BUSINESS LETTER FORM Objectives • Mastering: The letter layout, address on envelopes • Writing letterheads, sender’s address, dates, inside address, salutation, complimentary closes, signatures • Developing appropriate manner Contents - The structure of a business letter -Letter parts - Letter layout - Planning the letter - How to address envelopes - Useful phrases and specimen letters - Exercises 7 I - THE STRUCTURE OF A BUSINESS LETTER The business letter is the principle means used by a business Firm to keep in touch with customers, very often it is the only one and customers form their impression of the letters it sends out. Business letters require the writer to express himself accurately in plain language that is clear courteous and readily understood. The whole secret of good business letter writing is to write simply in an easy and natural way. F. Lynch Co. Ltd (1) 15. Newell Str. Birmingham B3 3EL-UK Phone: 848454755 . Fax: 848255917. (2) 24,Sep., 2004 (3) Our ref: Your ref: (4) Tocontap. 36-Ba Trieu Str. Hanoi - Vietnam (5) Attn: Mr. Ha Linh (6) Dear Sir, (7) Re: Order No. TD 5644 (8) Please find enclosed our order No. TD5644 for m en’s and boy's sweaters in different sizes, colors and designs. We have decided to accept the 15% trade discount you offered and terms of payment viz D/P, but would like these terms revised in the near future. Would you please send the shipping document and your sight draft to North-Minster Bank, deal Street, Birmingham B3 ISQ. If you do not have the listed articles in stock, please do not send substitutes in their place. We would appreciate delivery within the next six weeks, and look forward to your confirmation (9) Yours faithfully, 8 (10) For F. Lynch Co. Ltd (signed) L. Crane Import Manager. (11) Enc: Order No. TD 5644 (12) c.c: Mr. Quang Huy Refer to the above model letter as you study the following list of the parts of a letter. (1) Letter-head: This, of course, is printed and supplied by your employer. It includes name, address, telephone number of the sender, and may contain a description of the business, trade mark, telegraphic address, telex, fax, email... (2) Date line: The date on which the letter is being prepared, is typed a few lines below the letter-head. It is also usually written on the right-hand side of the page. "Hie month should not be written in figures, but may be used in abbreviations like: Jan., Feb. , ..... (3) References: References are quoted to indicate what the letter refers to (Your ref.) and the correspondence to refer to when replying (Our ref.) (4) Inside address: The address of your reader is typed as it will appear on the envelope. (5) Attention line: (may be omitted) It should be used when the letter is addressed to a company or organization as a whole, but you want it to be handled by a specific individual at the company or within the organization and it should be underlined or typed in Capitals. (6) Salutation: D ear Sir opens a letter written to a man whose name you do not know. D ear Sirs is used to address a company. Dear M adam is used to address a woman, whether single or married, whose name you do not know. Dear Sir or Madam is used to address a person of whom you know neither the name nor the sex. When you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, the salutation takes the form of Dear followed by a courtesy title and the person’s surname. Initials or first names are not generally used in 9 salutations. Dear M r Smith, not Dear M r J. Smith or D ear M r John Smith. The comma after the salutation is optional (Dear Sir, or Dear Sir). Note that in the USA a letter to a company usually opens with Gentlemen, followed by a colon, not with Dear Sirs. (7) Subject line: May be omitted, but it alerts the reader to the content of your message. It should be underlined or typed in capitals (8) Body of letter: This is the actual message of your letter. The first paragraph starts with a capital letter. (9) Complimentary closing: This is a polite, formal way to end a letter. If the letter begins with Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear M adam , D ear Sir or Madam, it will close with Yours faithfully. If the letter begins with a personal name - Dear M r James, D ear Mrs. Robinson, Dear Ms Jasm in - it will close with Yours sincerely. A letter to a friend or acquaintance may end with Yours truly or the casual Best wishes. The position of the complimentary close - on the left, right or in the centre of the page - is a matter of choice. It depends on the style of the letter (10) Signature: Always type your name after your handwritten signature and your position in the firm after your typed signature block. Sender’s name and official position are typed four lines below the previous item to allow space for the signature. (11) Enclosure: (if any) followed by a list of the enclosed items. Its abbreviation is enc. (12) c.c notation: (if any) when copies are sent to people other than the named recipient. II - THE LAYOUT The placement of a letter is flexible within the limits of three basic styles. Often a company will have a preferred arrangement style which employees are required to use. - Full blocked style - Blocked style - Semi-blocked style 10 1. Full blocked letter layout All letter parts begin at the left margin. It is therefore, the fastest traditional arrangement style to type F. Lynch Co. Ltd 15. Newell St. Birmingham B3 3EL-UK Phone: 848454755. Fax: 848255917. 24,Sep. 2004 Our ref: Your Ref: Tocontap. 36-Ba Trieu Str. Hanoi - Vietnam Attn: Mr. Ha Linh Dear Sir, Re: Order No. TD 5644 Please find enclosed our order No. TD5644 for m en’s and boy’s sweaters in different sizes, colors and designs. We have decided to accept the 15% trade discount you offered and terms of payment viz D/P, but would like these terms revised in the near future. Would you please send the shipping document and your sight draft to North -Minster Bank, deal Street, Birmingham B3 ISQ. If you do not have the listed articles in stock, please do not send substitutes in their place. We would appreciate delivery within the next six weeks, and look forward to your confirmation 11 Yours faithfully, For F. Lynch Co. Ltd (signed) L. Crane Import Manager. Enc: Order No. TD 5644 c.c: Mr. Quang Huy 2. Blocked letter layout Like full blocked, all letter parts begin at the left margin, except the dateline, complimentary closing, company signature, and writer’s identification, which start at the horizontal center of the page. F. Lynch Co. Ltd 15. Newell St. Birmingham B3 3EL-LK Phone: 848454755 . Fax: 848255917. 24,Sep. 2004 Our ref: Your Ref: Tocontap. 36-Ba Trieu Str. Hanoi - Vietnam Attn: Mr. Ha Linh Dear Sir, Re: Order No. TD 5644 12 Please find enclosed our order No. TD5644 for m en’s and boy’s sweaters in different sizes, colors and designs. We have decided to accept the 15% trade discount you offered and terms of payment viz D/P, but would like these terms revised in the near future. Would you please send the shipping document and your sight draft to North-Minster Bank, deal Street, Birmingham B3 ISQ. If you do not have the listed articles in stock, please do not send substitutes in their place. We would appreciate delivery within the next six weeks, and look forward to your confirmation Yours faithfully, For F. Lynch Co. Ltd (signed) L. Crane Import Manager. Enc: Order No. TD 5644 c.c: Mr. Quang Huy 3. Semi-blocked style This is the same as a blocked letter with one change: the beginning of each paragraph is indented three or five spaces. F. Lynch Co. Ltd 15. Newell Str. Birmingham B3 3EL-UK Phone: 848454755 . Fax: 848255917. 13 24, Sep. 2004 Our ref: Your Ref: Tocontap. 36-Ba Trieu Str. Hanoi - Vietnam Attn: Mr. Ha Linh Dear Sir, Re: Order No. TD 5644 Please find enclosed our order No. TD5644 for m en ’s and boy’s sweaters in different sizes, colors and designs. We have decided to accept the 15% trade discount you offered and terms of payment viz D/P, but would like these terms revised in the near future. Would you please send the shipping document and your sight draft to North minister Bank, deal Street, Birmingham B3 ISQ. If you do not have the listed articles in stock, please do not send substitutes in their place. We would appreciate delivery within the next six weeks, and look forward to your confirmation Yours faithfully, For F. Lynch Co. Ltd ( signed) L. Crane Import Manager. Enc: Order No. TD 5644 c.c: Mr. Quang Huy 14 III - PLANNING YOUR LETTER The way to get the right amount of information in your letter, and to get it in the right order, is by planning your letter in advance. Ask yourself: what do you want your letter to achieve and what response do you want? Note down everything you want to include in it before you start writing; then read your notes again to see: o that you have included all the necessary information o that you haven’t included any unnecessary information o that you have put the information in the right order 1. First paragraph The first sentence or paragraph of a letter is an important one since it sets the tone of the letter and gives your reader his first impression of you and your company. Generally speaking, in the first paragraph you will thank your correspondent for his letter (if replying to an enquiry), introduce yourself and your company if necessary, state the subject of the letter, and set out the purpose of the letter. 2. Middle paragraphs This is the main part of your letter and will concern the points that need to be made, answers you wish to give, or questions you want to ask. As this can vary widely with the type of letter that you are writing, it will be dealt with in the relevant units. It is in the middle paragraphs of a letter that planning is most important, to make sure that your points are made clearly, fully and in a logical sequence. 3. Final paragraph When closing the letter, you should thank the person for writing, if your letter is a reply and if you have not done so at the beginning. Encourage further enquiries or correspondence, and mention that you look forward to hearing from your correspondent soon. You may also wish to restate, very briefly, one or two of the most important of the points you have made in the main part of your letter. IV - CLARITY Your correspondent must be able to understand what you have written. Confusion in correspondence often arises through a lack of thought and care, and there are a number of ways in which it can happen. 