Business correspondence is an integral part of the life of almost every person. It is in this form that it is most convenient to contact your superiors, colleagues, and various organizations. A letter of request is one of the most common types of this type of communication, because each company may require the opinion of an expert in any field, or assistance from various financial or administrative structures. This article will discuss exactly how to write a letter of request, as well as an example of this type of appeal.
Letter structure
Of course, the content and structure of a business letter depends on who is writing it and to whom it is addressed. So, for example, the head of an organization, addressing his subordinates or long-time partners, can write a shorter letter, but in order to enlist the support of higher organizations or ask for help from various specialists, it is often necessary to write a more lengthy request. You need to interest the recipient and convince him to support you. Let's look at the longer version first.
Introductory part
First of all, you need to compose the “header” of the letter, in which you indicate the name of your organization and its details, as well as information about who you are sending the letter to. It could be like certain person(for example, the head of a company) or a group (employees of a department of your company or your partners). The following is a greeting: if you are addressing to a specific person, you must address by name: “Dear Ivan Petrovich!” If you are writing to a team, then it is possible to address “Dear colleagues!”, “Dear employees of the department!”
Reason and purpose of appeal
First, you need to justify why you are contacting this particular person. Accordingly, you can start your letter with the following phrases:
- You are an outstanding expert in the field...
- You have always taken part in the affairs of our organization...
- Your department is leading...
- You can solve the most complex issues in the field of...
- Over the years, positive experience of interaction between…
- due to the fact that…
- in order to resolve the situation...
- for business development...
- to achieve better results in...
- to resolve conflict situations...
Statement of request
Finally, you need to actually state your request. The text itself should be concise, but contain Full description what exactly you need so that the recipient does not have any questions. Also, the request must be specific, that is, if you are asking for a service, you must indicate the exact cost or quantity, desired dates, etc.
It is advisable to begin your request with the following words:
- We ask for your support in resolving the issue...
- I am writing to you with a request...
- Please inform/send/report to me...
- I ask for your consent to...
Then you can write what benefit the addressee will receive if a positive response to your request or explain the importance and necessity of resolving your question.
Example letter:
LLC "Dari Dobro" Center for assistance to large and low-income families
to CEO
OJSC "Chitaina" Ivanov A.G.
Dear Alexander Gennadievich,
Your company always takes part in the affairs of our organization, and has been assisting in various events for several years now. As we host an event on August 20, 2016 to help families prepare their children for school, we hope for your help. All children have the right to a happy childhood, and low-income families, like no one else, need participation and support.
We ask you to take part in our “Get your child ready for school” campaign and consider donating school supplies for it. We need stationery for 50 children from low-income families.
Of course, if you agree to help us, we, in turn, promise you advertising of your company’s products at our event. Let's give children joy together!
Sincerely,
Director of the organization Vasilyeva N.I.
Home > DirectoryTYPICAL MISTAKES WHEN PREPARING BUSINESS LETTERS
Compilers of business documentation make errors of the following types: structural, syntactic, morphological, lexical, stylistic.Structural errors
Typically, a business letter consists of three parts: a concise introduction, the main body and a brief conclusion. The main part sets out the essence of the problem, argues the point of view of the author of the letter, therefore its volume is greater than the volume of the introduction and conclusion combined. It is important that the argument be carried out consistently, completely, without repetition or disruption of logical connections.
Structural errors are associated with incorrect construction of a business letter, disproportion of its parts, for example: lack of introduction or conclusion, excessively wordy introduction, complex system of arguments lacking logical connection.
Syntax errors
Errors associated with incorrect word order in a sentence
The word order in the Russian language is free, but you should avoid word order that becomes the reason for variable understanding of what is written.
So, for example, from the sentence: To generate reporting at the end of the year, indicators by region are clarified it is not clear: the indicators are updated at the end of the year or reporting is generated at the end of the year .
Apparently this sentence should look like this: To generate reporting, indicators by region are updated at the end of the year.
Violation of norms for the use of participial phrases
The participle names an action that occurs simultaneously with the action named by the predicate verb or precedes it.
For example: Having carefully examined the presentedapproval of the project,Departmentthinks... – the project has been reviewed previously;
Carefully examining the presentedapproval of the project,Departmentthinks... – the project is being considered now .
It is better to start, rather than end, a phrase with an adverbial phrase. For example: Uchity-vaya..., Considering..., Taking into account..., Guided by... etc.
It should be remembered that in a correctly constructed sentence, the gerund and the predicate must name actions performed by the same actor.
Errors in the use of participial phrases can be easily corrected by replacing sentences with participial phrases with sentences with verbal nouns.
