1
CHAPTER I
COMPANY ESTABLISHMENT
START UP BUSINESS
Read the text and answer the questions in task 1
Become an entrepreneur by starting your own business
Starting an independent business of your own offers several advantages. You are free from contractual obligations required from franchisees, and from any precedents established by the previous business owner. You are able to start on a fresh, clean slate with total control on how the business is shaped and managed. You are free to offer a pioneering and proprietary product that could help you dominate your market. You can start with a bang, or at a slower pace, depending on your resources and entrepreneurial goals. There is no required upfront investment that you must raise; except for the level that you think your business requires to be successfully launched. You can choose the location you want, determine the products and service that you market, and decide whether you need employees or not.
The downside of starting a business from scratch could also be numerous. A new business entails greater risk than buying an established business or franchise. You need to determine whether a need exists for your products or service; and if it does, work to create awareness and branding. The start-up process also necessitates you to do the groundwork process by yourself – from business licenses and permits, establishing relations with suppliers, and establishing a customer base to support operations. Many new start-up businesses, particularly home-based businesses, find it hard to secure financing given the lack of operating histories and inexperience of the people involved.
A new business will require a longer period of time to show profits, if at all. Entrepreneurs who decide on venturing on their own must be willing to dedicate considerable time and energy to establishing and nurturing the business.
Source: http://www.powerhomebiz.com/starting-a-business/entrepreneurship/roads-becoming-an-entrepreneur.html
2 1. What does the text tell you about?
2. What are the strengths of having your own business?
3. In your opinion, why does a new business entail greater risks than buying an established business or franchise?
4. Based on the text, what are needed to establish a new business? 5. What kind of business is mentioned in the text?
6. Find the meaning of the words/phrases below:
words/phrases
meaning
Contractual obligation
…
Franchise
a business licensed to sell a company's products exclusively in a particular area or to operate a business that carries that company's name…
Investment
the outlay of money, e.g. by depositing it in a bank or by buying stock in a company, with the object of making a profit…
Employee
a paid worker…
Supplier
Someone who gives, sells, or makes available something that is wanted or needed by somebody or something…
Start-up business
…
Home-based business
…
Profit
the excess of income over expenditure, especially in business…
Entrepreneur
somebody who initiates or finances new commercial enterprises…
Venture
new business enterprise: a business enterprise that involves risk, but could lead to profit…
COMPANY PROFILE
3 performance and acts as a marketing tool to grab new investors, employees, customers, or other parties interested in dealing with the company. Shortly, through the company profile, we want to make sure that the readers or prospects know who we are, what we are capable of, what we have achieved in our business operation, and why they should work with us and become our client.
As an indicator about the healthy prospects and future of your company, a profile should be professionally created. A good profile must have no errors, and if it is designed as a brochure it is preferable to get it professionally made using quality paper, printing and structuring. As a page on the website, it should be attractive in appearance, immediately catching a reader's eye and interspersed with relevant pictures and sub-headings. The length of the profile will depend upon the information you wish to provide, but a good rule of thumb relating to the length is about 10-15 pages. Any more might actually bore the reader and become a waste of efforts, and any profile shorter than that might indicate a weak position and make the reader question the company's potential.
The profile has everything in it; they are mentioned below:
• Name of the Company
• Logo of the Company
• History of the Company
• Business Scope/Field
• Company’s Objectives
• Mission and Vision of the Company
• Company’s Product
• Other significant information (Achievement, testimonial from existing customers)
• Contact information
The example of a company profile
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Royal Philips Electronics), more commonly known as Philips (Euronext: PHIA, NYSE: PHG) is a multinational Dutch electronic company.
Philips is one of the largest electronics companies in the world. In 2010, its sales were €25.42 billion. The company employs 119,000 people in more than 60 countries.
4 History
The foundations of Philips were laid in 1891 when Anton and Gerard Philips established Philips & Co. in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The company begun manufacturing carbon-filament lamps and by the turn of the century, had become one of the largest producers in Europe. By 1910, with 2,000 employees, Philips was the largest single employer in The Netherlands.
Stimulated by the industrial revolution in Europe, Philips’ first research laboratory was established in 1914 and the company started introducing its first innovations in the x-ray and radio technology. Over the years, the list of inventions has only been growing to include many breakthroughs that have continued to enrich people’s everyday lives.
Philips began by making carbon-filament lamps and, by the turn of the century, was one of the largest producers in Europe. As developments in new lighting technologies fueled a steady program of expansion, in 1914 it established a research laboratory to study physical and chemical phenomena and stimulate product innovation.
In 1918, Philips introduced a medical X-ray tube. This marked the beginning of the diversification of the company’s product range and the moment when it began to protect its innovations with patents in areas stretching from X-ray radiation to radio reception.
