SOME BUSINESS LETTERS

Letter of Enquiry
It is written in order to enquire. It should be written with tact and courtesy so that the recipient is
motivated to respond promptly and favourably. It should have a clear heading and should be addressed to
a specific individual or department. After the background information, it should state clearly what is
being enquired about. The writer may state how the recipient would benefit from responding favourably.
Enquiries should be specific and brief, should provide accurate and complete information.

Letter of Confirmation
It is written to confirm arrangements already made. It should provide clear, correct and complete
information to avoid misunderstandings. The background information should state when and how the
arrangement was made. All facts must be accurate. The letter can end with a short statement showing how
the person confirming can be contacted should there be changes in the program.

Letter of Complaint
It is written to register one’s displeasure or dissatisfaction when one has been supplied with goods or
services that are defective or faulty. It is written to inform the company or in organization in question
about the problem and also to suggest how the problem may be solved. One must be careful to avoid an
angry tone featuring in the letter as that may make things work against him/her. After giving the
background information, it should explain the problem clearly and carefully. All necessary facts must be
included. The writer can state the cost incurred as a result of the problem and may also suggest the
solution to the problem including the time frame within which that may be done.

Letter of Apology/Adjustment
This is a reply to a letter of complaint. Its tone should aim at bringing about reconciliation whether the
complaint is justified or not. The author acknowledges that the complainant has the right to complain; it
expresses regret for the inconvenience and explains why things went wrong. The author also says what is
being/will be done to solve the problem. Lastly an apology is given expressing hope that good will be
maintained.

Tactful Letter
It is written to convey messages that are not easy to convey and are likely to affect the recipient very
adversely. For example, it is written to convey bad news reject an idea etc. So it must be written in such a
way that the message is delivered clearly but carefully so that the impact of the bad news is minimised.
The author can then set the context which should prepare the recipient for the bad news. Then the news is
delivered, giving the necessary explanations and implications. The author should state some positive
factors that can help to minimize the impact of the bad news.

Circular Letters
They are sent by an organization to many people each copy being identical. They are used to publicise
events, announce important developments etc. They are prepared once and then duplicated for distribution
to the intended recipients. Instead of having full addresses of individual recipients, they have openings
like To all Customers, To all Subscribers etc. The salutation can be Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear
Customer, Dear Shareholder etc. But names of recipients may be inserted in the salutation to make the
letter personal. One advantage of these letters is that they are simple and cheap to produce, yet they allow
information to be sent to a wide range of people and with great personal impact.
CURRICULUM VITAE
This is a self portrayal document used in job procurement. Its purpose is to give a potential employer a
brief but factual summary of a job seeker’s relevant life. It gives an outline of events in an individual’s
life in chronological order. The modern way of presenting this information is to put it in reverse
chronological order i.e. starting with the most recent event going down to the least recent one. The CV
should have only those events that are relevant and which would help one market oneself well.

Presentation
Each piece of information should be written under appropriate headings, with subheadings and columns
where necessary. The appearance should be neat and systematic and well spaced out.

Style
It is not necessary to write in complete sentences. A skeleton of a CV is shown below.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Name Age:
Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce Date of Birth:
P.O. Box 30029 Marital Status:
Lusaka Religion:
Cell: Nationality:
Email: NRC:

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Qualification Institution Period

WORK EXPERIENCE

Position-Responsibility Organization Period

COMMUNITY WORK EXPERIENCE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOBBIES/INTERESTS

REFEREES

There should be at least three referees

REPORT WRTING
A report is an orderly objective message used to convey information from one area of an
organization to another or from one organization to another to help in problem solving or
decision making. It is a communication of information from someone who has collected and
studied the facts about something to another person who asked for the report because he/she
needs it for a specific purpose. A report has a limited audience and is mostly requested by higher
authorities. Reports range from simple one page documents to large volume documents.

Types of Reports
When considered from a broad perspective, three types can be identified.

Regular/Routine Reports
These are issued on a regular basis to provide adequate and accurate information about routine
activities. Examples include maintenance reports, sales reports, progress reports etc

Occasional Reports
These are issued on particular occasions when something unusual has happened e.g. accident
reports, disciplinary reports etc.

Commissioned Reports
These require research and investigation of some kind with resulting information put in an easy-
to-read format. They include recommendations. Examples include market research report,
feasibility studies etc.