Wrong: Studying the problems of service organization,interesting results were obtained.
Right: When studying the problems of service organization there wereinteresting results were obtained.
Or: Studying the problemsservice organization, inspectorsBy-got interesting results.
Errors resulting from ignorance of the structure of a complex sentence
When building complex sentences It should be taken into account that the following conjunctions and allied words are most often used What; which; If;to; Where; How.
Subordinate clauses For brevity, they can be replaced by synonymous participial and participial phrases.
For example: We directFor your information, the Basic Provisions of the Unified Statenew office management system approved by the Statecommittee...(instead of: which are approved).
Incorrect use of prepositions
Most common mistake– incorrect use of prepositions. In business writing and oral speech phrases with the preposition have become widespread O And dependent nouns in the prepositional case: question abouttrust; personnel decision; agreementO cooperation... etc. However, there are cases of using the preposition O with words that do not control the prepositional case or require another preposition when controlled.
Wrong: Head of departmentCanceltil about the importance of the problem posed.
Right: Bossnoted the importance of the problem posed.
Wrong: This shows that we are tolerant ofshortcomings.
Right:This shows that we are tolerantlet's look at the shortcomings.
Wrong:
There is no doubt that the work carried out by the departmentbig and important.
Right:There is no doubt that aboutThe work carried out by the department is large and important.
Incorrect case
Compiled by business letters Sometimes case forms are used incorrectly. Often there is an erroneous use of a noun in the genitive case instead of the dative case or vice versa.
Wrong: According to your request..., According tokaza..., According to the decision....
Right:According to your request..., According to the order...,According to the decision... .
Wrong: The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is petitioning for permanent registration in Moscow to the inspector...
Right: The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs is applying for permanent registration to the inspector... or The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is applying for permanent registration of an inspector in Moscow...
Morphological errors
Harmonization of definitions
If the definition refers to a noun that has an appendix with it, it agrees with the main word of the combination: new laboratory car, universal editor program. The main word in such combinations usually comes first.
If the definition refers to a combination of a personal name and an application like head of departmentT. Ivanov, the definition usually agrees with the nearest noun: our Head of Department Petrov; Senior Inspector Comrade Yakovleva; new boss Serov.
Deviations from this rule are observed in cases where the definition is expressed by a participle: speakerat an operational meeting, deputy head of department Si-dorova...; Senior Inspector Alekseeva, who took part in the preparation of the draft order...
Errors when using full and short form adjectives
Writers of business letters should take into account that short forms of adjectives are more common in formal business speech. Full forms of adjectives in such texts turn out to be inappropriate.
Wrong: The commission's conclusions are reasonable and fair.Right:The commission's conclusions are justified andfair.
Wrong: The decision to dismiss V.V. Ivanov illegal.
Right: The decision to dismiss V.V. Ivanovaillegal.
When using forms of short adjectives in -enen and short participles on -en It should be taken into account that in official business speech it is preferable to use forms in -enen.
Right: The final result is identicalpreliminary calculations.
Each department employee is responsible for the quality of work.
Lexical and stylistic errors
Incorrect use of words and terms
Certain terms and professional jargon words are known only to a narrow circle of people in a certain profession, so it is necessary to decipher them in the text. The use of colloquial words and figures of speech is generally inappropriate in official documents, for example:
Ensure daily construction of the department.
Part of the clerical style are phrases, which in stylistics are called splitting the predicate. Instead of this kind of phrases, it is better to use verbs: not make bonuses, A give bonuses; Not carry out control, A control.
In business letters there are many verbal nouns ending in -anie, -enie. You shouldn’t get carried away with forming words using this model, especially if we're talking about about words with negation, for example: non-secondment,shortfall,under-fulfillment.
Inappropriate or unjustified use of foreign wordsnykh words
The desire to give greater significance to the text by expressing it “more beautifully” explains the abuse of foreign words.
For example: deadline execution may be delayedgated instead of extended; present instead of introduce.
Using foreign word it is necessary to know its exact meaning. For example, the following sentence is incorrect: Effectivethe effectiveness of the saving regime largely depends on howfinancial expenses are limited.
Word limit means “maximum norm”, so allocated funds are limited, not expenses.
Using multiple words with the same meaning (convention–condition, extraordinary–special) often makes it difficult to work with documents, especially when processing them by machine.
OFFICIAL BUSINESS LETTERS
Pronouns You And Your are written with capital letter:
as a form of polite address to one person;
in the questionnaires.
When addressing more than one person, these pronouns are written with a lowercase letter.
1. For letters of request
A. Basic formulations:
We are turning to you (you) with a request…
About shipping to our address...
About the direction to my address...