In 1925, Philips became involved in the first experiments in television and, in 1927, began producing radios. By 1932, Philips had sold one million of them and had become the world’s largest radio producer. A year later, it produced its 100-millionth radio valve and started production of medical X-ray equipment in the United States. By 1939, when it launched the first Philips electric shaver, the company employed 45,000 people worldwide.
Science and technology underwent tremendous development in the 1940s and 1950s, with Philips Research inventing the rotary heads that led to the development of the Philishave electric shaver, and laying down the basis for later ground-breaking work in transistors and integrated circuits. The company also made major contributions to the development of the recording, transmission and reproduction of television pictures. In 1963, it introduced the Compact Audio Cassette. In 1965, it produced its first integrated circuits.
The flow of exciting new products and ideas continued throughout the 1970s. Research in lighting contributed to the new PL and SL energy-saving lamps, while Philips Research made key breakthroughs in the processing, storage and transmission of images, sound and data. These led to the inventions of the Laser Vision optical disc, the Compact Disc and optical telecommunication systems. In 1972, the company co-founded PolyGram (Philips 60% and Siemens 40%), the enormously successful music recording label. In 1974, it acquired Magnavox and in 1975, Signetic, both in the United States.
5 The 1990s was a decade of significant change for Philips. The company carried out a major restructuring program to return it to a healthy footing, simplifying its structure and reducing the number of business areas. Some of the businesses continued performing well and by 1995, Philips had sold 300 million electric shavers. Building on the success of its Compact Disc technology, in 1997 Philips cooperated with Sony to introduce another innovation that became the fastest growing home electronics product in history: the DVD.
Moving into the 21st century, Philips continued to change and grow. Long aware that for many people Philips was no more than a consumer electronics producer; the company started projecting a new image that better reflected its products in the areas of Healthcare, Lifestyle and Technology. In 2004 Philips unveiled its new brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Underlined by a sizeable advertising campaign, the company confirmed its dedication to offering consumers products that are advanced, easy to use and designed to meet their needs.
Vision and Mission
In September 2007, Philips communicated its Vision 2010 strategic plan to further grow the company with increased profitability targets. As part of Vision 2010, the organizational structure was simplified per January 1, 2008 by forming three sectors: Healthcare, Lighting and Consumer Lifestyle. These steps further position Philips as a market-driven, people-centric company with a strategy and a structure that fully reflect the needs of its customer base. With this set of businesses, Philips aims to build the leading brand in Health and Well-being.
Vision:
“In a world where complexity increasingly touches every aspect of our daily lives, we will lead in bringing sense and simplicity to people.”
Mission:
"Improve the quality of people’s lives through timely introduction of meaningful innovations."
Business
6 Management
Philips has established an Executive Committee, which comprises the President/CEO, the CFO, the Sector CEO’s and six experienced leaders, allowing functions, businesses and markets to be represented at the highest levels in the Company.
The functions, businesses and markets represented are: innovation, strategy, human resources, legal, and global markets, with a dedicated representation for China as a major growth market.
Under the chairmanship of the President/CEO, the members of the Executive Committee share powers and responsibilities for the management of the Company, the deployment of its strategy and policies, and the achievement of its objectives and results.
Under Dutch Law, Philips’ Board of Management is accountable for the actions and decisions of the Executive Committee and has ultimate responsibility for the Company’s external reporting and is answerable to shareholders of the Company at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Pursuant to the two-tier corporate structure, the Board of Management is accountable for its performance to a separate and independent Supervisory Board.
Frans van Houten President and Chief Executive Officer Royal Philips Electronics Acting Chief Executive Officer Philips Lighting
Chairman of the Board of Management and the Executive Committee
Ron Wirahadiraksa Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Royal Philips Electronics
Acting Chief Financial Officer Philips Lighting
Member of the Board of Management and the Executive Committee
Gottfried Dutiné Executive Vice President Royal Philips Electronics and Chief Innovation Officer
Member of the Board of Management and the Executive Committee
Steve Rusckowski Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Philips Healthcare
Member of the Board of Management and the Executive Committee
Pieter Nota Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer Philips Consumer Lifestyle
7 Sponsorship
For Philips sponsoring is a way to connect to our stakeholders interest via global issues, sports, arts and culture. It provides an opportunity to engage our target audiences.
In the selection of sponsorship partners, we are guided by their ability to help us build Philips as the leading company that delivers 'sense and simplicity’ in the domain of health and well-being.
Economist/Philips stakeholder event, SimplyHealthy@Schools, The Rijksmuseum, PSV are examples of our global and local sponsorship programs.