Reports may be classified according to

Length for example, a short/long report
Tone/degree of formality for example, a formal report, a semi-formal and an informal report
The subject of the report for example, marketing report, financial report etc
Timing for example, daily report, monthly report, annual report etc
The style used for example, a narrative report, a statistical report etc
Distribution for example, a private report, a public report etc

Principles of Report Writing

 Know why you are writing the report
 Know what you are writing (reporting) about
 Keep the report accurate, relevant and concise
 Separate opinions from facts
 Organise your points in a logical order

The Style of a Report

It is factual and objective. The wording should be simple and direct, the language and tone
particularly of a formal report should be formal and expressed in the third person. Depending on
the relationship between the writer and the recipient, personal pronouns like ‘I’ or ‘we’ may be
used, but the findings and recommendations should be written in objective language.

The Basic Structure of a Report

It has three basic parts:
-First Section
This is the introduction of the report. It is a clear statement about the subject giving background
to the report. It states purpose of the report. This opening section puts the report into context by
briefly outlining the essential background information needed to make the detailed information
which follows in the middle section.

Middle Section
Findings and analysis of the same are found here. The detailed information which has been
collected is systematically displayed here. This part also shows how the findings logically
connect to the conclusions and recommendations in the final section.

Final Section
This section contains conclusions, the actions required and the resolutions made. Here the main
points of the report are summarized as conclusions. Recommendations are also outlined if they
must be included. For a long formal report, an appendix (for example a questionnaire) is put in
the final section.

Formats of Reports

Letter/Memo Format
This is the format where the report is written in form of a letter or a memo. In this format, the
essential parts are there but they are not headed. Basically a report in this format would look like
a letter or a memo.

Schematic Format
When a report is written in this format, it is divided into headings and subheadings or sections
and subsections. These should be numbered correctly.

Parts of Schematic Report

Title of Report
Terms of Reference
This is where the basic introduction of the report is. It shows what the report is about, who
requested for it and its purpose.
Procedure
This is the method used to collect the information
Findings
These are facts as found on the ground
Conclusions
These are summarise the findings-conclusions show what judgments are can be drawn from the
findings
Recommendations
Suggestions regarding the way forward
Mixed Format
This format has a mixture of the characteristics of the letter/memo format and those of a
schematic format. It is a compromise between the two formats. If a compromise is a letter, few
headings may be used.

INTERVIEWS

According to Nicky Stanton, an interview is a planned and controlled conversation between two
or more people which has a purpose for one of them and during which both parties speak and
listen to each other from time to time.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

Selection Interviews
These are conducted for the purpose of determining the suitability of a candidate for a job. They
are used in the recruitment process to select suitable candidates for a job. They are conducted by
the human resource personnel-department.

Promotion Interviews
These are conducted to determine the suitability of a candidate for a position of a higher grade
within the organization. They are also conducted by the human resource department.

Decision Making Interviews

These are conducted for the purpose of making important decisions as a company. They are
basically small group meetings.

Performance Appraisal Interviews

These are conducted for the purpose of assessing the work done or progress made by an
individual employee over a specific period of time usually a year. They are conducted at yearly
intervals. They are conducted by a section or department head (an employee’s supervisor). The
interview generally covers among other things; the performance of an employee over a year,
future prospects such as staff training or promotion and possibility of transfer. The interviewee is
also given an opportunity to say how they think things can be improved in the organization. If
conducted well, these interviews can help to make employees feel appreciated by the
organization particularly when they are asked to say what they think can be done to improve
things in the organization.

Disciplinary Interviews
These are conducted in order to determine the truth and so take appropriate action when an
employee has been accused of breaching company regulations. They should be conducted on the
basis of facts around the matter so that personality does not cloud the judgment that is made.
The interviewee is allowed to come with a colleague to speak on his behalf and/or witness the
proceedings.
Grievance Interviews
These are conducted in order to determine the truth and so take appropriate action when an
employee feels s/he has been mistreated by another member of staff or the organization. They
should also be conducted on the basis of sound factual knowledge about the matter so that the
final decision that is made is a just one. Normally before they are conducted, there is a grievance
procedure that has to be followed. Like in disciplinary interview, the interviewee is allowed to
come with a colleague to speak on his behalf and/or witness the proceedings.

