4 Business Correspondence

Table of Contents
Unit Objectives
Introduction
4.1 Business Correspondence
4.2 Importance of Business Correspondence
4.3 Business Letters
a. Important Attributes of a Good Business Letter
b. Parts of a Business Letter
c. Layout of a Letter
4.4 Types of Formal Letters
a. Business Enquiry Letter
b. Quotation Letter
c. Order Letter
d. Complaint Letter
e. Recovery Letter
4.5 Covering Letter
a. Importance of a Covering Letter
b. Purpose of a Covering Letter
c. Guidelines of Writing a Covering Letter
d. Important Attributes of Writing a Covering Letter
e. Types of Covering Letters

4.6 Informal Letters

4.7 Summary
4.8 Key Words
UNIT OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, you will be able to:

 Describe business correspondence and why it is significant

 Identify the key attributes, parts and layout of a business letter
 Identify different types of business letters
 Describe the characteristics of a covering letter
 Identify the features of informal letters

INTRODUCTION
In the previous unit, you studied how to develop reading skills and understand
comprehension. The chapter also sheds light on interpretation and summarizing.
Further, the chapter also gave an insight on techniques of reading which are
skimming, scanning, intensive reading and extensive reading.

A business runs on the wheels of communication. A business letter is economical

and the most widely used form of communication all over the world. It is used as a

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formal mode of communication for a variety of purposes, such as business inquiry,
quotation, order, complaint, and recovery. Each letter has a particular form and
style.

An individual’s professional career journey also starts from a business letter – in

the form of a covering letter, which a person sends along with his resume to
potential employers. In the covering letter, the person mentions the attributes such
as academic qualification, experience, professional skills, etc., and qualities for
which an employer may want to hire him.

Apart from business exchanges, letters are also used for informal message exchange.
Today, it may be a lost art, but once letter-writing used to be a normal part of life.
However, there is an irreplaceable charm in penning letters. Your voice mails, chat
messages, and videos may be deleted and archived, but people still keep letters
written by their families and friends as one of their most cherished possessions.

In this unit, you will learn about the different aspects of letter writing, particularly
business correspondence. You will learn to write different types of business letters.
You will also learn how to write an effective covering letter as well as an informal
letter.
 4.1 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE
Note
The exchange of information through letters is called correspondence. The
correspondence for the purpose of business activities is called business
An order correspondence. It is a formal, written communication between organizations,
letter to a within an organization, or between an organization and its customers. Examples of
supplier is
business correspondence include business enquiry letters, order letters to suppliers,
business
Correspondence,
complaint letters and job application letters.
but a phone
conversation Any verbal exchange of communication, even formal, in an organization is not
between both business correspondence. Therefore, a job application letter is business
parties to confirm correspondence, but an interview is not a business correspondence.
the order is
not business  Business Internal correspondence: Any exchange of letters between individuals
correspondence. and
departmentswithinanorganizationiscalledinternalcorrespondence.Forexample, a
letter from the CEO desk to all employees is an internal correspondence. The
appointment letter issued by the HR department to hire a person in the product
design team is another example of internal correspondence.

Correspondence can be through printed or handwritten letters, emails and memos.

Some common types of business correspondence are:
 Externalcorrespondence:Anybusinesscorrespondenceoutsideanorganizationis
calledexternalcorrespondence.Examplesincludetheexchangeoflettersbetween an
organization and its:
 Customers
 Suppliers
 Banks
 Government departments
 Media
 Local communities
Routine correspondence: Any correspondence on predictable business matters is
called routine correspondence. Examples include inquiry letters, order letters,
replies, acknowledgements, invitation letters, and appointment letters.
 Sales correspondence: Any correspondence associated with the sales of a
business is called sales correspondence. Examples include sales letters, sales
reports, invoices, order confirmation, delivery letters, and account statements.
 Personalized correspondence: Any business correspondence that is associated
with human sentiments is called personalized correspondence. Examples
include recommendation letters, leave application letters, congratulations letters,
introduction letters, granting and refusal of terms letters.
 Circulars: Circulars are documents used to communicate a common matter to a
large number of people or organizations. Examples of circulars include tender
notices, change of address, opening of a new branch, or introduction of a new
product.

4.2 IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

In an age where technology has eliminated all barriers of communication, what is
the need for business correspondence? You may be verbally requesting some people
to come for a meeting, but due to their busy schedule or any other reason, they may
not be responding positively. If you send them a formal request letter, then they
cannot ignore your request. Such is the power of business correspondence!

Thus, business correspondence is required because of the following reasons:

