Exercise 5. Turning down requests

We’d probably begin with: ‘With reference to your request…’ and continue with a phrase indicating polite and reluctant refusal:

If you had to turn down the request but do not wish to discourage the inquirer, you might write: “We regret to inform you…”

Write the opening lines of 5 letters apologizing for not meeting the following requests:

(a) We should be grateful if you could send your 1999 catalogue.

(b) We would welcome your advice on this difficult matter.

(c) It would be most informative if you could include a copy of the statement.

(d) Please be so kind as to include a free sample.

Whether meeting or politely refusing requests, it is common to end a letter of reply as follows:

Task 2 Practice Responding to Inquiries and Requests for Information

Write an answer to the enquiry letter you wrote for the Task 1.

Unit 7 Letter of Complaint/Complaint(s) Letter

And Apology Letter

Letter of Complaint/Complaint(s) Letter

Effective complaints letters should be: concise, authoritative, factual, constructive, and friendly. Concise letters can be understood quickly.Authoritative letters – letters that are well written and professionally presented – have more credibility and are taken seriously. Factual letters enable the reader to see immediately the relevant details, dates, requirements, etc., and to justify action to resolve the complaint. Constructive letters – with positive statements, suggesting positive actions – encourage action and quicker decisions. Friendlyletters – with a considerate, cooperative and complimentary tone – are prioritised because the reader warms to the writer and wants to help. These complaints methods are based on cooperation, relationships, constructive problem-solving, and are therefore transferable to phone and face-to-face complaints.

What are the tips and secrets of effective complaints letter writing?

· write concise letters

We all receive too many communications these days, especially letters. People in complaints departments receive more letters than most, and cannot read every letter fully. The only letters that are read fully are the most concise, clear, compact letters. A concise letter of complaint must make its main point in less than five seconds. The complaint letter may subsequently take a few more seconds to explain the situation, but first the main point must be understood in a few seconds.

Structuring the letter is important. Think in terms of the acronym PIA – Purpose, Information, Action. The complaint letter attempts to persuade the reader to take action.

Structure your letter so that you include a heading – which identifies the issue and name of product, service, person, location, with code or reference number if applicable.

Then state the simple facts, with relevant dates and details.

Next state what you'd like to happen – a positive request for the reader to react to.

Include also, (as a sign-off point is usually best), something complimentary about the organization and/or its products, service, or people. For example: "I've long been a user of your products/services and up until now have always regarded you are an excellent supplier/organization. I have every faith therefore that you will do what you can to rectify this situation."

Even if you are very angry, it's always important to make a positive, complimentary comment. It will make the reader and the organization more inclined to 'want' to help you.

If the situation is very complex with a lot of history, it's a good idea to keep the letter itself very short and concise, and then append or attach the details, in whatever format is appropriate (photocopies, written notes, explanation, etc). This enables the reader of the letter to understand the main point of the complaint, and then to process it, without having to read twenty pages of history and detail.

· authoritative complaints letters have credibility and carry more weight

An authoritative letter is especially important for serious complaints or one with significant financial implications. What makes a letter authoritative? Professional presentation, good grammar and spelling, firmness and clarity. Using sophisticated words (providing they are used correctly) – the language of a broadsheet newspaper rather than a tabloid – can also help to give your letter a more authoritative impression. What your letter looks like, its presentation, language and tone, can all help to establish your credibility – that you can be trusted and believed, that you know your facts, and that you probably have a point.

When people read letters, rightly or wrongly they form an impression about the writer, which can affect response and attitude. Writing a letter that creates an authoritative impression is therefore helpful.

· complaints letters must include all the facts

In the organization concerned, you need someone at some stage to decide a course of action in response to your letter that will resolve your complaint. For any complaint of reasonable significance, the solution will normally involve someone committing organizational resources or cost. Where people commit resources or costs there needs to be proper accountability and justification. If there's insufficient justification, the investment needed to solve the problem cannot be committed. So ensure you provide the relevant facts, dates, names, and details, clearly. Make sure you include all the necessary facts that will justify why your complaint should be resolved (according to your suggestion assuming you make one).

But be brief and concise. Not chapter and verse. Just the key facts, especially dates and reference numbers. For example: "The above part number 1234 was delivered to xyz address on 00/00/00 date and developed abc fault on 00/00/00 date..."

· constructive letters and suggestions make complaints easier to resolve

Accentuate the positive wherever possible. This means presenting things in a positive light. Dealing with a whole load of negative statements is not easy for anyone, especially customer service staff, who'll be dealing with mostly negative and critical communication all day. Be different by being positive and constructive. State the facts and then suggest what needs to be done to resolve matters. If the situation is complex, suggest that you'll be as flexible as you can in helping to arrive at a positive outcome. Say that you'd like to find a way forward, rather than terminate the relationship. If you tell them that you're taking your business elsewhere, and that you're never using them again, etc., then there's little incentive for them to look for a good outcome. If you give a very negative, final, 'unsavable' impression, they'll treat you accordingly. Suppliers of all sorts work harder for people who stay loyal and are prepared to work through difficulties, rather than jump ship whenever there's a problem. Many suppliers and organizations actually welcome complaints as opportunities to improve. So it helps to be seen as a positive and constructive customer rather than a negative, critical one. It helps for your complaint to be seen as an opportunity to improve things, rather than an arena for confrontation and divorce.

· write letters with a friendly and complimentary tone

It may be surprising to some, but threatening people generally does not produce good results. This applies whether you are writing, phoning or meeting face-to-face.

A friendly complimentary approach encourages the other person to reciprocate – they'll want to return your faith, build the relationship, and keep you as a loyal customer or user of their products or services. People like helping nice friendly people. People do not find it easy to help nasty people who attack them.

This is perhaps the most important rule of all when complaining. Be kind to people and they will be kind to you. Ask for their help – it's really so simple – and they will want to help you.

In fact, complaints are best and quickest resolved if you take the view that it's nobody's fault. Attaching blame causes defensiveness – the barriers go up and conflict develops.

If you use phrases like – "I realise that mistakes happen..."; "I'm not blaming anyone...."; "I'm sure this is a rare problem...", your letter will be seen as friendly, non-threatening, and non-confrontational. This relaxes the person at the other end, and makes them more inclined to help you, because you are obviously friendly and reasonable.

Where should you send letters of complaints?

If the organization has a customer services department at their head office this is the first place to start. The department will be geared up to dealing with complaints letters, and your complaint should be processed quickly with the others they'll receive because that's the job of a customer services department. This is especially the case for large organizations. Sending initial complaints letters to managing directors and CEO's will only be referred by their PA staff to the customer services department anyway, with the result of immediately alienating the customer services staff, because you've 'gone over their heads'.

The trick of sending a copy letter to the CEO – and showing this on the letter to the customer services department – is likely to have the same effect. Keep your powder dry until you need it.

You can generally find the address of the customer services department on (where appropriate) product packaging, invoices, websites, and other advertising and communications materials produced by the organization concerned. Local branches, if applicable, will also have the details.

If your complaint is one which has not been satisfactorily resolved by the normal customer services or complaints department, then you should refer the matter upwards, and ultimately, when you've run out of patience, to the top – the company CEO or MD.

The higher the level of the person you are writing to, the more need to make your letter clear, concise, authoritative, etc. When referring complaints upwards always attach copies of previous correspondence.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 838