Unit 5 | unit 5 professional correspondence

PC1

Unit 5

Professional Correspondence

5.1. Importance, Language and Style, Formats (British and American)

Professional Communication

The term “Professional Communication” may be broadly defined as the use of language to convey thoughts dealing with a specific field or Industry. Professional communication can be considered to be “transactional” in nature, it carries a specific purpose to be carried out between the sender and receiver, a transaction of information that may be useful for practical purposes. Effective in communication allows one to collect, organize, convey and instruct new thoughts and ideas. Professional communication is generally tailor made towards the audience or the individual to whom the information is to be conveyed. Communication can either be verbal or non-verbal, oral or written.

Professional Communication comes in many different forms that include not just oral and written methods but also various types of correspondence based on technology, dependent upon the audience, situation and purpose.

One must be thoroughly familiar with all styles of correspondence in order to facilitate effective communication. The channel of communication intrinsically depends upon the purpose and the central idea of the message to be conveyed. For example, it is feasible to acquire information or provide information using a formal phone call or an email whereas while conveying bad news to a particular individual a face-to-face conversation is considered rather apt.

Apart from oral and written methods, being acquainted with technology is extremely essential when it comes to professional communication.

Importance of Professional Communication

The purpose of Professional communication is to make information clear and understandable in order to make business more productive and consumer goods more convenient.

Professional communication helps to advance our economy by ensuring viable research and development, safeguarding design and manufacturing, and protecting consumers through accurate and informative documents. Good Professional communication will:

Help employers understand and complete job tasks more successfully.
Provide backgrounds on which new ideas can be built without repetition.
Prevent problems with the development and manufacturing of products.
Inform consumers how to assemble, fix or use a product.
Provide effective customer service to the consumers.

Below are the reasons why professional communication is significant:

Team building – Creating/ Building effective teams actually means how those team members interact and interact with each other. By using effective strategies to increase communication you will go a long way in building effective teams. This, in turn, will improve the morale and satisfaction of employees.

Gives everyone a voice - Employees' satisfaction can depend a great deal on whether they have a voice and are listened to, whether it depends on the mood they have or about the complaint they need to make. Well-designed communication lines should be able to afford everyone, regardless of size, ability to communicate freely with their peers, colleagues, and managers.

Innovation - When employees are empowered to communicate publicly without fear of ridicule or refund, they are more likely to bring their own ideas to the table. Innovation relies heavily on this and for an organization that promotes communication to be innovative.

Growth - Communication can be viewed internally and externally. By being internally integrated and having strong lines of communication you make sure the message you send out is consistent. Any growth activity relies on strong communication with all stakeholders, whether internal or external, and at the same wavelength.

Strong Management - The more managers communicate, the better able they are to manage their teams. Assignment, conflict management, promotion and relationship building (all the responsibilities of any manager) are all very easy if you are a strong speaker. Strong communication is not just the ability to talk to people but to empower them to talk to one another - to make communication channels stronger.

Language and Style

Professional communication practices today are growing faster than there's time to coach people adequately. At one time, professional communication consisted of written, verbal or spoken communication. Today, professional communication has expanded to incorporate digital and technical communication. Competent communication skills are vital to any and all professional careers because all careers, to different degrees, involve communication in one form or another.

Verbal Communication

Effective professional verbal communication includes the flexibility to talk fluently, to be succinct yet thorough, to exude confidence and to speak in a manner appropriate for the occasion. The style of verbal communication that may be accommodated at a committee meeting is different than the style of verbal communication which may be suitable for a working lunch, working as a customer service representative or running into a colleague at a social occasion. An essential component of effective verbal communication includes the ability to pay attention to comments from those you're communicating and to watch their reactions. Verbal communicating may be classified into interpersonal communication and public speaking.

Public Speaking

Another variety of verbal professional communication is public speaking or making a formal presentation to a group of individuals. To be an efficient orator, a professional must be prepared to communicate with a specific group of persons, thus preparing the speech to suit the audience. Communicating to a bunch of high school students is different than communicating to a group of senior citizens. A professionally delivered speech is well organized and thought out, convinces the listener you know what you're talking about and is delivered as if it had been off-the-cuff and not read from a script.

Written Communication

Professionals who shine at written communication understand the way to use language to get their message across. They are efficient at utilizing all sorts of grammar and punctuation to feature in-depth meaning to their writing. There are a range of varieties of written language including writing: letters, memos, project plans, policies and procedures, articles for general audiences, technical scientific reports, studies and articles, marketing flyers, posters, magazines and many more. Each of these kinds of professional written communications require different technical and literary skills.

Digital Communication

Digital communication is evolving at a breakneck pace, it requires a lot of effort by professionals to keep up with the opportunities and the way to use them effectively in their professions. Social networking, emailing, blogging, texting, internet conferencing and research and teleconferencing are all styles of communication that effective professionals must understand and master, to whatever degree is suitable to communicate in their professional careers. Using email to communicate, instead of making a call, could also be time efficient, but there are some things that are better not written down for posterity. Electronic mail is quick and efficient and documents a string of communications that may be referred back for historical documentation. Digital communication is the way of the future. Every professional must learn which kinds of electronic communication is the most effective for him.

Below are the important features of the use of professional language in professional communication:

Addresses a Particular Demographic

Documents and presentations are always created with the receiver in mind. Professional communication is used to provide direct information regarding specific topics with no digressions. It is essential to create an audience profile before initiating conversation. Professional conversations are direct and to the point therefore, it has no place for ambiguity or obscurity.