Counselling Interviews
These are conducted to help an employee who is experiencing problems that are affecting his/her
productivity at work negatively. They are meant to help an employee see the problem and to help
him/her find a solution to it. They are conducted by a senior member of staff who has experience
in counselling.

Exit Interviews
These are conducted when an employee is leaving the organization because of particular reasons.
What is discussed in these interviews depends on the circumstances that have necessitated the
interviews. For example, if the employee is leaving the organization because of resignation s/he
is asked why they have decided to resign. This helps the interviewers to know what areas of the
organization have been weak or have not been good so that these can be worked on. If the
employee is leaving the organization because of dismissal, they are told during the interviews the
reasons for the dismissal. The exit interviews also include wishing the interviewee success
wherever they are going.

As you read these notes think about (discuss) the ways through which these interviews are
important in the life of an organization.

MEETINGS

A meeting is a gathering of two or more people in a formal or informal situation for the transaction of
common business or for any legal purpose. Meetings differ in type, purpose, scope style and size. In terms
of size meetings can range from a small informal gathering with very few people in attendance. Meetings
are important in that
They are means of making decisions, exchanging information and solving problems
They are forums where participants are able to make suggestions, air opinions and express criticisms

TYPES OF MEETINGS

Firstly, meetings can be classified according to

The Degree of formality so we identify the following types

Formal Meetings

These are a type conducted according to formal procedures. They can be private i.e. participation is
restricted. They can be public which means that they concern public matters. Example of such meetings
include deliberations of government assemblies like parliament, shareholders meetings etc
Semi-formal Meetings

These are meetings that have both characteristics of formal and informal meetings. They have some
procedures which are however relaxed. Examples of such meetings include committee meetings of
various kinds, general meetings etc

Informal Meetings

These are meetings which do not take place according to formal procedures. Examples of such meetings
include ad hoc gatherings of small groups, brain storming meetings etc

Secondly, meetings can also be classified according to the type of business being discussed. Under these
criteria the following meeting types can be identified.
Decision making meetings, Discussion and advice meetings for example joint consultation meetings,
Problem solving meetings, Information-giving meetings (frequently called briefings)
Negotiation meetings for example a negotiation between trade union representatives with employers

PREPARING FOR MEETINGS

 When it is decided that a meeting should be held, the following should be done
 Identifying the purpose of the meeting
 Choice of participants and venue convenient date and time
 Setting the Agenda

Five documents are required for the successful planning of a meeting and conduction of the same. There
are three main documents and two supplementary ones.

The main documents include

NOTICE OF MEETING

 This is meant to inform participants about a meeting

 It tells them the venue, time and date of the meeting
 The notice must be sent to all who should attend the meeting at a suitable time before the meeting
takes place, at least 2-3 weeks.
 It should be only be sent by the person authorized to call a meeting
 It should state if an agenda has been attached

The following things should be included on the notice

 Name of organisation under which the meeting is held

 Type of meeting to be held
 Venue, date and time of meeting
 Focus of the meeting
 Date of notice
 Signature of the person convening the meeting with their title

AGENDA (MEMBERS’ AGENDA)

  This document is meant brief participants in a meeting on what will be discussed at the meeting.
 It is written by the secretary in consultation with the chairperson and it is normally sent with the
notice of meeting. Alternatively, the notice may ask the members (participants in a meeting) to
submit items for discussion
 It is a program of items to be discussed at the meeting and in the order in which they will be
taken.
 The items on the agenda should be in a logical order
 Each item must have a clear heading and must be numbered
 The purpose of the agenda is to ensure that the meeting is focused on the appropriate item at a
particular moment during the meeting, that the items are in a logical order and that each item is
allocated an appropriate amount of time

A productive agenda answers the following questions

 What is the purpose of this meeting?

 What is needed in this meeting to accomplish this purpose?
 What issues will be of greatest importance to all participants?
 What information must be available in order to discuss these issues?

An agenda could look as shown below

Name of Organisation
Heading showing the type of meeting to be held, the venue, date and time

1. Opening Remarks (may not be included)

2. Adoption of Agenda
3. Apologies for absence
4. Minutes of Previous Meeting
5. Adoption of Minutes of the Previous Meeting
6. Matters Arising
7. Items of Business (these are items for which the meeting has been called and must be numbered
correctly depending on the how many they are)
10. Any Other Business
11. Date of Next Meeting
12. Closing Remarks

MINUTES

 Minutes are a record of the proceedings of a meeting i.e. discussions and decisions
taken/resolutions passed.
 Minutes should be taken in every formal meeting.
 They should then be organized and written onto a final draft which the chairperson signs, and
circulated to all members soon after the meeting takes place.

