Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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1 LAY-OUT
Companies sometimes have quite strict codes of practice regarding the lay-out of letters which are sent in their name. Look at the letter from CELSE on the next page. The lay-out follows an international style common when business letters are written in English, in whichever country they originate.

A) Find and number the following items in the letter. Notice their position on the page. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Finishing-off sentence Date (Note its form) Formulaic closing phrase Information about material accompanying the letter Opening / Salutation Printed letter heading Receivers (name,) title, and address References for identification purposes Subject of letter Writers title

B) If you are familiar with the standard Finnish style, comment on any differences in lay-out which you notice.

1. Opening / Salutation in FIN can be Hi or Hei This would not work in England, Slovenia or Vietnam. 2. FIN letters are less polite and more direct 3. Japan: Mr. Surname + First name (we use both names, especially when we dont know which is 1st and which is last) 4. Russia: Mr. Surname + Fathers name + First name

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(6)

CELSE Centre for English Language Studies in Education

School of Education, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 3467; Fax: +44 (0) 161 275 3480; e-mail: CELSE@man.ac.uk URL: http://man.ac.uk/CELSE (8) Our ref: BM/Ced/563 1. Finishing-off sentence 2. Date (Note its form) 3. Formulaic closing phrase (2) 12th August 2004 4. Information about material accompanying the letter 5. Opening / Salutation (7) Mr Elmer Yli-Ahonen 6. Printed letter heading Project Manager 7. Receivers (name,) title, and address Suomen Suurin O, 8. References for identification purposes Pitktie 99 Helsinki 9. Subject of letter Finland 10. Writers title (9) Conference on English language in global business (ELGB) 12th-13th November, 2004 (5) Dear Mr Yli-Ahonen Thank you for registering for the ELGB conference, and for your 50 registration fee. Your receipt is enclosed. Registration is going well, and we are expecting more than 250 participants from fifteen European countries. So you will certainly have plenty of opportunities for networking with colleagues who have concerns similar to your own. (4) I enclose a preliminary schedule of events, together with a map of this area of Manchester. The most conveniently located hotels are shown on the map, and you will find contact information on the back. You will receive the final version of the programme in your conference pack when you arrive at CELSE on November 12th, but we do not expect any major changes. Please note that there will be a formal dinner on the Friday evening, which we hope as many ELGB participants as possible will attend. It will cost 25, which includes table wine, but not after-dinner drinks. Could you please let us know by the end of September whether you wish to attend the dinner. If you have any dietary restrictions, kindly mention this at the same time. By the way, dont forget to check that your passport is in order. One participant was forced to drop out at short notice last year because he didnt notice that his passport had expired until he reached the airport! (1) We look forward to hearing from you by September 30th, 2004. (3) Yours sincerely Betty Merrivale (10) Conference Co-ordinator. (e-mail: bmerrivaleCELSE@man.ac.uk) (4) Encs: Receipt for registration fee; schedule of events; map of Rushworth

Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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2 THE PURCHASING PROCESS

If you worked in the purchasing department of a company which was looking for a new supplier, where might you start looking? Think of as many sources of information as you can.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Ask colleagues in company Personal connections (Linked-in, University colleagues) Internet, Google Yellow pages Catalogues/brochures European Business Register (ebr.com) Partner companies Previous contacts Fairs, Trade shows Social media (Linked-in) Chamber of commerce (Local, National, International) Embassy Trade Office Review sites

Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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3 ENQUIRIES AND REPLIES

Correspondence relating to purchasing is so common that it tends to follow a fixed formula. We shall deal in class with establishing new customer contacts. Once established, customer relations are naturally maintained in a manner which satisfies the parties concerned.

Look at the sample letters on next pages. What information should be included in a letter of enquiry which represents the first contact with a potential supplier?
1. 2. 3. 4. Printed letter heading References for identification purposes Date Receivers name, title, and address

What is the minimum which should be covered in a reply?

1. 2. 3. 4.

Printed letter heading References for identification purposes Date Receivers name, title, and address

5. 5. Subject of letter

Subject of letter

6. 7. 8. 9.

Opening / Salutation Source (where you saw advertisement) Object of enquiry + terms of business Short text about own company

6. 7. 8.

Opening / Salutation Reply to enquiry Delivery terms + terms of business

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Finishing-off sentence Formulaic closing phrase Writers name (+signature) Writers title

Finishing-off sentence

10. Formulaic closing phrase 11. Writers name (+signature) 12. Writers title

Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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Winnair Travel Group,

Prinses Irenelaan 2, 2273 Amsterdam, Nederland Tel: +31 (2)0 70 386 2900 Fax: +31 (2)0 70 386 2910

Our ref: WTG/HQP/ND 12 August 2004 The Sales Manager Chapel Communications P.O. Box 1836 CHESTER CH2 3RB UK

Hands-free telephone headsets Dear Sir I saw your advertisement for hands-free telephone headsets in the November edition of Communications Technology magazine. Could you kindly send us your latest catalogue, export price list, and information about your terms of business. As you probably know, Winnair Travel Group is a full-service travel company. In addition to the Winnair airline, it owns the One-stop Travelshop chain of travel agencies, and the Fly-Inn hotel chain. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours faithfully