15 1. Abbreviations Abbreviations can be useful because they are quick to write and easy to read. But both parties need to know what the abbreviations stand for. Example: c.i.f = cost, insurance, and freight f.o.b = free on board EEC = European Economic Community UNO = United Nations Organization CBl = Confederation of British Industry TUC = Trades Union Congress 2. Figures Numerical expressions can also cause confusion. The month in the date should not be written in figures If there is a possibility of confusion, therefore, write out the expression in both figures and words e.g. £10,575,90 (ten thousand five hundred and seventy-five pounds, ninety pence) 3. Titles, names, and addresses Make quite sure that you use the correct title in the address and salutation, that you spell your correspondent’s name correctly, and that you write his/her address accurately Do not make assumptions about your correspondent’s sex if you do not know it. If you are writing, for example, to a Chief Buyer who you do not know, do not assume that he/she must be one sex or the other: use dear Sir or Madam rather than Dear Sir or Dear Madam. If you know the person’s name but not his/her sex (either because he/she only signs with an initial, or because his/her given name is new to you) then use Mr/Mrs..., Dear Mr / Mrs. Barron. V - ADDRESSING ENVELOPES Envelope addresses are written in a similar way to inside addresses, but for letters in or going to the UK, the postcode is usually written on a line by itself !6 at the end of the address, and the name of both the town and the country are written in capital letters. Mr G. Penter 49 Memorial Road QRPINGTON Kent BR6 9UA Messrs W. Brownlow & Co. 600 Grand Street LONDON WIN 9UZ UNITED KINGDOM • Points to remember - The layout and presentation o f your letter are important as they give the reader the first impression o f the firm 's efficiency. - There are two styles o f letter, blocked and indented. Both are acceptable, but the blocked style will probably save time. - Write both addresses in as much detail as possible and in the correct order. - Make sure you use the recipient's correct title in the address and salutation. I f in doubt as to whether a woman is single or married, use Ms. - Do not abbreviate dates. - Choose the correct salutation and complimentary close. When you begin with Dear Sir or D ear Sirs or Dear Madam or Dear Sir or M adam, end with Yours faithfully. But if you use a personal name in the salutation, then do se with Yours sincerely. - Make sure your references are correct. - M ake sure your signature tells your reader what he/she needs to know about you. ---------- 17 EXERCISES Type this letter in each of the 3 arrangement layouts (Full blocked, Blocked, Semi - blocked) Dateline: Inside Address: Attention Line: Salutation: Subject Line: Body: July 9. 20_ The Middle Atlantic Institute of Technology, 149 Danbury Road. Danbury , Connecticut 50202. Attention Dean Claude - Monet. Dear Sirs Educational Exchange The Commission for Educations Exchange between United States and Belgium has advised me to contact your employment assistance. I received my Doctor’s Degree with a “Grante distinction” from the University of Brussels and would like to teach French (my mother tongue) English, Duton or German. My special field is English literature I wrote my dissertation on Jams Joyce but I am also qualified to teach language to business students. I have been active in the field of applied linguistics for the last two years at the University of Brussels I look forward to hearing from you Complimentary Closing: Respectfully yours Signer’s Identification: Jacqueline Brauer. Reference initials: JB 18 U nit 2 BUSINESS GOODWILL LETTERS Objectives • Mastering: Structure of letters of Congratulation, Thanks, Sympathy, Invitation • - Expressing congratulation, thanks on other’s happy opportunities, sympathy with others - Making an invitation by letter or printed form Developing goodwill in work Contents - Letters of Congratulations - Letters of Thanks - Letters of condolences - Invitations: by letter or invitation card, accepting or declining invitations - Useful phrases for goodwill letter - Examples of goodwill letters - Exercises One of the most important functions of a business letter is to create good will. At festival time and on such an occasion as the award of an honor, a promotion, a wedding or a death, business persons all over the world take the 19 opportunity to send their good wishes, congratulations, sympathy or condolences. Such letters are appreciated by customers and certainly good for business. I- LETTERS OF CONGRATULATIONS The occasions for congratulatory messages are numerous: Promotions, appointments, and elections, achievements, award ,and honors, marriage and birth, anniversaries and retirements. Whether written to a close friend or a distant business associate, any letter of congratulations must be SINCERE and ENTHUSIASTIC. It may be short, but it should contain PERSONAL remarks or references. A letter of congratulations should contain three essential ingredients. It should: - begin with the expression of congratulation. - mention the reason for the congratulation with a personal or informal tone. - end with an expression of goodwill (such as praise of confidence NEVER say “Good luck" which implies chance rather than achievement). Example: 10 Bond Street London W.l. 5'h October, 2002 Mr. Charles Lyons Ferdosi Square Rafat lyah Street 86 Teheran Iran Dear Charles, 20 I have just learned that you have been appointed Regional Manager for the Middle East. Looking back on your activities so far, I know that your enthusiasm and experience are the very qualities that are needed for this position. I wish you every success in managing the affairs of the branch. My colleagues join me in sending you our warmest congratulations. With kindest regards, Yours, Randal Wetherby Talk about these questions 1. What does Mr. Wetherby congratulate Mr. Lyons on? 2. According to Mr. Wetherby, what qualities does Mr. Lyons possess which make him particularly suited to this position? 3. Who also send their congratulations? Translate the following letter into Vietnamese Dear Alan, Congratulations on your promotion to senior accounts executive. You have worked hard for Rembow Consultants and I am delighted that your efforts have been rewarded. As you move into your new office and assure the weight of responsibilities that go along with your position, please, please let me know if I can be of any assistance. Sincerely, 21 Expressions of congratulations - It was with great pleasure that we heard o f .........Please accept our heartiest congratulations. - Please convey our best wishes and congratulations t o .................. - We would like to send you our congratulation on the occasion - I'm writing to convey my warm congratulations on .... - We join in sending you our best wishes fo r the future. II - LETTERS OF THANKS A letter of thanks should be sent in response to a letter of congratulations. A thank-you letter may be BRIEF, but it must be PROMPT, for it must like all social business letters, sound SINCERE. A thank-you letter or a note of appreciation should always be sent after receiving: - Gifts - Favors - Courtesies - Hospitality - Donations A proper letter of appreciation will contain three key elements; it will: - begin by saying “thank you" - make a sincere personal comment - end with a positive and genuine statement 22 Notes: In letters o f this kind, it is a mistake to refer to business, to do so may create the feeling that your thanks are merely an excuse fo r getting business. Example: Bonds Forwarding Company BFC 117 Harbour Road, Southampton 17 June, 2002 Mr. Starros Alexiou Alexiou Shipping Co. 125 Omonia Square Athens Dear Mr. Alexiou, Looking through our files yesterday, I realized that it is just ten years since we started business together. So I’m really glad to have the opportunity m of saying “Thank you” for your regular custom. Your recommendations to other potential customers have also shown me that you appreciate the service we offer. We are grateful, and look forward to continuing our long association. Yours sincerely, (/«/♦» &»♦»/* John Bonds BONDS FORWARDING COMPANY Talk about these questions: 1. How long have Bonds Forwarding Company and the Alexiou Shipping Company been doing business together? 23 2. What does Bonds Forwarding Company appreciate? 3. What does the Alexiou Shipping Company appreciate? r - We thank you very much fo r your warmth and hospitality. - We are very grateful fo r the trouble you took on our behalf. - We thank you fo r the opportunity you have given us to supply the goods you need. - We thank you fo r your letter enclosing an account of the organization and handling of Mac Donald Co. Ltd. J Translate the following letter into Vietnamese Dear Sirs, We thank you for your warmth and the hospitality you showed us on our last night in your country. We were all, as you know, very tired indeed, and I am sure that we were not exactly wonderful company but we would like to say that we are very grateful for the trouble you took on our behalf. All best wishes. For Foreign Trade Delegation of the SRVN 24 HI - LETTERS OF CONDOLENCES When an acquaintance experiences the death of a loved one, it is proper, although difficult, to send a message of condolence Write your letter immediately when you learn the news. Say what you sincerely feel and express your sympathy in simple words that are warm and convincing. . . . Expressions of sympathy - We're sorry to learn that y o u ....... - I'm shocked to learn that - I hope the damage isn’t too great. - Fortunately, no damage occurred and no person injured. - I f you need any help, please tell me. - We were distressed to learn that - We are writing to express our deep sympathy... - Please convey our sympathy to. .. We have learned with deep regret o f the death of.... Example: CAMBRIDGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM 29 December, 2004 Dear Mr. De Vere, I was deeply distressed to hear of the sudden death of Mr. Arthur Williams who served on your Museum Board for so long. His passing must mean a great loss to your institution and his associates. We, who knew him, have good cause to be grateful to him for his sound judge-ment and advice that he gave us unreservedly. My staff join me in conveying our sincere sympathy to members of his family. Yours sincerely, B . Ca \ o v e r Bernard Glover Mr. Peter de Vere Curator Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Hill Square Edinburgh Talk about these questions: 1. What had been Mr. Williams’ connection with the Edinburgh Museum? 