 Establishes proper relationship: It helps maintain a proper relationship with
employees, suppliers, customers, media, government entities, and other
organizations. Letters exchanged between parties solidify their agreements and
commitments.
 Functions as proof: Written letters among parties are maintained as records of
facts. In case of dispute in a business transaction, these written records can be
presented as evidence in a court of law.
 Establishes goodwill: Suppose you are dealing with a vendor manager of a The most
important use
supplier’s organization. The two of you have built quite a rapport with one
of business
another, though you have not met face-to-face. A few days later, you find out that Correspondence
person has left the supplier’s organization. Will your business suffer? Definitely is that it gives a
not. Because you represent your organization, just as that person was representing formal touch to
his organization. Now, assume that the new manager who has replaced him is a things.
littleastringentinhistonewhenhespeakstoyou.Willyourbusinessbeimpacted? No.
Regardless of the tone in verbal exchange, if the business correspondence between
two parties is clear and transparent, then there will be no loss to either of the
organization. Thus, business correspondence helps to create and maintain
goodwill among organizations.
 Saves cost and effort: Suppose your organization has made a deal with a
supplier’s organization verbally. However, there is a sudden shortage in the
supply. The
supplier’sorganizationnowwantstorenegotiatetheprice.Iftherewerenoformal
letter of commitment, it could get away with it and your organization will end
up paying for a higher price. Thus, business correspondence helps an
organization to save cost. Any letter exchanged between two parties will be
considered as formal business communication. It is saved and archived, and can
Important be produced as a proof in case of any violation or dispute. Asking one person to
Information
Apart from cost- remember everything about a business transaction is simply implausible. Phone
savings, business calls, video calls, and chat messages may be quick forms of communication, but
correspondence they are widely distributed. It is a nightmare to archive them in an organized
also saves a lot of manner. Besides, these can be interpreted in different ways. On the other hand,
effort.
business letters are clear and leave no chance of ambiguity or misinterpretation.
They are written in a formal and logical language, which is followed and
acceptable by all parties.
 Free from interpersonal skills: Finally, business correspondence requires a clear
intent of writing a message, clear language, and a set format. A good business
letterdoesnotrequiretherecipienttohaveanyspecialinterpersonalskills,except a
good command of the English language, good vocabulary, and diligence in
checking for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

4.3 BUSINESS LETTER

A business letter is used for authorized and skilled communication. It is not just a
random mail; rather, it has a specific, clear objective(s). Business letters have a
specific format. They are written in a precise manner using formal language for two
specific purposes:
To open channels for communication: A business letter is written for a specific
purpose, such as:
 To make an inquiry
 To register a complaint
 To solicit and provide information
 To place or cancel orders
 To send replies in response to inquiries or complaints
To serve as records of communication: Business letters serve as proofs of
communication between two parties, in case there is dispute or confusion about a
business transaction later on.
a. IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD BUSINESSLETTER
The most important aspect of a business letter is that it should serve its intended Important
Information
Purpose. For instance, an order letter written to a supplier should contain clear and
A business letter
specific information about the type and volume of goods to be ordered, mode of should disclose
payment, packaging, transportation of goods, etc. A business letter must be direct, its purpose and
brief, and precise. It must provide comprehensive information. One should take care objective in the
to use good quality paper, appropriate layout and color for business letter. For first paragraph
itself. The key
instance, you will never find a business letter on a page torn from a copybook, or facts should be
paper adorned with colorful butterflies or flowers. presented quickly
and simply.
The attributes of a good business letter can be classified into the following two groups:
 Inner attributes: These attributes are related to the language used and the
presentation of the letter, which enable the recipient to quickly assimilate the
matter of the latter and respond promptly. These attributes include:
 Simplicity: A business letter should be written in simple and easy to
understand language. Avoid difficult words, or phrases, slang, or informal
language.
 Clarity: A business letter should be written in a clear language so that the
reader immediately, accurately, and easily understands the intended
message.
 Accuracy: A business letter should contain accurate information to the best
of the writer’s knowledge. It should be free from any grammatical errors or
spelling mistakes.
 Comprehensiveness: A business letter should provide all the necessary
information to the reader. For example, an order letter should mention all
the requisite details of the required part – its quality, shape, color, size,
design, quantity, date of delivery, and transportation mode. A job application
letter should mention the job being applied for, along with the applicant’s
qualifications and experience. If a business letter refers to a previous letter(s)
or conversation(s) or payment(s), then it should provide details, such as date,
invoice number, cheque number, etc.
 Relevance: A business letter should only provide information that is relevant
to the intended reader. There should not be any extraneous matter.
 Politeness: A business letter should be written in a polite language, even if it
is a letter of complaint. Always be mild and polite while guiding the course
of the receiver’s action.
 Elegance: A business letter should be neat without any overwriting or cutting
of words.
 Outer attributes: These qualities are associated with the appearance of a business
letter, including the quality, size, and color of the paper used in the letter.
 Paper quality: Good quality paper must be used. However, an organization
shouldusethepaperwithinitseconomicmeans.Splurgingonexpensivepaper is a
wasteful expenditure. Therefore, while sending an agreement to someone for
signature, an organization can send the original copy on a good quality
 paper, which the reader has to read, sign, and post back to the organization.
The duplicate agreement copy or the reader’s copy can be on an ordinary
paper.
 Paper colour: Most business letters are on white-coloured paper. However,
if an organization needs to send multiple letters to a recipient, then it makes
sense to use different coloured papers for different types of letters. This will
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If a window help the receiver to easily distinguish between them and take appropriate
envelope is used, action. For example, when a bank sends a welcome kit to a new customer, the
then the folding documents are in different colours.
should clearly
display the address  Paper size: Most business letters are written in the standard A4 sheet. A letter
of the receiver should be packaged in an envelope that conforms to its size.
through the
transparent sheet  Letter folding: A business letter should be neatly and uniformly folded. It
of the envelope. should have minimum folds to fit into an envelope.
 Envelope: The size of the envelope should fit the letter that it encloses. There
can be different types of envelopes:
Ordinary envelope: This is a regular envelope that comes in a variety of
sizes. The address of the receiver is written on the opposite side of the
opening flap along with the sender’s name and address.

