. \'�l(·;> .;;�.,. . .' . :�; · }� ,.s�I,��' �" . .

;:eonlirll!HJ,g ���Q,rd e r,,: i .

. " ,\' ." ' . .. .

>,
":;'7,4 , \lfm,t(A, } 5iIAi �., .!�;J;i!•. lJ .,, ', " Q" l.#t . t bL 4i $ , 4£1 it, t .
�'
. .11"

When you send a letter confirming an order, be specific. Give any additional
information about the order, such as items that are out of stock or on back order.

Before you write the letter, make sure that you can fulfill the order. If there is a
problem with availability or schedule, write about it in the letter.

G ETTING STARTED
1. Read the following fax and the e-mail response to the fax. The export
manager at Component Outsource Ltd. found out about a delay in the
shipment they expect from A-Tech Inc. Some of the orders Computer
Outsource has to ship will be delayed.
2. Complete the Order Log. Write a check (II) next to the names of the
customers who have to be contacted about the shipping problem.

A-Tech Inc. To: 1. Wilson <[email protected]>

Chip Manufactudng Division Fr: J. Chen <[email protected]>
19-3 Banpo-dong Sub: Delay of Intex 440SX
Seocho-Ku Date: Fri, Dec 3, 20-
Seoul 1 37-040
Korea
I received a fax from A-Tech this morning.They're going to be a week
82-2-6284-6566 Telephone behind schedule for the Intex 440SX shipment. Please call the customers
82-2-6284 - 7700 Fax
who ordered this chip set, then fax a confirmation letter about the delay.
51xJ233. We
[email protected] E-mail
Ask if we can substitute AGB have those chip sets on hand.

FA,,'\( TRAl'llSMISSION
Fax: (65) 735 58 11
Pages: 1
�
' ,; �; .
December 3, 2(}-
.' .. '
Date; " ORDER LOG
"'.
To:
;
Ms. Jackie Chen Dalway Dalway Tiger
C ustomer _ _ _ Midway _

Export Manager
Computers Computers Graphics Industrials
Component Outsource Ltd.
Telephone: (65) 735 58 09 Customer DC DC DE DO . pi
.
From: Yon Mi Lee number 43223-A 43223-A 23321 -A 01 244-C
Production Supervisor
Component Intex 440SX I ntex 600 I ntex 600 Intex 440SX
Ref: Your November 28 order
Sub;: Shipping Delay . , Quantity 1 00,000 50,000 450,000 200,000
We regret to inform you that the Intex ,
Order date 1 1/24 1 1 /24 1 1 /1 0 1 111 0
�
440SX chip sets will not be shipped as (month/day)
scheduled. They will be shipped on
. Ship date 01/1 5 02/1 5 03/1 5 03/1 5 ,
February 1 st. All other chip sets will be
delivered on time. We apologize for any .� (month/day)
inconvenience this delay may cause. ." '�,e,:,\i(;i ' i" '"�
.
Model Letter: Confi rming an Order

Look at the different elements of a letter confirming an order.

Component Outsource Ltd.

350 Orchard Road
Singapore 238865
Telephone (65) 735 58 09
Fax (65) 735 58 1 1

December 3, 20-

Mr. Mark Wu
Dalway Computers
J1. Barito II, No. 48
Kby baru
Jakarta 1 100 1 , Indonesia

Ref: Purchase Order 1 1 3 5 1 2 of November 24

Opening -------+....
[ Dear Mr. Wu:

We received your November 24 fax and Purchase Order 1 1 3 5 1 2. We are

pleased to supply the components you requested on the dates specified,

[
with the exception noted below.

_______-+...... As we discussed in our phone call this morning, the chip set Intex 440SX is
Focus
not in stock.

[ We will back order this item and will ship it on February 5 .

[
Action ------- -H...

Closing ------- -+'1... If Ican be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to calL Your business
is very important to us, and we look forward to serving you in the future.

Sincerely yours,

John Wilson
Product Manager

Useful Language

We received your ___ fax and Purchase Order ___

We are pleased to supply ___ .

As we discussed, ___ is not in stock.
If I can be of further assistance, ___ .

Your business is very important to us.