Importance of Minutes

 They form the basis for action by the organization and its members.
 They provide a record of meeting proceedings for future reference.
  Because they record past decisions and activities, they also provide precedence and a basis for
evolving future policy.
 Minutes also help to make members feel appreciated as they know that their contributions are
taken note of.

TYPES OF MINUTES

Resolution Minutes
 These are minutes that record only decisions taken and resolutions passed.
 They do not give a record of the circumstances that led to particular decisions made/resolutions
passed.
 They do not record the context in which decisions are made
 They are introduced as ‘it was resolved that…, It was decided that…, It was agreed that…, etc

Narrative Minutes
 These are minutes that give details of the discussion that led to the decisions made/ resolutions
passed in a meeting.
 They describe the circumstances/context in which decisions are made/resolutions are passed in a
meeting-they record the circumstances which lead to a particular decision/resolution. For
example after giving a record of the circumstances that lead to a particular decision/resolution,
they are written as such: ‘Therefore, it was resolved that…..’or ‘For this reason, it was resolved
that….’

Verbatim Minutes

These are minutes that are taken word for word

‘Action’ Minutes

 These are minutes that are written in a format that includes an ‘action by’ column on the right
margin of every page.
 They record the name of the individual in the ‘action by’ column who is assigned to perform a
particular task-action

STYLE USED IN MINUTES WRITING

 They must be concise but with sufficient detail to enable those not present at meeting to fully
understand what took place.
 They must be factual and written in complete sentences. They must be orderly and logically
arranged.
 They must be written in the past tense and using other conventions of reported speech

FORMAT OF MINUTES

The format of minutes follows that of the agenda of the meeting being recorded.
Minutes must suitably be titled and must have appropriate headings to individual items.
CONTENT OF MINUTES

It is important to note that the minutes take the format of the agenda. This is because they are simply a
record of what was planned as shown by the agenda

Title which should have: Name of the body which held the meeting, type of meeting, venue, date and
time (optional)
Names of members present and which must be in alphabetical order (with the chairperson’s name
appearing first). Those present by invitation should be listed separately.
Opening Remarks
Apologies (with names only and not reasons for absence)
Adoption of Agenda
Minutes of previous meeting (usually taken as read-already read)
Matters arising-only minor items should be appear under this heading. Matters arising refer to the report
of any matter that will have been being pursued since the last meeting
Special items-main items for discussion on the agenda
A.O.B
Date of next meeting
Closure

HELPFUL TIPS WHEN TAKING MINUTES

 Summarize the main facts and arguments

 Never record opinions-be objective
 Read through previous minutes of earlier meeting of the same people so that you see the expected
style and format
 Know the names of those present so that you could use their initials when you note who is
speaking
 Sit near the chair and obtain his his/her notes to help you easily compare the notes-minutes
 If you miss a point do not interrupt, write in the margin and query soon after the meeting is done
 After the meeting organize and type the minutes and let the chair go through them before the final
draft is distributed to the members

The two supplementary documents are

THE CHAIRPERSON’S AGENDA

This is an extended version of the main (members’ agenda)

The items on this agenda are identical to those on the main agenda and appear in the same order
However, the chairperson’s agenda has additional notes and timings that help the chairperson to lead and
control the meeting efficiently. It has space for the chairperson to make notes. It may have papers with
information relevant to the meeting attached to it.

AGENDA PAPERS
These are documents that have information which supplements the information on the main agenda. For
example, financial report, balance sheets, copy of correspondence (letters) etc
RULES GOVERNING MEETINGS

