NuiiuL Muurz My Blog: Makalah Business Letter

BUSINESS LETTER

TUGAS MATA KULIAH BUSINESS ENGLISH

Anggota:

1. Danu Mardani (D1513014)

2. Heni Rismawati (D1513042)

3. Kasih Pudiya Novandi (D1513052)

4. Nita Rahayu (D1513072)

5. Nurul Haryanti (D1513076)

D3-MANAJEMEN ADMINISTRASI (B)

FAKULTAS ILMU SOSIAL DAN ILMU POLITIK

UNIVERSITAS SEBELAS MARET

SURAKARTA

2014

A. Understanding of Business Letter

Business letter is a form of written communication within an organization or between two organization. It is differentiated from a general letter by its layout and form which is well established by conventation and practice.

A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties. The overall style of letter depends on the relationship between the parties concerned. Business letters can have many types of contents, for example to request direct information or action from another party, to order supplies from a supplier, to point out a mistake by the letter's recipient, to reply directly to a request, to apologize for a wrong, or to convey goodwill. A business letter is sometimes useful because it produces a permanent written record, and may be taken more seriously by the recipient than other forms of communication

B. Kinds of Business Letters

a. Asking Letter

The simple request for information, literatur, favors, appointments, reservation, and so on. Another type of asking letter is written to order merchandise or service. It is commonly called an order letter.

b. Letters Answering Request

Just as a business firm often writes letters asking for something from another organization, it also receives a great many such letters.

Some letters answering requests are not so easy to write. You may sometimes have to tell a customer that his order will be delayed because the merchandise is out of stock, or you may have to refuse a customer’s request for a special favor simply because you cannot possibly grant it. These letters require the utmost tact and courtesy.

Letters answering requests give the letter writer one of his best opportunities for making friends and building goodwill. They are, therefore, among the most important communications in business.

c. Claim Letters

A persuasive letter sent by a customer to a business or agency to identify a problem with a product or service. Also known as a letter of complaint. letter of claim is a letter that is written to notify someone of incomplete or unsatisfactory work on a specific project. For example, if you hired someone to decorate your office, but they never finished the job or did not complete it to your specifications, you would write them a letter of claim stating you grievances and possible reparations.

The words and tone you choose to use in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding factor on whether your complaint is satisfied. Be direct but tactful and always use a professional tone if you want the company to listen to you.

d. Adjustment Letters

Letters written in response to claims are called adjustment letters. Adjustment letter is a reply to a complaint letter. It should not be sent in a moment of excitement or anger. Take sometime to restore to one’s usual self before writing such letter. The objective is to inform the reader that their complaint has been received. It is also a legal document recording what decisions were made and what actions have or will be taken.

Keep in mind that your reader has been inconvenienced. This is a prime goodwill building opportunity. Everybody makes mistakes and when a business owns up to one it goes along way to renewing the customer’s confidence in a continued business relationship. The scope of your adjustment letter should reiterate the relevant facts of the claim. When thecustomer is right, include a forthright admission to that effect and extend a sincere apology. When the customer is not right, explain the reasons clearly and with every courtesy.

e. Credit and Collection Letters

A large percentage of business transactions in this country are handled on a credit basis. Letters must be written in response to requests for credit. Sometime, however, requests for credit must be declined because the applicants are not good credit risks. These are perhaps the most difficult of all letters to write. No one wants to be told that he is a poor credit riks.

Collection letters are written because a very small percentage of those who are given the privilege of credit violate that privilege. Therefore, they must be reminded, reasoned with, and sometimes threatened, before they will pay what they owe. Collections letters are among the most challenging to the letter writer-their effectiveness is measured by the amount of money they bring in from forgetful or careless customers.

f. Sales Letters

In a sense, every letter a businessman writes is a sales letter because it automatically becomes a showcase for himself and his company. However, there are letters written for the specific purpose of selling a product or a service. Sales letters are used to introduce products or services to consumers.