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An ordinary envelope is shown in Figure 1:

Figure 1: Ordinary Envelope

Window envelope: This envelope has a transparent part on its face, which
is called a window. The letter is folded in such a way that the receiver’s
address is displayed through this window. Therefore, there is no need to
separately write the receiver’s address.
A window envelope is shown in Figure 2:

Figure 2: Window Envelope

 Laminated envelope: In this envelope, a thin plastic sheet or cloth is pasted
on the inner side of the envelope. This sheet/cloth gives an extra layer of
protection to the letter from being damaged during the passage.
A laminated envelope is shown in Figure3:

Figure 3: Laminated Envelope

b. PARTS OF A BUSINESSLETTER
There are different parts of a business letter. It is important to understand the
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purpose of each part so that the quality of the business letter is maintained. These There should be a
different parts include: margin of at least
1 inch on all four
 Heading or letterhead: Most business letters a reprinted on a letterhead sides of a business
template, which contains the following details of a business: letter.

 Organization’s name, logo, and/or trademark

 Postal and emailing addresses
 Website address
 Contact numbers
If you are creating a personal letterhead, then you may create a formal heading with
your name and personal contact information.
 Date: The date on which the letter is sent is written on the right-hand corner of
theletterbelowtheheading.Itisusuallywrittenintheday-month-yearormonth- day-
year format, such as 10thOctober 2019 or October 10, 2019. Always write the
month in full form and the year in all the four digits.
 Example: October 10,2019
 Non-examples: Oct 10, 2019 or October 10, 19 or 19thOct19
  Reference: If required, a reference number is written below the heading on the
left-hand corner of the letter. This reference number is provided so that the letter
canbeeasilyreferredtointhefuture.Areferencenumbercomprisesthefollowing:
Letter number/Department from where the letter is sent/Year
Example: AB/Operations/2019
 Inside address: This is the address of the receiving organization or person of the
letter. It is specified on the left-hand side below the reference number.
 Subject: This is a brief statement that specifies the purpose or topic of the letter.
It helpstodrawtheimmediateattentionofthepersonreadingthelettertowardsthe
main purpose of the letter.
 Salutation or greetings: Below the inside address, a salutation or a greeting is
used followed by a comma or a colon. The choice of a salutation depends on the
situation. For instance:
 For official and formal correspondence: Sir/Madam
 For addressing an individual: Dear Sir/Dear Madam
 For addressing an organization: Dear Sir/Dear Madam
 If the name or title of the receiver is known: Dear Mr. XYZ or Dear Editor
 If the name or title of the receiver is not known: To Whom It May Concern
 Body: This part of the letter is written after the salutation. It is the longest part of
a letter, which contains the actual message of the sender. It is divided into three
sub-parts:
 Introduction: This is the opening part of the letter, which mentions the
purpose of the letter. If there is any previous correspondence, then it is
referred to in this part.
 Main content: This part specifies all the required details to support the main
purpose of the letter. These details should be clear and precise.
 Summary: This is the last paragraph of the letter body, which summarizes
the sender’s purpose and expectations regarding the forthcoming steps. The
sendershouldconcludetheletterbodypositivelywithtermssuchasThanking you,
With regards, With warm regards, etc.
 Complimentary close: This is a polite word or phrase of closing the letter. Some
of the common words used are sincerely, cordially, best wishes, or best regards.
Note The choiceofaworddependsontherelationshipbetweenthesenderandthereceiver.
There should be a
line or additional
The most common closing remark is ‘yours sincerely’.
space between  Signature: If a letter is handwritten or printed, space is provided for the
paragraphs.
signature of the writer immediately below the complimentary close. Below the
signature space, the name and title of the writer are typed. If the letter is an
email, then just the name and title of the writer are provided below the
complimentary closing remark.
 Enclosures: This part is included when additional documents are attached to the
letter, such as a cheque, draft, invoice, list, etc. These documents are listed with
serial numbers.
 Copy circulation: This part mentions other persons or parties who are also
receiving the letter along with the main receiver:
 Carbon Copy (CC): Each receiver can see who else has received the letter.
 Blind Carbon Copy (BCC): Each receiver cannot see who else has received
the letter.
 Post-script: This part is added when the writer wants to emphasis any additional
message, but has not been able to do so in the body of the letter.
The format of a business letter is shown in Figure 4:

Dreamtech Press
A Division of Infocom Books (India) Pvt. Ltd. Headingor
19-A, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, Letterhead
New Delhi – 110002
Phone: 9873838802/ 011- 4355 1180
Reference AB/Operations/2019 October 10, 2019 Date

Chief Editor
Inside ABC Corporation
address 123, Mayur Kunj
New Delhi – 110092

Subject Subject: Final draft of course curriculum

Salutation or
Dear Mr. Mani Sharma, Greeting

With reference to your letter number 832 dated Sep 24, 2019, please
Body find enclosed the final draft of course curriculum that has been
approved by the sales and marketing team. The terms andconditions
of the contract remain thesame.
Please go through the curriculum draft and get back to us with an
estimate of the timeline when you will be turning them over after
editing. In case of any questions, please feel free to call anytime.
Kindly revert with the estimated timetable by October 17,2019.
Thankingyou,

Complimentary Yours sincerely,

closing remark
Signature

David Delve
Product Head, Dreamtech

Enclosures: 1. The curriculum draft

Enclosures
2. The terms and agreements of the contract

CC/BCC CC: Malvika Rastogi, Assistant Editor

Post script: I will send you two more curriculums for estimates in the
Post-script
next couple of days

Figure 4: Format of a Business

letter
 c. LAYOUT OF ALETTER
The layouts of letters are used depending on the situation. There are the following
three main layouts of a letter:
 Block layout: This is the most common layout of letters, where:
 All the content is left justified, which makes the text easier to read.
Important
Information  Indents are not used for new paragraphs. Instead, single spacing is used.
All the lines in
block letter starts  The text is not stretched to fill the line.
at the same
 Each letter and space is of even size.
place (vertically
justified). A block layout letter is shown in Figure5:

