COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Unit No. 5
Business Official Correspondence
By

Dr. Nivas S. Patil

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 1

 BUSINESS OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
LETTER WRITING
Q. What is Business Correspondence?
• It is an exchange of information in written format in concern with business activities.
• It is a communication through letter writing between persons and organizations

Q. Why Business Correspondence (written communication)?

• Formal communication
• Can be kept as legal document and record of the organization
• Helps in maintaining good relationships between persons and organizations
• Inexpensive, affordable and very convenient way of communication
• Maintains goodwill

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 2

 Seven Cs of Letter Writing

• Clarity
• Proper punctuation makes the writing clear
• Choose precise, concrete, and familiar words
• Construct effective sentences and paragraphs
• Check the accuracy of facts and figures and words
• Conciseness
• Eliminate wordy expressions.
• Avoid unnecessary Repetition.
• Include only relevant material.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 3

 Seven Cs of Letter Writing
• Correctness
• Use the correct level of language
• Include only facts words and figures
• Maintain acceptable writing mechanics
• Apply the following qualities
• There should be proper grammar punctuation spelling and paragraphing.
• Courteousness
• Answer your letter and write letter promptly
• Be sincerely tactful thoughtful and appreciative
• Use expressions that show respect
• Choose nondiscriminatory expressions
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 4
 Seven Cs of Letter Writing
• Conversational
• Always Focus on the “You” description instead of “I” and “We”.
• Show the audience the benefit or interest in the receiver.
• Emphasize positive, pleasant facts.

• Convincing
• Use facts, quotations, and examples to help the reader understand and
appreciate what you’re promoting.
• Address obstacles and counter any objections if possible.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 5

 Seven Cs of Letter Writing
• Completeness
Provide all necessary information:
Answering the five W’s help make messages clear. Who, What, When, Where,
and Why are known as the five W’s of communication.
Answer all questions asked:
Look for questions like when a peer is buried within a paragraph. Locate them
and their answer preciously.
Give something extra, when desirable:
Use your good judgment in offering additional material if the sender’s
message was incomplete.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 6

 Standard Elements of Business Letters
• Heading/ Letter head/ sender’s address
• Dateline
• Inside address
• Salutation
• Message (Body of Letter)
• Complimentary Close
• Signature Block

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 7

 Optional Elements
• Subject Line
• Reference Line
• Attention and Caption Line
• Enclosure Notation

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 8

 Formats of Letter Writing

Full block or Complete block

style
No lines are indented in this style
of letter writing .

Every Components of letter ( head address,

dateline, inside address, body of a letter are
aligned to the left margin.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 9

 Styles or Formats of Letter Writing

Modified Block Style

Common format used in

business letters

No lines are indented

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 10

 Styles or Formats of Letter Writing

Semi-block Style
Lines are indented to the left-
alignment

Paragraphs are separated by a double line

space

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 11

 Things to Remember to Draft Enquiry Letter

• In letter of Enquiry it is better to introduce yourself and tell the seller as to how you have come to
know about him.

• Describe your needs precisely and clearly. You may begin with question you want to ask.

• Give an idea of the quantity you wish to buy and mention the quality of goods required and the
nature of the service needed.

• Ask for pricelist and catalogue.

• Ask for favorable terms and conditions.

• Mention the date if any by which the goods must be delivered.

• Ask for samples, if necessary.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 12
 Sample Enquiry Letter (Full Block)
HAPPY HOME DEPARTMENTAL STORE
Paschim Vihar
New Delhi
Ref. No. HHDS/PD/2017-101
07 November 2017
The Manager
Nav-Bharat Electricals Ltd.
Main Bazar Gandhi Nagar,
New Delhi
Subject: Enquiry for electrical appliances
Dear Sir:
We read with interest your advertisement in the Hindustan Times of 28 October 2017 and are
impressed by the range of your electrical appliances.
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 13
 Sample Enquiry Letter (Full Block)

We are leading Departmental Store in our area and are interested in increasing our range of home appliances.
There is good demand in the market for such appliances here and is likely to pick up further in the coming
festive season.