2. Why did Mr. Glover have reason to be grateful to him? 3. To whom do Mr. Glover and his staff offer their condolences? Translate the following letter into Vietnamese Dear Mr. Summers, I would like to extend the deep sympathy of all of us at Jason Associates. We had the privilege of knowing and working with Edith for many years, and her friendly presence will be sadly missed. Please consider us your friends and telephone us if we can be of any help. Sincerely, 26 IV - INVITATIONS A general invitation should be cordial and sincere, a formal invitation should be less personal, written in the third person. Either kind of invitation, however, must do three things: - Invite the reader to the gathering - Give the date, time and place of the gathering. - Offer a reason for the gathering. A formal invitation should, in addition, include the R.S.V.P. notation. This abbreviation stands for “respondz s’il vous plait", it asks the reader to please respond i.e.: "Please let us know if you plan to attend” In such formal invitations, the place and the date of writing may be mentioned either at the right-hand top comer of the notepaper or postcard or below the text, beginning from the left hand margin. The text is usually short and mentions the following: - The name of the host and / or hostess, that is the person who sends out the invitation. - The name of the guest, that is, the person invited. - The object of the invitation, that is whether it is for dinner or tea or a cocktail party. - The exact time and date when the guest is expected to attend. - The place where the guest is to arrive at. When the place is not mentioned, it is understood to be the host's usual residence. Example: A formal Invitation MR ZHANG WEIMIN President of Wei Le Trade Corporation Requests the pleasure of your company at the Opening Ceremony of the Western Branch of 27 Wei Le Trade Corporation On October 15, 2004 At 10:30 a .m Add. 38 Hai Yan Xi Lu Shanghai 200142 Tel. No. 66431700 x 126 R.S.V.P. Expressions of invitations - The Chairman and Directors o f the ...........Corporation have pleasure in inviting you to attend a reception at (place) on (date) at ........(am/pm) in honor of (event) - Mr. and Mrs........request the pleasure o f Mr. and Mrs...... & company at dinner on Saturday, 5lh December at 7.30 p.m - We have pleasure in inviting you to the .......International Fair in Poznan Translate the following Invitation into Vietnamese Mr. Kfmmons MHCson Chairman of the Board of Holiday Inns Inc. And Mr. (Ben Smith Chairman of the Board of Hotels United request the presence of Mr. and Mrs. (Barrington 28 on the occasion of the inauguration of the first Thai Holiday Inn and Restaurant at Bangkok Airport ( Holiday Inn, Bangkok, International Airport) in the presence of Mr. Frank S. Wile Consult General of the United States of America On Wednesday, May 2, 2004 18.30- 19.30 Cocktails 19.45 Dinner ( Dark suit) R.S.V.P Secretary to Ben Smith, 108 Salome Road, Bangkok 1. Accepting an invitation Hotel Cathay Bangkok 28 th April, 2004 Mr. and Mrs. J. Barrington thank Mr. Kemmons Wilson and Mr. Ben Smith for their kind invitation to the inauguration of the Thai Holiday Inn and Restaurant to be held at the Holiday Inn, and will be pleased to attend. 2. Declining an invitation The Anglo-Thai Insurance Company 10 Patpong Road Bangkok - Thailand 29 2nd May, 2004 Mr. W. James, Chairman, thanks Mr. Kemmons Wilson and Mr. Ben Smith for their kind invitation to the inauguration of the Thai Holiday Inn and Restaurant to be held at the holiday Inn, but regrets that he is unable to attend due to a prior engagement. Replies to invitations - Mr. and Mrs. ...thank Mr. and Mrs....for their kind invitation to dinner, which they have much pleasure in accepting - It will be a pleasure to see you again when I visit New York next month. - I 'm looking forw ard to becoming personally acquainted with you after our long correspondence. - M rB has much pleasure in accepting the kind invitation o f Mr. A to dinner on...... - Mr. B thanks Mr. A fo r his kind invitation, but regrets that a previous engagement prevents him from accepting the same PRACTICE 1. Write a letter inviting a foreign customer who is now staying in Vietnam to dinner given by your corporation at the Dan Chu Hotel at 7:30 p.m on 15lh May. Tell him that present at the dinner will be your General Director and two executives with whom the customer has worked. 2. You have just returned from a meeting. There are two notes on your desk. Write an appropriate letter to each of them. 30 1. A V -H a y w a r d c a l l e d fro m "T extile C7mport L t d . H e invited yo u to a tte n d the IauncK of tk eir n ew c a n ^ e on 1 3 F ^ b r u a r y . D o n ’ t f o r g e t , k o w e v e r,, t k a t y o u k a v e to tra v e l to T-^aris tk a t s a m e ev en in g . 2 . M s S m itk from CJnfidel c a lle d to invite yo u to view tk eir n e w r a n g e of s o ftw a re on ,M onday/ 2 4 J a n u a r y . ^/ou a r e fre e tk a t gkt. 3. Add the punctuation to this letter inviting one of your distributors to the conference. KEF Audio MAIDSTONE KENT ME 15 6 Q P TEL: (01622) 672261 FAX: (01622) 750653 Yoshi Watenable 2-9-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Toyko 160 - Japan 23 February 2004 Dear Yoshi We would like to invite you to join us for the annual sales conference and launch of the new KEF loudspeaker range at Montreux Switzerland from 29 June to 1 July we enclose brochures on our new range together with a conference programme please let us know if you wish to attend as soon as possible Best wishes 31 EXERCISES 1. Fill in the blank, then translate the sentences into Vietnamese. 1. We should like to .... this opportunity of ...you....wishes for a New Year. 2. We are deeply ...by the news ....the death of your General Director 3. We shall be ....for any help you may ...our representative, Mr. Hung 4. We should like ... convey to you our .... congratulation on your promotion. 5. We thank you for your letter ....us of the death of Mr Pham, The Chief of our Foreign Relations Department which we learned with deep sympathy. 2. Translate into English. 1. Chung toi rat vui mung giri den ngai nhung ldi chuc mung tot dep nMl nhan Id ky niem 100 nam ngay thanh lap cong ty cua cac ngai. 2. Chung toi rat vui mimg gui den ngai nhung loi chuc mung n6ng nhiel nhan ngay Quoc khanh cua quy quoc. Chuc tinh huu nghi giua hai nude va quan he giua hai cong ty ngay cang phat trien hon. 3. Sau nhi£u nam co g^ng lien tuc, ong duoc de bat lam T6ng Giam d6c cong ty la rat xung dang. Chung toi xin chuc mung ong. 4. Nghe tin ong bi tai nan toi rat buon va mong muon co the giup do ong duoc viec gi. Toi thanh tarn chuc ong chong binh phuc. 5. Cai chet cua ong ay lam cho chung ta mat di mot nha lanh dao , mot ngudi ban chi tinh. 3. Complete the following letter with suitable words or phrases. Dear Mr Watts, I must write to (1)........................................... how much we appreciate (2)....................... promptness with which you (3).................settled your accounts with (4)..................during the past year, (5)................... as a number of them have been for very (6)..................sums. It has been (7).............great help to us in our business. We (8)..................you will continue to (9)....................us the opportunity to (10)....................... you. Yours faithfully, 32 4. Translate into Vietnamese. Dear Charles, On looking through the Times this morning I came across your name in the New Year Honors List and hasten to add my congratulations to the many you will be receiving. The award will give pleasure to a wide circle of people who know you and your work. Your service to local industry and commerce over many years has been quite outstanding and it is very gratifying to know that this has been so suitably rewarded. Warm regards and best wishes. Yours as ever N. Phan 5. Translate into English Thua cac ngai, Nhan dip Noel va nam mai chung toi xin gui den cac ngai va toan the can bo cong nhan vien cua quy hang nhung loi chuc td't dep nhat. Chung t6i hy vong ding trong nam tori chung ta se tiep tuc buon ban vai nhau nhieu hcfn nira. Kinh chao Thay mat TCTXNK May Ha Noi ( da ky) Tong giam doc Nguy6n Anh Dung 33 U nit 3 ENQUIRIES AND REPLIES Objectives • Mastering: Structure of enquiries and replies • - Asking for details of goods - Replying and confirming help • Being friendly and polite CONTENTS - Rules .of writing Enquiries - Asking for catalogues, price-lists, or prospectuses... - Asking for details, samples, patterns, demonstrations - Suggesting terms, methods of payment, discounts, delivery time - Replying to an enquiry and confirming your help - Exercises 34 I - ENQUIRY An enquiry (inquiry) is sent when a businessman wants some information, especially about: - The supply of goods - Leaflets or catalogues. - Quotation or prices. - Samples. - Terms and discounts. - Availability of goods. - Method of transport. - Insurance. 1. Rules of writing an inquiry - Begin with the questions you want to ask your reader about goods. - Keep your inquiry short and to the point, say what need to be said and then stop. If your inquiry is to a supplier whom you have not previously dealt with: - Tell him how you have obtained his name and address. - Give him some details of your business, for example, the range of goods you handle.... Example 1: Dear Sirs, We are interested in cutter Model GH advertised by you in the latest issue of the “Industry” We shall be obliged if you will send us a quotation for the above mentioned tool. Please quote your latest price and state the time of delivery and the most favorable terms of payment, the price is preferred to be quoted CFR Haiphong. We also request you to send us Brochures and Specifications of your other products. Yours faithfully, 35 Talk about these questions: 1. What rules do you observe when making an inquiry? 2. How do you acknowledge an inquiry9 3. How do you write a routine letter or inquiry? 4. What should you write in the inquiry reply? 5. By what ways can you be answered when you want to request for information? Example 2: Example 3: Dear Sirs, We have seen your advertisement in the “Textile W orld”, and should be glad if you would send us patterns of Ladies' woolens with your best terms. Yours faithfully, 36 Making Inquiries - I'm interested i n ............. - C ould you please give m e...........? - 1 would appreciate more details about...... - 1 would lik e .................................. - Could you let us know if............................? 2. Writing opening Tell your supplier what sort of firm you are. - We are a co-operative wholesale society based in Zurich. - Our company is a subsidiary o f Universal Business M achines and we specialize in.... - We are one o f the main producers o f industrial chemicals in Germany, and we are interested in.... How did you hear about the firm you are writing to? It might be useful to point out that you know a firm's associates, or that they were recommended to you by a consulate or trade Association. - We were given your name by the Hoteliers Association in Paris. - You were recommended to us by Mr John King, o f Lasworn & Davies, Merchant Bankers. - We were advised by Spett. Marco Gennovisa o f Milan that you were interested in supplying.... - The British Embassy in M adrid told us that you were looking fo r an agent in Spain to represent you. It is possible to use other references: - We were impressed by the selection o f gardening tools that were displayed on your stand at this year's Gardening Exhibition held in Hamburg. 37 - Our associates in the packing industry speak highly o f your Zeta packing machines and we would like to have more information about them. Could you send us.... 3. Asking for catalogues, price-lists, prospectuses It is not necessary to give a lot of information about yourself when asking for catalogues, brochures, booklets, etc. This can be done by postcard, but remember to supply your address, unless it is already printed, phone number, telex, and fax number if you have one. It would also be helpful if you could briefly point out any particular items you are interested in. - Could you please send your current catalogue and price-list fo r exhibition stands'.’ We are particularly interested in "furniture display" stands. - Would you let us have your summer brochure fo r holidays to Greece and the Greek Islands, and supply details o f any low fa res and tariffs fo r the month o f September? - I would appreciate your sending me an up-to-date price-list fo r your building materials. - / am planning to come and study in London next autumn and I would like a prospectus fo r your college giving me information about fees and special courses in computing. - We have heard about your latest equipment in laser surgery and would like more details. Please send us any information you can supply, marking the letter “For the Attention o f Professor Kazuhiro”, Tokyo General Hospital, Kinuta-Setagayaku, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Asking for details When asking for goods or services you must be specific and state exactly what you want. If replying to an advertisement you should mention the journal or newspaper, the date, and quote any box number or department number given. e.g. Box No. 341; Dept. 412B. And if referring to, or ordering from a catalogue, brochure, leaflet, or prospectus, always quote the reference, e.g. Cat. No. A 149; Holiday No. J/M/3; Item No. 351; Course BL 362. - I am replying to your advertisement in the June edition o f ‘T a ilo r and Cutter". I would like to know more about the ‘steam pressers" which you offered at cost price. 38 - 1 am interested in holiday No. JIM/3, the South Yugoslavian tour. - I will be attending the auction to be held in Turner House on 16 February this year, and am particularly interested in the job lot listed as Item No. 351. - Could you please give me more information about course BL 362 which appears in the language learning section o f your summer prospectus? - I would appreciate more details about the “University Communications System which you are advertising on Grampian Television. 5. Asking for samples, patterns, demonstrations You might want to see what a material or item looks like before placing an order. Most suppliers are willing to provide samples or patterns so that you can make a selection. However, few would send a complex piece of machinery for you to look at. In that case you would be invited to visit a showroom, or the supplier would offer to send a representative. Nevertheless, if it is practical, ask to see an example of the article you want to buy. - When replying, could you please enclose a pattern card? - We would also appreciate it if you could send some samples o f the material so that we can examine the texture and quality. - Before selling toys we prefer to test them fo r safety. Could you therefore send us at least two exam ples o f these children's cars in the ‘’sprite" range? - I would like to discuss the problem o f maintenance before deciding which model to install in my factory. I would be grateful if you could arrange fo r one o f your representatives to call on me within the next two weeks. 6. Suggesting terms, methods of payment, discounts Finns sometimes state prices and conditions in their advertisements or literature and may not like prospective customers making additional demands. However, even if conditions are quoted, it is possible to mention that you usually expect certain concessions. Although it is true that once a supplier has quoted a price and stated terms you indicate that certain conditions may persuade you to place an order. - We usually deal on a 30% trade discount basis with an additional quantity discount for orders over 1,000 units. - As a rule our suppliers allow us to settle by monthly statement and we can offer the usual references if necessary. 39 - We would also like to point out that we usually settle our accounts on a documents against acceptance basis with payment by 30-day bill o f exchange. - Could you let us know if you allow cash or trade discounts? - We intend to place a substantial order, and would therefore like to know what quantity discounts you allow. 7. Specimen letters (short enquiries) Request fo r a catalogue and price-list Dear Sir, Please would you send me your Spring catalogue and price-list quoting c.i.f. prices, Le Havre? Thank you. Yours faithfully, Request fo r a prospectus Dear Sir, I would like some information about your Proficiency courses in English beginning this July. Please send me a prospectus, details of your fees, and information about accommodation in London for the period July - December. If possible I would like to stay with an English family. Thank you. Yours faithfully, 40 Request fo r general information (J e a t f / 'i t, y o u ft/< {{.u > iv iif / m e (/< > /a i/\ o f y c u i f n / e / e b b u /tu /t a te /w iny (u/eet/i.U’f / in fjaiayeb atom no/ //te caun/ty? •I/ tfwtf/f/ fi/i/i teeia/e a fi'icn tft/ tef/y a no/iny /tar/e ft tieeA //on t-i fa i//ifn //y , Reply to an advertisem ent (an inquiry) In this letter the customer is replying to an advertisement for cassettes which he saw in a trade journal. The advertiser gave little information, so the writer will have to ask for details Example: Disc SA 251 rue des Raimomeres F - 86000 Poitiers Cedex Tel: (33) 99681031 Telecopie: (33) 102163 Ref: PG/AL 12 May 20___ The Sales Dept. R.G. Electronics AG Havrnart 601 D __5000 Koln 1 Dear Sirs, We are a large record store in the centre of Poitiers and would like to know more about the tapes and cassettes you advertised in this m onth’s edition of “Hi Fi news" 41 Could you tell us if the cassettes are leading brand names, or made by small independent companies, and whether they would be suitable for recording classical music or only dictations and messages? It would also be helpful if you could send us some samples and if they are of the standard we require, we will place a substantial order. We would also like to know if you are offering any trade discounts. Thank you. Yours faithfully, P. G B R A A R V P. Gerard Talk about the following questions: 1. Why does M. Gerard say they are a “large” record store? 2. Is he interested in high-quality cassettes or low-quality cassettes? 3. What two things does he require before he places an order ? 4. How did he hear about the advert? 5. If the letter began Dear Mr... what would the complimentary close be? 6. Is M. Gerard asking about any special concessions? 7. Which words in the letter correspond to the following: publication; product’s name; vocal instructions; examples, large? II - REPLIES 1. Writing opening Mention your prospective customer’s name. If the customer signs the letter M r B. G reen, then begin Dear M r Green, not D ear Sir, which indicates that you have not bothered to remember the enquirer’s name. 42 Thank the writer for his/her enquiry. Mention the date of his/her letter and quote any other references that appear. - Thank you for your enquiry o f June 6'h 1989 in which you asked about... - / would like to thank you fo r your enquiry o f M ay 10 and am pleased to tell you that we would be able to supply you with the... - We were pleased to hear from your letter o f 10 December that you were impressed with our selection of... - Thank you fo r your letter, NJ 1691, which we received this morning. 2. Confirming that you can help Let the writer know as soon as possible if you have the product or can provide the service he/she is enquiring about. It is irritating to read a long letter only to find that the firm cannot help. - We have a wide selection o f sweaters that will appeal to all ages, and in particular the teenage market which you specified. - Our factory would have no problem in turning out the 6,000 units you asked fo r in your enquiry. - We can supply fro m stock and will have no trouble in meeting your delivery date. - I am pleased to say that we will be able to deliver the transport facilities you require. - We can offer door-to-door delivery services. 3. “selling” your product Encourage or persuade your prospective customer to do business with you. A simple answer that you have the goods in stock is not enough. Your customer might have made ten other enquiries, so remember it is not only in sales letters that you have to persuade. Mention one or two selling points of your product, including any guarantees you offer. - We think you have made an excellent choice in selecting this line, and once you have seen the samples we are sure you will agree that this is unique both in texture and color. - Once you have seen the Della S00 in operation we know you will be impressed by its trouble-free performance. 43 - We can assure you that the Omega 2000 is one o f the most outstanding machines on the market today, and our confidence in it is supported by our five-year guarantee. 4. Suggesting alternatives If you do not have what the enquirer has asked for, but have an alternative, offer it to him. But do not criticize the product he originally asked for. - ... and white this engine has all the qualities o f the model you asked for the "Powerdrive" has the added advantage o f having few er moving parts, so less can go wrong. It also saves on oil as it... - The model has now been improved, its steel casing having been replaced by plastic which is lighter, more durable, and stronger. - O f course leather is an excellent material to work with in the upholstering o f furniture, but escalating costs have persuaded customers to look for something more competitive in price. Fortunately, Tareton Plastics have produced an amazing substitute, “Letherine, which has the same texture, strength and quality o f leather, but is less than a quarter o f the cost." The sam ples enclosed will convince you...etc 5. Closing Always thank the customer for writing to you. If you have not done so in the beginning of tiie letter, you can do so at the end. You should also encourage further enquiries. - Once again wc' would like to thank you fo r writing to us and would welcome any further points you would like us to answer. - Please write to us again if you have any questions, or call us at the above telephone number. - 1 am sorry we do not have the model you asked fo r, but I can prom ise you that the alternative I have suggested will certainly meet your expectations, and remember we offer a fu ll guarantee fo r three years. - We hope to hear from you again, soon , and can assure you that your oriler will be dealt with promptly 6. Specimen letters Example 1 44 Catalogue and price-list Dear Mr Raval, Thank you for your enquiry of 31 January. We are enclosing our Spring catalogue and current price-list quoting c.i.f. prices Le Havre. We would like to draw your attention to the trade and quantity discounts, we are offering in our Special Purchases section pp. 19-26 which may be of particular interest to you . Please contact us if we can be of any further help to you. Yours sincerely, Exam ple 2: General inform ation Dear Mr Wymer, Thank you very much for your enquiry. You will find enclosed a catalogue giving detailed information about tubeless tyres and including the impressive results we have achieved in rigorous factory and track tests. Please note the items on safety and fuel economy which have proved the main selling points of this product. With regard to trade discounts, we are allowing 25% off list prices to bona tide retailers and wholesalers, with quantity discounts for orders over £3,000 We will be pleased to supply any further information you require Yours sincerely, • Points to rem em ber - Enquiries can take the form o f telephoned, telexed , or faxed requests for information. Only use these form s if you can make your enquiry very brief, for fuller enquiries, write a letter. 