About deportation to our unit...
About the speedy transfer to our authorized representative...
About providing...
We ask (ask) you (you)...
Notify (us)...
Send (to me)...
Urgently submit (to the minister) ...
Immediately report (to the scientific and technical council) ...
Notify (Department Management) about...
Inform me about...
I ask for your consent to...
Sending to the address (of the organization entrusted to me)...
Providing us...
Familiarization of (chief N) with...
We ask for your assistance in...
Receiving...
Speedy dispatch...
Providing additional information relatively...
Carrying out...
I ask for your instructions...
... to conclude an agreement on... with...
For delivery from the enterprise warehouse... to a representative...
To prepare documents about... (for candidate B)...
To review (limits)...
B.
In connection with (the appeal to us)...
In accordance with the (previous agreement) ...
Based on (the results of negotiations on the issue of)...
Taking into account (our long-term cooperation)...
Considering (the long-term and fruitful nature of our business relations)...
According to (current agreement on...)...
Earnestly...
Really...
Please...
As an exception...
We would be very grateful to you for...
Due to extraordinary circumstances...
Referring to your letter from...
Let me refer in this regard to your email message from...
The basis for this appeal is your fax from...
As you probably know, during a telephone conversation between... and... (... date)...
2. For message letters
A. Basic formulations:
I inform (inform) you (you)…
About what happened...
About changes in...
About the need...
About the facts...
About the measures we have taken to...
About preliminary results...
On reaching a final agreement with...
I present...
Information about...
Project (plan, program)...
Offers for...
Scroll...
Materials...
Report on...
Who...
Report on...
I am directing…
Instructions about...
Order...
Extract from the order...
A copy of the directive...
A copy of the agreement...
Solution...
Protocol...
Resolution...
I'm sending…
Toolkit...
Form...
...copy...
Description...
Documentation...
B. Auxiliary statements:
We would like to inform you that...
We send it for use in work...
I am sending you for guidance in daily activities...
In pursuance of your instructions, I present...
For your management's attention, we inform you about...
We consider it our duty to inform...
We consider it necessary to send to your address...
3. For letters of inquiry
A. Basic formulations:
... I submit a request...
I am sending a request...
Request the following information from you...
Contact you with a request for...
4. For application letters
A. Basic formulations:
…are authorized to declare...
About management's intention...
About the Department's plan...
About the desire of our management...
…I have the honor to make the following statement...
Relatively...
Due to...
Concerning...
About...
B. Additional wording:
Due to the appearance in the funds mass media information about alleged abuses...
Considering the nature of the existing relationships between our divisions...
5. For confirmation emails
A. Basic formulations:
Confirm (confirm)…
The fact of receiving...
Receiving...
Participation...
Arrival...
Sending...
The urgent need for...
I (we) received...
We gratefully confirm...
I am pleased to confirm...
This letter confirms...
We are sending you confirmation...
To confirm... we will send to your address...
We just received...
I still haven't received...
We have received it in full...
These samples completely satisfy us...
The information you sent has lost its relevance and suitability for...
The complexes transferred to us for permanent use fully meet the requirements...
Unfortunately, the equipment put into operation no longer meets the standards...
6. For follow-up letters
A. Basic wording:
In addition To our ref. from… № ...
I'm informing...
I'm sending...
I present...
I'm directing...
Please add...
The text of the draft agreement submitted to you for signature...
Section... of the agreement on...
The agreement at your disposal...
B. Auxiliary statements:
I consider it necessary to add...
I propose to supplement the project...
The following additions to the text of the current...
We believe it would be advisable to make the following additions to the content...
7. For newsletters
A. Basic formulations:
We inform you...
Let me inform you...
We intend to inform you...
It seems appropriate to us to inform your organization...
Thank you for your interest in our offer...
We were glad to receive your response to our previous message from...
We are grateful for the attention you have shown to our letter from...
Thank you for considering it possible to respond to our message from...
This information letter aims...
Solution1.1. This version of the Charter of the Open joint stock company"Central Research Institute for Staple Fiber Processing", hereinafter referred to as the "Company", was developed in accordance with current legislation
In this article you will find information on working with difficult letters that are often found in business interactions, and you will also see samples of business letters. These are letters, the need to write which arises in a situation of violation of business interests: a letter of request and a letter of claim.
Since the situation in itself is quite difficult, writing a letter in such a situation is a very important issue, in which it is important for the author to be competent, polite, correct, and at the same time, able to firmly defend his business interests.
Help to successfully resolve the complexities of “difficult” letters:
- Competent attitude in interaction: a firm but correct attitude towards partnership
- Choice appropriate style letters (official business or confidential business
- Competent and logical handling of facts
Samples of business letters.