6123 Farrington Road

Apt. B11
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
January 11, 2005
Toylor, Inc.
694 Rockstar Lane
Durham, NC27708

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Dear Human Resources Director:
I just read an article in the News and Observer about Taylor’s new computer center just north of
Durham. I would like to apply for a position as an entry-level programmer at the center.
I understand that Taylor produces both in-house and customer documentation. My technical
writing skills, as described in the enclosed resume, are well suited to your company. I am a recent
graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology in Atlanta with an Associate’s Degree in Computer
Science. In addition to having taken a broad range of courses, I served as a computer consultant at
the college’s computer center where i helped train users to work with new systems.
I will be happy to meet with you at your convenience and discuss how my education and
experience match your needs. You can reach me at my home address, at (919) 233-1552, or at
krock@devry.alummi.edu.
Sincerely,
Raymond Krock

Figure 5: Block Format

Source: https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/proper-letter-format-business-letter--cms-32064

 Modified block layout: In this format, the date, inside address and closing
remark should at least begin the centre of the page. It is left to the writer’s
discretion to choose the most professional centrally aligned layout. The most
common justification of parts is as follows:
 Left justified parts: The addressee, salutation and body
 Right justified parts: Sender’s address, date, complimentary close, and
signature
In the following example, there are:
 Two spaces between the sender’s address and the date
 Three spaces between the inside address of the reader and salutation
 Two spaces between the salutation and the introductoryparagraph
 Two spaces for every newparagraph
 Two spaces between the complimentary close, signature and last paragraph
A modified block layout is depicted in Figure6:

Gregory Donaldson
Minoan Inc
247 Madison Ave., Suite 2103
New York, NY 10015
December 3, 2006

Dixie
ClaverlleSavbi
zoor Ltd
28 Green St., Suite 14
Upstate, NY 10947

Dear Ms. Cleverelle:

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The first shipment of equipment from Savbizoor Ltd has arrived. We are
delighted with every piece. Therefore, we decided to make our initial purchase
larger than anticipated. I am attaching our purchase order No. 8930 for
additional goods totaling list price $700,000.
Since you already have a copy of our Procurement Guidelines. I shall not attach
them to this order. As before, we will establish a letter of credit. Please inform
me of shipping dates.

Sincerely,

Gregory Donaldson,
Chief Procurement Officer

Endosure: Purchase Order No. 8930

Figure 6: Modified Block Format

Source: https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/proper-letter-format-business-letter--cms-32064

 Semi-block layout: This format is similar to the modified block format except
that there is an indentation at the beginning of each paragraph.
 A template of semi-block layout is depicted in Figure 7:

Figure 7: Semi-Block Format

Source: https://www.excellent-proofreading-and-writing.com/business-letter-layout.html

4.4 TYPES OF FORMAL LETTERS

Now that you understand the format and layout of letters, let’s consider some
common types of formal letters which you may have to write. There are mainly three
categories of formal letters:
 Business or official letters: These include the business enquiry letter, quotation
letter, order letter, complaint letter and recovery letter.
 Letters to authorities: These are the letters that are written to authorities to
highlight civic problems, such as the letter to the editor or to the district
magistrate.
 Covering letter: This is a job application letter, which is attached along with a
resume and then sent to a potential employer.

a. BUSINESS ENQUIRYLETTER
What happens if your mobile phone or laptop breaks down and you need to ask about
a replaceable part from the phone or laptop manufacturer? You visit their website and
fill in an order enquiry form. Within the stipulated turnaround time, you receive a
reply from the manufacturer about the type of the part, its availability, price, etc.
Similarly, if an employee is working for any sort of procurement of the organization,
STUDY HINT
the employee may need to enquire about a product from a prospective vendor.
However, this time the enquiry about the product is for official use. Therefore, a Even a product
sample can be
proper procedure of procurement has to be followed. This procedure starts with
asked for in the
writing an enquiry letter to the prospective vendors – asking them about the product’s enquiry letter.
quality, quantity, price, mode of delivery, payment, etc. When writing enquiry letter, This type of letter
remember the following: is written to a
supplier to gain
 Start with a concise introduction about the organization. information is
called an enquiry
 Always provide the topic of enquiry in the subject field. Clearly mention the
letter.
information required, such as the price list for a sample of products.
 Provide details about the subject in the body, such as the design, size, quantity,
quality, etc. If a number of details are requested, then give them in a bulleted list.
 Give a deadline date by when the organization wants the requested information
from the receiver.
 Provide a complete address for the receiver to send a reply.
A sample of an enquiry letter is shown in Figure8:

Dreamtech Press
A Division of Infocom Books (India) Pvt. Ltd.
19-A, Ansari Road, Daryaganj,
New Delhi – 110002
Phone: 9873838802/ 011- 4355 1180
Ref.293/A1 Dated: August 10,2019

Proprietor
Delicacies Catering
34, Karol Bagh
New Delhi –110055
Subject: Enquiry about catering services

Dear Sir,
With reference to your advertisement dated August 8 in the Times of India, we wish
to enquire about your catering services. Our organisation is celebrating its Silver
Jubilee in the coming October and we are looking for a suitable caterer for our
celebration lunch.

Thelunchwillbeaformaleventandwillhaveabout1000guestsandemployees.
Therefore, we will need full catering services with different cuisines, drinks, des-
serts, waiters, andhosts.