45 - Give details o f your own firm as well as asking fo r information from your prospective supplier. - Be specific and state exactly what you want. Quote box numbers, catalogue ref erences, etc, to help your supplier to identify what you want. - Ask fo r samples if you are uncertain about a product. - You can suggest term and discounts, but be prepared fo r your supplier to make a counter-offer. - Close with a simple “thank you" or "I look forw ard to hearing from you" , unless you want to indicate the possibility o f substantial orders or further business. - The reply to an enquiry does not only tell your custom er whether you can provide the goods or services he has asked about , but also indicates what sort o f firm you are; whether you are aware, conscientious, and efficient. - Avoid opening with expressions like “We are in receipt o f your enquiry" or “With reference to your enquiry" or “In reply to your enquiry". These openings tend to sound rather cold. - Avoid phrases like “We are taking the liberty o f sending you"... or “We hasten to reply to your esteemed enquiry o f the 10'1' in s t" you will sound like a firm that should have gone out o f business a century ago. EXERCISES 1. Fill in th e b la n k s, a n d th e n tra n s la te into V ie tn a m e s e Dear Sirs, As it is our .... (I).... in the near future..... (2) .......start importing Vietnamese china ..... (3) .....pottery, we are interested ... (4) ..... contacting a number f o r .... (5).... manufacturers in Vietnam with.....(6)...... view to choosing items.....(7) .... for the B ritish...... (8)........ We should be m o st......(9).... if you would forward.... (10).......of the items you ..... (II) .....for export, together with your price .....(12)........ and terms F.O.B Haiphong. We should very m u c h .......(13)...... an early reply. Yours faithfully, 46 2. Translate into English a. Chung toi la khach hang thudng xuyen mua mat hang nay va chung toi se rat vui mung neu cac ngai gui m&u va cho chung toi biet gia thap nhat cac ngai co the’ chao ban. b. Chung toi khong san xuat cac mat hang cac ngai hoi mua may nam nay roi, nhung chung toi co the chao ban cho cac ngai nhung mat hang tuong tu vdi tri gia 500 bang Anh C.I.F Liverpool moi tan 3. Translate into Vietnamese Dear Sirs, We are pleased to note from your letter of 4lh Sept. that you are interested in establishing business relations with us, which happily happens to coincide with our interest. At present we are in the market for silk yam and shall be glad to receive your latest prices for whatever qualities available for export for November shipment C1F London. When quoting, kindly send us a range of samples of the goods. We await your early reply Yours faithfully, 4. Letter writing Write a letter of inquiry after you have seen the following advertisement in newspapers: EMOCO CALCULATORS Small, Modern, Reliable, (First CCass (Products JLvai[a6Ce Jit competitive (Prices Address: EMOCO, 11 High St, Ashford Kent, England 47 U nit 4 QUOTATIONS AND OFFERS Objectives • Mastering: Structure of quotations and offers • - Quoting prices, transport and insurance costs, - Suggesting methods of payment, delivery time, - Offering goods or services to customers • Developing appropriate manner Contents - What is a quotation? - What kind of information is often included in a quotation? - Offer in tabulated form & covering letters - Fixed terms and negotiable terms, giving an estimate - Offering goods or services to customers: Firm offer or offer without engagement - Understanding some common shipping terms - Useful phrases and examples of quotations and offers - Exercises 48 I - QUOTATIONS In your reply to an enquiry, you may want to give your prospective customer a quotation. It may be a simple one, containing simply the prices and other information asked for. The sales-conscious businessman, however, will take the opportunity to stimulate his correspondent’s interest in his goods or services by including a sales message and the assurance that the customer will receive personal attention A satisfactory quotation will include the following: - An expression of thanks for the inquiry - Details of prices, discounts and terms of payment - A statement or clear indication of what the prices cover (e.g. packing, FOB, CIF, CFR...) - The date of delivery - The period for which the quotation is valid - An expression of hope that the quotation will be accepted Example I: Quotation letter Dear Sirs, Thank you very much for your inquiry of 18lh March for a further supply of ceramics and in replying we are pleased to quote as follow No. 112 TD, Gilt Rims Tea cups £150 per thousand Tea saucers £110 per thousand Tea plates £110 per thousand Tea pots, 2 - pint £50 per hundred These prices are CIF London including packing We can deliver from stock and will allow you a discount of 5% but only on items ordered in quantities of 50.000 or more We hope you will find these terms satisfactory and look forward to the pleasure of your order. Yours faithfully, 49 Many quotations are either tabulated or given on specially prepared form. For the tabulated quotation, it is claimed: - That it is clear and presents its information in a way that is readily understood. - That it is complete since essential information unlikely to be omitted. - The tabulated quotation is particularly suitable where there are many items. Like quotation specially prepared forms, it should be sent with a cover letter that: a- Expresses thanks for the enquiry, b- Makes favorable comments on the goods themselves c- Draws attention to other products likely to interest the buyer d- Hopes for an order By treating the buyer as a person worth the trouble of a letter, it creates a favorable impression and to build goodwill. Example 2: Tabulated quotation Central leathercraft Ltd 85-87 Chapside, London, E.C.2 Directors Telegrams: E. Jones (managing) G.Woodhead, F.C.A Telephone: 01 242 217 718 20th August, 20 Messrs Tocontap 36 Ba Trieu St. Hanoi, SRVN 50 Catlogue No. Quotation No. 5644 Item Delivery Quantity Price £ S.25 M en’s box Caft 15 Sep. 1.200 pairs 5.750 shoes immediate S.38 Ladies’s shoes 15 Sep. 4.800 pairs 4.800 (various colours) S.48 Ladies’ handbag immediate 3.600 pieces 3.600 For acceptance within 21 days Delivery: CIF Haiphong including packing Payment: by irrevocable Letter of credit For Central Leathercraft Ltd (signed) W. Hanson Sales Manager Example 3: Covering letter Dear Sirs, We thank you for your inquiry of 15th August and are pleased to enclose our quotation No. 5644 for leather shoes and handbags. We have indicated those items which we can deliver from stock immediately. For all the remaining items the stated dates of delivery are approximate, but in no case would these dates be exceeded by more than 3 months. All the items for which we have quoted are made from very best quality leather and can be supplied in a range of designs and colors wide enough to meet the requirements of a fashion trade such as yours. We look forward to receiving your order and meanwhile enclose a copy of our catalogue as we feel you may be interested in some of our other products. 51 These include leather gloves and purses, described and illustrated above. The catalogue will give you all facts about our goods but cannot answer all your personal questions. This we shall be glad to do if you write to us. Yours faithfully. For central Leathercraft Ltd. (signed) W. Hanson Sales Manager Encl. (1) Quotation No. 5644 (2) catalogue 1. Prices When a manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer quotes a price, he may or may not include other costs and charges such as transport, insurance, and taxes (e.g. in the UK, Value Added Tax or VAT). Prices which include these extra costs are known as gross prices, those which exclude them are known as net prices. - The net price o f this article is £10.00, to which must be added VAT cii 17112 %, making a gross price o f £11.75. - We can quote you a gross price, inclusive o f delivery charges, o f £37.50 per 100 items. These goods are exempt from VAT A firm’s quotation is not necessarily legally binding, i.e. they do not always have to sell you the goods at the price they quoted in their reply to an enquiry. However, when prices tend to fluctuate, the supplier will add a provision to their quotation stating that their prices are subject to change. If the company makes a firm offer, it means they will hold the goods for a certain time until you order. 52 e.g. firm 14 days. Again, this is not legally binding, but suppliers generally keep to their offer to protect their reputation. - The prices quoted above are provisional, since we may be compelled by increased costs o f raw materials to increase our prices to customers. I will inform you immediately if this happens. - We can offer you a price o f £6.29 per item, firm 21 days, after which the price will be subject to an increase o f 5%. Whenever possible you should quote prices in your customer’s currency, allowing for exchange fluctuations. - The price o f this model o f cassette-player is 2,800 Belgian francs at today's rate o f exchange. - We can quote you a price o f 150,000 Italian tire per 100 units, though / regret that, because o f fluctuating exchange rates, we can only hold this price fo r fo u r weeks from today's date. 2. Transport and insurance costs The International Chamber of Commerce use a set of terms for delivery in overseas contracts - these are called Incoterms. G R O U P C - M ain carriage paid CFR (Cost and Freight) named port of destination CIF (Cost, insurance & freight) named port of destination CPT (Carriage Paid To) named place of destination CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid) named place of destination G R O U P D ■ A rrival DAF (Delivered at Frontier) named place DES (Deli vered Ex Ship) named port of destination DEQ (Delivered Ex Quay - Duty Paid) named port of destination DES and DEQ can only be used for sea and inland waterways. DDU (delivery Duty Unpaid) named place of destination I)DP (Delivered Duty Paid) named place of destination 53 GROUP E - Departure EXW (Ex- Works) e.g. from the factory or warehouse Seller packs and prepares goods for dispatch with delivery taking place at his/her factory or warehouse. The buyer now takes all transit risks. G R O U P F ■ M ain carriage unpaid FCA (Free Carrier) named place FAS (free Alongside Ship) with port of shipment named FOB (Free on Board) named port of shipment 3. Discounts Manufacturers and wholesalers sometimes allow discounts to be deducted from the net or gross price. They may allow a trade discount to sellers in similar trades; or a quantity discount for orders over a certain amount, or a cash discount if payment is made within a certain time. (e.g. seven days) or a loyalty discount when firms have a long association. - We allow a 3% discount fo r paym ent within one month. - The net price o f this model is £7.50, less 10% discount fo r quantities up to 100 and 15% discount fo r quantities over 100. - We do not normally give discounts to private customers hut because o f your long association with our company we will allow you 20% o ff the retail price. - The prices quoted are c. & /.. Yokohama, but are subject to a 20% trade discount o ff net price, and we will allow a further 20% trade discount off net prices fo r orders o f more than 2,000 units 4. Methods of payment When quoting terms, you may require, or at least suggest, any of several methods of payment (letter of credit, bill of exchange, etc.) If you would send us your personal cheque for the amount quoted, we will then send the article by registered mail, payment for initial order should be made by sight draft, payable at Den Norske Creditbank, Kirkegaten 21. Oslo 1, cash against documents. 