Products
Philips Philishave range of electric razors
Philips portable dvd player
Philips MRI
Philips Iridium street lamp
Philips 3D ready Ambilighttelevision
8 Philips Streamium internet jukebox
Achievement
In the Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics, Philips ranks on the 3rd place (after Nokia and Sony Ericsson). The company gains its points mainly for launching a LED TV that is free from PVC and BFRs, the first product in this category to be free from these hazardous substances. Philips have made some considerable progress since 2007 (when it was first ranked in this guide), in particular by supporting the Individual Producer Responsibility principle, which means that the company is accepting the responsibility for the toxic impacts of its products on e-waste dumps around the world.
For its "green products", Philips is using Philips Green Logo, which identifies products that have a significantly better environmental performance than their competitors or predecessors. Also, the company is running the EcoVision4 initiative in which it committed to a number of environmentally positive improvements by 2012.
In 2011, Philips won a $10 million cash prize from the Department of Energy's L-Prize competition, which rewarded the company with first place for its LED replacement bulbs.
Company Contacts
1. Think about an idea of establishing a start-up business.
2. Create your business/company profile (you can use the example of company profile above for your reference).
9
PRESENTING COMPANY PROFILE
One of the most common presentation people do is presenting their company. Like most things, there are some guidelines you should follow. Sadly, most companies prepare a 40 to 60 minute presentation detailing things such as company management structure, financial growth over the last few years and a detailed explanation of each individual factory and office. This is simply too much information.
A Company introduction should last between 15 and 20 minutes. Anything longer is too much detail. It should include four things, these are:
1. Brief history, vision and mission, business scope 2. What do you make or do (company product) 3. Who are your customers (market)
4. What makes you unique or different (achievements)
When you are talking about your company’s history, rather than put a bullet pointed list of important dates on a slide, your audience is far more interested in the stories. For example introducing Hyundai would be a dream because there are so many stories around the founding of Hyundai; selling rice on the streets of Seoul in the 1920′s and repairing cars in the 1930′s and 40′s.
By telling stories of your company’s foundation, you immediately create an interest in the company. Apple and the early days in Steve Wozniak’s parent’s garage, Microsoft’s first meeting with IBM and Richard Branson selling second-hand records from the basement of his parent’s house. All these stories are fascinating and audiences love them.
When you come to talk about what you do and who you sell to, don’t go into detail about contract sizes or individual components. Talk about unique technology in your products, give a couple of examples of your customers and how they feel about you.
10
LANGUAGE EXPRESSIONS
Giving the history of your company
• We were founded / set up / established in 1981.
• We merged with X company in 1990.
• We set up a subsidiary in the UK.
• The subsidiary was sold off two years after and the remaining company was split into five different divisions.
• We floated on the stock exchange last year, and we are now listed on the London Stock Exchange.
• We make / produce packaging material.
• We manufacture car engines.
• We supply paper products.
• We launched a new washing powder last month. It has revolutionized the washing process. We have pioneered new ways of getting your clothes cleaner.
• We are researching new products for the home entertainment industry. We hope to roll them out early next year.
• We are developing new software for the internet. Our R&D department is working closely with our international partners.
Company performance
• We are the market leaders in three countries.
• We have expanded our operations.
• Our company has grown by one-third.
• We make annual profits of $1 million.
• Our turnover is in excess of $2 million.
Responsibilities
• I report to the Marketing Manager.
• I deal with customer enquiries.
• We work closely with the sales team, who are in charge of customer accounts.
• We co-operate with our offices worldwide.
• We have more than one branch in some countries.
• We are responsible for our own markets.
• I’m in the advertising department.
• I run the marketing department and I report to the director of commercial operations.
• Her job is to monitor progress on the major orders.
• He looks after exhibitions and marketing events.
Task 3 (Work group)
11
CHAPTER II
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Task 1
Look at these organizational charts or organigrams and answer these questions.
1. Which of them resembles a pyramid? 2. Which is flat?
3. Which one would reflect a hierarchical relationship in a given company? 4. Which one would involve flexible groups or teams?
5. Which types of organization have a vertical chain of command?
Read the text on company structure
fill the organizational chart below.
12 There are many different forms of company structure. They differ from the tall or pyramid structures, which are hierarchical, to the flat and network structures, which are more flexible. At the top of the pyramid structure is the Chairperson or the President of the Board of Directors, who is the most important person in the company. He/she oversees operations and decides what the policy and the objectives of the firms should be. The board is responsible to the stakeholders whose money is invested in the firm.
At the next level is the Managing Director (MD) or the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is usually a member of the Board of Directors or Management. He/she has to report back to them, and is responsible for the day to day running of the company. American uses the term President rather than chairperson, and CEO instead of managing director. Most firms also have the Supervisory board at the level whose responsibility is to supervise the general course of business and advise the Management Board.
The Management Board consists of the heads of the main department who are also sometimes called Company Officers. Their Job titles describe their functions. For example the Finance Department is run by the Finance Manager or Director (in case he/she is a member of the board of directors). The most common departments in addition to Finance are: Research and Development (R&D), manufacturing/Production, marketing, Personnel or Human Resources. Depending on the nature of the firm’s line of business, there may also be departments for Public Relations (PR), IT, Legal Affairs, etc.