(attitude – partnership, style – official business, convincing handling of facts)
Dear Colleagues!
In order to take measures to ensure the quality and reliability of the KIP-12 device under operating conditions, produced by the Optics Institute since 1992, we address you with the following request: consider the possibility of providing the Optics Institute with information on the operating parameters of the device under real operating conditions (details in attachment). The data you send will allow the institute to collect the information necessary for analytics, conduct monitoring, and will contribute to a more prompt solution to issues of improving the quality and reliability of the KIP-12 device.
Please inform us in your response letter about your decision to assist us. If you need additional information to make a decision, please also indicate it in your response letter.
Sincerely,
Technical Bureau Team
Institute of Optics
Business letter. Sample letter of request(attitude – partnership, style – confidential and businesslike, convincing handling of facts)
Dear Colleagues!
We are very interested in improving the quality and reliability of the KIP-12 device, which we have been producing since 1992 and which has been firmly used in the work of your company since 1995. Therefore, we turn to you with this request.
To improve the quality and reliability of the KIP-12 device, we need detailed data on the operation of this device under operating conditions. In implementing this task, we really count on your help and direct participation. Considering the long-term and positive cooperation of our companies, we turn to you with a request - an offer: to help us collect and provide statistical information on the operation of the device. We will be grateful if you find an opportunity to collect statistics for us on the specified parameters (details in the application). This will allow us to monitor the efficiency of the device and quickly take measures to improve the quality and reliability of its operation.
Please let us know if you are ready to assist us in principle. If you need additional comments or have questions to make a decision, we are ready to answer them.
We will be grateful for your response.
Sincerely,
Ivan Ivanov
Head of Technical Bureau
Institute of Optics
Business letter. Sample letter of request and sample letter of claim.
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Letter - request (attitude – partnership; style – confidential and businesslike; convincing handling of facts) |
Letter - complaint (attitude – partnership; style – official business; convincing handling of facts) |
| Dear Andrey Ivanovich! We appeal to you with a request to resolve the situation that has arisen with the implementation of the ABS project. Until now, we have not had any problems in interacting with your company; all agreements specified in the Contract have been observed. We are confident that the current situation can still be corrected. The success of the ABS project is extremely important for our company. Therefore, we ask you until 08/06/2010. provide information on sending control samples. We hope that your response will clarify the situation and alleviate our concerns regarding the success of the project. Sincerely, |
Dear Andrey Ivanovich! On behalf of the management of Rosstans OJSC, I am writing to you in connection with the need to resolve the situation that has arisen with the implementation of the ABS project. I am forced to report that this situation causes us extreme concern. According to the terms of contract No. A-122 dated 02/07/2010. clause 4.3. 60 days before the start of the planned delivery of products, Star LLC must send control samples of products to Rosstance OJSC, notifying Rosstance OJSC of the fact of shipment. According to the schedule (Additional agreement No. 1 dated 03/11/2010 to Contract No. A-122 dated 02/07/2010), the start date of the planned supply of products is 10/01/2010. The deadline for sending control samples is no later than 08/02/2010. Today – 08/04/2010. At the moment, we have not received information about sending control samples. In this situation, the ability of Star LLC to fulfill its obligations raises serious concerns for Rosstance OJSC and forces it to think about applying penalties provided for in clause 7.2. Contract No. A-122 dated 08/07/2010. To prevent this, we offer you until 08/06/2010. inform us about the situation with sending control samples of products. Sincerely, |
Take note of our information and we are sure that the issue of writing “difficult letters” will be much less labor-intensive for you.
Tamara Vorotyntseva
Pay attention to our training programs on business correspondence:
Letters of request are an integral, important and necessary part business correspondence. On the one hand, these are tactful and diplomatic requests on current issues, on the other hand, they are a tool for achieving certain goals of the addressee. The purpose of any letter of request is to encourage the addressee to certain actions, necessary for the author of the letter. How to write a letter of request to get as close to a positive response as possible?
Any letter of request must consist of a well-thought-out rationale and a clear statement of the request. In addition, you can use techniques that increase the efficiency of writing.
Step 1. Who do you contact with your request?
Address the addressee personally, preferably by first name and patronymic:
“Dear Ivan Ivanovich!”, “Dear Mr. Ivanov!”
Firstly, you will express your respect to the addressee, and secondly, a request addressed to a specific person imposes responsibility on him for its implementation. There are situations when a request is addressed to a team or group of people. In this case, it is also advisable to personalize the appeal as much as possible:
“Dear colleagues!”, “Dear managers!”, “Dear junior employees!”, “Dear employees personnel service!»