54 5. Quoting delivery If the enquiry specifies a delivery date, confirm that it can be met, or if not, suggest an alternative date. Do not make a promise that you cannot keep; it will give you a bad reputation, and if a delivery time is a condition of ordering, the customer could sue you if you break the contract, or reject the goods. - And we are pleased to say that we can deliver by December I s' fo r the Christmas rush. - As there are regular sailings from Liverpool to New York, we are sure that the consignment will reach you well within the time you specified. - We have the materials in stock and will ship them immediately we receive your order. - As there is a heavy demand at this time o f year fo r heaters, you will have to allow at least six weeks fo r delivery. - We could not deliver within two weeks o f receipt o f order, as we would need time to prepare the materials. However, if you could let us have a month, we could guarantee delivery within that period. 6. Fixed terms and negotiable terms It is possible to quote terms in two ways: by stating your price and discounts without leaving room for negotiation, or suggesting that the customer could write again and discuss them. In the two examples below, the companies make firm quotes, indicating that methods of payment and discounts are fixed. - All list prices are quoted f.o.b. Southampton and are subject to a 25% trade discount with paym ent by letter o f credit. - The prices quoted are ex-works, but we can arrange freight and insurance if required, and unless otherwise stated, paym ent is to be made by 30-day bill o f exchange, documents against acceptance. In the next two examples, the use of the adverbs normally and usually soften the tone of the statements to indicate that although the firm prefers certain terms, these can at least be discussed. In the final example the supplier even asks if this arrangement is satisfactory. - We usually offer an 18% trade discount on f.o.b. prices, and would prefer paym ent by irrevocable letter o f credit. 55 - Normally we allow a 23 % trade discount off net prices with paym ent on Jocuments against paym ent basis. Please let us know if this arrangement is satisfactory. 7. Giving an estimate Companies which are asked to estimate for a particular job -of work may include the estimate in tabulated form in a letter. More often, however, they will send their official estimate form with a covering letter. As you know, our representative has visited your factory to discuss the extension which you wish to add to it, and I now have pleasure in enclosing our official estimate. The enclosed estimate covers labor and parts and carries a six-month guarantee on all work completed. 8. Specimen letters Example 4: Quotation of terms Satex S. p. A. Via di Pietra Papa 001 46 Roma Telefono Roma 769910 Tealeaf (06) 681 5473 Telex 289136 Mr L. Crane, Chief Buyer Vs. rf: Inq C 3 5 1 F. Lynch & Co. Ltd. Ns. rif. D/1439 Nesson House - Newell Street Birmingham B3 3EL UNITED KINGDOM 21 February 2 0 _ Dear Mr Crane, We are pleased to receive your enquiry, and to hear that you liked our range of sweaters. 56 There would certainly be no trouble in supplying you from our wide selection of garments which we make for all age groups. We can offer you the quantity discount you asked for which would be 5% off net prices for orders over £2,000, but the usual allowance for a trade discount in Italy is 15%, and we always deal on payment by sight draft, cash against documents. However, we would be prepared to review this once we have established a firm trading association with you. Enclosed you will find our summer catalogue and price-list quotation prices c.i.f. London. We are sure you will find a ready sale for our products in England as have other retailers throughout Europe and America, and we do hope we can reach an agreement on the terms quoted. Thank you for your interest; we look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely, Talk about these questions: 1. How does Mr. Causio confirm that he can supply the sweaters? 2. Does Mr. Causio agree to all Mr. Crane’s requests concerning discounts? 3. How does Mr. Causio suggest that the method of payment could be changed in the future? 4. What enclosures have been made? 5. What sort of payment does Mr. Causio ask for? 6. How does Mr. Causio suggest his firm deals internationally? 7. What expression does he use to say his firm has different clothes in different styles? 8. Which words in the letter correspond to the following: bulk discount; bill paid on presentation; clothes; reconsider; discount? 57 Expressions of quoting - Will you please quote fo r the supply of 100,000 tons of.... - Prices quoted should be understood to be CIF Haiphong.. - We will allow you a discount o f 5% on order of quantities of 150,000ps or more. - Delivery would be required within 5 weeks of order. - We are pleased to subm it our lowest prices / to enclose our latest price list I fo r the goods you inquired about. - Please, let us have you r order as soon as possible, since suppliers or"e limited II- OFFERS An offer not only tells your customer whether you can provide the goods or services he has asked about, but also indicates what sort of firm you are, whether you are aware, conscientious and efficient, so try to make good impressions on your customers right at the beginning. For new customers, state clearly what your product is, why he should buy it, how much it will cost and what concessions you are offering. This will convince the customers that your company is reliable and be able to handle their orders smoothly. Make sure that you do not leave out information and have supplied printed matter that you think will help your customers. 1. Offers made in writing usually state - name of the goods - quantity and specification - quality - price - packing and marking - delivery time - terms of payment 58 2. Offers may be firm or without engagement - A firm offer is made when the seller promises to sell the goods at a stated price, usually within a stated period of time. The promise may be stated in words For acceptance within seven days.' - An offer without engagement does not bind the seller and therefore, may be made to several buyers. If the buyer accepts such an offer, the goods are considered to have been sold to him only when the seller, after receipt of the buyer’s acceptance, confirms having sold him the goods at the price and on the terms and conditions indicated in the offer. 3. Offers in printed form with covering letters Like tabulated quotations, printed form offers should always be sent with a covering letter that: - expresses thanks for the inquiry - expresses pleasure in offering - makes favorable comments on the goods or other terms - draws attention to other products likely to interest the buyer - hopes for an order Example 5: Covering letter Dear Sirs, We thank you very much for your enquiry of 28th March for our Generators and are very pleased to enclose our offer for the said goods. You will see that the price at which the goods are offered is very competitive. We are, therefore, confidential that you will shortly place an order with us. Yours faithfully, (signed) Encl. 2. - Offer 15/3 - Catalogue 1/12 59 Example 6: Printed offer TAIYO BUSSAN KAISHA, LTD 2-2 Chome, Damacho Minodashi Chu-ku Tokyo - Japan Telephone 663: 3171 (10 ext.) Cable Address TRADE TAIYO Telex: 252 - 2054 Code: ACME TRADE TAIYO - TOK 15Ih Apr. 20_ Our ref: MA 162 Your ref: Messrs: The Vietnam National Machinary Import and Export Corporation, Hanoi, Vietnam OFFER Commodity: Generators Manufacturer: Yammar Diesel Engine Co. Ltd. Description of goods Unit price Yammar brand portable Generating Set Model YPG - 80 for industrial use Remarks: FOB Kobe $ 22,981,000 -This offer is valid and effective until 15th May 20___ and has to be confirmed by us thereafter. - Shipment will be made within three months after contract. TAIYO BUSSAN KAISHA LTD KjiisHa Manager 60 4. Quotations and offers are not accepted When a buyer rejects a quotation or an offer he should write and thank the seller for his trouble and explain the reason for rejection. Not to do so would show a lack of courtesy. The letter of rejection should cover the following points. It should: - thank the seller for his offer - express regret at inability to accept - state reasons for non-acceptance - make a counter - offer, in the circumstances, it is appropriate - suggest that there may be other opportunities to do business together Example 7: Rejection of offer for cloth Dear Sirs, In reply to our inquiry you were good enough on 10th July to quote for the supply of a quantity of good quality cloth and sent us samples. We thank you for trouble in this matter but as your prices are much higher than those we have previously paid for cloth of the same quality, we regret not being able to give you an immediate order. We do hope, however, to have other opportunities of doing business with you. Yours faithfully, 61 Expressions of offers We can make you a firm offer for.... This offer is firm subject to acceptance by.... Kindly rem em ber this offer expires on Sep. 30' EXERCISES 1. Write a following letter Tong Cong ty Xuat nhap khau tap pham (The Viet nam National Sundries Import and Export Corporation) Dia chi 36 - Ba Trieu, Ha noi Dia chi dien tin: TOCONTAP HANOI Dien thoai: 84.4.252636 Fax: 84.4.252636 Nhan duoc thir hoi hang cua hang M.D. Eward and Co.Ltd Dia chi: Finewell House, 28 Finsbury Square, London, E.C.2 England de ngay 16 thang 6 nam 20__hoi mua vat bong ban kieu VS 44 TD (Table tennis Bat), vot c&u long (Badminton bat) kieu VB 50 MT. Anh / Chi hay viet chao hang co dinh vot cau long den 28/6/ 20__theo cac dieu kien thong thuang, chu y: 1- Gia vot cau long: 2 do la / 1 chiec, FOB Haiphong 2- Catalogue cua Tocontap so' 22/95 VS 3- Giao hang mot chuyen vao thang 8/20_ Anh / Chi cung bao cho M.D. Eward and Co. Ltd la hien thdi Tocontap chira co vot bong ban VS 44 TD, nhung thay vao do Tocontap co the ban VS 45 MH co chat luang nhu vat VS 44 TD vai cac dieu kien tuang tu nhu vat c&u long va gia la 8 USD / 1 chiec. 