Kindly provide us the following details:

 Whether your organisation can cater to this grandcelebration

 Whether your organisation will be able to provide the required number of
waiters and otherstaff
 The offers and discounts that your organisation canprovide
 The menu options and theirprice-lists
 Any other expenses for linens, centerpieces, hosting services,etc.
Wewouldappreciateifyoucouldprovidetheabove-mentioneddetailsbyAugust
12,2019.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

MsNaina Rawat
Administrator, Dreamtech

Figure 8: Sample EnquiryLetter

b. QUOTATIONLETTER
A quotation letter is drafted in response to an enquiry from a potential buyer. In this
letter, a seller provides the required information about a product or service, such as
model, quality, price, mode of payment, discounts, offers, mode of transportation, etc.
A sample of a quotation letter is shown in Figure 9:

Delicacies Catering
344/B, Karol Bagh
New Delhi – 110055
Phone: 9992044444/ 011- 2222 8921
Ref.AB/1/2013 Dated: August 12,2019

Administrator
Dreamtech Press
19-A, Ansari Road, Daryaganj,
New Delhi – 110002
Subject: Your enquiry letter no. 293/A1 dated August 10, 2019
Dear Ms Rawat,
Thank you for your letter of enquiry. We would be glad to cater to your
lunch celebration.
We provide both full service and a drop off catering. In our full-service
catering package, we provide setting up tables, chairs, linens; service of
plated meals; bartending services; and cleaning up of space throughout the
event. We also offer a variety of cuisines – Indian, continental, Thai,
Chinese, etc. Our offers and prices are given in the enclosed list. We offer
10% discount on an order of about ` 50,000. However, we would require
50% payment to be made at the time of booking and the remaining 50%
after the event.
We are confident that you will find our services and prices competitive
and our terms and conditions reasonable. We look forward to meeting
yourrequirements.
Thanking you,
With regards,

Mr Subhash Jain
Sales Manager
Delicacies Catering
Enclosures: Menu, Price List and Terms & Conditions

Figure 9: Sample Quotation Letter

c. ORDER LETTER
After receiving replies to an enquiry letter, a potential buyer may decide to place an
order with a particular organization offering a product or a service at a minimum price
and reasonable terms and conditions. This letter is called an order letter.
BusinessEnglish

A sample of an order letter is shown in Figure 10:

Dreamtech Press
A Division of Infocom Books (India) Pvt. Ltd.
19-A, Ansari Road, Daryaganj,
New Delhi – 110002
Phone: 9873838802/ 011- 4355 1180
Ref.293/S3 Dated: August 23,2019
Proprietor
Delicacies Catering
34, Karol Bagh
New Delhi –110055

Subject: Your letter of quotation no. AB/1/2013 dated August 12, 2019

Dear Sir,
Many thanks for your prompt reply to our enquiry letter of August 10, 2019.
Since we find your menu offers, prices and terms quite competitive, we wish to
place an order for lunch on October 9, 2013.
As pointed out in our enquiry letter, the lunch will be a grand formal event
and will have about 1000 guests and employees. Therefore, we will need full

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catering services. The guests will start arriving at 12 PM. Therefore, the service
should be ready by 11:45 AM. Taste, quality, hygiene, and professional services
are mostimportant.
The initial upfront payment of 50% is enclosed (cheque number 120033 for an
amount of ` 2 lakhs). As discussed on the telephone, the balance payment will
be made after the lunch event in the form of a demand draft after adjusting the
applicablediscount.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,

MsNaina Rawat
Administrator, Dreamtech
Enclosure: Cheque no. 120033

Figure 10: Sample Order Letter

d. COMPLAINT LETTER
If a buyer does not find a product or a service upto the mark,then the buyer may
write a complaint letter to the seller. A complaint letter is usually written in case of:
 Inaccurate, defective, or damaged goods
 Inadequate quantity of goods
 Inadequate services
 Damage or loss of goods during shipment
 inappropriate behaviour
Thus, a complaint letter is written to draw the attention of a seller to a defective
good or service provided. Some important points to consider are:
 Write a complaint letter immediately after receiving defective goods or services.
 Provide clear and complete details about the problems faced, such as the defect
in the goods received and the difficulty encountered due to the defect.
 Mention important dates, including the date of order, date of purchase, date
of delivery, and date of problem. If a previous complaint is followed, then also
mention the previous complaint date.
 Mention the action taken up so far to deal with the problem. Offer suggestions
to the seller to solve the problem, such as compensation, replacement, discount,
cancellation, etc. Also, specify the action that may be taken, if the seller does not
rectify the problem.
 Mentiontheperiodbywhichthesellershouldtakeacorrectiveactioninresponse to the
complaint.
 Enclose a copy of any supporting documents, such as receipts.
 Refrain from casting personal aspersions on the character of the seller.
 Do not discuss any other issue, except for the complaint.
A sample of a complaint letter is shown in Figure11:

Dreamtech Press
A Division of Infocom Books (India) Pvt. Ltd.
19-A, Ansari Road, Daryaganj,
New Delhi – 110002
Phone: 9873838802/ 011- 4355 1180

Ref. 492/X4 Dated: October 10, 2019

Delicacies Catering
34, KarolBagh New
Delhi –110055

Subject: Complaint against the quality of service delivered

Dear Sir,
This is with reference to the lunch you hosted for us on October 9, 2019. I would like
to draw your attention to the fact that some drinks and foods were found missing
from the service. It appears that the following drink and foods were not served
yesterday in thelunch:
 Blue Mojito
 Russian salad

Kindly credit us the amount of these items to our account, failing which we willcancel
the remainingpayment.
Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

