Letter of Inquiry

 How can inquiry letter be made effective? Discuss the kinds of inquiry letters.

Ans: INQUIRY LETTER:

A letter that asks information about persons, products or services or other matters is an inquiry letter. The questions to be included in a good inquiry letter should be carefully planned. Following are the suggestions for making inquiries effective.

1. Make questions specific, clear and courteous.

2. State each question in a separate paragraph and number the questions if appropriate.

3. Use a separate sheet of paper for listing the questions if they are in large number.

4. Carefully arrange the questions – generally with the easiest to answer sheet.

5. Word the questions in neutral way to that the reader is not influenced.

6. Word the questions to get more than ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer if details are needed.

7. Word the question to get ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ answers, if numerous questions are to be tabulated.

8. Express confidence in the reader.

9. Assure secrecy.

KINDS OF INQUIRY LETTERS:

Inquiry letters fall in three categories: 1. Trade inquiry, 2. Status inquiry and 3. General inquiry.

1. Trade Inquiry:-

A trade inquiry (or sales related inquiry) is written with the intention of making business deals with the addressee. Such inquiry letters are written regarding products or services purchased or being considered for purchase. The trade inquiries ask information about the supply of goods, availability of goods, delivery time, leaflet or catalogue, quotations or price, method of transport, insurance, samples and terms and discount, etc.

2. Status Inquiry:-

Status inquiry is written to know the financial position of some individual or firm usually perspective buyer. Inquiries about the character, qualifications, experience and performance of the applicant for job or membership may also be termed as status inquiries.

3. General Inquiries:-

General inquiry is made to get information about rules and procedures used in other organizations, government policies, market conditions etc. General inquiry may also seek information for private or business research. For example a firm may receive injuries for various data from students, teachers or executives of other organizations.

COMMON COMMERCIAL TERMS USED IN LETTERS OF INQUIRY

 

COMMON COMMERCIAL TERMS USED IN LETTERS OF INQUIRY

As is where is	Goods are to be picked up in the condition in which they are
Carriage paid (C.P.)	The delivery of the goods is the responsibility of the seller
Carriage Forward (C.F.)	The cost of the delivery of the goods is to be paid by the Buyer
Cash Discount (C.D.)	A discount in the rate which is allowed by the seller to motivate the buyer to pay within the specified time
Cash on Delivery (C.O.D.)	Cash payment for the goods must me made on delivery of the goods
Cash with Order (C.W.O.)	Cash payment for the goods must be made that the time of placing the order
Documents on Payment (D.P.)	Documents of the goods will be handed over only when the bill amount has been paid in full
Ex Factory	The price of the goods at the factory
Ex Warehouse	The price of the goods at the warehouse
Markings	The instruction on the container such as ‘fragile’, ‘this side up’ ‘handle with care’, etc.
Price Current	The rates applicable on the day on which they have been quoted
Trade Discount (T.D.)	The discount given by one seller to another

 

SALES LETTERS | USES | FUNCTIONS | SERIES

 Discuss (i) Uses, (ii) Functions, and (iii) Systems of sales letters.

USES OF SALES LETTERS:

1. Selling by Mail:

Mail-order houses use sales letters for performing the entire selling job. i.e. from producing inquiries to shipping merchandise. The reply cards blanks order forms and other material may be enclosed with a sales letter to make it more effective.

2. Producing Sales Inquiries:

Businesses other than mail order houses confine the use of sales letter to soliciting inquires, which may be followed by letters, telephone or personal calls.

3. Following-Up Sales Inquiries:

The inquiries, unsought or produced by sales letters or advertisements may be handled in different ways. Sales letter may be used for this purpose. Printed material may also be enclosed with it.

4. Inducing People to Buy:

Sales letters may induce the customers or prospective customers to buy goods / services by arousing their interest and desire.

5. Building-Up Goodwill:

Sales letters may also be used to thank the customers for their patronage, extend greetings, and announce new services, for building-up goodwill.

 

FUNCTIONS OF SALES LETTERS:

1. Attracting Attention:

Attracting Attention of the reader through decent stationery, proper layout, neat typing, paragraphing, etc. further, the opening sentences of the text must make the reader think by means of a slogan or extra-ordinary idea.

2. Arousing Desire:

Arousing Desire by appealing to reason (for necessities) and appealing to emotion luxuries). The desire to buy the goods or services must be created in the mind of the reader.

3. Implanting Conviction:

Implanting Conviction about the good quality of goods / services so that the reader does hesitate in making the decision desired. This can be achieved by means of logical reasoning moderate claims, and evidence to support the claims.

4. Stimulating Action:

Stimulating Action by not allowing the prospective customer to put off auction. This can be done by offering inducements for quick action, like special discount, gifts, reply cards, etc.

 

Sales Letter Systems (Series):

Sales letters are generally issued in a series to a selected list of prospective customers, to achieve the planned sales targets. Depending upon the nature of the product and the market, one of the following systems is applied.