62 Thu nay d6 ngay 19/06/ 20___ va do ong Nguyen Van Thanh - Truong phong xuat ky 2. Fill in the blanks, then translate into Vietnamese Dear Sirs, We are in receipt (1)............ your letter of 22nd March (2)............... us the residue stock (3)..............Motoman repair Kits. We have checked our (4)................stocked of similar Kits.(5).................. Find that they are quite high, in particular Kasman Kits (6)...................... Mend-it quick Kits (7)...................... if you are prepared (8)........................increase your discount to 25 % (9)...................the complete Stock, so (10)................... we in turn can (11)...................a special offer to (12)........... ..........customer, then we are (13).........................to buy. Yours faithfully, 3. Translate into English 1. Chung toi da nhan duoc va rat xin cam on thu cua cac ngai d6 ngay 1 - 12 hoi mua apatit Lao Cai (xi mang Hoang Thach, dung cu nha bep, ghe may, tham len cac loai....) 2. Chung toi xin cam on thu cua cac ngai d6 ngay 8 thang 10 hoi mua vaseline va rat vui mung chao ban co' dinh cho cac ngai 1000 tan, m6i ta'n C.I.F la ....do la , chap nhan trong vong 10 ngay. 3. Chung toi muon mua 10 may bam X30 va 10 may bom loai E-25 va vai so luang nay cac ngai co cho chung toi huang chiet khau 5% khong? 4. V6 di6u kien thanh toan, chung toi de nghi tien hanh bang tin dung thu khong the huy ngang. 63 U nit 5 ORDERS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Objectives • Mastering: structure of Orders & Acknowledgements • - Placing an order - Acknowledging an order - Giving the common reason for refusing an order • Developing goodwill Contents - Placing an order: by letter or printed form - Acknowledging or refusing an order - Confirming payment, discounts, delivery dates, packing... - Useful phrases and examples of orders - Exercises 64 I - PLACING AN ORDER Orders are usually written on a company’s official order form which has a date and a reference number that should be quoted in any correspondence which refers to the order. Even if the order is telephoned, it must be confirmed in writing, and an order form should always be accompanied by either a compliment slip or a covering letter. A covering letter is preferable as it allows you the opportunity to make any necessary points and confirm the terms that have been agreed. 1. Order form Unlike quotations and sales letters, correspondence concerning orders is largely routine. Sometimes there is no correspondence at all, instead, buyers use printed order forms and sellers use printed acknowledgements. Ordering in printed forms has a number of advantages: - The forms are pre-numbered and therefore easy to refer to - Important details can not easily be overlooked - The general conditions under which orders are placed can be legally bound by them Orders placed by cable, telex or fax should be confirmed in writing to avoid misunderstanding Example 1: Order form ORDER No. DR 4316 ‘ 'J . jCyncpL & d o . X t d ( Head Office, Nesson House. Newell Street, Birmingham B3 3EL) Telephone: 021 236 6571 Fax: 021 236 8592 Telex: 341641 Satex S.p.A Via di Pietra Papa 001 46 Roma 65 ITALY Authorized: {I’uvle Quantity Item description Cat. No. Price c.i.f. London 50 V Neck: 30 red/20 Blue R 432 £13.80 each 30 Roll neck: 15 Black! 15 Blue 30 Crew neck: 15 Green IIS Beige 40 Crew Neck: pattern Note: Subject to 5% quantity discount N 154 £ 9.40 each N 154 £ 16.00 each R 541 £12.60 each Comments 15% Trade Disc. Pymt. D/P Del. 6 weeks Date: 9 March 20 2. Order by letter The essential quality of an order letter is accuracy and clarity. Failure in either of these may lead to trouble that can not be put right later. When ordering by letter: - Include full details of description, quantities and prices and quote catalogue number, if any. - State your requirement as to delivery place and date, mode of transport - Confirm the terms of payment agreed in preliminary negotiations. Example 2: A covering letter F. lynch & Co. Ltd. ( Head office) . Nesson House, Newell Street, Birmingha. B3 3EL Telephone 02 12366571 Fax: 021236 8592 Telex: 341641 66 Satex S.p.A Via di Pietra papa 00146 Roma ITALY Attn. Mr D. Causio Dear Mr Causio, Your ref: D/1439 Our ref: Order DR 4316 9 March 20 _ Please find enclosed our order No. DR43 16, for m en’s and boys’ sweaters in assorted sizes, colors and designs. We have decided to accept the 15% trade discount you offered and terms of payment viz, documents against payment, but would like these terms reviewed in the near future. Would you please send the shipping documents and your sight draft to North-minister bank (City Branch), Deal Street, Birmingham B3 JSQ. If you do not have any of the listed items in stock, please do not send substitutes in their place. We would appreciate delivery within the next six weeks, and look forward to your acknowledgement. Yours sincerely, LJOA]<£L Lionel Crane Chief Buyer Enc. order form No. DR4316 How to write opening Explain there is an order accompanying the letter. - Please fin d enclosed our Order No.B452 1 fo r 25' Clear sound transistor receivers. - The enclosed order (No. R154) is fo r 50 reams o f A4 bank paper. - Thank you fo r your reply o f 14 May regarding the cassettes we wrote to you about. Enclosed you will fin d our official order (No. B 56J)... 67 - Your letter o f 12 October convinces me to place at least a trial order for the “Letherine" material you spoke about. Therefore, please fin d enclosed... 3. Payment Confirm the terms of payment - As agreed you will draw on us at 30 days, documents against acceptance, with the documents being sent to our bank at... - We would like to confirm that paym ent is to be made by irrevocable letter o f credit which we have already applied to the bank for. - Once we have received your advice, we will send a banker's draft to..... and we agreed that paym ents would be made against quarterly statements... 4. Discounts Confirm the agreed discounts - We would like to thank you fo r the 30% trade discount and 10% quantity discount you allowed us. - Finally, we would like to say that the 25% trade discount is quite satisfactory. - .. .and we will certainly take advantage o f the cash discounts you offered fo r prom pt settlement. - Although the rather-low trade discount o f 15% disappointed us, we will place an order and hope that this allowance can be reviewed at some time in the near future. 5. Delivery Confirm the delivery dates - It is essential that the goods are delivered before the beginning o f November in time fo r the Christmas rush. - Delivery before February is a firm condition o f this order, and we reserve the right to refuse goods delivered after that time. - Please confirm that you can complete the work before the end o f March, as the opening o f the supermarket is planned fo r the beginning o f April. 6. Methods of delivery Many firms use forwarding agents who are specialists in packing and handling the documentation for shipping goods. Nevertheless, you should still 68 advise the firm as to how you want the goods packed and sent to ensure prompt and safe delivery, so that if the consignment does arrive late , or in a damaged state, your letter is evidence of the instructions you gave. -...and please remember that only air freight will ensure prom pt delivery. Please send the goods by Red Star express as we need them urgently. We advise delivery by road to avoid constant handling o f this fragile consignment. - Could you please ship by scheduled freighter to avoid any unnecessary delays? 7. Packing Advise your supplier how you want the goods packed. Note, in the first example, that crates are often marked with a sign - a diamond, a target, a square, a lion, etc. _ that can be recognized by the supplier and customer. - Each piece o f crockery is to be individually wrapped in thick paper, packed in straw, and shipped in wooden crates marked and numbered 1 to 6. - The carpets should be wrapped in thick grease-proof paper which is reinforced at both ends to avoid wear by friction. - The machines must be well greased with all movable parts secured before being loaded into crates, which must be marked. 8. Closing - We hope that this will be the first o f many orders we will be placing with you. - We will submit further orders, if this one is completed to our satisfaction. If the goods sell as well as we hope, we shall send further orders in the near future. - I look forw ard to receiving your advice /shipment/acknowledgement /confirmation II - ACKNOWLEDGING AN ORDER As soon as an order is received by a supplier, it should be acknowledged. - Thank you fo r your order No. 33SS which we received today. We are now dealing with it and you may expect delivery within the next three weeks. - Your ol der, N o . 6712/ 1 is now being processed and should be ready fo r dispatch by next week. 69 - We are pleased to say that we have already made up your order, No. 99011 / 24 fo r 50 canteens o f Silverme cutlery, and are now making arrangements fo r shipment to Rotterdam 1. Advice of dispatch When the supplier has made up the order and arranged shipment, the customer is informed of this in an advice. This may be done on a special form. - Your order, No. D/154/T, has now been placed on board the SS Mitsu Maru sailing from Kobe on 16 M ay and arriving Tibury, London, on 11 June. The shipping documents have already been sent to your bank in London for collection. - We are pleased to inform you that the watches you ordered _ No. 88151 124 - were put on flight BA 165 leaving Zurich 11.00, 9 August arriving Manchester 13.00. Please fin d enclosed air waybill DC 15161 / 3 and copies o f invoice A 113/3. - Please be advised that your order, No. Y1/1511 C , has now been put on the Glasgow London express and can be collected at Euston station. Enclosed is consignment note No. 1167153 which should be presented on collection. You should contact us immediately if any problem s arise. Thank you fo r your order, and we hope we can be o f service in the future. Example 3: Acknowledgement of order Satex Spa. will now prepare Mr Crane’s order, but in the meantime let him know that the order has been received. Satex S. p. A. Via di Pietra Papa. 001 16 Roma Telefone Roma 7699100 - Telex 285136 Mr L. Crane, Chief Buyer F. Lynch & Co. Ltd Vs. rif: Order DR4316 Ns. rif: D/1 140 Nesson House Newell Street 13 March 20 Birmingham B3 3EL 70 UNITED KINGDOM Dear Mr Crane, Thank you for your order (No. DR 43 16) which we are now making up. We have all the items in stock and will be advising you in the near future. Yours sincerely, D .Causio D. Causio Talk about these questions 1. When should the order be delivered? 