Task 2
Fill the organizational chart below based on the description above.
13 Task 3
Find the words which refer to the same type of business organization:
1. Tall _____________ ____________ ____________
2. ______________ horizontal 3. Flexible _______________
Task 4
Fill in the blanks with these verbs: run, develop, make, fire, advertise, make, form, provide, and market.
1. R&D _________________ new product.
2. IT _________________ new media communications, such as the Internet. 3. Finance ________________ financial transactions.
4. Public Relations ________________ good relations between an organization and the public.
5. Manufacturing/Production ___________ goods in the factory. 6. Personnel or HR ___________ and __________ employees. 7. Legal Affairs ______________ legal services to the firm. 8. Marketing _____________ and ______________ products.
How many verbs or phrases of responsibility (e.g. give orders) can you find in the text? There are at least eight of them.
_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________
LANGUAGE EXPRESSION
• At the head is the President, or CEO.
• Below the President is the Managing Director, who has overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the company.
• The company is divided into different departments, each with its own director. The Marketing and Sales department consists of the sales team, and customer services. The Administration department also includes Personnel.
14 • There are 5 branches and 9 departments.
• The managers of the main divisions are on the board.
• The production manager has three staffs. They work under the supervision of the production manager.
• The Managing Director is supported by four managers.
• The Managing Director is responsible to the Chairman
• The Financial Manager has two staffs.
• The sales manager and the purchasing manager are responsible to the marketing manager.
Task 5
In hierarchical companies, it is very important to know who is responsible to whom and who reports to whom on one hand and who is subordinate to whom on the other. Look back at your pyramid structure organigrams. Match the title and the phrases to make true sentences.
The chairperson is responsible The management board
The board of directors Oversees To supervisory board
The supervisory board Advises The operations
The CEO Invest On financial issues
Shareholders Report Money in the company
The financial directors Advises The board of directors
The managers carry out To the CEO
The IT managers are subordinated The internet pages
The shop-floor workers Runs The managers’ decision
1.
__________________________________________________________________
2.
__________________________________________________________________
3.
__________________________________________________________________
4.
__________________________________________________________________
5.
__________________________________________________________________
6.
__________________________________________________________________
15
8.
__________________________________________________________________
9.
__________________________________________________________________
Task 6
Who could make the following decisions?
1. Whether an applicant or person applying for a job should be chosen for that job. 2. Whether the employees who are on strike should be given what they want so that
they go back to work.
3. Whether someone should be transferred from the sales department to the financial department.
4. Whether a pay rise should be given to employee.
5. Whether a member or staff should be sent to a scientific conference. 6. Whether a member or staff should be promoted.
Task 7
16
CHAPTER III
DESCRIBING GRAPHS AND CHARTS
INTRODUCTION
In business situations you may find yourself having to give a presentation describing changes and trends in business or progress of your company. In such situation, sometimes you have to use visual data such as tables, graphs, and charts which can help to explain concepts clearly.
The function of those visuals data is to describe a TREND pictorially. Therefore, in presenting those visuals data you should describe it verbally. If there are many lines in the graph(s), then just generally describe the trend but if there is only one or two lines, then use more detail description.
Graph and Chart is a simple drawing (diagram) displaying detail information (usually in a basic shape used to indicate relationships between two or more variable quantities. The quantities are usually measured along two axes set at right angles to each other.
There are three kinds of diagram:
1. A bar/column graph 2. A line graph
3. A pie chart
LANGUAGE EXPRESSION
To describe the movement, there is some language which will always be useful. Below is a list of language you can use. Check with your dictionary words that you don't understand and practice using the words/phrases so you use them in the right way. As you will see, there are a number of words which are similar in meaning. This means that you will be able to use a variety of vocabulary which gives a good impression to the examiner who will read and mark your writing. The words below are particularly useful for line graphs but they can also be used where appropriate to describe the other types of graph.
Presenting graph
17 • Looking at the graph on the screen ...
• As the graph/diagram illustrates ...
• If you look at the graph .../if we have a look at this graph ... • If i could direct your attention to the graph ...
• The vertical axis above shows ... • The horizontal axis represents/indicates ... • In January 1986, sales stood at ...
Ex plaining upward movement
Verbs Nouns
Rise (to) a rise
Increase (to) an increase
Go up to -
Grow (to) growth
Climb (to) a climb
Boom a boom
Peak (at) (reach) a peak (at)
Improve An improvement
Examples:
• However, in mid May costs rose to 25m.
• There was a sudden increase/rise in costs of 10%. • Costs suddenly increased by 100%.
• During the second hour it rose again, reaching another peak ... • It continued to rise in the early afternoon to 3412.