2. Problem Solving

Professional communication is generally carried out in order to resolve an issue or problem. It only deals with information which is relevant to the problem at hand and works towards finding resolution. Analysis and synopsis are two important elements with regards to problem solving.

3. Reflects on Goals and Culture

Professional communication is done with a common goal in mind. It respects the culture of an organisation and works towards the goal with the basic principle of being culturally appropriate. Words and phrases specific to an environment are used during discussions or discourses.

4. Is a Collaborative Effort

Forms of professional communication such as documents, projects or dissertations are often a result of a team of professional communicators. Any informational document requires a number of people working on it. Even when a project is to be finished by a single person, the way they acquire professional information is always dependent on a number of sources.

5. Use of Designing Features in Written Professional Communication

Documents often use various design features such as colour, typography, spacing and indenting, etc. to make the document look more attractive and professional. Apart from that design features allow the reader to navigate the document with greater efficiency and help them understand the document more easily.

6. Use of Technology and Terminology

The terminology used during a professional conversation is of the specific field it is carried out in. Words and phrases used during professional communication process are often only understood by the people who are involved in it. Technological tools such as computers are often involved in professional communications. Presentations and graphical representation of various topics are extremely relevant to professional communication.

Formats (British and American)

The British actually introduced the language to the Americas after they reached these lands by sea between the 16th and 17th centuries. At that point, spelling had not yet been standardised. It took the writing of the primary dictionaries to set in stone how these words appeared. The dictionary was compiled by London-based scholars in the UK. Meanwhile, within the United States, the lexicographer was an individual named Noah Webster. Allegedly, he changed how the words were spelled to make the American version different from the English as a way of showing cultural independence from its country of origin.

In terms of speech, the differences between American and British English actually materialized after the primary settlers arrived in America. These groups of individuals spoke using what was called rhotic speech, where the ‘r’ sounds of words are pronounced. Meanwhile, the upper classes in the UK wanted to differentiate the way they spoke from the common masses by softening their pronunciation of the ‘r’ sounds. Since the elite even in the past were considered the standard for being fashionable, people began to repeat their speech, until it eventually became the common way of speaking in the south of England.

Spelling differences

British and American English have some spelling differences. The following table consists some major spelling differences in British and American English.

British English	American English
-oe-/-ae- (e.g. Anaemia, diarrhoea, encyclopaedia)	-e- (e.g. Anemia, diarrhea, encyclopedia)
-t (e.g. Burnt, dreamt, leapt)	-ed (e.g. Burned, dreamed, leaped)
-ence (e.g. Defence, offence, licence)	-ense (defense, offense, license)
-ell- (e.g. Cancelled, jeweller, marvellous)	-el- (e.g. Canceled, jeweler, marvelous)
-ise (e.g. Appetiser, familiarise, organise)	-ize (e.g. Appetizer, familiarize, organize)
-l- (e.g. Enrol, fulfil, skilful)	-ll- (e.g. Enroll, fulfill, skillfull)
-ogue (e.g. Analogue, monologue, catalogue)	-og (e.g. Analog, monolog, catalog) *Note that American English also recognizes words spelled with –ogue
-ou (e.g. Colour, behaviour, mould)	-o (e.g. Color, behavior, mold)
-re (e.g. Metre, fibre, centre)	-er (e.g. Meter, fiber, center)
-y- (e.g. Tyre)	-i- (e.g. Tire)

Vocabulary differences

The Americans and the British also have some words that differ from one another. The table below lists a number of the everyday objects that have different names, depending on what type of English you're using.

British English	American English
Trousers	Pants
Flat	Apartment
Bonnet (the front of the car)	Hood
Boot (the back of the car)	Trunk
Lorry	Truck
University	College
Holiday	Vacation
Jumper	Sweater
Crisps	Chips
Chips	French fries
Trainers	Sneakers
Fizzy drink	Soda
Post-box	Mailbox
Biscuit	Cookie
Chemist	Drugstore
Shop	Store
Football	Soccer

Grammar differences

Aside from spelling and vocabulary, there are a number of grammatical differences between British and American English. For example, in American English, collective nouns are considered singular (e.g. The band is playing). In contrast, collective nouns may be either singular or plural in British English, although the plural form is most frequently used (e.g. The band are playing).

The British are also more likely to use formal speech, like ‘shall’, whereas Americans favour the more informal ‘will’ or ‘should’.

Americans, however, still use ‘gotten’ as the past participle of ‘get’, which British have long ago dropped in favour of ‘got’.

‘Needn’t’, which is often employed in British English, is rarely, if at all used in American English. In its place is ‘don’t need to’.

In British English, ‘at’ is the preposition in regard to time and place. However, in American English, ‘on’ is employed rather than the former and ‘in’ for the latter.

Even though there are certain differences between British and American English, the key takeaway is that the two have more similarities. Accidentally using one instead of the other won't automatically result in miscommunication. Americans and Brits can usually communicate with one another without an excessive amount of difficulty.

5.2. Letter Writing - Simple Letter (Seeking Permission Regarding Absence etc.)

Writing letters is an art and a strategy. The latter can be followed by following formal meetings; the former must be nurtured with the care and deepest interest of man. The letters are generally divided into the following four categories: friendly or informal letters, business letters; invitations and responses, as well as the use of functions.

Parts of a letter

It is convenient to divide all letters into 10 parts:

Sender's address
Date
Direction (the address of the person(s) to whom you are writing)
Salutation
Reference (not always necessary in intimate, personal letters)
Body
Subscription
Signature
Postscript (to be as a rule avoided, unless absolutely necessary)
The envelope.