1. The Wear-Out System:

Under this system the total number of letters to be issued for achieving the target and the intervals for which the different letters will be issued are determined in advance. The terms and conditions offered are varied from letter to letter. When all the letters in the series have been issued, the series is automatically terminated.

2. The Continuous System:

This system is suitable for those products / services, which are in regular demand; the sales letters are issued for the purpose of gaining the maximum share of the market. At suitable intervals, sale letters in the series continue to be issued as long as the business operates.

3. The Campaign System:

The total number of letters to be issued in the series is not determined in advance. Sales letters with varying terms and conditions will continue to be issued until the sales target is achieved therefore the series will be terminated.

ADJUSTMENT LETTERS

What is an adjustment letter? How it should be organized? 

Adjustment Letters: An adjustment letter is a reply to a complaint (claim letter). It is better to make adjustment than to risk losing a customer.

Complaints should not be discouraged, because

(1) they provide a means of discovering and correcting poor service, and

(2) They provide an opportunity to win back goodwill.

Analysis of Complaint:

In dealing with a complaint all related facts should be investigated to determine

(a) whether the complaint is justified and

(b) whether, and how, adjustment is to be effected.

 

Justification of Complaint:

Experience proves that most of the complaints are justified. They are usually a result of fault on the part of the seller or third party (transporter, etc.). A complaint is considered unfair when buyer is at fault and the request is for undue advantage.

 

Grant of Adjustment:

A justified complain needs proper adjustment, e.g., refunding money, replacing merchandise, performing additional service, admitting fault and assuring care in future, and taking rightful action against third party responsible for the damage. Proper explanation is necessary if buyer is at fault or complaint is based on misunderstanding.

 

Adjustment Principles:

1. Answer promptly to avoid further complaint. When immediate adjustment is not possible, an acknowledgement letter assures that the complaint is being conserved.

2. Give the customer the benefit of doubt by assuming that the customer is right, unless the facts prove him/her wrong.

3. Accept blame gracefully when it is justified: to beg pardon or be unnecessarily humble is considered poor acceptance that may result in loss of goodwill.

4. Be diplomatic, especially when the addressee is at fault or complaint is based on misunderstanding. A diplomatic writer can say anything without insulting the reader.

 

Organizing the Adjustment Letters:

The ideas in an adjustment letter are ordinarily arranged as follows:

1. Conciliatory Statement:

Expression of regret even if the customer is at fault, or appreciation for having been informed is an effective start of an adjustment letter.

2. Explanation of Facts:

Explaining the facts relating to complaint, clarifying the position in case of misunderstanding, or indicating the customer’s fault (if any) should be the next step.

3. Statement of Adjustment:

Grant of the adjustment (if any), suggesting a substitute for requested adjustment (when it cannot be granted) or a mere acceptance of fault with assurance of taking care in future, should be stated as the third step.

4. Statement of Goodwill:

A last paragraph may be added (if appropriate) for rebuilding of goodwill and renewal of business relations.

LETTER WRITING EXERCISE / SAMPLE

Radhika / Rajesh went for a vacation with her / his family to Manali and stayed at Hotel Paradise. However, she / he was not satisfied with the service provided by the hotel.

Write a letter describing the stay and provide relevant solutions. (Use Full block form)

 

SAMPLE SOLUTION

 

Room no. 301,
Desai Colony,

St. Dominic Road,
Mumbai – 400050.
11 March 2021

 

To,
The Hotel Manager,

Hotel Paradise,
Manali,
Uttarakhand- 360087

 

Subject- Complaint and feedback letter

 

Dear Sir

I wish to inform you about my stay at your hotel from 02/03/2021 to 06/03/2021. I regret to inform you that my family and I are quite unsatisfied with the stay at your hotel.

 

We came to know about your hotel from a travel site. Although the pictures and reviews were quite decent, the actual experience didn’t conform to the standards. For instance, the bed sheets and quilts were dirty; the staff was not cooperative, and the room service was slow. We were made to pay separately for the cab service even though the website mentioned that the accommodation charges included a free cab.

 

I suggest you look into these matters carefully as they will help to improve your service and ensure a better experience for the customers. Moreover, it would be better if you could mention the correct information about the facilities, which you are willing to provide on the partner websites.

 

Yours truly

Rajesh

LETTER WRITING FORMATS

Professional correspondence should always have a clean, crisp appearance, making it easy for the message to reach prospective business partners and clients.

FULL BLOCK FORM

- All parts of the business letter are aligned to the left hand in the full block form.
- This layout is easy and fast to type because of minimum punctuation marks an no indention.
- It is encouraged to use double spacing between paragraphs as this makes the letter presentable and readable.
- Full block style business letters have a formal appearance, however they can be used in informal business situations as well as formal ones. If you are looking for a single format that will work well in every situation, this is a good one to use.

Full Block Format Business Letter

Senders Address
______________
______________
Phone
Date

Recipient’s Name / Designation
Company Address
________________
________________

Salutation,

This block format business letter illustrates how quick and easy communications can be to type. Notice that it looks very much like the semi-block letter format, except the paragraphs are not indented. This is a format you can use for all business occasions.

