Company to Company Teachers Book

SB Activity section: Who's responsible?

1 Read this newspaper article about an explosion in a clothes factory.

•a) Perfecta Ltd's stock was valued at

b)What is Perfecta Ltd going to do now?

c)Who is Bauer AG?

d)What has Aqua Warm done?

EXPLOSION DESTROYS FACTORY

2Perfecta Ltd now wants to get compensation from Bauer AG and also get the factor, working again. In three groups you must write the correspondence between the three companies involved.

If you are Perfecta Ltd, see card 24.

If you are Aqua Warm BV, see card 45. If you are Bauer AG, see card 29.

UNIT 6

6A Study section: personal business letters

6 1 Michael Kennedy sends out some brochures

Michael Kennedy, from EuroCom Ltd, went to dinner with Khalid Al Jalahma from Arabian Electronics in Bahrain. When he got back to England he sent Mr Al Jalahma details of a new product. He also sent the details to someone who had written to him. As you read the letters, try to complete the table on page 52 and answer the question.

EUROCOM

European Communications Company

Dear Mr Al Jalahma

It was a pleasure to have dinner with you while I was in Bahrain. I think we had a very useful discussion and I am sure that we can come to some worthwhile agreements.

I thought you might be interested to hear about a new amplifier that we are producing - the ER26. I am enclosing a brochure that gives all the important details but if you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you once again for a very pleasant evening. Please give my regards to Peter Smith. I look forward to seeing you the next time I am in Bahrain.

With best wishes

Michael Kennedy .

Export Sales Manager

b)

EUROCOM

European Communications Company

Dear Mr Bugarini

Thank you for your letter of 26 June, asking for details of our new ER26 amplifier.

I have pleasure in enclosing our brochure. This gives full details and prices of all our amplifiers.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully

Michael Kennedy

Export Sales Manager

• 1 Put a tick (V) in this table if the letter has the pointlisted. Put a cross (X) ifit doe

not.

letter (a) I letter (b),

opens with the main subject

mentions feelings about last time they had contact

mentions personal information

2Which letter is the most friendly? Why?

6.2Making a letter more personal

Normally, if you know the person that you are writing to and have met him/her socially you will want to make your letter less formal and more friendly. Less formal letter often have a different structure from formal business letters.

This mentions your feelings about the last contact you had with each other.

The main message

This says why you are writing now and gives the details.

The close .

This talks about the future and often mentions some personal information.

Yours sincerely / Best wishes

Note- If you have not recently had contact with each other, you can open by saying w you are writing (see below).

6.3 Personal business letters: the opening

Here are some ways to open a less formal letter. You can use each phrase to talk abo the last time you contacted - or could not contact - each other.

Thank you for your letter / telephone call / telex.

After each phrase you can say something about what you said — or could not say - each other. Like this:

Thank you for your letter. It was very interesting to hear about the new developments at Wentol Ltd.

It was a pity that I missed you when you visited my office last week. / would have liked to have heard all your news.

It was a pleasure to have dinner with you last Thursday. / think we had a very useful discussion.

It was good to talk to you on the telephone today. / was sorry to hear that you had not been well.

Thank you for your telex. / was pleased to hear that you will be coming to visit u next month.

that you have had so many problems in your office.

Unit 6

2What opening would you write in each of these situations?

a)You met the addressee on Thursday. He told you that he had been ill.

b)You had dinner with the addressee last week at his house. He told you about his holiday in Iceland.

c)You visited the addressee in his office last week but he could only talk to you for five minutes.

d)You received a letter from the addressee this morning. He told you that he had been promoted.

6.4Personal business letters: saying why you are writing

6A Study section

. Fill in the missing parts of these letters. Also use the phrases from 6.3 where appropriate

Dear Mr Watson

we if

b)

In earlier units you learnt how to start formal letters. For example:

Dear Sir

I am writing in reply to your advertisement in The Times.

or:

Dear Sir

Owing to increased costs, we have been forced to increase our prices to our customers as shown on the enclosed list. We are, however, still able to offer a 10% discount on any order that you make.

Hoping that we can continue to be of service to you,

Yours,

Less formal letters often close by mentioning something personal. For example:

I look forward to seeing you again next time 1 am in Bahrain. If ever you are in London, please do not hesitate to call me.

Sometimes, you can mention somebody that you both know, like this:

Please give my regards to Peter Smith.

Please pass on my best wishes to Mr Lund. I hope that he has now recovered from the 'flu.