As such, sales letters tend to use formal letter structures and are rather impersonal because they are sent to more than one person. Sales letters often ask readers to consider a “pain point” – a problem that a person needs solved, and then introduce a product that will provide the solution. It’s important to quickly move to your sales pitch in your sales letter as most readers will understand that your sales letter is a form of advertising. Sales letters also often include an offer to encourage customers to try the product. It’s important that these offers are clear and provide a useful service to the reader.

g. Employment Letters

Employment letters deal with getting a position. They are writen by everyone, not only by those who expect to work in business. Employment letters include letters inquiring about a position, letters of application, letters thanking an employer for an interview and letters of resignation.

h. Social-Business Letters

Many social business letters are written to maintain friendly relationships with customers and business acquaintances. Typical social business corespondence includes letters of congratulations, letters of sympathy, invitations, letters of friendship and thank-you letters. Since they show thoughtfulness on the part of the writer, social-business letters do a great do a great deal to build goodwill.

C. Business Letter Form

Parts of the letters are the following:

a. The Heading

· The letterhead, practically every company uses high qualities stationery with is name, address, and telephone number. These identifying items, and often such additional data as the names of the company’s top executives, its slogan, and so on.

· The dataline, it is often very important to know when a letters was written-important to both reader and writer. With the flood of mail that every business office receives and sends, it is unwise to assume that your or reader will remember the exact order of events related to a particular matter. Every letter should therefore carry a dateline consisting of the month, day, and year.

b. The Opening

The functions of the opening are to direct the letter to a specific individual, company, department, or whatever, and to greet the reader.

· The inside addres, which should always be preceded by a courtesy title, is usually the first line of the inside address. It is also common courtesy to include the person’s job title when it is known-either on the same line as his name or on a separate line in the inside address. The name of the addressee’s company, the street address, the city, state, and ZIP Code number are also included. Example:

Mr. Edward W. Hampton, President

Hampton Home Appliances, Inc.

1740 North Cicero Street

Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506

· The salutation, there are several accepted forms of salutations, and each form reflects a different “tone”. Example:

Sir:

Madam:

Dear Sir:

Dear Mr. Bram:

Dear Mrs. Rosse:

· The attention line, when a letter is addressed to a company or to a department within a company, reather than to a specific person, an attention line may be used to speed up handling of the letter. The line is typed below the inside address and above the salutation. Example:

ATTENTION: Mr. Jonathan

Attention of the Personel Manager

ATTENTION-Sales Departement

c. The Body

The body of the letter is, of course, the most important section of the letter-from both the writer’s and the reader’s point of view. It is here that the writer makes every effort to get his thoughts across to the reader effectively.

· The subject line, it the writer whishes to give the reader advance notice of what the letter is about, he can do so in a displayed subject that precedes the message. Example:

SUBJECT: Salesmen’s Incentive Compensation Plan

· The message, every business letter usually consists of at least two paragraphs-even if the second paragraph is nothing more than “Thanks and best wishes to you,” or something along that line.

d. The Closing

Just as a person usually says “Good bye” or “So long” when he has finished a conversation, so a writer usually uses a complimentary closing in a business letter.

· The complimentary closing, like salutations, vary in form and tone. The important to remember is to match the tone of the complimentary closing with that of the salutation as closely as possible. Example:

Verry truly yours

Yours very truly

Yours sincerely

Yours very sincerely

· The company signature, the typed name of the company is usually considered an optional part of the closing. Some companies require that the typewritten name of the firm appear, on the theory that the company.

· The writer’s identification, in most instances the name of the writer and his title are typed below his signature. Sometimes only the writer’s title and/or his department are used.

Example:

Lousis Grandy

Administrative Assistant

· Reference initials, if the writer’s name is included in the writer’s identification, his initials may be omitted in the reference initials. However, the initials of the typist or secretary could be included unless the writer specifically requests that they be omitted. If the writer’s name is not included in the writer’s identification, his initials or his full name may be indicated in the reference initials. The reference initials serve an administratrative purpose only, and the are seldom of interest to anyone but the writer. Various styles follow. Remember that, when used, the writer’s name or initials are written first:

P. F. Thorns/cmg

PFT/law/cmg (These initials indicate that PFT signed the letter, law wrote it for him, and that cmg typed it)