Will you please send us a copy of your latest illustrated catalogue along with the current pricelist for
wholesale purchase? Since our requirements are likely to be considerable, kindly quote your most favorable
terms and conditions especially related to payment schedules, discounts and warranty.

We look forward to an early reply.

Faithfully yours,

Sd/- Mr. X.Y.Z.

Purchase Officer
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 14
 Reply to Enquiry
• Things to remember to draft reply to Enquiry Letter
1. Send the reply promptly.
2. Thank the letter writer for the Enquiry and for the interest shown in your
product.
3. Mode and terms of payment.
4. Place and time of delivery
5. Mode of transport.
6. Charges on account of sales tax, insurance and discount (Validity)

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 15

 Reply to Enquiry Letter-Sample (Full Block)
Tel: Fax:
NAV BHARAT ELECTRICALS LTD.
Bahaddur shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi
Your Ref: Ref. No. HHDS/PD/2017-101
Our Ref: NEA/SD/101
09 November 2017

The Purchase Officer

Happy Home Departmental Store
Paschim Vihar
New Delhi

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 16

 Reply to Enquiry Letter-Sample (Full Block)
Subject: Reply to enquiry for electrical appliances
Dear Sir,
We welcome your enquiry of 07 November 2017 and thank you for your interest in our products. A copy of our
latest illustrated catalogue along with the current pricelist is enclosed.
Our products are ISI marked and have been quite popular in middle class and upper middle class households for
over a decade now. These quality products are available in different designs and colours. They are easy and safe to
operate.
We offer you most favorable and competitive terms. You can avail yourself of special discount of 12% if your
order exceeds Rs.50, 000.
All our products are backed by two-year warranty which will include replacement. All these products can be
supplied from ready stock.
We look forward to an early reply.
Faithfully yours,
Sd/-
(Name)
Sales Officer
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 17
 Complaint Letter
Written for:-
Poor quality and improper quantity, late arriving, damaged condition, defective
packing, Goods different from sample, Mistake in bill, after sale poor services.
Things to remember to draft Letter of Complaint
1. Begin by regretting the need of complains.
2. Mention the date of the order, delivery, the goods complained about and other
necessary details.
3. Give a clear description of the problem, the mistake or the defect.
4. Loss caused in the terms of Money, sales, service, goodwill or comfort.
5. Appeal to the reader’s sense of Fair play, reputation with a view to motivate him to
take necessary steps quickly.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 18

 Complaint Letter ( Modified Block)
Steelco Furnitures
50, Lenin Sarani
Kolkatta
Tel:
11 November 2017
Our Reference: TT/472
Your Reference: MA/32

The Sales Manager

APEX MATTRESSES LTD Daryagunj,
Vijay Nagar

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 19

 Complaint Letter ( Modified Block)

Dear Sir:

Thank you for promptly delivering 200 mattresses in response to my order no. TT/472 on 3 November
2017. But we are sorry to state that on checking of consignment, we found that 65 of the 200
mattresses sent are badly soiled and faded.

I had placed this order for your high quality affordable products, based on the recommendation by one
of my friends. We propose to sell these mattresses at a winter sale in our area, five days from now.
Advertisements for the same have already been made through the local media.

The condition of the mattresses received at our end must have been due to water seepage in recent
rains during transportation. Therefore, I request you to replace these 65 damaged mattresses
immediately. I have very little time left to arrange it from elsewhere.
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 20
 Complaint Letter ( Modified Block)

The damaged products will be sent back to you within two days at your cost by transport on
receipt of the confirmations about replacement.