As these are mostly (except for the body of the letter) matters of form, we will illustrate each one of them. Often there are alternative forms, but you must choose one of them and use it consistently.

Sender's address:

(a) Laxmi Niwas,
52 Mall Road,
Civil Lines,
Kanpur 208 016

(b) D 64 Press Road,
Nauroji Nagar,
Mysore 570 006

Date:

(a) October 25, 1988

(b) 25th October, 1988

Direction:

(a) The Personnel Manager,
Life Insurance Corporation of India,
Bhubaneshwar, 751 006.

(b) Messrs Atma Ram & Sons,
3B Asaf Ali Roa,
New Delhi 110 001 .

(d) Ms. Kavita Swaroop,
4/D Indira Colony,
Jawahar Nagar,
Agra 282 005.

(Messrs is used for an unlimited company or partnership of traders) (The same address is to be repeated on the envelope.)

Salutation:

(a) Dear Sir/Madam,

(b) Sir/Madam, (in strictly formal letters to and from government departments or officials)

(c) Dear Sirs/Gentlemen, (in the case of unlimited company, firm or partnership of traders or from a clerk to the Board of Directors, when 'Gentlemen' is preferred)

(d) Dear Mr. Swaminathan,

(e) Dear Swaminathan,

(f) My dear Swaminathan/My dear Mr. Swaminathan, ('My dear' shows extra intimacy)

(g) My dear Ravi, (very intimate and friendly)

(a) Reference:( in professional or business letters)

(b) Sale of Old Stock (between salutation and the body of the letter) (usually placed above the direction)

(d) Your ref...

Body: (the main part of the Letter, the subject matter of which will differ in each case)

Subscription:

(a) Yours faithfully. (most common form in formal, official and business letters)

(b) Yours truly. (somewhat warmer than the above)

(d) Yours affectionately. Very sincerely yours, Yours ever, in very intimate personal letter

Layout of a letter

1. Font and Margins

Before writing a letter, it must be kept in mind that the letter should not only be simple to understand but easy to read as well. Set your margins to be one or one and a half inches per each side of the document, this will help your letter look professional. Using simple fonts like Verdana, Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman with a 12-point size will give your official letter a clean look as well.

2. Heading and Subject

Once your fonts are set, you can begin addressing your letter. First, write your name in the top left-hand corner of the page. Include your name, address and the current date. You can also include your phone number and email if you are requesting further contact.

While writing the recipient's address information, remember to put it directly beneath yours. Write their name, title of their organization if they are representing one, followed by the address. Review the name and address of your recipient more than once to ensure you've written the correct address and spelled their name right.

3. Salutation

You can now professionally greet your reader. A common salutation used in official letters is, "Dear Ms. Or Mr. Last name". If you know both their first name or last name, you can include that in the salutation. For example, you can write, "Dear Alex Smith". If you know their gender, you can write, "Dear Mr. Alex Smith" or "Dear Ms. Alex Smith". If you're unaware of the name of the recipient, you can write, "Dear Sir or Madam".

4. The Body

The body paragraphs are where you can capture your main points and professionally explain your concerns, opinions or other information to your recipient. This is the part where your introduction and the purpose of the letter comes in. You can use verbiage such as, "I am writing to you today because..."

Once you've explained what the recipient will read, you can expand further throughout the next paragraph. Include details that support your first statement. For example, if you were writing a recommendation letter, you could expand on the skills of the person your recommending by saying, "Avery's time-management and organizational skills have improved the efficiency of my business by 12% since the beginning of the quarter."

You can continue giving examples until you believe your point has been clearly understood by the reader. Keep your sentences short, simple and easy for the reader to understand.

5. Conclusion and Signature

After finishing the body of the letter, the conclusion should be written. This paragraph can be short and will finalize the document by repeating your main point, explaining any possible next steps or thanking the recipient for taking the time to read your letter.

After closing the letter, you can provide your closing signature at the end of the document. Examples of common letter signatures are:

Sincerely

Sincerely yours

With appreciation

Thank you

Regards

Yours truly

Respectfully yours

Carefully select your closing signature as per the requirements and input name at the bottom of the letter.

6. Enclosures

Enclosures are additional materials added to your letter to support your document, similar to when you attach a file to an email. If you're attaching a document to complement your letter, you should mention it near the end of your letter. To inform the reader that an additional document is attached, you can include the word "enclosure" at the end of the letter after your name. You can also shorten the word by writing, "encl."

Write your name and address in the top left-hand corner of the envelope followed by the recipient's name and address in the middle. Now your letter is ready to be sent to the recipient.

Features of a Good Letter

Knowing What to Say:
Nothing is more harmful to good communication than muddle-headedness resulting in not being able to make one's point. Before writing a letter one should be sure of what one wants to say and accordingly one should be in command of all the necessary facts and information arranged logically and systematically.

2. Clarity:
Knowing what one wants to say is not enough unless one says it in as clear a Language as possible. Here comes the importance of the right word and the right expression put in a sentence constructed neatly and with precision. It should, however, be remembered that right words and write expressions become relevant only when they occur in the right place. Thus, emotional and even flowery language may be apposite to a personal Letter but it will be completely out of place in a business letter.

3. Brevity:
A few generations ago, when man enjoyed unlimited space and time, prolixity in language would not have been unwelcome, at Least in certain kinds of correspondence. In the modern age, however, addition of even one extra word cost time and energy most people will like to avoid. It is all the more the business correspondence. It means that all redundancy, be it a quotation illustration, an elaboration, in short, padding of any kind, must be avoided at all costs.

