12. Business letters

Formal business correspondence is usually done by letters as this leaves a written record which can be kept for reference. Business letters can be of different types with different purposes: to apply for a job, to inform people of developments, to request action, to offer a service, to complain, to invite etc. To write a successful business letter you need to use the right tone and to communicate your message to the reader using straightforward language. The way a letter is written reveals a lot about the person who is writing it and it also sends a message about the organization that he or she is working for. It is, therefore, very important to make sure that the information, layout, style and spelling are all correct before you send it.

Layout

When writing a business letter, you should follow the standard format. The sample letter below shows where the following different components should appear on the page.

a letterhead / address (but not name) of writer

b name and address of recipient

c date

d opening (salutation)

e body of the letter

• reason for writing

• main part

• request

f closing remark, salutation

g signature

h name and job title

Language styles

Business letters are usually quite formal in style. A conversational style is therefore not appropriate and you should avoid contractions, for example. Try to use verbs in the active and not in the passive forms as this will make your letter more dynamic. You should also avoid writing sentences that are too long and that include complicated or unnecessary language. A straightforward letter will get your message across more effectively than a long wordy one. There are certain conventions concerning the correct way to address people and to close your letter.

Opening Letters always start with Dear … followed by the correct form of address. If the letter is going to someone whose name you do not know, it starts with Dear Sir, or Dear Madam, or Dear Sir or Madam, … . But if you know the name, then you can begin with Dear Mr/Ms Taylor, or Dear Greg Taylor, … .

Closing Letters are usually closed in standard ways. At the end of your letter you should include a short sentence like I look forward to hearing from you, or Please, do not hesitate to contact me if you need further information. Below that, you should put a closing phrase:

Yours sincerely, (formal, for letters beginning Dear+ name)

Yours faithfully, (formal, for letters beginning Dear sir/Madam)

Yours truly, / Best regards, / Best wishes, (less formal)

Notes: to apply for a job –подавати заяву на роботу; will get message across – донесе вашу інформацію; a long wordy one – довгий багатослівний (лист)

U s e f u l l a n g u a g e

With reference to your letter of the 15th of this month, … It was very kind of you to agree … As I mentioned in my last letter to you… Thank you for taking the time … Regarding the question of… I will arrange for my secretary to forward the minutes to you for your approval. I am enclosing a copy of our latest proposal. cc (copy sent to another person) PS (for additional sentence(s)included after the signature) I am writing to complain about…/to say that I am not happy with… My second complaint is that… To my surprise/horror/disappointment…. Furthermore… When it comes to the question of… I must insist that…/ I must insist on+ -ing

Sample letter

17, Oxford Road, Stradford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire WRI 3R (your address) 14th July (date) Brook Mail Order, Cliff Road, Poole, Dorset (name and address of recipient) Dear Sir / Madam, (salutation) I am writing to you about a Braun alarm clock (JH9785) which I ordered through your mail order catalogue on June 15. (reason for writing) The alarm clock arrived safely six days ago and worked perfectly for the first few days but now it has gone wrong. When I shout at the alarm, it keeps on buzzing. I have read the instructions and I am sure that I have set the alarm correctly. (main part - complaint) I am returning the alarm clock with this letter and would be grateful if you could send me a new one or refund the money. (request) I look forward to hearing from you. (closing remark) Yours faithfully (salutation) (signature) ___________ (writer’s name )

EMAILS

Email is one of the most commonly used forms of communication in the international business world. It is used extensively within companies to circulate information, requests, results, instructions, recommendations, minutes of meetings, etc. Email is an effective, rapid and relatively cheap means of communicating with customers and suppliers, both nationally and internationally. Because of the brevity, rapidity and relative informality of emails, it is important to check that all information has been given and that the tone is appropriate.

Layout

The email below shows where the following different components appear (though a – g may be in different order depending on the system being used).

a name of the person sending the email

b name of the person / people the email is addressed to

c information about the content of the email

d opening

e body of the email

f closing

g name and job title

Language style

Emails are usually shorter than other forms of communication and the language is simple and concise.

The tone for emails to superiors or people outside the company should be formal. But between colleagues can be semi-formal.

When replying to mails, it is important not to reply simply “yes” or “no” to questions without referring back the question and not to use pronouns out of context.

However, if returning the sender’s email with your reply, by using “Reply”, the sender will have their original to refer to.