• Sales rose it was Christmas time.
• The situation improved when we opened a new office in Milan. • There has been a slow/gradual rise in sales.
• The company gains its profit due to a steady increase in sales.
Ex plaining downward movement
Verbs Nouns
Fall (to) a fall (of)
Decline (to) a decline (of)
Decrease (to) a decrease (of)
Dip (to) a dip (of)
Drop (to) a drop (of)
Go down (to) -
Reduce (to) a reduction (of)
18
Ex amples:
• There was a gradual fall in costs from 15m to 12m. • Costs gradually fell by/decreased/dropped/slid/declined 3m. • By late afternoon it was back down to its morning starting point
• The Nikkei ended at 22980, a fall/ decrease/drop/slide/decline/collapse/slump of 940 points on the day. And the index fell/collapsed/slumped like a stone by 40 points. Numbers fell due to/because of bad publicity.
• This comes after a dramatic/sharp fall last year.
Explaining static movement
Verbs Nouns
Level out a leveling out
No change no change
Remain stable (at)
Remain steady (at)
Stay (at)
Stay constant (at) Maintain the same level Sustain
Examples:
• After that the Nikkei remained fairly level/stable for a couple of hours • … but there was not good enough news to sustain the rise…
• Sale stayed at their 1989 level due to a sharp fall in the value of dollar.
Describing the degree of change (focus is on vertical axis)
For example:
19
Describing the speed of change
For example:
“… before falling back gradually in mid-morning trading and in 1997sales rose sharply”.
Study the following graph and its description
The line graph shows figures for unemployment in the UK workforce between May 2003 and July 2006. It is clear from the chart that the rate of unemployment fluctuated a great deal during this time. At the beginning of the period, unemployment stood at 5.1 per cent. A few months later, the figure had risen slightly to 5.2 per cent. Unemployment then remained stable until September 2003. From this point on there was a steady downward trend and by January 2004 the rate had fallen to 4.9 per cent. It stayed at this level until May in the same year, but from May to July there was another small drop of 1 per cent. There were no further changes in the level of unemployment until March the following year. From March to May 2005, there was a small increase of 1 per cent, but this did not last long and the figure had fallen back to 4.8 percent by July. From September 2005 to November the same year, the figure shot up from 4.8 to 5.2 per cent. The rate remained stable for a few months, but then rose sharply again and had reached a peak of 5.7 per cent by July 2006.
Notes:
1. Carefully analyse the table or chart before you start writing. What are the topics and the time period?
20 4. DO NOT describe every single detail. Find important trends. Select examples that
represent the overall picture.
5. Try not to keep repeating the same language and sentence structures. 6. Do not describe the reasons or give your opinions – stick to the facts.
7. Finish with a concluding sentence summarising what we learnt from the chart.
Task 1
Use the following words to describe the line chart!
Rose sharply Increase
gradually
Remained constanly Reached a peak
fluctuated Fell gradually Levelled off Declined sharply
Task 2
Find the other way to describe the terms used in the exercise above and match them below!
1. Remained constanly a. Was steady
2. Fell gradually b. Dropped off a bit
3. Declined sharply c. Was up and down
4. Reached a peak d. Peaked and then feel a bit
5. Rose sharply e. Shot up
6. Levelled off f. Dropped like a rock
7. Fluctuated g. Eased off
21 Task 3
Look at the chart and complete the sentences describing data.
Between 2004 and 2006, cost 1) _____________ dramatically, 2) __________ 50 Euros to 100 Euros. There was a sharp 3) __________ in profit, which fell from 100 Euros over the same __________. By 2006, costs were 5) ____________ as high as profit.
Task 4
Now write sentences about the chart below, which shows changes in the quantities of imports of certain electronic goods.
23
CHAPTER IV
BUSINESS LETTER
ELEMENTS IN A BUSINESS LETTER
A business letter consists of the following elements, presented in the order listed:
• return address (optional)
• date
• recipient’s address
• salutation
• body (or text)
• complimentary close
• signature
• typist’s initials (optional)
• enclosures (optional)
• carbon copies (optional)
A. Addresses and Dates in
The salutation in a business letter should include the return mailing address, the date the letter is sent, and the mailing address of the recipient.
If you are using letterhead stationery printed with your complete mailing address, the return address should be omitted.