4. Accuracy:
Avoidance of redundant helps achieve accuracy of statement. For much unwanted language in letters is the direct result of inaccurate and inconsistent thoughts and statements. A little care, particularly habitual revision of what one has written, will go a long way towards making writing accurate.

5. Courtesy:
As remarked earlier, a letter reveals its writer's personality and character. Since there is always a 'you' in every letter, it is necessary that this 'you' or the addressee be shown all the courtesy and respect that language can express. Even when a complaint is lodged or a statement or application rejected, care should be taken that it is couched in polite and civilized language. It is worth remembering that while courtesy costs nothing, there is hardly anything more abrasive than impolite language.

6. Good Looks:
Finally, a letter must be a visual attraction to the reader. It can displease either through wrong spelling and punctuation or bad writing and typing. These are not matters merely of form as even a well-thought out-letter, rich in ideas and having all the qualities of clarity, brevity, accuracy and courtesy may not only fail to make proper impact on the reader, but may even defeat its purpose by causing him unnecessary annoyance.

Importance of a Business Letter

Promotional Function: By promoting new products and providing better services to business organizations, improving and enhancing the quality of their products. Customers should be informed through these developments. Business organizations have to expand their market by tapping new areas. All-round expansion is possible only if the organization continues to be well-informed by letters to those people and letters promoting them.

Informational work: Business letters provide valuable data about previous policies, transactions and all other activities of the organization. Modern businesses cannot depend on memory like the old days. If they are available then the letters are ready reference. New policies can be developed by studying earlier. Not only is it necessary to maintain good correspondence, but it is also more necessary to make them available in the files.

Legal work: Business letters can provide evidence in legal disputes, if any, which is in a transaction. They are useful as legal documents in quotes and offers.

Goodwill work: Business letters promote goodwill among business parties that trade. They make a good rapport between the parties in business transactions.

Convey information: The fundamental reason for any business letter is to pass on information in regards to practice business exercises. Information can be transmitted through the business letter to clients, providers, indebted individuals, government experts, monetary organizations, bank, and insurance agencies and to any different gatherings related to the business.

Conclude exchange: One of the particular functions of a business letter is to finish up an exchange. In finished exchanges business letter are as often as possible utilized.

Creation of markets: Business letter are particularly significant for creating interest for new products and services and market creation.

Creation of generosity: In this electronic period, messages can be sent inside a couple of moments through electronic media however a very much beautified business letter has its own significance in creating a positive picture of the company.

Letter to Seek Permission for Absence

The most significant step in writing a letter of permission to be absent from work is to make sure it's professional. You should also write it in a standard business language, keep it brief, and straight to the point. To write a great letter, avoid errors. You should also use proper grammar, and punctuate it well. Your content should explain the reasons why you would like to be absent from work, when you are going to be returning, and whom you will turn in your responsibilities.

Format for letter of permission to be absent from work the letter of permission follows a typical or traditional format. However, this may vary depending on the policies and procedures at your workplace. An essential factor is to have compelling content in an exceedingly professional tone. Here is a way to format your letter:

Provide your contact information: this is often basically your address and telephone number, if necessary.

Date: it's the date you're writing the letter.

Recipient’s contact information: this is often the address of the recipient of your letter. Since you're writing it to your superiors, it should not be necessary to incorporate their address.

Subject: This section allows you to state the aim of the letter. Ensure it is in a few words, at most eight, underlined, or bolded.

Salutation: Also known as the greeting, it starts with Dear Sir/Madam or recipient’s name.

Body: It includes relevant details about the explanations for writing the letter, the time you would like to be absent, and a request to obtain permission.

Closing: The closing includes things like your signature and your name.

In some cases, you will not need to include all of the main points above. Your name, the person you're addressing the letter to, dates, body, text, and closing could also be enough.

Below is a sample letter for seeking permission for absence from work:

How to Write a Leave of Absence Letter (with Samples)

Sales and Credit Letters

A sales letter is a type of business letter which is written with the intent of selling a product. Sales letters are an effective way to communicate with clients.

Sales letters are designed in such a way that they immediately grab the attention of the reader. It is like a salesman discussing the purpose but in the form of a letter. A sales letter could be general or particular in nature depending upon the person(s) it is addressed to.

Objectives of Sales Letter

The main purpose of every sale letter is to convince the reader to purchase a product.
Introduction and marketing of new products and services.
To reach potential customers.
Expansion of the market.

Advantages of Sales Letter

A sales letter is less expensive.
Reach a client where a salesman cannot.
Reach a number of clients all at the same time.
Ease of understanding and availability of full details.
More convenient, efficient, and comprehensive.

Elements and Format of Sales Letter

Below is the format of a sales letter

Headline: Here the writer wants to grab the reader’s attention toward the main purpose of the letter.

Introduction: The first paragraph serves the purpose of introduction the product or service to the reader. It provides the reader with the details of the product or service. These details include the cost of the product or service, the quality, the savings and any other information associated with it.

Body: This is the part where the writer needs to build his credibility and convince the reader. Here, the content includes the worth of the product, its similarities and differences from other products, a list of satisfied customers who are already happily using the product, and the terms of contract related to the product etc.

Call to Action: Here the writer tries to incite an appropriate response from the reader. Details such as warranties and discounts are often added in the concluding part of the letter.