� Unit 6
 The body of a letter confirming an order generally has four parts.

Part Content Example

Opening Refer to the specific order and We received your November 24 fax
the date it was sent or arrived. and Purchase Order 1 1 3512 . . . .
Focus State the problem. if any. As we discussed in our phone call this
morning. the chip set Intex 440SX is
not in stock.
Action Tell what you plan to do. We will back order this item and will
ship it on February 5.
Closing Thank the reader. If I can be of further assistance, please
do not hesitate to call. Your business is
very important to us, and we look
forward to serving Y()lI in the future.

Practice 1 Circle the letter of the sentence that is most simi lar to the sentence in the Model
Letter: Confirming an Order on page 44.

1. Opening
a. Your e-mail ordering office furniture was received.
b. We are pleased to confirm your order for the office supplies listed in
your letter of May 3.
c. We got your order.

2. Focus
a. We don't have any left.
b. Item number OSD-32 is very popular this year.
c. In our telephone conversation, I offered you a choice between 10- or 20-
pound copy paper.

J..
Tbars 3. Action

I Good; Business ., a.

b.
You'll get the items eventually.
We will substitute the oak for the walnut desk.
It is important
c. We will ship the items in stock and will ship the back-ordered items
to be very polite
and apologetic . . no later than May 15.
to customers . 4. Closing
when there is a .
problem with a. Our products are the best in the business.
their order. You want your b. We are having a special sale at the end of the month. Please call
customers to be happy. customer service if you would like a catalog.
c. If there's any way we can improve our service, please do not hesitate
Unhappy customers might
go to another vendor.
to tell us.

Confirming an Order �
Writi ng Your Message

(The Subject or Reference line

In many business letters and in all e-mails, there is a line that tells the reader
what the focus of the letter is. This is called the subject line or the reference
line. It is important that this line be clear and concise.
Ref: Purchase Order 113512 of November 24

:.' Practice 2 Write a check (V") next to the phrases that are good subject or reference lines.

1. no__ Your order

2. yes G. Barton's fax of June 12

__

3. no
__ Back-ordered items

4. yes Our August 15 telephone conversation

__

5. yes PO 466-43A

6. no
__ What are we going to do about PO 684?

7. yes Out-of-stock item: 000-344 oak desk

__

8. no Fax

(Opening
The opening of the confirmation letter repeats the information found in
the subject or reference line. Here are some phrases that are used in an
opening paragraph.
We received your November 24 fax and Purchase Order 113512.
Your letter of June 6 arrived today.
In response to your e-mail of May 10, we are confirming your order.
This letter confirms the receipt of your faxed Purchase Order 34-442.
Thank you for your letter of January 13.

Practice 3 Write an opening sentence for a letter or an e-mail with these subject or
reference lines. Use each of the phrases above one time.

1. Ref: Your Purchase Order X-32BA of June 1 0

Tbars
I Good; Business., 2. Re: Your furniture order of September 6

The words this letter confirms the receipt of your furniture order of september 6
5ubject and
reference are 3. Sub: Your e-mail of August 10
often
abbreviated Thank you for your e-mail of august 10
when they
appear at the top of letters, 4. Sub: Your fax and purchase order of March 2
faxes, and e-mails. We received your fax and purchase order of march 2
Subject Subj: or Sub:
Reference Ref: or Re: 5. Re: Your order letter of January 9
in response to your order letter of january 9. we are confirming your order

� Unit 6
(Focus
If the customer is angry about a problem, you should call rather than just
send a letter. Follow up the telephone call with a letter. In the letter, refer to
the phone conversation. Here are some common phrases often used at the
beginning of a sentence to refer to a previous meeting or conversation.
As we discussed in our phone call this morning, the chip set Intex 440SX is
not in stock.
As I told you in our telephone conversation today, we are unable to fill your
order at this time.
In our meeting yesterday, I told you that the desk is not available in oak.

Practice 4 Combine the two sentences into one sentence. Use the phrases above.