Notice that all elements in this letter are left justified. This formatting provides a crisp, modern look that many people prefer.

If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block. Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope. A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are some of the things you might think about including.


Sincerely,


(Signature Block)

MODIFIED BLOCK FORM

- This layout has all the features of the full block layout with a few modifications. The Date and the Signature Block are right aligned.
- Modified block style business letters are less formal than full block style letters. If you are corresponding with someone you already have a good working relationship with, the modified block style letter is a good one to use.

Modified Block Format Business Letter

Senders address
______________
______________

Date______________


Receivers address
_________________
_________________

Salutation

Modified block letters are just a little less formal than full block letters. Also notice that the body of the letter has not indentations at the beginning of each paragraph but are written from the left margin

Notice that the sender’s address, the closing, the signature, and the signature block all start near the center of the page. In some cases, people who prefer to use this format begin these elements five spaces to the right of the center of the page.

If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block. Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope. A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are some of the things you might think about including.


ComplImentary close

Signature Block






SEMI BLOCK FORMAT

- This layout combines features of both, the Full Block layout and the Modified Block
- The paragraphs are written in an indented style, i.e., the first line of every paragraph begins away from the margin
- The semi-block format business letter is a little less formal than the block format letter and slightly more formal than the modified block format letter.
- It works well in almost all situations and is a good choice if you find yourself on the fence about which format to use.


Semi-Block Format Business Letter

Senders address
________________
________________

Date _________________

Receivers Address
_________________
_________________

Salutation,

This semi-block business letter format looks very much like the block letter format, except the paragraphs have been indented. Notice that the sender’s address, the closing, the signature, and the signature block are left justified.

The only elements of this business letter format that are not left justified are the first lines of each of the paragraphs.

If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block. Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope. A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are some of the things you might think about including.

Complimentary Close


Signature Block

PRINCIPLES OF LETTER WRITING

Business letters are still the most widely used written (form of ) communication in organisations.

Letters represent an organisation and helps build goodwill. It is therefore important to plan the letter well.

Business letters should be clear (clarity), concise, complete, correct, concrete, considerate (reader friendly) and courteous (C's of communication).

PURPOSE OF A LETTER - To inquire, to persuade, to answer a query, to complain, to answer a complaint, to gather information or to simply inform.

CLARITY OF THOUGHT - Write simple clear letters which are precise and to the point.

CONCISE - While the letter should be concise, do not leave out relevant information.

COMPLETE - The reader of the letter must be provided with all the necessary information so that the letter is complete in itself.

CORRECT - Effort must be made to check the authenticity of the information. The facts and statistics must also be correct.

CONCRETE - Business letters must be concrete with specific relevant details.

CONSIDERATION - The letter should be reader friendly.

COURTEOUS - The sender must be positive and courteous to the receiver if he expects a positive response from the receiver.

PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

A business letter has both obligatory parts and optional parts.

The Obligatory parts are:

1. Senders address / Letter head
- It appears at the head of a letter.
- It introduces the sender to the receiver.
- It provides a return address for communication.

2. Date
- Legal significance - the contents of the letter become valid from the date of the letter.

3. Receivers address / Inside address
- It contains the name and address of the receiver.

4. Salutation
- This is a courtesy and a formality.
- This depends on the relationship between the letter writer and the reader / receiver.

5. Body of the letter
- This is the most important part of the letter as it contains the message to be conveyed.
- Without the body the other parts of the letter are meaningless.
- This should contain one or two ideas which must be well planned and presented keeping in mind positive expressions and the C's of communication.

6. Complimentary Close
- This too is a courtesy and a formality
- In the full block form it is left aligned and in the modified block form and the semi block form it is right aligned.

e.g. Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely
Yours truly... etc.

7. Signature Block
- A signature has legal value as the person who signs the letter takes responsibility for the contents of the letter
- The signature block contains
a. The signature
b. The full name of the signatory
c. The designation of the signatory

The Optional parts are:

1. Confidential / Private Notation
- It is used when the business matter contained in the letter is exclusively to be read by the person to whom it is addressed.
- The word 'Confidential' must also be typed on the envelope.

2. Reference Number
- This is usually typed on the same line as the date line.
- It helps in filing documents systematically.
- It is generally used by organisations and not individuals.

3. Attention Line
- It is positioned just below the inside address.
- It contains the name of the particular person in the organisation whose attention the letter writer would like to draw.

4. Subject
- Tells the reader what the letter is about.
- It should be to the point.
- In the full block form it is left aligned.
- In the semi block form and modified form it is center aligned.

5. Reference Line
- This refers to previous correspondence or any other written / printed document.

6. Enclosure
- It is a checklist of documents, cheques, etc., enclosed along with the letter.

7. C.C. (Copy Closed), B.C.C (Blank / Blind Copy Closed)
- Copies of the letter may be sent to several people.
- When a copy is sent to a second party without informing the original recipient of the letter the b.c.c. notation is used.

8. Superscription
- This includes whatever is written on the envelope such as 'Registered A.D.', 'Speed post', 'Private', 'Confidential', etc.