Writing Tips for Writing Sales Letter

Introduce the ideas in a way that compels the reader to take a positive action.
Introduce yourself and the product well.
Be clear in what you are offering.
Choose your words as per the targeted audience.
Always use a headline.
Make the first sentence of each paragraph count.
Use of font styles, font sizes, bullets, and numbering etc.
Strongly describe the credibility of the product using relevant statements and examples.
Suitable closing sentences.
Correct use of salutation.
Proper and complete details of the product and availability.
Always ask for the reader's attention, build interest and desire in the reader's mind, and finally incite the call of action.
Have a simple and convincing tone.
Avoid creating confusion and uncertainty.
Avoid being clever and funny.
Include your name, signature, and other contact details.
Do not use fancy words or slang.
Always revise and edit the letter.

Letters of Quotation

A quotation is an offer from the seller to sell products or services at a certain price. A quotation is not a legally binding contract but only an offer. In businesses such offers are often made through letters. These letters are known as quotation letters or voluntary offers.

Quotation letters are written in formal style and follow the same format as other business letters with a change in the main content of the letter.

Format of a quotation letter

Your name, address, city, zip code, phone number and email address should be included in the contact information. Following the contact info is the date. After writing these, you have to write the contact information of the person or organization you are writing to, the salutation, The introduction as to why you are writing the letter, the body comprising of various specifications regarding the products or services along with the price list, a few concluding statements and your signature (handwritten signature if the letter is mailed).

These are the basic steps of writing a business quotation letter. To summarize, a business quotation letter should consist of short and to the point sentence, the focus should always be on the numbers, it should attract the attention of the reader, it should be respectful and should not contain errors.

Sample

Below is a sample letter of quotation which will help you understand the basic template of a quotation letter

Order Letter

An order letter is a type of business letter which is written for the purpose of placing orders for products and services. An order letter is written by the buyer when the seller has provided them with a quote and it is in accordance with their budget.

An order letter is important step towards initiating a business transaction. This letter demonstrates interest in the merchandise and the need to start a business deal. This letter also shows that a customer is satisfied with the details provided in the quote like prices, specifications and other details.

An order letter is also used to specify the timeline around which the ordered products are to be delivered. It also provides other relevant information on quantity, the things ordered, and the mode of payment.

Below is a template of how an order letter should be written. In this template, the buyer is placing an order after receiving a quotation from the seller and agreeing to it.

From,

_____________

Date (date on which letter is written)

To,

________________

Subject:_________________________________________

Dear _________________,

My name is ____________ and I am writing as ____________ on behalf of ____________. With regard to a request for a quote dated ____________, I wish to order ____________ fabrics that are ____________ in colour and ____________ design. This order is for a client who is preparing for a wedding on ____________ and I wish to have the order urgently. The reference number of this order is ____________, please include it in all transactions for this order.

The first order will be for ____________ pieces so that we can examine the quality of the fabric and the design before making the second order. The second order will be for ____________ pieces upon approval of the first order. Kindly receive a check of ____________ for the first order. I would appreciate if you sent me a confirmation of receipt through my email ____________.

I hope to receive the shipment by latest ____________ in our office located on this address ____________.

Thank you in advance.

Your Truly,

__________

(__________________)

Claim Letter

A claim letter is essentially a complaint letter which a buyer writes to a seller to resolve grievances. Claim letters are formal business letters in which an individual or company demands the fulfilment of their claims.

In a claim letter the buyer asks for a refund or replacement for the faulty products or services provided by the seller. The seller then sends an adjustment letter where he tries to find a solution for the buyer’s problem.

Below is a sample claim letter which can be used as a template while writing a claim letter:

Adjustment Letter

An adjustment letter is a response to a buyer’s complaint or claim letter. Th main objective of writing an adjustment letter is to rectify the problem and provide the buyer with an appropriate solution.

Steps on How to Write an Adjustment Letter

1. Write the salutation.

Always address the letter to a particular person. Usually, people that send a complaint letter leave their name and address. Make sure that you spell the name correctly. For example, “Dear Mr. Jones” or “Dear Michael Robertson.”

2. Write the introduction.

Start the first sentence with a positive note. Write that you are pleased to hear from the client or express regret over the troublesome situation, or both. Address the date of the customer’s complaint letter and tell why you are writing. Don’t repeat the content of the complaint in detail.

Try to avoid such words as “complaint” or “claim.” These words may sound accusatory for the client. It will be better to say something like “Your report/message/notice from 2nd November has been received.”

3. Write the main part of the letter.

This section will consist of several parts. First, you need to restate the essence of the problem, so the reader will clearly understand that you have understood their problem well. Then you need to explain why the situation has occurred. Avoid long explanations, and be specific and brief. Clients don’t care about the company’s difficulties and simply want the situation to be fixed.

Second, present the solution to the problem. If the client is right, admit the mistake and provide a compensation or guarantee that the error will be resolved. Provide a list of steps that you are going to take (or have already taken). In some cases, when the claim is unwarranted, the company needs to write a careful and tactful denial to maintain good relations with the customer. Always try to persuade the client that you always have their needs in mind.

4. Write a conclusion.

End the letter with kind words. Thank for the client’s patience and offer further cooperation. Assure the client that such situations are rare and the company will do all possible to prevent this in the future. Express hope that the client will continue to enjoy products or services of the company. Don’t restate the essence of the problem at the end of the letter, as it will leave a feeling of incompleteness rather than your goodwill.

Add a hot-line phone number and website at the end of your letter, so the client can contact your company if needed.

5. Proofread and send the letter.

Make sure that your text is free of mistakes and has a logical structure. When you are pleased with the result, send the letter to the client.