B. Return Address
On non-letterhead stationery, begin your letter by typing on separate lines
your company’s name
the company’s street address
the city, state, and ZIP code
Example:
Tailspin Toys
876 Maple Drive
Franklin Park, IL 60131-0443
C. Date
24 Incorrect: 3/31/99 Correct: March 31, 1999
3-12-200931 March 1999
D. Recipient’s Address
Below the date, insert the recipient’s address. There should be at least one line space between them, although using three line spaces is usually preferred if the letter is short. Include the following items in the address, each on a separate line:
• the recipient’s full name preceded by a courtesy title • the recipient’s title /position
• the company name (spelled and styled exactly as it appears in the company’s own publications)
• the company’s street address • the city, state, and ZIP code
example:
Mr. Henry Thomason Personnel Manager Lucerne Publishing 1002 Market Avenue Kodiak, AK 99615-0037 NOTE:
If the recipient’s title is short, you may list it on the same line as the name, using a comma to separate them; Mr. Henry Thomason, Manager. If you do not know the recipient and cannot tell from the name alone whether the person is a man or a woman, omit the courtesy title; Chris Thomason, Manager.
E.Salutations
A letter’s salutation is a brief greeting that appears before the body of a letter. In business correspondence, the salutation should begin with the word Dear, followed by a courtesy title and the recipient’s last name. It may end in either a colon or a comma, although a colon is the most common choice for business letters.
Dear Ms. Richards:
If you do not know the gender of the recipient, omit the courtesy title and replace it with the person’s first name.
25 For a relatively informal letter, you may use just the first name, but only if you know the recipient well.
Dear Leslie,
If you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing, never use the salutation “Dear Gentlemen,” which is dated as well as sexist. Only slightly better is “To Whom it May Concern” Because of its impersonal nature, this greeting if off-putting to many people.
Instead, when at all possible, try to find the name you need by consulting a phone directory or calling the person’s company. If you still cannot locate the name, consider using the person’s title in the salutation.
Dear Vice President of Financing,
F.Complimentary Close
Two line spaces below the final paragraph of a business letter, you should insert a polite closing statement, known as a complimentary close. Only the first word in the close should be capitalized, and a comma should follow the final word.
Sincerely yours,
In business correspondence, standards such as “Sincerely,” “Yours truly,” and “Best wishes” are usually the most appropriate. Avoid complimentary closes that are overly flowery (e.g., “Your humble servant,” “Wishing you the very, very best”) or informal (e.g., “Bye now,” “’Til next time”).
Depending on the letter format you use, the close should either be aligned on the left margin or indented to the middle of the page.
G. Signature
Sign your name in ink below the complimentary close, and type your name and title on separate lines below your signature.
Christine Evans Director of Sales
If the name of your department or division is not on your letterhead, you may insert it below your title.
26 Also consider adding your telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address if these are not printed on your stationery. Be sure to label clearly whether a number is for a telephone or fax line.
Hamilton Boyce Production Manager Phone: 901-555-6734 Fax: 901-555-6723 E-mail: hboyce@msn.com
H.Typist’s Initials
If someone else types your letter for you, the typist’s initials should appear two line spaces below your typed name and title (or, if listed, below your telephone number, fax number, and/or e-mail address). The initials should be set in lowercase letters with no periods between them.
jlk
If one person writes a letter and another types it, the writer’s initials, set in all capitals, should be inserted before the typist’s initials. Place a colon or slash between them.
NB:jlk NB/jlk
If one person writes a letter, another types it, and a third person signs it, the signer’s initials, set in all capitals, should be inserted before the writer’s initials, also set in all capitals. The typist’s initials should follow the first two. Place a colon or slash between them.
FMR:NB:jlk FMR/NB/jlk
I. Enclosures
If any materials are to be sent along with the letter, insert the word Enclosures or the abbreviation Enc. or Encl. two line spaces below the typist’s initials. To keep a record of what was sent, you can insert a colon after the word or abbreviation and either note the number of items enclosed or list a description of each.
Enclosures: 3
Encl.: Job application
27 J. Carbon Copies
If you send copies of a letter to anyone other than the person to whom it is addressed, insert the abbreviation cc. (for “carbon copy”) two line spaces below the enclosures line. Follow cc. with a colon and the names of everyone who received a copy. Use the same form for all of the names listed.
Incorrect: cc: Mr. Bennett Josie Morris Tom
Correct:
cc: Harold Bennett Josie Morris Thomas Peterson
If more than one person receives a copy, list their names either according to their rank in your company or in alphabetical order.
LETTER FORMAT
A. Full Block Letter Format
28 B. Modified Block Letter Format
The modified block letter format is usually used for personal letters and informal business correspondence. In this format, the following components of the letter are indented to approximately the center of the page: return address, date, complimentary close, signature, and the block of text under the signature including the sender’s name and title. All other elements are aligned on the left margin.
The example below indicates the number of line spaces that should appear between elements in a modified block letter. As shown, one blank line space belongs below the recipient’s address, salutation, body of the text, text block below the signature, typist’s initials, and list of enclosures. Three blank line spaces should follow the complimentary close, to provide space for the signature. Depending on the length of the letter, either one or three line spaces may be inserted after the date.
Wheeler Copiers
Thank you for your letter of January 4, in which you described your company’s services. I am interested in using your messengers for our local deliveries. For your reference, I have enclosed a list of the firms to which we regularly send packages.