Step 2. Why are you contacting me?
Give a compliment to the recipient. By giving a compliment to the recipient, you answer his question: “Why are you asking me this question?” Note his past achievements or personal qualities.
“You are always ready to listen and find optimal way solutions to the problem of almost everyone who contacted you. And, to give you credit, you helped a lot of people.”
“You are a leading expert in the field...”
“You have helped many people resolve the most difficult issues in the field of...”
This technique will allow the addressee to look at the request more closely and try to find an opportunity to satisfy fuck her.
A compliment is appropriate when it comes to non-standard requests, when you need to win the recipient over, when you need to draw attention to certain merits and qualities that are necessary and important for the fulfillment of your request.
It is very important not to cross the line between a compliment and rude flattery. Be sincere.
Step 3. Justification of the request
Any request must be justified as to why you are making this particular request. Enter the addressee into the context of your problem.
At this stage, you need to select the three most significant arguments for the addressee. It is best to build arguments according to the following scheme: strong - medium - strongest.
There are requests different levels complexity, so the addressee is not always interested in fulfilling someone’s requests. He needs to be convinced that fulfilling the request has potential benefits:
Interest the recipient
Offer to implement some attractive opportunity for him related to the fulfillment of your request:
“At all times, business-minded, enterprising people have strived not only to achieve material success, but also to leave their mark on the history of their Motherland, to be remembered for their good deeds, and to win respect.”
« The successful activity of any professional community is, first of all, understanding and support from friendly Unions, participation in joint events and projects».
« Of course, yours big goal is a clean and comfortable city for people».
Or voice a problem that is very relevant specifically for your addressee:
“You, as a wise owner of the city, are probably concerned about the chaotic walks of children of different ages in unsuitable places, which leads to increased traffic accidents and an increase in child crime.”
“Your department has received more frequent calls on non-core issues, which takes up a lot of valuable working time.”
Show how your request can help realize the opportunity:
« And today, when our country relies on youth, it is difficult to find a more necessary, sacred cause than helping young men and women from disadvantaged families. In our city there are those who already provide such assistance - under the auspices of the mayor’s office, our charity center “Heritage” operates on donations from citizens, teaching troubled teenagers folk crafts ».
Or to solve the problem:
“Equipping specialized places for children of different ages to spend time will help reduce the level of child crime and minimize road accidents involving children.”
Describe the significance of the request
When there is nothing to offer the addressee or in the context of this request it is inappropriate, then it is better to bring the addressee up to date. Here you need to describe the situation as fully as necessary to understand the relevance of the request and the importance of its implementation. The significance of the request must be described in such a way that it “touches the soul.” If the request does not fall into the category of “touchy”, then you need to show the addressee the cause-and-effect relationship, which will ensure that the addressee fulfills the request.
“From (date), according to lease agreement No. X, the rent for 1 m2 is 20 USD. in a day. Over the past three months, there has been a decline in trading activity due to economic instability and social unrest. The average profit from trading is 10 USD. per day, which is not enough even to pay rent. If measures are not taken, private entrepreneurs will be forced to close their outlets, which may negatively affect your income."
Thus, you must make it clear to the recipient that fulfilling the request carries the prospect of receiving material or non-material benefits.
Step 4. Statement of the request
When the addressee is prepared, you can state the actual request. The text of the request should be quite concise and extremely clear. In no case should there be ambiguity or understatement. For example, if we are talking about reducing rent, it is important to indicate to what level:
“We ask you to reduce the rent level until the situation stabilizes to 5 USD. per m2 per day.”
If we are talking about the provision of services, then make the request as specific as possible, indicating the desired dates, price issue, etc.:
« To equip a pottery workshop, we need a kiln for firing ceramics - we ask you to help us purchase it. The cost of the stove with installation is 998 thousand rubles».
IN in this example It is not entirely clear what kind of help is required from the addressee. It would be better to formulate the request more specifically: “We ask you to help us purchase a kiln for firing ceramics by transferring 333 thousand USD to the bank account of the company for the production and installation of kilns.”
Whatever you ask for, the recipient must know exactly when, what, how much and at what price you want to receive. A generalized request is more at risk of refusal, because the recipient does not always have the time and desire to deal with the details. In addition, you run the risk of not getting what you want by transferring the initiative to the recipient.
For example, private entrepreneurs wrote a letter asking for a rent reduction, but did not indicate to what level they want to reduce the rent:
“We ask you to reduce the rent until the situation stabilizes.”
As a result, they received a reduction in rent, but only slightly (by 1% of the existing one). Thus, their request was granted, but did little to change the position of the initiators of the letter.