MsNaina Rawat
Administrator, Dreamtech

Figure 11: Sample Complaint Letter

e. RECOVERY LETTER
A recovery letter is a letter written by a seller to a buyer to recover or collect the Important
Quick TIP
Information
pending amount for the goods or services provided. The seller must also clearly
Recovery
An order letter
mention the amount of outstanding payment and the last date of payment of this mustbewrittenin
letter provides
amount. The letter should conclude with a firm but a polite note on the legal action a polite
three language
types of
that a seller could take in the event of further non-payment of dues. soasnottooffend
information:
thecustomer
•and
Product
harm any
Therefore, while writing a recovery letter:
or service
futurebusiness
 Use polite, formal, and business-oriented language, such as gentle reminder Information:
transactions.
The name
 Mention the reason for recovering the amount, such as dispute, error, or pay back of the
product or
 Mention the due amount that is pending from the customer service, its
unit price,
 Mention the last date of payment quantity,and
 Mention the possible legal action that could be taken in case of non-payment of other required
specifications
the due amount
• Shipping
A sample of recovery letter is shown in Figure 12: information:
The desired
date of
KEI Bank invoice,
desired shipping
344/B, Sector 141
address,
Noida, UP
and mode of
Phone:011-12048921-28
transportation
Ref. SF /3/8301 Dated: October 11, 2019 • Payment-related
information: The
Manager
Vishal Enterprises date and mode
Vasant Kunj, ofpayment
New Delhi – 110070

Subject: Pending amount of outstanding payment

Dear Mr Chopra,
This letter is a gentle reminder for the payment of interest of the loan amount of
` 2 crores that your organisationhas taken from our bank in May in 2017. As per
the loan guidelines, you needed to pay the bank an interest of ` 1396111.76 last
month. Since you delayed payment by a month, a penalty of 2% will be added
to theinterest.
As the payment is due long, we would appreciate you send us the cheque
immediately of the total amount of ` 1424034.
We request you to kindly clear the outstanding amount within the next six
working days, following which strict legal action will be taken.
Kindly acknowledge the receipt of this letter.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Mr Anil Sharma
General Manager
KEI Bank

Figure12:SampleRecoveryLetter
 4.5 COVERING LETTER
When an individual looks for a job position that he/she is interested in, the first step
is to send a resume to the concerned organization. However, the organization gets
thousands of resumes for one post. How can the individual ensure that the person
screening resumes chooses his/her resume from the lot? For this, one needs to make
the resume stand apart from others. That can only be done if the resume comes with
a letter that introduces the individual, highlights skills and achievements, and
explainshowtheprospectivecandidateisthebestmatchfortheadvertisedjob.Such a
letter accompanying a resume is called a covering letter.

a. IMPORTANCE OF A COVERING LETTER

Important You might ask when you are sending a resume. Then why take the trouble of writing a
Information covering letter also? A resume without a covering letter is like a shot in the dark.
A covering letter
Without it, a resume would seem just a mechanical and random act. As a candidate,
can also be used
to summarise the how will you make your resume stand out from others? How will you be able to
list of documents portray your interest for the job or for joining the organization? How will you
complemented highlight your value to the prospective employer?
with a business
discussion along Thus, a covering letter is used to persuade a reader about something. Thus, it is also
with the expected called as a motivation letter or a letter of introduction.
actions to be taken
in future.
b. PURPOSE OF A COVERING LETTER
The purpose of a covering letter is to introduce oneself to an organization, display
the interest for the vacant post in the organization, draw attention to the resume and
prompt the reader to call for interview. The objectives of a covering letter are as
follows:
 To introduce yourself to a potential employer
 To highlight the achievements or qualifications for a position
 To emphasise the interest in joining the organization and the position
 To portray one as the perfect fit for a job
 To stimulate the interest of the recruiter so that you are called for an interview
A covering letter is used in the following situations:
 As an application letter to apply for a specified advertised position
 As a prospecting letter to enquire about any opened position in an organization
 As an application letter to apply for a loan, mortgage, contract, or a proposal

c. GUIDELINES OF WRITING A COVERING LETTER

Each open position invites hundreds of responses from deserving candidates. It is
quite common among recruiters to screen the candidates and look for reasons not to
advance him/her to the interview round. Here are some guidelines for writing a
good covering letter:

 Format: Write the covering letter in the accepted format .It should be a single
page letter, typed and single-spaced. A person may use a sample letter, but
customize it to reflect the personality in it.
 Salutation: Address the letter to a specific person. Avoid starting it with a ‚Dear
SirorMadam‛or‚Towhomitmayconcern‛salutation.Don’tguessatthegender. If
one is uncertain, use the person’s entire name, such as ‚Dear Akash Ahuja.‛
 Tone: Write professionally and politely. Avoid effusive thanks in writing, as one
might look desperate. Show sincere interest by telling the experience and
accomplishments, and how an individual will help meet the requirements of the
position.
 Opening line: Avoid beginning the letter by stating the obvious, such as ‚I’m
applying for the X job that I saw in the Y place.‛ Instead, mention why you are
interested in the job and why you are perfect for it. For example, ‚I am a project
manager with more than 15 years of experience and I would love to bring my
knowledge and passion to your development team.‛ Directly mention the value
thatyouwillbringtotheorganization.Forexample,‚Inmythreeyearsin(previous
Note
organization), I increased our average quarterly sales by…‛ Internal referrals
stand a greater
 Referral: If a person being referred by someone else in the organization, then
chance of
mention that personal connection. Internal referrals stand a greater chance of being called for
being called for interviews. interviews.