Nelly Dixon

Nelly Dixon Head of Purchasing

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Tel: (+44 0) 1244 343400

Your ref: WTG/HQP/ND Our ref: CCS/En1784/GC 23rd August 2004 Ms Nelly Dixon Head of Purchasing Winnair Travel Group Prinses Irenelaan 2 2273 Amsterdam The Netherlands

Hands-free telephone headsets Dear Ms Dixon Thank you for your enquiry of August 12th, 2004. I am pleased to enclose our latest brochure for the hands-free telephone headsets which you enquired about. The prices which appear in the brochure are the ex works prices in euros. We can also quote FOB or CIF terms, if you wish. Please note that ten pieces is the minimum order for any model. We grant discount of 5% for payment within four weeks. We can deliver to all parts of the EU within three weeks from receipt of order. If you need any further information, please write again, or contact me by e-mail: gchapel@chapelcom.uk I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely

George Chapel
George Chapel Export Sales Manager

Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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4 PRACTICE
Practice tasks will be provided each week. By doing these tasks you will improve your communication skills in English. If you choose to do them, and submit them to me within one week from the day they are set, I will correct them and give feedback. (I will not mark the whole collection of tasks in the week before the exam!) This work will not be graded, or contribute to your grade for the course.

Look at the table on the next page. An enquiry and the reply to it are mixed up together. Identify which bits belong to which letter. Re-form and re-order the sentences in order to rewrite two appropriate letters. On the computer, lay out and format the letters in the recommended manner in order to create the best possible impression.

Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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Magasins Schmidt, 102 Rue de Vosges, Paris 6e, France. and information about your terms of business. 12th August 2004

who represented your company at the recent Soft Furnishings Fair, August 20, 2004 George Wilham Export Manager gwilham@wilhamcottonco.com

Export Manager, Wilham Cotton Company, 109 Widdlington Road, Manchpool, Lancs, England so that you can see for yourselves the excellent quality and attractive colours and designs. Enc: Catalogue with export price list We have pleasure in sending you our latest catalogue and export price list for Polyester cotton bedware Please do not hesitate to write again if there is any further information Enquiry: Polyester cotton bedware Our ref: 45/HB/2 Yours faithfully, We have heard from Mr Peter Kingman, Wilham Cotton Company, 109 Widdlington Road, Manchpool, Lancs, England Thank you for your enquiry of 12th August. We also grant quantity discounts on orders of 500 items or more. We would be grateful if you could send us your latest illustrated catalogue, export price list, the polycotton bedware which you enquired about.

We can normally deliver to our customers in northern France within 14 days of receipt of order. The prices listed are subject to a discount of 5 % for payment within ten days. Yours sincerely, If you are interested, we could send you fabric samples of our complete range of bedware, Dear Sir or Madam, that you manufacture polyester cotton bedware. We are a leading chain of department stores selling everything for the home, We look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Anatole Schmidt , Buyer Dear Monsieur Schmidt Your ref: 45/HB/2 Our ref: JAJ/KDO M A. Schmidt, Buyer, Magasins Schmidt, 102 Rue de Vosges, Paris 6e, France with retail outlets in seven major cities in France. We hope to hear from you again soon.

which you need.

Sebastjan Brezovec. Exercises_Part 2. Organizational Communication. IB12. TAMK.

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Magasins Schmidt, 102 Rue de Vosges, Paris 6e, France.

Our ref: 45/HB/2 12th August 2004 Export Manager, Wilham Cotton Company, 109 Widdlington Road, Manchpool, Lancs, England

Enquiry: Polyester cotton bedware

Dear Sir or Madam, We have heard from Mr Peter Kingman,who represented your company at the recent Soft Furnishings Fair, that you manufacture polyester cotton bedware. We would be grateful if you could send us your latest illustrated catalogue, export price list, and information about your terms of business. We are a leading chain of department stores selling everything for the home, with retail outlets in seven major cities in France.

We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours sincerely, Anatole Schmidt , Buyer

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Wilham Cotton Company, 109 Widdlington Road, Manchpool, Lancs, England

Your ref: 45/HB/2 Our ref: JAJ/KDO August 20, 2004 M A. Schmidt, Buyer, Magasins Schmidt, 102 Rue de Vosges, Paris 6e, France Polyester cotton bedware

Dear Monsieur Schmidt Thank you for your enquiry of 12th August. We have pleasure in sending you our latest catalogue and export price list for the polycotton bedware which you enquired about. The prices listed are subject to a discount of 5 % for payment within ten days. We also grant quantity discounts on orders of 500 items or more. We can normally deliver to our customers in northern France within 14 days of receipt of order. If you are interested, we could send you fabric samples of our complete range of bedware, so that you can see for yourselves the excellent quality and attractive colours and designs. Please do not hesitate to write again if there is any further information which you need. We hope to hear from you again soon. Yours faithfully, George Wilham Export Manager gwilham@wilhamcottonco.com Enc: Catalogue with export price list