Company to Company Teachers Book

The group leader, Mr Daniel Thomas, decided to book the Sun Express holiday. sent the following letter of confirmation to Western Travel.

• What special instruction did he give them?

39 Headland Road

Brinton BR6 6AW

22 May 1987

Western Travel

12 The Crescent

Brinton

BR3 5YT

Dear Sirs

I am writing to confirm the details of our conversation yesterday, concerning a group travelling to Mexico.

We would like to book 25 places on Sun Express holiday No. 5210, departing 14th July. If it is not possible to book with Sun Express, we would accept the Golden Holidays tour. I will be away from home until June 2nd, so please take any necessary action to make sure that a holiday is booked.

Please find enclosed a cheque for £2,500 as a deposit.

Yours faithfully

Daniel Thomas

Western Travel is now waiting to receive confirmation from Sun Express. In three groups, you will write the correspondence between Sun Express, Western Travel and Golden Holidays.

If you are Sun Express, see role card 52.

If you are Golden Holidays, see role card 31.

If you are Western Travel, see role card 11.

UNIT 4

4A Study section: requesting action, apologising, requesting information, telexes

4.1Construcciones Jimenez asks about delivery

Construcciones Jimenez SA, Spain, ordered some drills from Haga Verktyg AB, Sweden. They asked their bank for a letter of credit in Haga Verktyg's favour but after two months Haga Verktyg had still not sent the goods. As you read the letters between the two companies, try to find the answers to the questions on page 33.

| CONSTRUCCIONES JIMENEZ

Ave. del Pueblo. Granada. Espana lllllllllllllllllll Tel. 345545. Tlx 456 CJS

=Dear Sirs

==As it is now more than two months since we opened a letter of credit in your favour, we

==would be grateful if you could arrange shipment

=appreciate it if you could let us know exactly

=when the goods will arrive.

We look forward to receiving the drills.

=Yours faithfully

S Jose Munoz

SB Manager

32

Haga Verktyg

Kaponjargatan 4c

Goteborg

Sweden

Tel: 543423

Tlx: 564 HGV

Dear Sr Munoz

Thank you for your letter dated 13 May concerning your order for five of our drills.

We must apologise for the delay in shipping this order. This was due to unforeseen circumstances. However, your order is being dealt with and will be sent without further delay.

With apologies once again,

Yours sincerely

Erik Stenlund

Export Manager

in your favour in your name, payable to you

a letter of credit (l/c) a bank paper that guarantees payment

unforeseen circumstances an unexpected situation (This phrase is often used when you do not want to give the real reason.) 1 What does Construcciones Jimenez want Haga Verktyg to d

2How exactly does Haga Verktyg apologise?

3Why hasn't Haga Verktyg sent the goods?

33

Unit 4

4.2 Requesting action

Here are some ways to ask people to do something for you.

Note: 'Please could you ...' is the most direct. You can use this when you are asking for something usual.

• 1 These requests are all mixed up. In each sentence put the words and phrases in the correct order.

a)please / arrange / for ten o'clock / could / an appointment / you

b)we / send us / as soon as possible / would / if you / the goods / be grateful I could

c)we / without delay / appreciate it / you could / pay our bill / would / if

d)confirm / please / you / are the same / could / your prices / that

e)we / exactly when / appreciate it / if you / would / could / tell us / you will arrive

2What would you write in the following situations?

a)You have seen an advertisement in the newspaper for a post as office manager.; You want an application form.

b)The photocopier in your office has broken down. You want to have it repaired quickly.

c)You have moved your office and you want the post office to forward 'your letters to your new address.

d)You want the telephone company to put another telephone in your office. You need it urgently.

e)You have written to a company and you want them to reply quickly.

4.3Apologising

We must apologise for ...

We apologise for ...

We are extremely sorry for .

Notes: — Use the '-ing' form after these phrases.

e.g. We are extremely sorry for losing your order.

-You can also say 'We are extremely sorry that...' e.g. We are extremely sorry that we lost your order.

Usually, it is polite to give the reason for the problem (see page 27) and then apologise, again at the end of a letter. (See Erik Stenlund's letter, 4.1.)

Please accept our apologies once again.

We hope that this has not caused you any inconvenience.

With apologies once again.

give a reason.)

18 North Avenue

Elmira

22-10-87

Dear Sir

I am writing in connection with your advertisement in the Daily Observer newspaper for a post as shop assistant.

Please could you send me the application forms.

Yours faithfully

WAINMAN (Printers) Ltd

Castle Street Kendal LA9 5YY

1 5 - 1 1 -

Dear Sirs

Order 285

I am writing with reference to the above order for stationery.

