- •Unit 1 Structure and Presentation
- •1.Letterhead
- •2. Reference line
- •3. Date
- •4. Inside address
- •Attention Line
- •6. Salutation line
- •Subject line / title.
- •8. Body or Message
- •Complimentary
- •10. Enclosure
- •11.Carbon Copy
- •Practice
- •Informative Letters
- •2A. Covering letters Study section
- •Practice
- •2B. Acknowledgements Study Section
- •Practice
- •2C. Notifications, Announcements and
- •Introductions Study Section
- •Unit 3 Letters that ask Study section
- •3A. Requests
- •3B. Enquiries and Orders
- •Enquiry
- •Orders Study section
- •General conditions of the order
- •Terms of payment
- •Delivery Date
- •Practice
- •Letter Writing Practice
- •Applying for a job Study section
- •1.Being turned down/ turning down an applicant
- •2.Being offered/ offering a post
- •3.Details of employment
- •4. Accepting a post
- •Sample of Resume
- •Sample of Cover Letter
- •Employment
- •Linguistic Background of Business Correspondence
- •I: closing the letter
3B. Enquiries and Orders
Orders convey the writer's intention to do business with the correspondent, usually to buy some goods from him.
A business transaction often starts with an enquiry, which may be later followed by an order.
Both enquires and orders are typical asking letters, therefore study the above guidance points again and see how they can be applied in a letter of enquiry and order.
This section includes requests for detailed information about the goods, their prices and terms of a possible transaction. Sometimes an enquiry contains a request for an offer, so offers – though not always – are written in reply to enquiries.
Enquiry
A routine letter of enquiry usually contains a request to send some information, a catalogue, a price list, a sample, a quotation, an estimate, etc.
When making an enquiry, observe the following rules:
Start with the question(s) you want to ask; what you enquire about must be stated clearly and concisely.
State or imply reasons for your enquiry. It would be quite natural to give your supplier details of your own business or tell him how you obtained his name or address .
Express appreciation for the expected cooperation.
Make sure you know expressions most commonly used in letters of enquiries.
1. We noticed an advertisement Мы увидели рекламу
describing ... (объявления), где говорится ...
2. ... we are very interested in ... .. .мы очень заинтересованы в ...
3.We suggest that you send us Просим Вас выслать нам Ваши каталоги
your catalogues and pricelists и прейскуранты в трех
in triplicate and preferably in экземплярах и желательно на
English. английском языке.
4. We would like you Просим сообщить нам о скидках,
advise us of discounts которые Вы предоставляете, и
that you provide and delivery о сроках поставок.
time.
5…. we should be glad to … будем рады получить…
receive…
6. We may be able to place Возможно, мы сможем дать Вашей
large orders with your компании большие заказы.
company.
7. The catalogue is of Каталог нас очень заинтересовал.
considerable interest to us.
8. We are particularly interested Мы особенно заинтересованы в…
in…
9. We shall appreciate it if you Мы будем Вам благодарны, если
will send us a more detailed Вы вышлете нам более детальное описание...
description of…
10. We are regular buyers of… Мы специализируемся на
покупке…
11. We are in market for… Мы имеем намерение купить…
12. Please send us samples of… Пожалуйста, вышлите нам
образцы…
13. Your offer should be Ваше предложение должно сопрово-
accompanied with ждаться спецификациями и
specifications and blueprints. чертежами…
14. We would ask you to send us Просим Вас выслать нам Ваше
your offer (tender, quotation) предложение (официальное
for… предложение, котировку) на…
Study the examples of letters of enquiry.
A) A ‘first’ letter of enquiry
A.Q.Electronics Ltd Calle Estoril 1701 Barcelona
Ref: JHR/CT The Sales Manager Standard Office Furniture Ltd., 12 October 2011 Cantley Rd., London, SW4 9HX
Dear Sirs
We have read an article in ‘Office News’ about your range of visible record system filing cabinets. We are interested in introducing a modern filing system in our main office. We also wish to install an electronic system for the storage.
Please send us price lists and catalogues of your manual and electronic data processing systems, quoting your price F.O.B. London if possible. We are particularly interested in type TW37, so we should be obliged if you would enclose more detailed information about this particular model.
Yours faithfully Rodriguez Office Manager
|
B) Reply to ‘first’ enquiry
Standard Office Furniture Ltd. CantleyRd., London, SW4 9HX
Your ref: JHR/CT Our ref: PJM/JA The Office Manager A.Q.Electronics Ltd. 18 October 2011 Calle Estoril 1701 Barcelona
Dear Sirs
Thank you for your letter of 12 October, enquiring about our range of office equipment.
We enclose our latest price list and catalogue with this letter, together with a brochure on filing cabinet type TW37. All prices are quoted F.O.B. London.
We look forward to receiving your order. If you require further information, please let us know.
Yours faithfully P.J.Morris Sales Manager |
Task 1
We have seen an advertisement in this month’s ‘Office News’ about your range of pocket calculators. Make sentences similar to the above, informing your recipient how and where you heard about them or their products, using the words given.
1.Read/article/The Financial Times/filing cabinets
2.Hear/a lot/electric typewriters
3.See/the publicity material/photocopying machines
4.Hear/from the Commercial Attache at the British Embassy/office equipment.
5.Read/an advertisement/local newspaper/modern storage and retrieval systems
6.See/your advertisement/Milan Trade Fair/range of clothes
7.Hear/from our agent in London/leather jackets
8.Read/in the financial papers/success with Type TS8
9.Talk/your representative/possibility of buying electric cookers from you
10.Talk/our customers/suitability of your range of bathroom equipment
Task 2.
Notice how you express an interest in a specific good: We are interested in type TW37.
Express an interest in the following. Remember you are writing to a company.
A range of kitchen furniture
Type SK/27 cabinets
Large bookshelves
A range of pocket calculators
Type CSJ/7 especially
Electric heaters, type 2JS
A range of dining room tables
The “Embossed” typewriter
The latest printing process
The “Sierra”1100 motor car
Task 3.
Notice how you express an interest in more general ideas: we are interested in introducing a modern filing system in our main office. Express an interest in the following. Use the words below.
Buy type TW37 filing cabinets
Receive more information about your electric typewriters
Introduce a modern storage system
Order twenty new office desks
Export some of our business machines to the USA
Install a new telex machine
Extend our market to include Northern Europe
Increase our supplies of photocopying paper
Make an improvement in our Design Department
Improve data processing system
Task 4.
Notice these sentences:
a)We wish to install a new telex machine.
b)We wish to enquire into the possibility of installing a new telex machine. Make sentences similar to A) and B) for the following:
order a new duplicating machine
develop our trade with North America
modernize our filing system
increase our storage facilities
buy 25 type TW37 filing cabinets
visit your head office in London on 25th June
extend the range of cookers in our department stores
accommodate more tourists in our hotels
arrange payment by International Money Order
send our agent to inspect the goods
Task 5
Notice the polite requests.
a)Please send us a catalogue and your latest price-list.
b)Will you please send us a catalogue and your latest price-list?
c)We should be obliged if you would send us a catalogue and your latest price-list.
d) We would appreciate a catalogue and your latest price-list.
Make four sentences (types A,B,C,D) for the following:
a brochure for type TW37
more information about office desks
a detailed statement of prices F.O.B. London
a reply as soon as possible
a quotation for our bulk purchase of men’s suits
a statement of our account at your branch
your latest catalogue reference numbers
a reply by telex
a message from your agent in Oslo
a letter of confirmation