Tips on How to Write an Adjustment Letter

Don’t forget to fill in the subject field if you are sending an email.
Write the adjustment letter in the shortest time possible. The company improves its own reputation by responding quickly to all complaints.
Focus more on the solution rather than on the details of the problem.
Always write in a positive tone. You need to calm down the customer and cheer them up.
Focus on the relevant and specific facts rather than emotions.
Don’t use abusive language or a negative tone. Even if the customer is aggressive or rude, you need to keep a friendly attitude and understanding of the problem.
Never promise the client to do what is impossible or something that violates the company’s policy.
Don’t show your surprise about the problem, unless it is a truly unique case for your company.
Don’t try to make excuses – provide only factual information in the explanation.
Show that your company takes it seriously.
If the client experiences a great inconvenience, be generous. For example, you can provide a discount for the next order or a gift if appropriate.
Remember the classical rule: “The customer is always right.” Even if the customer is wrong, make sure the customer is satisfied with your response.

5.3. Preparation of Technical Events, Information Broacher and Manuals

Technical Writing

Technical writing is a complex form of communication that requires extensive knowledge of the technical concepts within manuals and instructional documents. Technical writers take complicated information and create materials that are easy to read for different audiences.

Technical writers create documents, user guides and other written materials for technical products and services. They use their technical writing skills to communicate, provide easily digestible instruction manuals to help audiences understand specialized topics, such as how to use complex features of software programs and applications. Technical writers may work for one company or provide freelance services for multiple organizations.

Scope and Characteristics of Technical Writing

Technical writing involves drafting and writing technical communications used in occupational fields. The scope of technical writing extends to the following industries:

Engineering
Computer software and hardware
Robotics
Chemistry
Finance
Consumer electronics
Forestry
Aeronautics
Medical and healthcare
Biotechnology

To qualify as technical writing, a communication must include at least one of the main characteristics:

Writing about specialized or technical topics, including environmental regulations, computer applications or medical procedures
Relaying instructions about how to complete a task, regardless of the technical nature of that task
Communicating through the use of technology, such as social media sites, help files or webpages

A technical writer shares information through writing in a professional atmosphere. Many of the details provided by technical writers are complex, so the process of writing involves analysing the information and presenting it in a way easy for anyone reading it to understand, even someone who does not have a lot of experience with the topic. The rise in e-learning has also created a need for content that allows people to learn subjects through online training courses.

Technical writers are most commonly known for creating user and help manuals, although they work on many other documents and pieces. In this role, you might help create product specifications and descriptions, reports, press releases, white papers, data sheets and business proposals. Many organisations rely on technical writers to produce job descriptions.

Technical Definition

A technical definition is a definition in technical communication describing or explaining technical terminology. Technical definitions are used to introduce the vocabulary which makes communication in a particular field succinct and unambiguous.

There are 3 types of technical definitions:

1. Parenthetical Definitions

Parenthetical definitions are words that quickly explain a term and are included within the same sentence as the word being defined. These informal definitions can be a synonym or a short phrase. The definition will be placed in parentheses immediately following the word being defined.

Parenthetical definitions are used to explain words that need clarification but are not the main focus of the document. For example, you might write, 'Our company should invest in creating sinistral (left-handed) office supplies to meet the growing market demand.'

Notice that the term being defined, sinistral, does not need a lengthy explanation for readers to understand the concept of the sentence. Instead, a simple synonym placed immediately after the word sufficiently explains the term.

2. Sentence Definitions

There are times when a few words are not enough to explain a technical term. In this case, the definition provided needs to be more extensive. Sentence definitions can provide the additional information needed to help increase comprehension.

Sentence definitions are an explanation of a word using one sentence. These are more formal explanations than parenthetical definitions. Sentence definitions follow a similar form, which includes:

The word being defined
The class to which the word belongs
The feature that distinguish the term from other words

For example, 'The heart is an organ that pumps blood through the body.' Notice that the word being defined is provided first (heart), then the word is put into a class or category (organ), and finally, distinguishing features are explained (pumps blood).

Here are some other examples of sentence definitions:

 A pig is an animal that rolls in the mud.

 Scissors are an instrument that is used to cut items, such as paper.

 A hoyden is a girl who is boisterous and bold.

 A kickshaw is food served as an appetizer and is usually a delicacy.

Keeping the word-class-distinguishing feature format allows the readers to compare the word to terms they may already know, while also understanding how it differs from those words, which improves comprehension.

3. Extended Definitions

Although sentence definitions provide more specific details to define a word, there are times in technical writing when the term is so important to the document or so complex in its meaning that an entire paragraph or more is needed to help explain the term. This is when an extended definition is necessary.

Extended definitions are the use of a paragraph or more to expand on a word that may be difficult to comprehend. An extended definition almost always starts with a sentence definition, but then expands on the word by providing additional sentences about one or more of the following:

The function of the term
The location of the term
The physical traits of the term
The causes and effects of the term

Technical Description

A technical description is a type of text that describes an object or process with respect to its function, organization, parts and details. A technical description is the "building block" of technical documentation. Technical documents usually contain multiple technical descriptions.

Usually, a technical description consists of a general pattern. First, the author states the object or process and describes its function or functions. Second, they give an overview of the object or process, including its dimensions, parts (with organization of those parts) and other relevant information. Finally, the writer elucidates each significant component, provides explanations, locations and physical information of each component.

Before starting a technical description, it is imperative to consider carefully how the audience and the purpose of the document will affect what you write. Your sense of your audience will determine not only how technical your vocabulary should be but also how long your sentences and paragraphs should be.