In some cases, the text of the request can be bolded to make it stand out in the text, but do not overuse this technique.
Step 5: Summarize your request.
Repeat your request and emphasize how the recipient will benefit if the request is fulfilled. The request should be modified somewhat. It is best to construct a sentence according to the scheme: “If you fulfill the request, you will be happy.”
“If you meet us halfway and reduce rents until the situation in the region stabilizes, you will not only be able to save more than 150 jobs, but also will not incur global losses due to complete absence rent."
But there may be other options:
“You can be sure that every ruble of your charitable donations will go to a good cause and help those caught in difficult situation the boys will grow up to be worthy citizens.”
“You can be sure that every child’s smile will give you moral satisfaction from your difficult work, and your efforts and efforts are an investment in worthy and happy citizens of the near future.”
The main thing is to repeat the meaning of the request and the benefits of fulfilling it. The benefit does not have to be material. Remember that the addressee is a person, and feelings are not alien to him.
EXAMPLE:
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It became |
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“We kindly ask you, I.I. Ivanov, organize a meeting of applicants with the main manager of your company. We will be grateful for your assistance. With respect and gratitude, Director of the employment center P.P. Petrov" |
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“Dear Ivan Ivanovich! Your company has been participating in the Career Guidance Program for applicants for several years now, helping them decide on their choice of profession. As a HR manager, you are interested in training professionals, and we are ready to help schoolchildren begin to train masters of their craft. Today, the profession of manager is one of the most common, but many applicants do not have a clear idea of its meaning. In this regard, we ask you to organize a meeting of the general manager with applicants on March 23 at 15.00 at the base of your company. By telling the guys about the secrets of the profession today, you are laying the foundation for training real professionals tomorrow. Perhaps in a few years one of them will take your company to a new level of development. With respect and gratitude, Director of the employment center P.P. Petrov" |
And don’t forget about the design of the letter – this is the “face” of the organization. If the initiator of the letter of request is an organization, then such a letter is drawn up on letterhead with the signature of the manager or authorized person. If you are a private person, then it is sufficient to comply with basic norms in the arrangement of letter elements. These details are legally and psychologically very important for the addressee and the formation of the correct image of the sender.
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- | Sending hundreds commercial offers, requests and other business letters every day, but you are not achieving the desired result with your message? Don’t know how to unobtrusively and politely remind the recipient of his obligations? Then online training will certainly help you "Business Writing Skills"! You can go through it at any convenient time. | - | - |
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Letter of request– one of the most common types of business correspondence. Among entrepreneurs, such letters are used when representatives of one organization contact another with a request for a service. Such messages can be used completely different situations, for example, if there is a need to obtain information about products, see samples of goods, meet a business traveler, coordinate some actions, etc.
Rules for writing a letter of request
We bring to your attention a general template of such a document for downloading:
FILES Open these files online 2 files
For obvious reasons, a letter of request does not have a standard template, but despite this it is a form of an official document. That is why, when compiling it, you should adhere to certain standards, established by the rules office management and business ethics. Before moving directly to the basic rules for its preparation, it should be noted that it can be addressed either to a group of people (for example, managers, accounting department employees, lawyers, etc.) or to a specific addressee.
Like any other document, this letter must contain introductory part, namely:
- information about the sending company making the request and the company to which it is addressed;
- reason for the request (“due to delay”, “due to receipt”, “based on the results”, etc.);
- references to the basis (“based on an oral agreement”, “based on negotiations”, “based on a telephone conversation”, etc.);
- purpose of the appeal (“to resolve the issue”, “to avoid conflict”, “to eliminate violations”, etc.).
Followed by main part directly related to the request. It must be expressed using any derivative form of the verb “to ask” (“we ask you”, “we make a request”, etc.), and since such a message is, in any case, a petition for some kind of service, it must be written in a respectful manner. It’s good if the request is preceded by a compliment (“knowing your great capabilities,” “admiring your organizational talents,” etc.).
If the letter contains several requests at once, then they must be indicated in separate paragraphs or paragraphs.
The unspoken rules of correspondence between organizations state that a response to a multi-stage request can also be sent in one message, with separate comments on each item. It should be noted that this type of correspondence reduces the volume of document circulation and, therefore, reduces the time for reading and processing such letters.
If the letter implies receiving a response within a certain period of time, then this must be indicated as correctly as possible in the text of the message.
As a rule, the secretaries of the organization send and receive letters (in large companies Entire departments do this.) After compiling or reading, they pass them on to the head of the enterprise for review. Exceptions are messages marked “confidential” or “personal delivery” - such letters are sent directly to the addressee.