6.6Practice

6B Activity section: Repair or replace?

1 Jarritos is a small company in the south of Spain that makes bottled soft drinks Recently, they have had problems with the machine that fills up the bottles. The manager, Raul Sanchez, wrote to the company that sold them the machine to ask them to come and look at it.

•a) Does Jarritos use the same bottles again and again?

b)What exactly is the problem with the machine?

Dear Sirs

Ten years ago we bought an Anderson Disposable Bottle Filling System from you. We have had excellent service from this equipment but now we find that the machine that puts on the caps often breaks the bottles.

I would be grateful if you could visit our factory the next time you are in Spain and give us a quotation for the cost of repairing the machine.

Yours faithfully

Raul Sanchez

Manager

3Within the next few days, representatives from both Wesco (Mr Tony Smith) and Alpha (Mr Francois Molet) made separate visits to Jarntos. Mr Sanchez showed them round the factory and introduced them to Jose Barrios, Deputy Manager. Late they had dinner at his home. The representatives told him that they would send him i quotation soon.

Jarritos is now waiting for letters from both Wesco and Alpha. In three groups, you must write the correspondence between these companies.

If you are Jarritos, see card 37.

If you are Alpha, see card 48.

If you are Wesco, see card 22.

UNIT 7

7A Study section: informal business letters

7.1 Michael Kennedy writes to some business friends

Michael Kennedy has worked for EuroCom for many years. Each time he goes on a business trip he meets the same people and now he is friends with many of them. Below are some of the letters he wrote to them about his company's new amplifier. As you read the letters, try to answer the questions and complete the table on page 63.

EUROCOM

European Communications Company

15 July 1987

Dear Piero

It's a pity that we couldn't meet the last time I was in

Milan. It would have been good to exchange news.

Do you remember I told you that we were developing a new amplifier? The ER26 is now on the market so I thought you might be interested to read about it. I'm enclosing some brochures but if you'd like any more details I'd be happy to provide them.

I hope you have now settled down in your new house. I'll be visiting Milan again in August so perhaps we can meet then.

Best wishes

Michael Kennedy

15 July 1987

Dear Jan

Thank you for your letter.

You asked if it was possible to use our new amplifier for music. I'm afraid that if you used the ER26 for music it wouldn't sound very good, since it is really intended for speech only. If you particularly need a good quality music amplifier I recommend that you contact Melitronics in Birmingham. I know they make several good quality music amplifiers. Unfortunately, they are all more expensive than the ER26.

If ever you are in London, please don't forget to give me a call. Perhaps we can meet for lunch.

Regards

Dear Hameed

Thank you for your letter.

I was sorry to hear that you've had some problems with the ER26. We do all we can to make sure that our products leave our factory in perfect condition, but unfortunately sometimes a bad one does slip through. If you can arrange for it to be returned to me, I'll let you have a replacement by return.

Hoping that you are keeping well,

Regards

Michael Kennedy

7.2Informal business letters

If you are a friend of the person that you are writing to, you will want to make your letter informal, like Michael Kennedy's letters in 7.1. Notice how he:

-does not put the name and address of the addressee

-starts with the addressee's first name

-uses contractions

-uses short, direct phrases

-signs with his first name

-puts only his name under his signature (i.e. not his title).

7.3The language of informal business letters: short phrases and contractions

The language used in informal letters is much closer to spoken English than the language

• 1 Look back at Michael Kennedy's letters in 7.1. What contractions does he us

Here is a very simple rule that is usually (but not always!) true:

Longer phrases are more formal than shorter phrases.

For example:

'I would be grateful if you could tell me your prices.' is more formal than:

'Please could you possibly tell me your prices?' And that is more formal than:

'Please can you tell me your prices?'

2Look at the following sentences and group together those which have a similar meaning. You should have four groups. Then put the sentences in each group in order according to how formal they are, with the most formal first.

a)If you need any more information, please feel free to ask me.

b)I am in receipt of your letter dated 16th March.

c)When do you think the goods will get here?

d)I am writing in connection with your advertisement in The News.

e)I have just seen your advert in The News.

f)Thanks for your letter of 16th March.

g)Please could you tell me when the goods will arrive?

h)If you'd like any more details, please ask me.

i) I would appreciate it if you could tell me when the goods will arrive.

j)Thank you for your letter dated 16th March.

k)If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me

1) I am writing with reference to your advertisement in The News.