29
LETTER OF INQUIRY
A. Introduction
A letter of inquiry is written to inquire/to request about a product or service offered by the company. In this letter, we request the concerned person from the company to give us information concerning a product, service or other information about a product or service that interests us (brochures, catalogs, etc). These letters are often written in response to an advertisement that we have seen in the paper, a magazine, a commercial on television when we are interested in purchasing a product, but would like more information before making a decision.
B. How to write letter of inquiry
Remember to place your or your company's address at the top of the letter (or use your company's letterhead) followed by the address of the company you are writing to. The date can either be placed double spaced down or to the right.
Volcano Coffee Company
I’m desperate to find a manager for the store we’re opening in Eugene. Do you know anyone who would be right for the job? I’m looking for someone with at least two years of experience with managing a staff of about ten people. Give me a call if you have any ideas.
I’ve been extremely busy getting the Eugene and Corvallis stores off the ground. In case you’re interested, I’ve enclosed a brochure with photos of the new locations.
30 Important Language to Remember
• The Start: Dear Sir or Madam
To Whom It May Concern - (very formal as you do not know the person to whom you are writing)
• Giving Reference: With reference to your advertisement (ad) in... Regarding your advertisement (ad) in ...
• Requesting a Catalog, Brochure, Etc.: After the reference, add a comma and continue - ... , would (Could) you please send me ...
• Requesting Further Information: I would also like to know ... Could you tell me whether ...
• Signature: Yours faithfully - (very formal as you do not know the person to whom you are writing)
C.Examples of letter of inquiry Example 1:
Kenneth Beare 2520 Visita Avenue Olympia, WA 98501
September 12, 2000
Jackson Brothers 3487 23rd Street New York, NY 12009
To Whom It May Concern:
With reference to your advertisement in yesterday's New York Times, could you please send me a copy of your latest catalog. I would also like to know if it is possible to make purchases online.
Yours faithfully
(Signature)
Kenneth Beare
31 recently told me of your success in managing Technote’s training program for the hardcore unemployed. Our firm is presently planning such a program, and we would appreciate information about the mind-set section of your program.
We expect to begin our training sessions on approximately August 1. I believe we are prepared for the remedial-education and job-skills portion of the program, but we need help with mind-set section. Specifically, we would appreciate knowing who you employed to teach that section, the major emphasis in the section, and the length of the section in relation to the entire programs.
I congratulate you on your success in managing Technote’s program, and I believe your ideas would help us solve this long-neglected problem, also. I look forward to hearing from you.
Very truly yours,
Francisco Fortaleza Managing Director
D. Responding to inquiry and request for information
The best impression when responding to inquiries from potential customers is by providing the materials or information that the perspective client has asked for. This positive impression will be improved by a well written response.
Remember to place your or your company's address at the top of the letter (or use your company's letterhead) followed by the address of the company you are writing to. The date can either be placed double spaced down or to the right. You can also include a reference number for correspondence.
Important Language to Remember
• The start:
32 • Thanking the Potential Customer for His/Her Interest:
Thank you for your letter of ... inquiring (asking for information) about ...
We would like to thank you for your letter of ... inquiring (asking for information) about
• Providing Requested Materials: We are pleased to enclose ... Enclosed you will find ... We enclose ...
• Providing Additional Information: We would also like to inform you ... Regarding your question about ...
In answer to your question (inquiry) about ...
• Closing a Letter Hoping for Future Business:
We look forward to ... hearing from you / receiving your order / welcoming you as our client (customer).
• Signature:
Yours sincerely (remember use 'Yours faithfully' when you don't know the name of the
person you are writing and 'Yours sincerely' when you do.
E. Example of responding to enquiry
Jackson Brothers
Thank you for your inquiry of 12 September asking for the latest edition of our catalogue.
We are pleased to enclose our latest brochure. We would also like to inform you that it is possible to make purchases online at http:\\jacksonbros.com.
We look forward to welcoming you as our customer.
Yours sincerely
(Signature)
33
Interworld PC
South west Road 187 Manhattan, N.Y. 99635-7745
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
January 16, 2008
John Huber Duck & Duck 199 Hanson Lane
Portland, OR 97209-0800
Dear Mr. Huber,
Thank you for your inquiry about our computer product.
Please find enclosed a brochure and a copy of our price list for this year, delivery dates, and term of payment. You will see that we are offering a special discount for large order.
Please contact us if you require any further information.
Yours Sincerely,
Thomas O’Gorman
34 The example of offer letter
merCHANdize
Jalan Surya Kencana Abadi Kav. IV no.65 Bandung 45367
Ph. 022-9143850 fax.022-9123849
7 November 2010
Mrs. Stephanie Gloria Susanto Managing Director
Education Study Center Jalan Ciremai Raya no.04 Bandung 54622
Dear Mrs. Stephanie,
After having seen your company profile presentation in Anjasmoro Convention Hall at West Java Expo 2010, I would like to offer you cooperation with your company.