Instructions for writing a letter of request
Since this message is part of corporate correspondence, the author must first be indicated, namely: the name of the sending company, its actual address and contact telephone number. Then you need to enter information about the addressee: also the name of the company and the specific recipient. Further in the middle of the line you can immediately indicate that this is a letter of request (but this is not necessary).
The next part of the letter concerns the request itself. First, it is advisable to justify it and only then express the essence of the request. At the end, the letter must be signed (it is better if this is done by the head of the company or an authorized, trusted person), and also indicate the date of creation of the document.
How to send a letter
The letter can be sent by email or fax - this is quick and convenient, but conservative sending via Russian Post will allow the letter to be presented in a solid and attractive manner. For example, you can make a request in writing by hand in beautiful calligraphic handwriting or print the text on good, expensive paper.
Attention to such little details will make it clear to the addressee how respectful the opponent is towards him, and will also once again emphasize the significance of the request. The only thing to remember is that letters via regular mail take a long time, so the message must be sent in advance so that the document is delivered to the recipient on time.
After sending the letter
This message, like any other document, must be registered in the journal of outgoing documentation. In the same way, the recipient of the letter registers the arrival of correspondence. In case of misunderstandings that occur in business relationships, recording the fact of sending and receiving letters will help to quickly understand the situation.
Examples of writing request letters with explanations
So, we have understood that a request letter is a letter that contains a request to the recipient. The purpose of the text is to induce the recipient to perform an action that is beneficial to the sender. The letter must contain a formulated request and its rationale. It is advisable to formulate the request in such a way as to justify why it should be beneficial for the recipient to comply with the request. The sender must not only know the rules for composing the text, but also take into account psychological nuances. Next, we will consider specific example templates depending on the situation.
Letter of request for funds
The letter is drawn up if it is necessary to obtain the allocation of funds from the state, sponsors, or individuals.
From the NGO “Help to Pensioners”
Member of the Legislative Assembly
Ivanov I. I.
Hello, Ivan Ivanovich. I am a representative non-profit organization"Help for pensioners." We help lonely pensioners: we bring food, help with cleaning and repairs.
Our organization has existed for 5 years. Previously, we managed to finance our activities ourselves, however, due to the expansion of NGOs, funds began to run out. We need money to rent premises, pay salaries to employees, and purchase equipment.
At a recent Government meeting, the President mentioned the difficult situation of pensioners and noted that the situation urgently needs to be changed. In this regard, I ask you for 200,000 rubles for the needs of the NGO “Help for Pensioners.”
Sincerely, Petrova A. A.
Explanation:
The above text is compiled according to all the rules. He has:
- The name of the NPO and an explanation of its activities.
- A request for money, an explanation of its necessity (money is needed for rent and salaries).
- Mention of the President. It is necessary to justify the benefits of sponsorship for the official. What is the deputy interested in? In career growth. Helping the organization will help achieve this goal.
The specific amount of funds that the commercial organization needs is also indicated.
Letter of request for delivery of goods
The letter is usually sent to the company's partners. It is advisable to justify the mutual benefit for both companies in the text.
To the head of the company "AAA"
Ivanov I. I.
From the head of the BBB company
Petrova B.B.
Hello, Ivan Ivanovich. We would like to order a set of products from your company (to be specified). We became interested in your product at a regional exhibition.
If you agree, please inform us about the delivery terms and terms convenient for you. We guarantee timely payment. We hope this will be the beginning of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Our contacts: (specify).
Best regards, Boris Borisovich.
Letter requesting a discount
Typically, such texts are sent to the company's suppliers. For example, an organization organizes exhibitions. She has a supplier - a printing house that supplies brochures, stands, booklets, etc. The cost of services is quite high. The crisis came, and it became difficult for the company to pay for printing products. This may well be a reason to ask for a discount.
To the head of the Vostok company
Ivanov I. I.
From the head of the company "Zapad"
Petrova B.B.
Hello, Ivan Ivanov. Our organization was affected by the financial crisis. The number of contracts concluded with us has decreased by 20%. Unfortunately, the crisis affected not only us, but also our clients. People cannot pay the same amount for our services as before. Therefore, we have provided a 25% discount on tickets.
Due to the difficult financial situation, our company asks you for a 15% discount for the remaining six months of cooperation under the contract.
We sent letters asking for a discount to all our suppliers. If 20% of our partners provide us with favorable conditions, our company will survive difficult times and will not close. We've already been given a discount by our landlords and phone company.
Best regards, Boris Petrov.
Explanation:
The letter contains the following important points:
- Explanation of the need for a discount.
- Indication of the exact discount amount and timing.