Kindly send us the replacement within two days of receipt of the damaged consignment and
oblige. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Truly,

Sd/-

(Name)

Sales Manger

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 21

 Adjustment Letter
Hints while drafting Adjustment Letter
1. Thank the customer for calling attention to the difficulty, defect, damage or mistake.
2. Apologies for the trouble and inconvenience caused and explain briefly how it was caused.
3. Don’t shift blame on others, accept your responsibility.
4. If the claim is justified offer adjustment.
5. If the claim is unjustified do not suggest that customer is dishonest, negligent; instead,
explain why his claim cannot be justified.
6. Assure the customer of full satisfaction in future.
7. Request the customer to continue his faith in you. 8. Be polite even if the customer is rude.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 22

 Adjustment Letter Sample ( Semi Block)
APEX MATTRESSES LTD
Daryagunj, Vijay Nagar
New Delhi – 110005
Telephone: - 011-2345678
15 November 2017
Our Reference: MA/32
Your Reference: TT/472

The Sales Manager

Steelco Furnitures
50, Lenin Sarani
Kolkatta

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 23

 Adjustment Letter Sample ( Semi Block)

Dear Madam:

Thank you for your letter no. TT/472 dated 11 May 2016 wherein you have brought to our
notice the flawed consignment. We are very sorry about the inconvenience it has caused you.

In keeping with our tradition of complete customer satisfaction, we accept your claim. We also
agree to bear the transportation charges incurred by you for returning the soiled mattresses to us.

As soon as we received your complaint, we investigated the matter and found out that some of
the mattresses delivered to you last week did not have proper and adequate packaging. Consequently,
they have suffered these damages during the incessant rains when the consignment was in transit.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 24

 We have dispatched 65 new properly packaged mattresses for you today. We are once
again extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused to you by the delivery of soiled mattresses, but
assure you of our best services in future. Please do send in your suggestions, if any, with regard to
further improvement in our mattresses on receiving customer feedback in your area.

Sincerely,

Sd/-

(Name)

Sales Manager

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 25

 Job Application Letter

• A job application letter, also known as a cover letter or letter of application, is a document
that accompanies a resume when applying for a job.

• It provides additional information about the job seeker's skills and experiences that make
them a good fit for the position.

• The purpose of a job application letter is to introduce yourself to the employer, highlight
your qualifications and experience, and explain why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

• A well-written job application letter should be concise, clear, and tailored to the specific job
and company you are applying to.

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 26

 Sample Job Application Letter
• By assuming that you have completed B.Tech. / B.E. with flying colors. Being a fresher write job application letter for the
post of Jr. Engineer in response to the advertisement published in The Times of India, dated 15th March, 2022 by Skylark
Industries Pvt. Ltd., Udyamnagar, Kolhapur. ( Use complete block format)

Mr. Roshan Deshpande

The Lotus Villa
Sai Colony, Kolhapur
18 March 2022

To
The manager
Skylark Industries Pvt. Ltd.,
Udyamnagar, Kolhapur

Subject - Application for the post of Jr. Engineer/ Application for Jr. Engineer position
Reference- Advertisement published in The Times of India, dated 15th March, 2022
KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 27
 Sample Job Application Letter
Dear Sir/ Madam:
With the reference to the advertisement published in the Times of India, dated 15 March 2022, I am applying/ I wish to apply for
the post of Jr. Engineer in your esteemed/ well known/ popular/ reputed company.
I have completed my B.Tech. with first class from KIT’s college of engineering (Autonomous) Kolhapur. Apart from the
academic degree, I have done the various short term certificate courses like CAED, CAM, designing courses, piping design,
advanced CNC programming form local private training centers with excellent grade. Currently I am pursuing some computer
languages as a part of additional skills. I had been a part of a Menon & Menon Co. for six months’ internship program. I believe
that I have all the prerequisite skill sets to prove my ability and candidature for the particular post.
I have attached the copy of my resume along with the application for further references and to provide you more details about
my educational qualification and other skill sets and achievements.
Awaiting for positive reply
Thank You
Sincerely,
Mr. Roshan Deshpande
Encl: 1) Copy of resumes
2) Self attested grade card copies

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 28

 THANK
YOU
ANY QUESTION?

KIT’s College of Engineering (Autonomous), Kolhapur | Code: 6267 29