Notes: concise – стислий

without referring- не посилаючись

U s e f u l l a n g u a g e

Opening and closing For semi-formal emails, Hallo and Hi are common openings and Best wishes or All the best are often used to close. When writing to several people, you can address the group, e.g. Dear Project Managers… Formal emails, like letters, start with Dear Sir / Madam or Dear Mr /Ms X and close with Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully as appropriate ( see Business Letters Unit 1). Exchanging information Are you going to Tuesday’s Production meeting at 10am? Could you mail me the sails figures for last month by 4pm? Here is the brochure on the product you asked for (see attachment). I’m sending you the board’s recommendations with this mail. Please note that today’s … meetings have been cancelled. They will be rescheduled for the same time next … .. Just to let you know, I sent the attached minutes of Tuesday’s Production meeting to all the participants. Complaining I am writing to complain about…/to say that I am not happy with… My second complaint is that… To my surprise/horror/disappointment…. Furthermore… When it comes to the question of… I must insist that… I must ask you to … Replying to emails Thank you for your email. I got your mail, thanks. Sorry I didn’t get back to you yesterday but… Yes, I will be at the Production meeting at 10am Tuesday. Thanks for the information about the meeting. I’ll make a note of it.

Pitfalls of international meetings

The culture we come from or live in influences what we see, do, believe and say. The simple fact is that what’s normal or appropriate for us may seem very strange or even rude to someone from a different culture.

The three of the key areas of culture which may affect communication in international meetings are the following:

Firstly, time: there are some cultures where the feeling is indeed that “time is money”. They will often have strict approaches to starting or finishing times of the meeting and the direction of discussion. Other culture, however, have a completely different approach and see the starting time as a guide only and the finishing time as not fixed. There is little attempt to stick to the agenda.

Secondly, the idea of hierarchy in culture, and therefore in meetings, can be very significant. Someone from a very hierarchical culture is likely to feel very uncomfortable saying what they think or criticizing the ideas of others, especially of a person holding a higher position.

Another key area is the objective of the meeting. In many cultures, there’s an attitude that meeting should have very clear purposes and discussing the items of a structured, pre-planned agenda is important. However, other cultures see meetings as the place for relationship building and developing trust, so the meeting may be a lengthy discussion, and actual decisions may often be made outside the meeting.

When it comes to international meeting organizers they are sometimes guilty of some other mistakes. A classic problem was the arrival of participants’ material three days after one meeting ended. In another case, the audio visual equipment required by a presenter was delivered as the meeting was ending. At yet another meeting, the audio visual equipment was the wrong format, and the presenter was unable to show his video tapes. At a three-day seminar, held by an American company, the absence of any scheduled social activity caused complaints from European participants.

At international meetings with participants from many different cultures, problems can arise with the timing of meals and the selection of the menu, the listing of names and titles, the use and language of business cards, the necessity of interpreters or translators and getting materials through customs. All these factors must be taken into account by the organizers.

It’s especially important to allow participants who travel long distances sufficient time to rest, physically and mentally, before the meeting begins. A mini-checklist for any international meeting should begin with efforts to identify the nationalities of potential participants and make provisions that cater to their specific cultural needs.

Warnings to avoid national stereotypes and above all jokes which are easily misunderstood, are among the tips given to organizers and speakers at international meetings. Clarifying is a key in any international meeting. Sometimes spoken language, body language, including gestures, and written symbols can be misunderstood. Constant checking and feedback is crucial. At the end of a meeting, it’s vital to summarise the main areas of agreement and disagreement and ensure that everyone’s happy with them to avoid confusion and frustration later.

Notes: to accomplish –здійснювати, виконувати

to undermine – підривати

Moslems – мусульмани

…and make provisions that cater to their specific cultural needs – і підготуватися так, щоб задовольнити усі специфічні культурні потреби.

The Art of Negotiation

There has been a great deal of research into the art of negotiation, and in particular, into what makes a “good” negotiator.

One point most researchers seem to agree on is that good negotiators try to create a harmonious atmosphere at the start of a negotiation. They are open-minded and creative, able to change according to the circumstance, able to build (to establish) a rapport, that is, to be versatile, to be adaptable. In other words, they are able to come up with ideas on how to repackage the negotiation, as well as to manage conflict. They are able to manage pressure in a face-to-face negotiation.

Good negotiators generally wish to reach an agreement which meets the interests of both sides. They therefore tend to take a long-term view, ensuring that the agreement will improve, or at least not harm, their relationship with the other party. On the other hand, a poor negotiator tends to look for immediate gains, forgetting that the real benefits of a deal may come much later.

Skillful negotiators are flexible. They do not “lock themselves” into a position so that they will lose face if they have to compromise. They have a range of objectives, thus allowing themselves to make concessions, for example, “I aim to buy this machine for £2, 000”. And not “I must buy it for £2, 000.” Poor negotiators have limited objectives, and may not even work out a “fall-back” position.

Successful negotiators do not want a negotiation to break down. If problems arise, they suggest ways of resolving them. The best negotiators are persuasive, articulate people, who select a few key arguments and repeat them. This suggests that persistence is an important quality.

Finally, the ability to be able to look out is very important. There are small bits of language around proposals, like, in the region of, roughly, probably, around about, that will tell you that your counterpart has more negotiation room. So language is important as well as the control of the language, and the ability to listen. The more information you have, the more powerful you become, for information is power. It is also important to check frequently that everything has been understood by both parties.

Notes : to make concession - йти на поступки

“fall-back” position – відступ