- An indirect indication that if the printing house does not provide a discount, the company will terminate the contract.
The text must be written in such a way that the letter is read to the end and agreed to the proposed conditions.
Request letter for rent reduction
Rent eats up the budgets of most organizations. Its reduction allows the company to stay afloat in difficult times. The letter should be sent to the landlord.
Head of the company "Plus"
Ivanov P. P.
From the head of the company "Minus"
Petrova I. I.
Hello, Petr Petrovich. Our company was affected by the financial crisis. The purchasing power of consumers has decreased and business income has decreased. In this regard, we ask you to reduce the rent by 10%.
Throughout our cooperation, we have never delayed payments. We hope that you will make concessions to us and we will maintain our business relationship. We guarantee timely payment of rent, despite difficult financial conditions.
Best regards, Ivan Ivanovich.
Explanation:
It is important to mention in the letter that the company previously fulfilled its obligations in full. The landlord must be confident that the landlord will continue to make payments. The recipient must also understand that if he does not agree to the proposed terms, the tenant will refuse his services.
Letter of request for payment of debt
Debts very often arise in interactions between companies. If the organization is committed to further cooperation with the counterparty who has incurred a debt, a letter of request is sent.
Ivanov I. I.
Sidorova P. P.
Dear Ivan Ivanovich, we ask you to repay the debt to our company in the amount of 200,000 rubles. All this time, we continued to cooperate with you, hoping to continue our business relationship. However, we are now forced to suspend the provision of services due to lack of payments.
The amount of your debt is 200,000 rubles. We ask you to pay it before March 1, 2017. If the debt is not repaid, we will be forced to resolve the issue in court.
Best regards, Petr Petrovich.
Explanation:
The letter must include the following points:
- The exact amount of debt.
- The date by which the debt must be paid.
- Measures that the company will take if payments are not received.
The text may mention long-term successful cooperation with the organization. This should be a request, not a demand. The requirement is drawn up using a different template.
Letter of request for deferred payment to supplier
The organization supplied the company with a batch of products, but did not pay for it. A debt has arisen, but the debtor does not have the means to pay. In this case, it makes sense to write a letter requesting a deferment.
To the head of the company “Where is the money”
Sidorov P. P.
From the head of the company “Money is about to come”
Ivanova I. I.
Dear Petr Petrovich, we have not paid a debt of 200,000 rubles. We do not shy away from our debt, but now we cannot make payments in full due to our difficult financial situation.
For 2 years, we have maintained successful business relationships with you and did not miss payment deadlines. Today we ask for payment in installments. Our company is ready to pay the debt in two stages:
- We will deposit 100,000 rubles before March 1, 2017.
- 100,000 rubles will be deposited before April 1, 2017.
We promise you to make payments on time. Thanks for understanding.
Best regards, Ivan Ivanovich.
Letter requesting payment for another organization
The company's debt may be paid by another organization. Of course entity will not pay for shares just like that. Typically the request letter is sent to a debtor of the company or another person who has obligations to the company.
To the head of the company “The money is about to come”
Ivanov I. I.
From the head of the company “Where is the money”
Sidorova P. P.
Dear Ivan Ivanovich, you have a debt to our company in the amount of 300,000 rubles. Our organization also had a debt to another company in the amount of 200,000 rubles. We ask you to pay our debt to the creditor in the amount of 200,000 rubles. In return, we will provide you with an installment plan for the balance of the debt, which you previously requested. Thanks for understanding.
Best regards, Petr Petrovich.
Letter of request for assistance in resolving the issue
All companies may face complex problems that cannot be resolved without outside help. A letter of request for assistance can be sent if necessary, for example, for holding events. The request is sent to commercial organizations, government agencies.
Director of the company "AAA"
Petrov B.B.
From public organization
"We give good"
Dear Boris Borisovich, I am a representative of the public organization “Giving Good.” We organize and hold parties for children from the orphanage.
We ask for your help in organizing food supplies for the holiday. Of course, we will mention you and your company at the event. Representatives of the legislative assembly and the public will be present at the celebration.
You can contact us by phone XXX
Best regards, Ivan Ivanovich.
Summarizing
Let's combine all the rules for writing a letter of request. First you need to introduce yourself and talk about your activities. But the introductory part should not be drawn out. Our goal is to encourage the recipient to read the letter. If the text is too long, the recipient is unlikely to read it to the end. Then you need to start presenting your request. Accuracy is required: indication of deadlines, amount of funds. It is important to understand that the recipient must feel the benefit. Therefore, the letter must indicate why it would be beneficial for the organization to fulfill the request. At the end, you need to say goodbye politely and without ingratiation.