As information, we have made cooperation with some companies in Indonesia for more than 12 years. Our business scope is specialized in supplying merchandises for company promotion and publication that are known throughout the industry for their quality and durability. Thus, we would like to offer you cooperation in supplying merchandises for your company’s promotion and publication.
Enclosed is our company profile, which describes the overall
characteristics of our company. This should help you to familiarize you with our corporate and product values.
If you have any further questions about our products, please call us at our toll-free number in 08092300 or our email in merchandize@gmail.com.
Sincerely yours,
Jonas
Jonas Akbari
35 The example of responding to offer letter
EDUCATION STUDY CENTRE
Jalan Ciremai Raya no.04 Bandung 54622
Ph. 022-89765772/89765773 Fax.022-89775821
12 November 2010
Mr. Jonas Akbari Marketing Manager merchandize
Jalan Surya Kencana Abadi Kav. IV no.65 Bandung 45367
Dear Sir,
With reference to your letter of 7 November 2010, we would like to thank you for your offer to cooperate with our company.
We have learnt about your company profile and we find it that your company is the experienced one in supplying merchandises for a company’s promotion and publication. It is a great pride and pleasure for us to have a chance to be one of your business partners. If it possible, we would like to invite you for a further meeting and discussion about your offer at our office on Monday, 22 November 2010.
Thank you once again for considering us.
Sincerely yours,
Stefy
Stephanie Gloria S.
36
• We are writing to inform that …/to confirm that …/to request …/to enquire about ... • I am contacting you for the following reason.
• I recently read/heard about . . . and would like to know . . . • Having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like to ... • I would be interested in (obtaining/receiving) ...
• I received your address from ... and would like to ... • I am writing to tell you about ...
3. Referring to previous contact
• With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday ...
• Further to our meeting last week ...
• It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month.
• I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed on Tuesday . . .
• With reference to your letter of 8 June, I ...
• Thank you for your letter regarding ...
• Thank you for your letter/e-mail about ...
• In replying to your letter of 8 May, ...
• Could you possibly tell us/let us have... • In addition, I would like to receive ... • It would be helpful if you could send us ... • I am interested in (obtaining/receiving...)
• I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
• Please let me know what action you propose to take.
5. Offering help
• We would be happy to ...
• Would you like us to ...
• We are quite willing to ...
• Our company would be pleased to ...
6. Giving good news
• We are pleased to announce that ...
• I am delighted to inform you that ...
37 7. Giving bad news
• We regret to inform you that ...
• I'm afraid it would not be possible to ...
• Unfortunately we cannot/we are unable to ...
• After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ... 8. Complaining
• I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ... • I am writing to complain about ...
• Please note that the goods we ordered on (date) have not yet arrived. • We regret to inform you that our order n°--- is now considerably overdue. • I would like to query the transport charges which seem unusually high. 9. Apologizing
• We are sorry for the delay in replying ...
• I regret any inconvenience caused
• I would like to apologize for (the delay/the inconvenience) ...
• Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience. 10. Orders
• Thank you for your quotation of ...
• We are pleased to place an order with your company for ...
• We would like to cancel our order n°...
• Please confirm receipt of our order.
• I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your order n°...
• Your order will be processed as quickly as possible.
• It will take about (three) weeks to process your order.
• We can guarantee delivery before ...
• Unfortunately these articles are no longer available/are out of stock. 11. Prices
• Please send us your price list.
• You will find enclosed our most recent catalogue and price list.
• Please note that our prices are subject to change without notice.
• We have pleasure in enclosing a detailed quotation.
• We can make you a firm offer of ...
• Our terms of payment are as follows : 12. Referring to payment
• Our records show that we have not yet received payment of ...
• According to our records ...
• Please send payment as soon as possible.
• You will receive a credit note for the sum of ... 13. Enclosing documents
• I am enclosing ...
• Please find enclosed ...
• You will find enclosed ... 14. Closing remarks
• If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know
• If I can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me
• If you require more information ...
• For further details ...
• Thank you for taking this into consideration
• Thank you for your help.
• We hope you are happy with this arrangement.
• We hope you can settle this matter to our satisfaction. 15. Referring to future business
• We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future
38
• I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm. 16. Referring to future contact
• I look forward to seeing you next week
• Looking forward to hearing from you
• Looking forward to receiving your comments
• I look forward to meeting you on the 15th
• I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience.
• An early reply would be appreciated. 17. Ending business letters
• Yours faithfully
• Sincerely, }
• Yours sincerely, } (for all customers/clients)
• Sincerely yours, }
• Regards, (for those you already know and/or with whom you already have a working