2. How will Lynch & Co. pay? 3. Who is L. Crane? 4. What sort of discounts have been agreed? 5. If the order was faxed to Satex, which number would be used? 6. Which reference identifies the sweaters? 7. Besides the price, what other costs are covered to London? 8. If Lynch & Co. need further correspondence with Satex on this order, what reference would they use? Acknowledging an order - We have received with thanks you letter o f . • We thank you very much fo r your offer of... - The price quoted in your letter of ...are acceptable to us, and we are very pleased to place the following order for... - We acknowledge with thank your order dated ......for..... - We are very sorry to tell you that we cannot supply .... - We thank you fo r your order of., but regret very much that we are unable to ... 71 How to write ending - We shall be grateful fo r prompt delivery as the goods are urgently needed - Please acknowledge this order and confirm that you will be able to deliver by... - Please confirm your acceptance o f this order, such acceptance should arrive not later than 14 days after the date of the order. - We hope that our handling o f your first order will lead to further business between us and mark the beginning of a happy working relationship 2. Delays in delivery If goods are held up either before or after they are sent, you must keep your customer informed. Let him know what has happened, how' it happened, and what you are doing to correct the situation. - I was surprised and so n y to hear that your consignment order No. B 145 had not reached you. On enquiry I found that it had been delayed by a local dispute on the cargo vessel SS Hamburg on which it had been loaded. I am now trying to get the goods transferred to the SS Samoa which should sail for Yokohama before the end o f next week. However, I shall keep you informed. - / am writing to tell you that there will be a three - week delay in delivery. This is due to a fire at our Green fo rd works which destroyed most o f the machinery. - Nevertheless, your order has been transferred to our Slough factory and is being processed there. I apologize fo r the delay which was due to circumstances beyond our control. - We regret to inform you that there will be a hold up in getting your consignment to you. This is due to the cut in supplies fro m Gara where civil war suddenly broke out last week. We have contacted a possible supplier in Lagos and he will let us know if he can help us. I f you wish to cancel your order, you may, but I think you will fin d most manufacturers are experiencing the same difficulties at present. 3. Refusing an order There are a number of reasons for a firm refusing an order, and some of the most common are given below. Whatever your reason, you must be polite: 72 the words reject and refuse have a negative tone to them, therefore it is better to use decline or turn down instead. 4. Out of stock You may be out of stock of the product ordered, or indeed you may no longer make it. Note that, in either case, you have an opportunity to sell an alternative product, but remember not to criticize the product you can no longer supply. - We are sorry to say that we are completely out o f stock o f this item and it will he at least six weeks before we get our next deliveiy, but please contact us then. - We no longer manufacture this product as demand over the past few years has declined. - Thank you fo r your order fo r heavy-duty industrial overalls. Unfortunately we have run out o f the strengthened denim style you asked for. As you have particularly requested only this material, we will not offer a substitute, but hope we will get delivery o f a new consignment within the next two months. We hope you will contact us then. - We received your order fo r CAN dynamos today, but regret that due to a strike at the C A N factory we are unable to fulfill the order, and we realize that other models will not suit your requirements. Hopefully the dispute will be settled soon so that we will be able to supply you. You can rely on us to keep you informed o f the developments. 5. Unfavorable terms The supplier may not like the terms the customer has asked for, either for: Delivery - Delivery could not possibly be promised within the time given in your letter. - Two months m ust be allowed fo r delivery, as we ourselves have to get raw materials and rely on our own suppliers. Discount - It would be uneconomical torus to offer our products at the discounts you suggest as we work on a fa st turnover and low profit margins. - The usual trade discount is 15 % in this country, which is 15% lower than the figure m entioned in your letter. - The discount you asked fo r is fa r more than we offer any o f our customers 73 Paym ent - We only accept paym ent by letter o f credit. - We never offer quarterly terms on initial orders, even to customers who can provide references . However, we might consider this sort o f credit once we have established a trading relationship. - Our company relies on quick sales, low profits, and a fa st turn-over, and therefore we cannot offer long-term credit facilities. • Points to remember - Even if you use an official order form when placing an order, send a covering letter confirming terms o f payment, discounts, delivery, and packing. - Orders should be acknowledged as soon as received. - When sending an advice, explain how the goods are being sent and let your customer know how to identify the consignment. - I f there are problem s with delivery, tell your custom er immediately what you intend to do to correct them. Apologize fo r the inconvenience. - I f turning an order down, be polite, and generalize the term s you use so that the customer does not think this refusal only applies to him. EXERCISES 1. Fill in the blanks and then translate into Vietnamese Dear Sirs, We have received an ( l).............. for 500 gross of 16 in circular wash basins, (2).............assorted colours, for shipment to Basra. Please (3)........... .....your lowest price F.O.B Saigon Port and (4) ................. the earliest possible (5)............... by which you can have the consignment (6).......................for collection at your (7)........................... Your ....should include arrangement of the (8).................... in dozens and (9)..................in cartons of convenient (10).................. for manual handling. Yours faithfully, 2. Translate into English 1. Chung toi xin cam on thu chao hang cua cac ngai da ngay 1 thang 12 va chung toi thay co the chap nhan duoc nhumg dieu kien da neu trong do. 74 2- Xin cac ngai theo dung ngay giao hang da ghi trong don dat hang cua chung t6i va chung toi se khong nhan hang sau ngay 31 thang 12 vi luc do khong con la thoi vu ban hang tren thi truong cua chung toi nua. 3. Chung toi tha'y nhung may moc nay se phai duoc bao hanh trong vong 24 thang ke tu ngay giao hang va 6 thang ke tir ngay sur dung. 3. Translate into Vietnamese Dear Sirs, We thank you for your letter of 5lh May and accept with pleasure your proposal to send us a representative selection of your nylons on a consignment basis. We find your suggested terms satisfactory and shall be glad to receive your formal agreement for signature. We have been in the textile market here for the past fifteen years and believe that with our reputation and connections we can serve you well. Our showrooms, situated in the centre of town, also offers admirable facilities for display. With these advantages we do not expect to have any difficulty in selling your consignment at good prices and hope that in handling this, your first transaction with us we shall not in anyway disappoint you. Yours faithfully, 4. Letter writing You have received an order for various kinds of Vietnamese carpets from a firm in England. Write the confirmation of sales stressing that you will do your best to execute the order efficiently and hoping that the handling of this one may lead to further profitable and happy business relationships between your corporation and their firm. 75 U nit 6 COMPLAINTS AND ADJUSTMENTS Objectives • Mastering: structure of letters of complaints & Adjustments • - Giving general complaints - Expressing responses to complaints • Developing goodwill Contents - Writing unjustified complaints or general ones - Explaining the problems - Suggesting a solution - Dealing with complaints - Replying to letters of complaint - Useful phrases and specimen complaints. - Exercises 76 I - UNJUSTIFIED COMPLAINTS To have to complain is annoying, but to complain without good reason will also annoy your correspondent. If you complain, make sure you get your facts right, and if you have to answer an unjustified complaint, be polite and restrained, and remember that we can all make mistakes. Below are examples of unjustified complaints, with the replies to them. Notice how restrained the replies are. Example 1: jbeaA object to- the extAa oj £ 9.00 wJtich you haae added, to m y dtatement. W hen 9 len t m y chet^ue jj&i £56.00 iadl week. 9 thoucjhi ii clea/ied thti- balance, flow- 9 ju td ... _____________________________________ _____________________________ Example 2: Dear Mr Axeby, We received your letter today complaining of an extra charge of £9.00 on your may statement. I think if you check the statement you will find that the amount due was £65.00 not £56.00 which accounts for the £9.00 difference. I have enclosed a copy of the statement and... 77 Exam ple 3: ^beaA M 'l Riclta'idAon, *7hank you fa i youA, letted. 9 checked, the- item you ne^evied to-, w kick ti, in jjOct the ^csUaa Pen caialocfue- flo. OfU on ou/i p/uce-Udt. '7rke pen haA been inc/ieaAed to £7.00, not Juf, £ 7 ,0 0 , and 9 th in k yo u uutl acyiee th a t h&i a jlountain pen thi4, ti- not an unAeadonalste inc/ieaAe (XwAideAinCf th a t the pMce o^ ouA m ateAiali haA doubted in the p a it II - GENERAL COMPLAINTS 1. Opening Do not delay and do not apologize. Complain as soon as you realize a mistake has been made; delay not only weakens your case, but can complicate the matter as the people you are dealing with might forget the details. And there is no need to open your letter by apologizing for the need to complain (“We regret to inform you...” , “I am sorry to have to write to you about ...”) ; this also weakens your case. Begin simply: - We would like to inform you... I am writing to complain about... - / am writing with reference to Order No. P32 which we received yesterday. 2. The language of complaints Terms like “disgusted", “infuriated", “enraged”, “amazed” have no place in business. You can express dissatisfaction by saying: This is the third time this mistake has occurred and we are far from satisfied with the service you offer. - Unless you can fu lfill our orders efficiently in the fu tu re we will have to consider other sources o f supply. Please ensure that this sort o f problem does not arise again. 78