These are rules meant to determine the procedure adopted for calling a meeting, conducting it and
recording it. They may be legally binding i.e. required by the laws of the land or may have been
drawn by the members themselves. These rules are concerned with the following
 The people entitled to attend/participate in a meeting for example, only members of the board are
entitled to attend a board meeting
 Proxies (speaking/voting on behalf someone who is absent at a meeting) e.g. whenever voting
takes place, all absent members will be required to vote through proxy i.e. send their votes
through other members
 Arrangements for election of officers and ballots e.g. whenever an officer ceases to be for
whatever reason, elections will be held to replace him/her
 Remuneration of officers e.g. each officer will be entitled to 5% of his/her monthly salary as
payment for their additional work regarding meetings
 Frequency with which meetings are to be held e.g. in every quarter of the year, a meeting will be
held to plan for the next quarter and to review the previous quarter
 Length of notice for meetings e.g. before any meeting is held notice of the same will be given
three weeks before
 Submission of motions e.g. all motions must be submitted in writing to the chairperson two
weeks the day of the meting
 Duties, powers and privileges of officers e.g. the chairperson will be responsible for…., the
secretary will be responsible for…., the chairperson has the power to…. All officers will have the
privilege to…..
 Recording of meetings e.g. in every meeting minute will be taken
 Speaking through the chairperson e.g. in any meeting anyone who wishes to speak or contribute
will be required to do so through the permission of the chairperson

ROLES OF OFFICERS

The Chairperson
If a meeting is to be productive, the chairperson must be a good one. Accordingly, he/she

 Is impartial
 Is neutral in manner i.e. does not have a personal agenda
 Is supportive and constructive i.e. he/she develops other people’s ideas and prevents the good
ones from being lost
 Reconciles by exploring differences while emphasizing similarities
 Listens and concentrates on what others are saying
 Observes events and people’s reaction
 Monitors progress towards the aim i.e. identifies what is helping and what is hindering progress
and takes appropriate action.

Duties of the Chairperson

 Calling for meetings

 Ensuring that appointment of officers (including him/her) is according to the rules
 Ensuring that the meeting is properly convened meaning it is correctly constituted i.e. ensuring
that a quorum is formed (a quorum refers to the minimum number of people required to be
present if the meeting is to be valid)
  Authorising the agenda for distribution to members-meeting participants
 May check practical arrangements by the secretary for the meeting though he/she would trust the
secretary for this
 Opening the meeting, welcoming the participants, stating the purpose of the meeting and
conveying apologies for absent members sent directly to him
 Securing approval and adoption of the minutes of the previous meeting and signing them once
this is done
 Maintaining order during the meeting
 Ensuring that items of business are taken in the correct order
 Preventing irrelevant discussion while giving every member adequate opportunity to speak
 Ascertaining the sense of the meeting i.e. gauging whether or not the majority of participants are
in favour of a proposition when a vote is taken or when making amendments to motions
 Ensuring that all decisions made are communicated to all who will be affected by them
 In summary the primary responsibility of the chairperson is to ensure that the meeting is
conducted fairly and according to the rules

The Chairperson has the power to do the following

 To remove disorderly persons from the meeting

 To give rulings on points of order
 To decide on points of procedure
 To adjourn the meeting when necessary
 To use a casting vote (if the power to do so has been vested in him/her by the organization) when
the meeting is deadlocked so that the deadlocked is broken

Secretary’s Duties Before the Meeting

 To choose, in consultation with the chairperson, the meeting participants, a suitable venue, the
convenient time and date
 To send out the agenda with convening instructions
 Send out notice convening the meeting together with the agenda, minutes of previous meeting
and any other supporting documents
 To make practical arrangements for the meeting such as booking the venue, ensuring there is
sufficient seating, arranging presentation equipment, stationery, snacks and lunch depending on
the specific requirements of the meeting, its size, degree of formality, and complexity
 Prepare an attendance register which all members will sign upon arrival
 Have available spare copies of the agenda and other relevant documents
 Place a tag on the door of the venue of meeting notifying that a meeting is in progress once the
meeting has started

Secretary’s Duties during the meeting

 Assist the chairperson in any way necessary

 Sometimes he/she may be required to read the minutes
 Serve refreshments
 Take minutes-record the proceedings of the meeting
 Take note of apologies as they are being received

After the Meeting

  Clear away and destroy any surplus paper
 Return all files and documents for safe keeping until the next meeting
 Draft the minutes of the meeting and give them to the chairperson for approval
 Prepare a final copy of the minutes and sent it to the members
 File a copy of the agenda, supporting papers and minutes for future reference
 Attend to any correspondence
 In summary the duties of the secretary involve the handling of the general administrative work
making sure that the lines of communication between members and the organization as a whole
are kept open

References

NCC Business Communication

Stanton, N. 2004. Mastering Communication. New York: Palgrave Macmillan