7 4 The language of informal business letters: vocabulary

Some words sound more formal than other words. For example: 'I regret to advise you that our prices have increased.'

sounds more formal than:

'I am sorry to say that our prices have gone up.' In the same way:

'We have not yet received your invoice.' sounds more formal than:

'We have not yet got your bill.'

1Read these sentences, and match the words in italics with the words in the box.

a)I am writing to enquire about your prices.

b)This is due to the fact that our costs have risen.

c)If you require any further information, please contact me.

d)I regret to advise you that the delivery will be delayed.

e)Unfortunately, I have to inform you that I will not be able to attend the meeting.

f)I am sending the brochures under separate cover.

g)Please find enclosed some brochures describing our products.

h)We have been forced to increase our prices.

i)We have opened a letter of credit in your favour.

2Now rewrite these sentences so that they sound less formal.

a)I have pleasure in enclosing a cheque in your favour.

b)I am pleased to inform you that your application for a post as secretary was successful.

c)Due to the fact that postal charges are so high, I am sending the brochures under separate cover.

d)I regret to advise you that we will not be able to deliver the goods on time.

e)I would be grateful if you could advise me of your prices.

f)Please find enclosed our invoice.

Unit 7

7.5 Practice

Here is a formal business letter. Rewrite it so that it sounds more friendly and informal Remember to look back at 7.2 and 7.3, and at 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5.

Cornfield Pesticides Co Ltd

Mr Richard Scott

Welsh Garden Suppliers

56 West Road

Cardiff

CF4 2FT

Dear Mr Scott

I am writing in connection with your letter of 16 January, in which you enquired about our KILL'EM fly spray.

Unfortunately, we have stopped producing this fly spray due to the fact that sales were rather disappointing. However, we are able to supply you with a maximum of 20 boxes from our stocks. If you would like to order these, please could you inform us as soon as possible.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

George Wollen

Sales Representative

7.6 Letter practice

Last week, you met a business friend who you had not seen for years. You talked for a long time about a new bakery that he has started. Your friend invited you to the opening of his bakery next month. Unfortunately, you have just discovered that you have an important meeting on that day. You will telephone him after the opening and arrange a visit. Write and tell him this.

7B Activity sectioi

7B Activity section: A credit check

Wainman Ltd is a small printing business. Recently, some of their biggest customers went into liquidation and Wainman Ltd did not receive any money. This means that they cannot buy paper to continue printing. Harold Wainman, one of the owners, decided to see if he could buy some paper on credit from Peter Robinson, who works at Northern Paperworks. This is the letter he wrote.

•• Does Harold Wainman know Peter Robinson? How do you know?

WAINMAN (Printers) Ltd

Castle Street Kendal LA9 5YY

13 November 1987

Dear Peter

I was wondering if you could help us. We need a rather large amount of paper so that we can continue printing. Since we won't receive any money until our customers have paid us, would it be possible for you to let us have some paper on credit?

If you need a credit reference for your files, you could write to Pelican Paper Ltd, College Court, College Road, London.

I hope that you are keeping well. Please say hello to David for me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes

Harold Wainman

Owners: H Wainman and N Lollerwicz

I

Northern Paperworks decided to write to Pelican Ltd for a reference. They received the reply shown.

• Does Pelican Ltd think Wainman Ltd is a good company?

Northern Paperworks

Old Mill, Horwich, Lancs BL6 5JA

Pelican Paper Ltd

College Court

College Road

London N21 3LL

Dear Sirs

Re: Wainman Ltd

The above-mentioned company has asked us to supply them on credit.

We would be very grateful for any comments that you may have from your experience with this company. Any information that you supply will be kept strictly confidential.

We thank you for your cooperation and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

68

Thank you for your letter dated 15 November, enquiring about the above-mentioned company.

We have been dealing with this company for over six years. During this time, they have always settled their accounts with us promptly and we have never had any reason for complaint.

I hope that this information is of help to you.

Yours faithfully

N Lollerwicz

Wainman Ltd is now waiting for a reply from Northern Paperworks. Meanwhile, Northern Paperworks have decided to contact Richard Brown at Lumino Inks to ask his opinion of Wainman Ltd. In three groups, you must write the correspondence between Wainman Ltd, Northern Paperworks and Lumino Inks. For each letter that you w

If you are Wainman Ltd, see card 64.

If you are Northern Paperworks, see card 42.

You are Lumino Inks, see card 34.

69