Integrating Computers into Learning Activities and Demonstrations

Level LBS 5

Creating a Letter of Complaint Using a

Word Processor

Goal:
@
To use a word processor to write a letter of request.

Learning Outcomes: After completing this section, the student should be able to:

• Use Word’s main features to create a Letter utilizing:

• Speller and grammar check
• Save the completed letter

Contents:

• Starting Microsoft Word

• Learning Word’s Basic Features:
• Date and Time Feature
• Save, Print
• Final Project, On your Own!

Microsoft Logos and all screens captured by permission of Microsoft

Letters

Writing letters has taken on a new identity in the computer age. We tend to use our
computer to write our letters. This is an efficient and practical method of
correspondence. For example if you need to write a letters to a variety of businesses,
rather than typing or writing the information repeatedly, you could use the same letter.
The basic information could be the same, but you could add or remove information to
personalize it to the individual.

A Letter of Complaint and Adjustment

A letter of complaint is usually written as a follow-up to a verbal conversation to

someone who has not responded to the complaint. It is used to keep a written record
of your complaint. In addition, more than one person might be the recipient of the letter.
For example if you are dealing with a situation where you had unsatisfactory car repairs
done on your car by a franchise dealership, you might write to the franchisee AND to
the Head Office.

Letters of request or invitation are generally considered to be a positive letter. The

recipient will receive the information in a positive fashion. A letter of complaint is
usually considered to be a negative letter. The recipient might receive the information
in a negative fashion. Therefore, it is important that you choose positive language
to help buffer the impact.

Full Block Style.

As in most business letters, the Full Block style of letter is used. It includes:

• All lines begin at the left margin.

And
• A blank line is left between each paragraph

We will discuss some of Word’s features as we go through the set-up.

N •
Time for you to try.
To begin, we will open Word
• Click on Start
• Move your mouse up to Programs
• Move your mouse over to Microsoft Office
• Click on Word.
With Word open, we want to set up our screen to make sure it is the same.
• Click on View in the menus,
• Click on Normal
SSFC -1- D.Berlenbach
 You are now ready to begin creating the letter.

Return Address

N Time for you to try.

We now want to insert our address. For this exercise we will use a fictitious one.
Your cursor should be at the top of a new blank document.
• Type in: 123 Garden Court
Cobourg, ON K9A 1A1
• Press Enter 3 times. Once to bring your cursor down to the next line and then
2 more times to put in 2 blank lines.

Date

After the return address, you would insert the date.

N Time for you to try.

We now want to insert the date.

• Click on Insert from the Menus
• Click on Date and Time...
The following dialog box appears:

Different formats
are available. For
a business letter,
either the third of
ninth dates are
appropriate. We
will click on the
third one in the
list.

SSFC -2- D.Berlenbach

 • Click on the third one in the list. Then click on the OK button. This inserts
the current date.
• Press the Enter key five times. This allows 4 blank lines between the date
and the next amount of text.

Inside Address:

The inside address should contain the complete address of the person you are writing
to. Type it in without abbreviations.

N Time for you to try.

We will type in our return address:

• Type in Mr. James Lily

Manager
ABC Flower Company
798 Lansdowne Street East
Peterborough ON, K8M 3G9
• After the address, press Enter 3 times. Once to go to the next line and twice
more to leave 2 blank lines.

Salutation or Letter Greeting

This is where you would type in your “Dear ....”. Please refer to the Communications
exercises to see which titles are appropriate.

N •
Time for you to try.
Type in the salutation:
Dear Mr. Lily:
(In a business letter, make sure you use a colon at the end of the line)
• Press enter two times, (once to take you down to the next line and again to
give you one blank line between)

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Body of the Letter

The body of the letter is where you would type in the actual letter. You would use
proper sentence and paragraph structure. You would NOT indent the first line of each
paragraph. You would also leave a blank line between each paragraph.
The body of a letter of complaint should follow a certain format. Each paragraph should
contain the information in a structured form. Be sure to refer to the information given in
your communications class. For this letter we will follow basic steps.
1. The first paragraph will contain a neutral statement giving the reason for writing.

2. The second paragraph will contain the details of the complaint and gives an
alternative solution.

3. The third paragraph will contain a positive closing statement. Be sure to close
the letter in a polite and friendly manner.

N Time for you to try.

In this letter we are writing to Mr. Lily whose company did some decorating for us. We
were generally pleased with the results, but we were overcharged on two items, and
did not receive delivery of one large plant. We did not pay the bill due to the
discrepancy, and now they have sent us final notification of collection. We have tried
phoning and were reassured the matter would be resolved. Following the steps above
we will first explain the reason for our letter, then we will tell what our complaint is and
what we would like to see happen. Finally, we will thank him for looking into this
situation for us.
• Now begin to type your letter. Type the text that follows.
Recently we had your company do some floral decorating in our office. We
received a number of fresh flower bouquets, four dry flower wreaths, two swags
and three large tropical plants. All of the products we receive were beautiful. We
were to have received four large tropical plants though. We also were
overcharged.
• Press Enter at the end of the paragraph, then press Enter one more time to
give you a blank line. Now we will start the second paragraph.
• Type in the text that follows.