 Value: Read the news and other websites to find the challenges facing the hiring
organization or industry. If possible, talk to a few people in the organization
or industry to find the specific skills they are looking for. Mention them in the
application letter to explain how a person’s expertise and experience will meet
those challenges. However, avoid being boastful.
 Edit: Once the application letter is completed, read it thoroughly to ensure that it
is grammatically correct and there are no spelling errors.
 Mail: If the resume needs to be mailed, then the application letter must be in the
main body of the email and the resume should be an attachment.
 Follow-up: Once the application letter is sent, follow-up the process patiently,
politely and persistently.
A sample covering letter is shown in Figure 13:

Figure 13: Sample Covering Letter

Source: https://business.tutsplus.com

d. IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF WRITING A COVERINGLETTER

A covering letter should not repeat the resume but highlight the strengths and skills
in a brief, single-page format. A well-written covering letter has the following
essential attributes:
 Correct structure: A covering letter should follow a precise structure as follows:
 Salutation: Start with a greeting.
 Introductory paragraph: Mention one’s interest in a specific position and the
reason for the interest.
 Body paragraph(s): Provide a summary of the skills, experiences, and
education and match them with the job requirements.
 Closing paragraph: Refer to the enclosed resume, reiterate the interest,
request some sort of follow-up and thank the reader for his time.
 Professional appearances: No reader would like to spend a lot of time reading
the covering letter. Therefore, instead of detailing the skills for generic jobs, it
should
 Highlight only those skills that match to the applied position requirements.
There should be a proper margin at all sides, enough white space, and use of
bullets to save the time and effort of the reader.
 Personal reach: The covering letter can be used to reflect the personality to the
prospective employer. However, make sure to maintain the professionalism
throughout.
 Employer focus: The covering letter should emphasize how one can contribute to
the potential employer. To understand how a prospective candidate can position
itself in a gainful way to the employer, find out about the employer’s products,
services, mission, vision, current initiatives and culture. This will give valuable
insight to assert one’s talent to the employer.
 Brief summary: The covering letter should briefly state the individual’s most
relevant credentials for the applied position, such as the skills, expertise,
achievements, training and experience.
 Follow-up request: Briefly state the purpose in the closing paragraph, such as
the requestforanintervieworameetingwithaspecifictimeframe.Mentionthetime
and contact numbers on which a candidate will be available, along with a request
for follow-up. Make sure to appear confident rather than desperate.

e. TYPES OF COVERING LETTERS

There are four types of covering letters:
Note
 Application covering letter: This letter accompanies the resume for an advertised
job opening. Therefore, it should have all the attributes of a well-written covering
letter, such as structure and professional appearance. The covering letter should Even if you are
highlight the candidate’s skills to match the applied position. Research about the being referred to
a position, you
potential employer and emphasise how can you contribute to the organization. A should prove
well-written, creative, and smart application covering letter will be an effective to the recruiter
marketing tool to exhibit expertise. This will increase a candidate’s chances of that you are the
being called for an interview. best match for
the job. A mere
 Referral covering letter: If one has been referred to an open position by a person referral would not
working in the organization, then the referral covering letter mentions the name guarantee a job.
of that person. The purpose of including the referral’s name in the covering letter
is to gain the immediate attention of the employer, particularly if the employer is
familiar with the referral person. Therefore, the referral’s name is mention at the
beginning of the covering letter, as follows:

Dear Mr. Smith,

Ms Collins, vice president of Product Development with XYZ organisation,

suggested that I contact you directly regarding my interest in a Research &
Development position with your organisation.
Networking covering letter: This covering letter is used to reach out to the network
ofcontactsthatanindividualhasbuiltthroughacademicinstitutions,professional
institutes, previous jobs, social media platforms, and industry conferences. The
covering letter is used to ask such contacts to help and support in the job search
process.Thesecontactscanhelpanindividualthroughrecommendationorreferral
 to a certain position. If an individual finds a task particularly difficult or needs
advice on a certain job-related matter, then these networks can also offer valuable
suggestions. For example:

Dear Reena (former co-worker),

First, congratulations on landing a job in XYZ organisation. Fantastic

achievement! You must be really proud of yourself. I just finished my
internship at ABC organisation and am looking for a new opportunity.

I am interested in applying for the following open position in your

organisation:

[Job Code andLink]

As a highly regarded professional in your organisation, I thought it would
help my application a lot if you could refer me to this position. Please let me
know if you would be interested in referring me. If you want to discuss why
Iconsider myself to be a good fit for the job, then please call me anytime at
[telephone number].

I look forward to hearing from you, as it would be great to catch up.

Warm regards,

Jack Jones
Prospecting covering letter: This covering letter is used to reach out to the
organizationaprospectiveemployeewantstoworkfor.Aspectssuchastheculture of
the organization or well-paid position may tempt an individual to reach out to
the organization. The prospecting letter is sent to such organizations to find out
suitable positions in the organization. For example:

Dear Mr. Sharma,

After reading about your organisation in [XYZ site or publication], I was
impressed by the cutting-edge strides it is making in technology. I particularly
liked your culture in focusing on innovation and developing leaders for the
future.

As I stand at the crossroads of my career, I would like to work with companies

like yours that will pave the way for the next generation technology. In my
most recent position, I designed a new way of developing and influencing
customer insights through Big Data. I hope that I find a similarly challenging
position in your organisation.
 4.6 INFORMAL LETTERS
Business letters are not the only letters that you may need to write in your life. A
person may need to write personal letters to friends or relatives or even colleagues.
These letters are called informal or friendly letters. An informal letter is a way of
communicating with your close and dear ones.
Important
Informal letters are mostly written in the following situations: Information
Informal letters
 To convey a personal message or news are written
with sentiments
 To give an advice and emotions.

