TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC VĂN LANG

KHOA NGOẠI NGỮ

 BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
Working schedule: Week 1  12

Day Lesson At home

1
 Introduction to business
correspondence
Read TLTK1: Unit 6
Read TLTK2: Unit 1, 2, 3, 4
Unit 1: Making Enquiries
2 Unit 1: Making Enquiries Read TLTK1: Unit 6
(cont) Read TLTK2: Unit 1, 2, 3, 4

3 Unit 2: Business Prospects Read TLTK2: Unit 6, 8

4
Unit 3: Contacting customers Read TLTK1: Unit 1
(Elearning)
5 Unit 4: When things go Read TLTK1: unit 7
Customer-Supplier Sequence
Role play
The A teams The B teams
You are a customer – You are a supplier -
buyer. You want to buy seller. You want to sell
something. What kind your product. What
of information would kind of information
you ask your supplier about the product
about the product? would you give to your
customer?
 Customer-supplier sequence
CUSTOMERS:
1. When you want to buy a product, what will you do first?
→ ask for information ENQUIRY

2. When you don’t agree with the price, what will you do?
→ bargain NEGOTIATION
3. When you satisfy everything about the product and
want to have it, what would you do?
ORDER
→ place an order
4. After you take delivery of the product, you find that it
is damaged, what would you do? COMPLAINTS & CLAIMS
→ make complaints and claims
 Customer-supplier sequence
SUPPLIERS:
1. When your customer ask about a product, what
will you do?
→ reply REPLY TO ENQUIRY QUOTATION
2. When you want to introduce a product to your
customer, what will you do?
→ write to offer OFFER QUOTATION

Regarding to shipment: TERMS OF SHIPMENT

Regarding to payment: TERMS OF PAYMENT
 Customer-supplier sequence
1. Match words (1-6) with definitions (a—f).

1e
2d
3f
4c
5b
6a

i) 1
4
6
ii) 2
3
5
 Customer-supplier sequence
2. Complete this typical customer/supplier sequence with words from the box.

a complaint information an inquiry an invoice (with the goods)

the issue an order a payment a quotation the quotation a receipt

an inquiry information
a quotation the quotation
an order an invoice (with the
goods)
a payment a receipt
the issue the issue
Making Enquiries

11
 Making Enquiries
• State clearly and concisely what you want
• If there is a limit to the price at which you are
prepared to buy, do not mention this, otherwise the
supplier may raise the quotation to the limit you state.
• Most suppliers state their terms of payment when
replying so there is no need for you to ask for them
unless you are hoping for special rates.
• Keep your enquiry brief and straight to the point.
 Making Enquiries

Enquiries ~ potential business => must be acknowledged

promptly:
• If from an established customer => say how much you
appreciate it.
• If from a prospective customer => say you are glad to
receive it and express the hope of a lasting and friendly
business relationship.
 Making Enquiries
Put paragraphs (a—e) in the two emails into the correct order.

1c
2a
3e
4b
5d
Making Enquiries
Read the letter and answer the questions.
Read the letter and answer the questions.
Making Enquiries

1. What is the purpose of the letter?

To request a quotation
2. Find three phrases in the letter that are used to make polite
requests.
• I am writing to ask you to provide…
• Could you please include the quotation…?
• I would be grateful if you could provide…?
 Making Enquiries

It’s usually good to be concise in

business writing. Your aim is to achieve
clear and effective communication, and
this is best done by keeping your
message short and simple.
 Making Enquiries
Choose phrases from the box to complete the sentences. Which phrase
is the most direct and informal? Which phrases are most tentative and
formal?
I am writing to ask you Can you Could you please
Would you mind I would appreciate it if you I would be grateful if you

Would you mind

Can you
I am writing to ask you
I would be grateful if you
Could you please
I would appreciate it
if you
Can you: the most direct and informal
I’d be grateful if you – I’d appreciate it if you are: the most tentative & formal.
Making Enquiries
Structure and phrase bank

How you got the - We met last Thursday on your stand at the Munich Trade Fair…
contact - I am emailing you via your website, which I found through Googlr…
- We are a manufacturer/supplier/provider of…We are interested
Reasons for in….
writing/Self- - We are a Polish company exporting to the rest of the EU, and we
introduction need…
- We are interested in… as advertised recently in….
- We would be grateful for some information about…
General requests
- Please send us information about your product range and prices…
- In particular, we would like to know…
- Please send details of your prices, discounts, terms of payment and
Specific request
delivery time…
- Could you also say whether there is any minimum order?
 Subject: Sales enquiry Making Enquiries
Dear Sir / Madam
We are a chain of retailers based in Birmingham and are looking for a
Opening: manufacturer who can supply us with a wide range of HP monitors for
who, how
business PC. We were impressed by the new designs displayed on your stand
at the Hamburg Menswear Exhibition last month.

Payment, As we usually place large orders, we would expect a quantity discount in

discount addition to a 20% trade discount off net list prices. Our terms of payment
are normally 30-day bill of exchange, D/A.
Ask for
If these conditions interest you, and you can meet orders of over 200 units
price-list,
catalog at one time, please send us your current catalog and price list.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Peter Crane
Chief Buyer
Replies to Enquiries

21
Replies to Inquiries
Put paragraphs (a—e) in the two emails into the correct order.

1b
2e
3d
4c
5a
Replies to Enquiries
Structure and phrase bank

Opening (thanks) - Thank you for your email of 4 June enquiring about…
- I was pleased to learn that you are interested in our …
- Thank you for your enquiry dated…regarding…
- We can supply from stock and will have no trouble in meeting your
Confirm that you
delivery date.
can help
- I am pleased to say that we will be able to supply the ….you require.
- We regret to inform you that due to…., we will not able to supply you
Confirm that you with….
can’t help - We are sorry that we no longer produce…you refer to because…
- I am sorry we do not have the model you asked for
- Please find enclosed our current catalogue and price list.
Attachment
- Pleased find attached….
- We look forward to receiving a trial order from you soon.
- If you need any further details, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Close
 Replies to Inquiries
• In salutation, use the customer’s name rather than Dear Sir / Madam.
• Let the customer know early in the letter whether or not you can help
them.
• Make sure that you have supplied all the information you think will
help your customer, including, if relevant, catalogues and price lists.
• Thank the customer for contacting you and encouraging them further
enquires.
• When giving a customer a quotation, in addition to the price, quote
transport and insurance costs, any discounts, method of payment, and
delivery date.
• Do not promise a delivery date that you cannot keep.
Writing

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Work in groups of 4-5 students to write the letters. You
may make use the suggestions at the end of the book.

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