When we first contracted your company, we had agreed on the number of items we
were to receive and we also agreed on the price of seven hundred and fifty dollars
($750). This price was to include: 10 fresh exotic floral bouquets, four dry flower
wreaths, two dry flower swags and four large tropical plants in clay pots.

SSFC -4- D.Berlenbach

Everything arrived except the one large plant. When we checked our bill, we were
charged for all the plants (including the one we did not receive) AND the total was
eight hundred and fifty dollars ($850), not the price you had quoted us. I have
phoned your accounts receivable department repeatedly. I am told they will look
after it, but I continue to receive past due notices with the threat of court action. I
believe we can come to a positive solution. Merely have the correct bill sent to me
AND have the final plant delivered.

• Press Enter at the end of the paragraph.

• Press Enter once more to give you a blank line.
• Type in the final paragraph.

Mr. Lily, I am very pleased with the plants and flowers. I would like to continue to
do business with your company. I trust that you will review this situation, send the
missing plant and adjust my account accordingly.

• Press Enter at the end of the paragraph.

•
Press Enter twice more, to give you two blank lines between the body of the
letter and the closing.
The Complimentary Closing

The closing is lined up with the rest of the letter

N Time for you to try.

• Type in the closing:

Sincerely,

Note the comma at the end of the closing.

The Signature

In a business letter, you would leave space after the closing for a written signature and
then you would type in the signature. After the typed signature, a title may be included.
The title should be on the next line.

N Time for you to try.

• Press Enter after the Sincerely,

• Press Enter 5 more times to leave 4 blank lines

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 • Type in the person’s name. In this case we will use your name, typed in Full,
properly capitalized.
• Press Enter
• Type in the title Office Administrator

Reference Initials and Enclosure Notations

If someone else is typing the letter for you, reference Initials should be included. Also,
if you had included other documents, you would designate them as Enclosures. This
would tell the person you had included an enclosure. Then if you forgot to include the
enclosure the person would know you intended to include one.

All that you need to do is check your document. Read it over for spelling or grammar
mistakes. If you are satisfied, save it and print it. (Compare your document to the
example at the end of this module.

Finally

It is important that you not only do a spell check on your letter but that you also
proofread it. Read it through carefully to be sure that it sounds right. Then you should
save it, and print it. Finally, even though your letter is done on the computer, you should
always add the personal touch of signing your letter by hand.

SSFC -6- D.Berlenbach

N Time for you to try --Final Project.

In this project you will create a letter of complaint. You had ordered a new computer
system, the printer which was to be included did not come with the computer. After a
number of unsatisfactory phone calls you are writing to the president of the company
asking for your printer. You are very pleased with the computer, but would like your
printer.
1. Return Address: Use your own address.
2. Insert the current Date
3. Computer Company’s address: Ms. Lydia Rome
CEO
ACME Computers
123 Disk Drive
Scarborough, ON S1J 2N4
4. Salutation: Dear Ms. Rome
5. Body of the letter:
Type in a letter with the three paragraphs using your own words. The paragraphs
should include:
1. State that you are writing because you received your computer, but you did
not receive the printer. Remember to start out with neutral comments then
tell the reason for your complaint.
2. Give all the details of the purchase, how much you paid, when the package
arrived and your attempts to contact them by phone to advise them of the
error. You can even say you had emailed the company, but to no avail. After
stating the complaint, be sure to tell how you would like the problem solved.
3. Finally tell her you are pleased with the computer and you trust she will
resolve this issue for you. Be sure to thank her for her time and that you
appreciate her doing this for you.

4. Closing: Yours truly,

5. Signature: Type in your full name.
6. Check the spelling.
7. Save the letter as Business Complaint letter Exercise
8. Print the letter
9. Sign your name
10. Proof read the letter to make sure it is okay. Make any changes needed.
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11. Hand in the letter as the final project
Good Luck! Congratulations!

SSFC -8- D.Berlenbach

123 Garden Court
Cobourg, ON K9A 1A1

October 30, 2001

Mr. James Lily

Manager
ABC Flower Company
798 Lansdowne Street East
Peterborough ON, K8M 3G9

Dear Mr. Lily:

Recently we had your company do some floral decorating in our office. We

received a number of fresh flower bouquets, four dry flower wreaths, two swags
and three large tropical plants. All of the products we received were beautiful. We
were to have received four large tropical plants though. We also were
overcharged.

When we first contracted your company, we had agreed on the number of items
we were to receive and we also agreed on the price of seven hundred and fifty
dollars ($750). This price was to include: 10 fresh exotic floral bouquets, four dry
flower wreaths, two dry flower swags and four large tropical plants in clay pots.
Everything arrived except the one large plant. When we checked our bill, we
were charged for all the plants (including the one we did not receive) AND the
total was eight hundred and fifty dollars ($850), not the price you had quoted us. I
have phoned your accounts receivable department repeatedly. I am told they will
look after it, but I continue to receive past due notices with the threat of court
action. I believe we can come to a positive solution. Merely have the correct bill
sent to me AND have the final plant delivered.

Mr. Lily, I am very pleased with the plants and flowers. I would like to continue to
do business with your company. I trust that you will review this situation, send the
missing plant and adjust my account accordingly.

Sincerely,

D. Berlenbach
Office Administrator