Another audience-related factor is your use of graphics. Some audiences may require simple graphics; they might have trouble understanding complicated schematics or charts. While considering the audience, it is necessary to think about whether any of the readers are from other cultures and might therefore expect different topics, organization, or writing style in the description.

Drafting Effective Descriptions

There is no single organizational format used for technical descriptions. Because descriptions are written for different audiences and different purposes, they can take many shapes and forms.

Below are the elements of drafting an effective technical description:

1. Introduction: Plan the introduction to your description carefully. It must include the following:

Indicate the specific object about to be described.
Explain what the audience needs in terms of knowledge and background to understand the description.
Provide a general description of the object.
Include an overview of the contents of the description.

2. Background: If the object of description is not likely to be familiar to most of your readers, consider adding some background before you divulge into the actual description. If suppose you are about to describe the function of an SGO/3 density gauge, you must first explain what it is, what it does, and on where can it be used.

3. The Body (Discussion of the parts and/or characteristics): The main body of the technical description must consist of the discussion of all the parts or characteristics along with their technical specifications. The object of description must be divided into parts or characteristics, or both. For example, while describing a wooden pencil, divide it into a lead, a wooden barrel, an eraser, and a metal clip. Characteristics would describe the tangible and intangible aspects of a thing which are not parts: for example, the pencil has a certain weight, length, width, and so on.

Once the object of description is divided into parts and characteristics, the next section will describe each part and characteristic in detail. For mechanical objects, it works well to start by defining the part and then explaining its function. The description of each part should be from general to specific, using any of the sources of description that are appropriate.

It is noteworthy that while writing a technical description, you can mix other kinds of writing.

4. Discussion of the Related Operation or Process: While drafting a technical description, it is useful to summarize the operation or process associated with the object you're describing. For example, while describing the function of a mechanical pencil, you could briefly explain how it is used. If the described object is a snowflake, it must contain the discussion on the process by which it formed.

5. Conclusion: A typical technical description has a brief conclusion that provides an overall summary of the item. A frequently used technique for concluding descriptions of some mechanisms and objects is to state briefly how the parts function together as a whole. A professional description will contain a brief paragraph summarizing the principal steps or discussing the importance or implications of the process.

Information Broacher

Despite the prominence of digital marketing, print collateral still has an important role to play in a balanced marketing strategy. A professionally produced brochure suggests a high budget and a well-balanced reputation.

Not only that, but brochures are versatile marketing tools. You can distribute them at trade shows, put them in brochure racks, send them via mail, and even publish them on your company website.

Most brochures are just a few hundred words in length, so you don't have a lot of space to get your message across. It's important to make every word count. Here are eight tips for writing a brochure that signals professionalism and competence—and spurs your readers to action.

1. Plan first

Brochures vary in content and length, but most follow a typical format. The front panel displays the company logo & headline, the inner panels make a case for the product/service using supporting facts & details, and the final panel contains contact info and a call-to-action.

Before you start writing, identify your target persona for the brochure including age, gender, location, role, income, interests and challenges.
This information will guide the tone, language and content of your brochure. It'll also help you choose a call-to-action that appeals to your readers. (For instance, an offer for a free white paper would likely be of interest to an executive, whereas a mobile app download would be more fitting for a college student.)
Make note of where your target audience is in the buying cycle. Don't waste space going on about the history of your organization if your readers have done business with you before.
Also consider the level of understanding your prospects already have about the topic. Are they experts, novices or somewhere in between? Keeping this in mind will help you avoid alienating readers by talking down to them or confusing them.

2. Write a compelling headline

Your headline will determine whether a prospect picks up and reads your brochure or tosses it aside.

Avoid using headlines that don't tell the reader anything about the contents of the brochure—for example, "Make a Good Impression." (A good impression on whom? For what purpose?)

You can provoke a reader's curiosity without being vague. These example headlines spark interest while also telling readers exactly what they'll get from reading the brochure:

Scared of the Dentist? Learn How Sedation Dentistry Can Help
The Ultimate College Prep Checklist: A Four-Year Plan for High School Freshmen
4 Reasons to Think Again Before Buying a Foreclosed Home

Don't be afraid to use "power" words like free, quick, easy, results, exclusive, proven, etc. What they lack in originality, they make up for in effectiveness.

3. Write concisely

Your brochure should focus on one product or service. A trifold brochure only has space for about 350-450 words, so keep words, sentences and paragraphs short. Edit ruthlessly and include only the most vital and relevant information, leaving room for white space and pictures.

Big walls of unbroken text look intimidating to readers, so use subheads liberally. Try not to put more than a couple of paragraphs in a row without introducing something else to break up the monotony, such as a subhead, bullet-point list or image.

4. Limit the copy to 1-2 typefaces

The typefaces you choose should be easy to read and consistent with your branding. Often, if the subhead copy is in a serif face, the body copy will use a sans-serif face, and vice versa. (There are some great free tools available to help you select a complementary font pairing.)

Select font size, spacing and colour with readability in mind so your prospects don't have to work to read the brochure.

5. Make the brochure a keeper

If you can, include a handy reference of some kind in your brochure to dissuade readers from throwing it away—for example:

a map of a town marked with top attractions

a "normal body weight" chart based on the reader's height

a list of program-specific student scholarships

a cheat sheet for first-time home buyers in a specific city

Also consider printing the brochure on high-quality glossy paper to enhance its perceived value.

6. Include next steps for your reader

The goal of your sales brochure should be to persuade your readers to take a specific action.