It is now three months since we delivered the goods to you. We would be grateful if you could send us your payment without delay.

Yours faithfully

H Wainman

Owners: H Wainman and N Lollerwicz

Unit 4

4.4 Construcciones Jimenez writes to Haga Verktyg again

Construcciones Jimenez wanted some more information from Haga Verktyg so the wrote again.

• What exactly did Sr Murioz want to know?

CONSTRUCCIONES JIMENEZ

4 A Study section

If you want specific information, say:

In particular, + one of the phrases from the box on page 36.

What would you write in these situations?

a)You wrote a letter to someone and they haven't replied. You want to know if they received the letter.

b)A businessman is going to your country. He wants you to get a visa for him. You need all the details about his passport (his nationality, date of birth, where his passport was issued, and when it expires).

cYou want to know about the same businessman's flight (flight number, date and time of arrival).

4.6 Letter practice

Last month, you replied to an advertisement in the newspaper and you received this letterback.

date as postmark

Dear Sir/Madam

4.7Telexes

Three weeks later, Construcciones Jimenez had still not received a reply from Hap Verktyg so they sent them a telex. They received the reply shown.

• 1 What do the abbreviated words mean?

2 Why can Haga Verktyg not supply the drills?

J UN 18

4 5 b

Because telex is quite expensive, the message is short. Notice how Munoz and Stenlund

—give only the important information

—use abbreviations where possible

—leave out words such as 'is', 'are', 'the', 'a'.

The message must be clear, however, so they only use abbreviations that they know the other person will understand.

38

3 Below are some abbreviations used in telexes. Match each of them with the correct meaning, as in the example. Three meanings are missing. What do you think they are?

4What telexes would you send in the following situations?

a)You have seen an advertisement in the newspaper for some agricultural equipment. You would like a copy of the company's catalogue and a price list.

b)You are the manager of a company that makes engines. You have received an order by telex, dated 16th June, for a CH6 motor Unfortunately, your company has stopped producing this motor.

c)You have ordered six Peach computers from a company but now you have to cancel the order. You will also send them a letter.

39

4B Activity section: From quote to sale

4B Activity section

2A few days later, Mr Amatzidi saw an advertisement for the same type of cable made by another manufacturer. To save time, he sent a telex.

-How could he have made the message shorter?

1Tavridis Ltd is an electrical contractor in Athens, Greece. They are working on some new houses and they now need 20,000 metres of 13 amp. cable. They need this cable quickly, so they sent the following letter to a manufacturer.

TAVRIDIS LTD

Electrical Contractor

PO Box 34767, Omonia,

103-10 ATHENS

Tel. 4565699 Tlx 4190 TVD

Dear Sirs

Please could you send us a quotation for 20,000 metres of 13 amp. cable, C & F to Athens, and the expected delivery time.

As we need this cable rather urgently, we would be grateful if you could send this information as soon as possible.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Yours faithfully

H M Amatzidi

Manager

C & F cost and freight

ELECTRICS LTD

PLEASE COULD YOU SEND US A QUOTE FOR

METRES OF 13 AMP CABLE . C & F ATHENS

TIME AS SOON AS

HANK YOU

Tavridis Ltd is now waiting for replies from the two manufacturers. In three groups you must write the correspondence between Tavridis Ltd, Midtec Cables Ltd and Hanston Electrics. The role cards at the back of the book will tell you what you must write but you can also send any other letters or telexes that you think are necessary since T avridis wants the cable urgently and the manufacturers want the order you must write quickly.

If you are Tavridis Ltd, see card 13.

If you are Midtec Cables Ltd, see card 10.

If you are Hanston Electrics, see card 61.

UNIT 5

5A Study section: making a mild complaint, making a point, warning, making a strong complaint

5.1 Intercity Bank writes to complain

Intercity Bank ordered some office furniture from Jakarta Furnishings (see pages 4 and 24). The filing cabinets did not arrive so Mr Long wrote to complain. He received reply from Mr Basuki. As you read the letters, try to find the answers to the questions or page 43.

INTERCITY BANK PLc

58 Jalan Thamrin • Jakarta • Indonesia

Telephone 376018 • Telex 6756

Dear Mr Basuki

Order 2789

I am writing in connection with your letter of 24 February concerning the above order for some office furniture.