1. We had a meeting Friday. I told you that the #5 pens are back ordered.
111. our 'I11&.2:I:ing .FricYi;;. 1 WId gOg that the. # 5 t:Je:!U are. pad ordered

2. We talked on the phone this morning. Intex chip sets are out of stock.
As we have talked on the phone this morning, Intex chip sets are out of stock

3. Our telephone conversation was last week. All items on your purchase
order are no longer in production.
As i have told you in our telephone conversation last week, all items on your
purchase order are no longer in production

4. We spoke in my office Monday. We are unable to fill your order at this time.
as we spoke in my office on monday, we are unable to fill your order at

this time

(Action
When there is a problem, you must give a solution.
Problem Chip set Intex 440SX is not in stock.
Solution We will back order this item and will ship it on February 5.

Practice 5 Write the letter of the solution that best solves the problem.

Problems
1. All components are out of stock. __
c
2. The bookcase is not available in white. a
3. Item ODS, printer paper, is back ordered. __d
4. The items you ordered are available only in larger quantities. __
b
Solutions
a. We have it in brown and black.
b. We will ship the larger quantities, but charge you only for the number
you ordered.
c. It will be in stock by June 10.
d. We will forward them to you as soon as they are available.

Confirm ing an Order !i.,;

 :;-
Letter Practice. 1

Complete the sentences in this letter. Use the words below.

additional fax in stock ordered

anything important number requested

)\ West Virginia Office Supplies

220 First Ave.
Morgantown. WI/ 26506

March 3, 20--

Javier Perez
Office ¥�ager
Winston and Peras, LP
1400 16th Street, Suite 330
Washington, DC 20036-1301

Re: Purchase Order 6453

Dear Mr. Perez:

Thank you for your (1 ) fax

______ and Purchase Order 6453. All of

the items are (2) in stock and will be shipped overnight as you

( 3) _____
requested

You (4) ordered

______ 100 black pens, stock number 3245. As we

discussed on the telephone, these pens now come in boxes of twelve. We

That's
I Good; Business .,
will send you 10 boxes of twelve for no (5) additional
______ charge.

Your business is very (6) important

______ to us. If we can do
Be sure to tell
people how to (7) ______
anything else for you, please call me at my toll-free
contact you.
(8) number , (888) 555-2323, ext. 24, or e-mail me at
Most business
stationery [email protected].
includes a
phone number, fax number, Sincerely yours,
e-mail address, and mailing
address. If your stationery
does not include this
information, add it to the
body of your letter or Rajan Nair
beneath where you type Account Manager
your name and title.

� U n it 6
Letter Practice 2

Nguyen Tan sent an e-mail confirming an order. The shaded boxes show
ten places where he made errors. Write the correct word or punctuation above
the errors.

[email protected]
[email protected]
Your April 3 furniture order

(1 )

(2), (3) receiving your e-mail order on the following items:

I (one) oval conference table, 48 x 96 inches, white, BVS-OV4896TDO,

$ 1 87.00

2 (two) 72-inch bookcases with six I I -inch-deep shelves, walnut CEG-4952M,

$299.00 per bookcase

(4), (5), (6) The table is been shipped today and should arrive to your office no later then

April 1 2.

(7) Unfortunately, the black bookcases is out-of-stock, but we can substitute them

with white bookcases if you wish. Let me know.

(8) I apologize about the inconvenience, and hope we can work out an acceptable

(9) solutions for you.

( 1 0) Sincere yours,

Nguyen Tan

Sales Manager

Confirm ing an Order �

letter Practice 3

On a separate piece of paper, write a letter to confirm the orders listed in one of �
the following order logs. Look in your local telephone book or on the Internet for
names and addresses to use in your letter.

Order Log 827-A

Item Ordered Stock Number Status Action
1 7" monitor PV-17 unavailable In phone conversation yesterday,
client agreed to upgrade to 21 "
monitor; to be shipped overnight
at our expense.
keyboard AP-324 in stock Shipped overnight.

Order Log 76889

Item Ordered Stock Number Status Action
file folders ESS-1 28 back Phoned client; promised to
ordered ship 2/1 2.
stick-on notes MMM-7662 in stock To be shipped overnight.

Words and Expressions to Know

Look at this list of words and expressions that were used in the unit. Their defin itions are in the glossary
at the end of the book.

back order concise reference line substitute

behind schedule inconvenience regret upgrade
chip set out of stock subject line

_� U nit 6