This call-to-action is usually placed on the last panel of the brochure, along with the contact info. To boost response rates, offer an incentive, such as a promo code or free product.

The following are some example actions you might want your readers to take:

Sign up to your email list for a free white paper
Visit your website to make a purchase or sign up for a program
Call to book a free consultation
Scan a QR code to download an app
Enter for a chance to win
Visit your store for an upcoming sale

7. Proofread the brochure

No matter how much effort you put into your messaging and design, errors and inconsistencies in your printed literature can kill your credibility.

Verify that the tone of your brochure matches the rest of your brand messaging. Unlike informational brochures (which may take the third-person point-of-view), sales brochures usually use second-person to build rapport with the reader.

Refer to your brand style guide for how to handle things like numerals, dates and titles in the text. (If you don't have a brand style guide, use an established style reference like AP Stylebook.) And of course, look everything over for correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.

8. Don't miss anything

Before the brochure goes to print, check that your logo and contact information are present and error-free. Also look for details you may have forgotten to include, such as:

Purchasing info—how to place an order, accepted payment types, guarantees, warranties, refunds, shipping, etc.
Visitor info—accessibility for people with disabilities, hours of operation, seasonal times, admission rates, group sizes, pets, directions, etc.
Legal info—copyrights, trademarks, registration marks, disclaimers, etc.

You can also create branded templates for your brochures so you don't miss anything important when you start a new project—Lucidpress handles printing as well.

Technical Manuals

‘Technical manual’ can be used as a term for any manual with a technical character. They are documents that contain instructions regarding a machine or a technical procedure. Technical manuals may include a manual (or set of manuals) for a complicated machine like an airplane. You could also consider technical manuals to run an entire industrial installation.

Technical writing always brings with it ten considerations that any technical writer should remember of.

1. Know who you are talking to

Manual writing expertise is first and foremost: knowing who the audience is. The tone of voice for elderly people using a tablet has to be quite different from a mechanic who knows his way around in a chemical plant.

2. Be aware of all directives

When a product is faulty in a way, the manufacturer or reseller are often held answerable for its consequences. ‘Faulty in some way’ is indeed the proper expression, For instance, European directives also include requirements for writing technical manuals or any manuals. This means that your technical manual is additionally subject to scrutiny. A manual is an integral part of the product and could lead to legal liability!

3. Follow the guidelines

Legal requirements or directives are all fine. But how can one know that these requirements are being met. Fortunately, there are guidelines. These guidelines may have a national origin. However, they don't not differ much between. Of course, one should be aware of these guidelines. They tell you what kind of chapters to include, what size the letters should be and so on.

4. Collect all the information that you can

It is better to settle on from an excessive amount of information than risking the prospect that your technical manual (or not so technical manual) is incomplete. CAD illustrations, Marketing documentation, etc. all provide context and thus should be an integral a part of manual writing.

5. Write effectively

There are a minimum of three principles that result in effective manual writing: Simplified Technical English (STE), minimalism and topic based authoring.

Simplified Technical English

Simplified Technical English may be a specific standard, simplifying the utilization of English language in technical documents by putting a limit on the amount of words in a sentence. Also, the set of words is restricted (‘to do’ is less complicated to grasp than ‘to carry out’).

Minimalism

Minimalism is a way of thinking. This way of thinking is: only provide information that is really useful. Consider an example from the aviation industry. When there was a loss of pressure in an airplane, the emergency manual – in effect a checklist – started with telling that something could be wrong with a valve. This certainly is a false start. The first sentence should have been: “Put on your oxygen mask.” Minimalism could have saved lives here, since the pilots did not feel inclined to put on their oxygen masks. And the checklist didn't tell them to do so. Minimalism tells us we should concentrate on our tasks, not on information that can be provided later on (or is not necessary at all).

Topic based authoring

Topic based authoring implies that writing (technical) manuals comes down to writing building blocks that may be reused in other or newer technical manuals. For example, the chapters or sections ‘Safety measures’ and/or ‘Maintenance’ may be identical in several manuals. By writing topic based, instead of writing in a linear fashion, information blocks become readily available all of the time.

As much as 30% of the training time of mechanics can be saved using these 3 principles. Readers can absorb 25% more data as a consequence of utilizing the three writing principles into practice.

6. Use pictures

Writing technical manuals mustn't only include written. Writing technical manuals should preferably not entail only writing manuals. Illustrations with pictures and graphs take an important place in manuals. An illustration can be far more effective if you want to get your message across. Illustrations can also be more cost effective to provide. At any rate, translation of an image will not be necessary.

7. Use animations

When a user has to carry out a lot of similar actions (holding the top of a bottle while moving the rest of the bottle to the left, then putting the bottle upside down and so on), a series of illustrations might be effective. But an animation may be the additional option you're searching for.

8. Translate and localize

Many a times technical manual needs translation because of directives. It goes without saying that texts in a local language are also very user friendly: almost everyone likes to be addressed in his or her own mother tongue.

Translation should be more than replacing words. It should also entail ‘localization’. It means that for example, for users on the European continent the steering wheel of a car should be drawn on the left-hand side, whereas for UK users it should be on the righthand side.

9. Build your archive

It is important to use content management software with which you'll build your own archive. This way, you'll easily use and reuse existing information blocks.

10. Publish in any (additional) shape or form

Why is a content management system so enormously important? Because you'll reuse existing information blocks in every output channel imaginable: print, online or offline on a tool (by means of a PDF file, for example). Online or offline presence also makes it possible to use 3D animations.