 To congratulate someone
 To communicate with friends, relatives,etc.
 To write love notes
Table lists the differences between a formal letter and an informal letter:

T able : Formal Letter vs. Informal Letter

Formal letter
Professional purpose
Specific objectives
Simple and easy to understand the
language
Brief letters with no extraneous details
Written to business contacts, such as
partners, suppliers, customers, etc.
Strict formatting rules
Open on a formal and direct note
Informal letter
Personal reasons
Casual or emotional reasons
Friendly and informal language
Lengthy letters with lots of extra details
Written to lovers, friends, relatives, and casual
acquaintances with whom one is on friendly
terms
Formatting guidelines
Open on a causal and comforting note

Although informal letters are not written in a specific format, there are certain general
patterns or conventions that are following in most of the letters. These conventions can
act as guidelines while writing an informal letter. However, remember that these are
just guidelines.
 Address: An informal letter begins with an address of the writer on the top left-
handsideofthepage.Writeanaccurateandfulladdressevenifyouarewritingto
closefriendsorrelativesbecausethiswillhelpthemtoreplyatthecorrectaddress.
 Date: The date is specified just below the address. It enables a reader to record
when the letter was sent and relate to the message conveying in the letter. Write
a full date.
 Greetings: Each letter begins with an informal greeting, such as Dear Mom, Dear
Alka, etc. If you are writing to an elder person, then you can respectfully address
him or her as Dear Mr. <name> or Dear Mrs.<name>.
  Body: The body of the letter contains the main message, which is written in a
friendly or emotional tone. If you are writing to a sweetheart, then you can be
flirty. If you are writing to an old friend, then you can be flippant. If you are
Quick TIP
To use an writing to someone senior, then you must be respectful and considerate.
appropriate tone in  Introductory paragraph: Always start a letter by asking about the well-being of
a letter, remember
how you talk with the reader. Use phrases such as ‚Hope you are doing well‛ or ‚Hope you are in
that person in real good health and spirits.‛
life. Adopt a similar
tone in the letter.  Conclusion: In the last paragraph, summarise the purpose of writing the letter.
Say a loving goodbye to the reader and invite him to write back or reply to the
letter. This will help you to keep the communication channel open and enhance
the relationship.
 Signature: There are multiple way of signing off a letter. You can even adopt
your own style. Some common phrases are Best wishes, Lots of love, Kind
regards,etc.
An example of an informal letter is given below, where you are writing a letter to your
friend requesting him to come and spend his winter vacation with you.

Sohna Road,
Khair (Aligarh)
20thDecember 2019

Dear Mayank,

Hope this letter finds you in great spirits. It’s been quite a while since we last
spoke. How are you? I hope all is well and that you did well in the final exams.
My exams are also going on. They will end by December 23.

Our winter vacation will begin on 25thDecember 2019. This year, why don’t you
spend the winter vacation with me in Pune? The winter season is really sunny
and mild there. We can explore together lots of picnic sites nearby, such as
Mahabaleshwar, Khandala, etc. Mumbai is also not very distant. We can drive
there someday and enjoy the city.

I am getting excited even as I am writing this to you. If you are thinking that
you will be coming in our way, then drop that thought immediately. We have
a guest room in our sprawling bungalow where you can come and go as you
please. So please think about it and write back to me soon. I hope you accept
myrequest.

Please convey my regards to aunty and uncle.

Yours lovingly
Ravi
 4.7 SUMMARY
The correspondence for the purpose of business activities is called business
correspondence. It is a formal, written communication between organizations,
within an organization, or between an organization and its customers. Business
correspondence can be internal, external, routine, sales, personalised, or circular.
Business correspondence establishes proper relationship, functions as evidence,
established goodwill, saves cost and effort, and is free from interpersonal skills. The
formal business letters are written to open channels for communication and to serve
as records of communication. A business letter should be simple, clear, accurate,
complete, relevant, polite, and neat. It must be written in a good quality paper of
appropriate color and size. It must be folded neatly and enclosed in an appropriate

DPU
envelope. A business letter has the following parts: Heading, date, reference, inside
address, subject, salutation, body, complimentary close, signature, enclosures, copy
circulation, and postscript. The layout of a business letter can be block, modified
block, and semi-block. The common types of business letters are the enquiry letter,
quotation letter, order letter, complaint letter, and recovery letter. The letter
accompanying a resume for an advertised position that introduces the sender is
called the covering letter. A covering letter must have an accepted format,
salutation, polite and professional tone, the interest for the position mention in the
opening line, and a follow-up line. A good covering letter has a correct structure,
professional appearance, personal reach, employer focus, a concise summary, and a
follow-up request. There are four main types of covering letters: application,
referral, networking and prospecting. A letter written to a friend, relative, or an
acquaintance with an emotional or sentimental tone is called an informal letter. An
informal letter does not have strict formatting rules like a formal letter, but it must
be written while keeping certain guidelines in mind on address, date, greeting,
introductory paragraph, body, conclusion, and signature of the sender.

4.8 KEY WORDS

 Internal correspondence: It refers to any exchange of letters between individuals
and departments within an organization.
 Circulars: These are documents used to communicate a common matter to a
large number of people or organizations.
 Business letters: They serve as proofs of communication between two parties, in
case there is dispute or confusion about a business transaction later on.
  Recovery letter: It is a letter written by a
seller to a buyer to recover or collect the
pending amount for the goods or
SERVICES provided.
 Quotation letter: It is the letter by which
a seller provides the required
information about a product or service,
such as model, quality, price, mode of
payment, discounts, offers, mode of
transportation, etc.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2

(Source:: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/)