Unfortunately, we have not yet received the filing cabinets which were a part of this order. We would be grateful if you could deliver these as soon as possible or refund our money.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Mr Peter Long

Manager

Unit 5

5.2 Making a mild complaint

To make a mild complaint you can:

— say that, unfortunately, something is wrong,

e.g. 'Unfortunately, we have not yet received the filing cabinets.' and then, using the phrases you learnt before (page 36):

—request some action. e.g. 'Please could you

1Match sentences 'a)—(d) together with sentences (e)—(h) to make four separa complaints.

a)Unfortunately, one of the machines you sent us was damaged.

b)Unfortunately, we have not yet received your payment.

c)Unfortunately, your driver took the goods to the wrong place.

d)Unfortunately, you forgot to mention the cost of your products

e)Please could you send us your cheque before 30 June.

f)We would be grateful if you could send us a replacement.

g)We would appreciate it if you could collect them and bring them to our offices!

h)Please could you send your price list as soon as possible.

2What would you write in these situations? In each case, decide what action you want the company or organisation to take. Follow the example.

a) A company has sent you a bill for the wrong g o o d s .

b)Your new photocopier has broken down. You have to write to the company who sold it to you.

c)A temporary secretary does not speak English. You have to write to the agency who sent her to you.

d)You keep receiving letters for someone else. You have to write to the pos office.

5A Study sectic

MINACHI OFFICE EQUIPMENT LTD

US$ 2,562

5.3 Letter practice

The accountant in your office has just passed you the invoice on page 45 .

Write a full letter to Minachi, complaining about the typewriter. Remember to:

—say what you are writing about (use a heading)

—say what is wrong

—request some action (you decide!)

5.4 Making a point

you want someone to take note of something you can use phrases such as:

should like to point out t h a t . . .

If you are saying what you already know (and you are a little bit angry) you

I should like to remind you that . . .

that it is not necessary to remind you that . . .

You have been passed these memos and letters. What will you write?

88 Hill Street

Brixham

TQ5 9ET

18 March 1987

Dear Sirs

I am interested in purchasing a large quantity of your Simplex cameras.

Please could you send me details of your prices and models available.

Yours faithfully

Paul Haskins

MEMO

Muriel Mclver arrives half an hour late for work every day. (She should start at 9.30.)

Please tell her.

R T F

TQ3 Jjp

d) 22 May ] 9 8 7

Dear Sirs

faithfully

5.5 Intercity Bank has to write again

Three months later, Intercity Bank had still not received the filing cabinets. Peter Long

It is now over seven months since we placed the above order with you and we are still waiting for the Linton filing cabinets. I should like to remind you that we have already paid for these cabinets. We really must insist, therefore, that you deliver them immediately or refund our money.

Unless we hear from you within seven days, we will be forced to take legal action.

Yours sincerely

Mr Peter Long

Manager

5.6 Warning

One way to warn somebody is to say:

What warnings would you give these people?

a)a company that has not paid your bill

b)another company that is using your company's car park

c)an employee who always arrives late for work

d)a builder who has left a lot of his tools in your office

5.7 Making a strong complaint

To make a strong complaint you can:

-say exactly what is wrong,

e.g. 'It is now over nine months since we placed this order and we are still waiting the cabinets.'

—make a point connected with this,

e.g. 'I should like to point out that we have already paid for these cabinets.'

and then:

-demand immediate action.

e.g. 'We really must insist, therefore, that you deliver them immediately.'

If you think that it is necessary you can also:

— give a warning.

e.g. 'Unless we hear from you, we will take legal action.'

•Each of these letters is mixed up. Put the sentences in the correct order.

1

Dear Sir

cI really must insist, therefore, that you refund at least 10% of our money.

b)I would like to remind you that your advertisement said 'superior hotels'.

I am writing to complain about your Tour 5210 to Mexico.

d)If we do not receive adequate compensation I will be forced to write to the local newspaper.

The quality of the food in the hotels was terrible and everybody in our group was sick most of the time.

Yours faithfully

Mr Daniel Thomas

The Manager

Swindle Cleaning Co

Dear Sir

( I hope it is not necessary to remind you that this is the second time I have complained about your employees.

If you are unable to do this, we will be forced to cancel

b)your contract.

I am writing in connection with your contract to clean our offices.

d)I really must insist, therefore, that you take immediate action to improve the quality of your services.

H J Wilson

Administrator

5.8 Letter practice

You work at Central Business Consultants, 16 Hyde Towers, Hong Kong. The people who rent the office next to you play very loud music all day and every day, even though the contract for the offices says 'no radios'. It is impossible for you to work. Write a full letter to them, making a strong complaint. Follow this plan:

-say what you are writing about (the noise from their office)

-say exactly what is wrong

-make a point connected with this (the contract)

-demand immediate action

-give them a warning (you will contact the landlord).