HANDOUT

Topic 5: Replying Letter

PREPARED BY
LUH NYOMAN CHANDRA HANDAYANI
POLITEKNIK NEGERI BALI
 TOPIC 5
REPLYING LETTER AND QUOTATIONS
Replying to Letters of Enquiry

A reply to an enquiry should be fairly brief. In such a letter the letter typically consists of the
following:
 Opening lines
 Confirming that we can help
 Selling your product
 Suggesting alternative
 Closing

Opening lines
 Mention your prospective customer’s name (on salutation, receiver’s address and
attention line)
 Thank the writer for his enquiry
 Mention the date of his letter and quote any other references that appear.
Examples:
 Thank you for your enquiry of April 4th 2010 in which you ask about…..
 I would like to thank you for your enquiry of May 10 and am pleases to tell you that
we would be able to supply you with the …..
 Thank you for your letter, NJ 1691, which we received this morning.

Confirming that we can help

If you have the product and service he asked for, let the writer know as soon as possible.
Example:
 Our factory would have no problem in turning out the 6000 units you asked for in
your enquiry.

‘Selling’ your product

The letter of reply must fulfill the function of a salesman: it must contain information which
will sustain the reader’s interest and persuade him or her to place an order. Therefore encourage
and persuade your prospective customer to do business with you. Mention one or two selling
points of your product including perhaps any guaranties you offer.
Example:
 We can assure you that the Omega 2000 is one of the most outstanding watches on
the market today, and our confidence in it is supported by our five-year guarantee.

Suggesting alternatives
Give your prospective customer an alternative if you don’t have the product.
Example:
 The model has now been improved, its steel casing having been replaced by plastic
which is lighter, more durable and stronger.
Closing lines
Always thank the customer for writing to you. You should also encourage further enquiries.
Examples:
 Once again we would like to thank you for writing to us and would welcome any
further points you would like us to answer.
 We hope to hear from you again soon and can assure you that your order will be dealt
with promptly.

Note:
Make sure that you enclose current catalogue and price list if you are sending them.
Example:
In reply to your enquiry of 5 May we are pleased to enclose the catalogue and price list
you requested, full particulars of our export models and also our revised price list.

QUOTATION

Prices
Gross price : a price which includes extra cost and charges, e.g. transport, insurance , and
VAT (Value Added Tax)
Net price: a price which excludes extra cost and charges.
Examples:
 The net price of this article is $ 10.00, to which must be added VAT at 8%, making a
gross price of $ 10.80.

Discount
It can be deducted from the net or gross price. There are three kinds of discount:
Trade discount, which is given to sellers in similar trades.
Quantity discount, which is given for orders over a certain amount of goods/money.
Cash discount, which is given if payment is made within certain time, e.g. 7 days.
Examples:
 We grant you 5% discount for payment within two weeks.
 The net price is Rp 10.000,00 less 7% discount for order more than 500 units.
EXERCISES

Exercise 1
Read the following replying letter than answer the questions.

Manhattan – Windsor
STEWARD ST., BIRMINGHAM B18 7 AF

Mr S Bowen Your ref: SB/SM

Marketing Manager Our ref: MH/JW
Justin Box Ltd.
14 Trist Road
Hastings
Sussex HA3 6CE 20 May 2010

Dear Mr Bowen

Thank you for your letter of 17 May enquiring about our promotional gifts.

We are pleased to enclose our new brochure and price list together with samples of
our promotional gifts.

We look forward to receiving your first order.

Yours sincerely

MARY HARDY
Sales Manager

Enc: 3

Questions:

1. Who is MH?
2. Who wrote the letter on 17 May?
3. What items (things) were sent with the letter?
 B

BORG CORPORATION
10 OSLO AVENUE MALMO SWEDEN

L Waters Your ref: LW/MG

Thomas Green Ltd Our ref: FW/KW
16 Clear Street
Tourquay
Devon TQ1 6BD
England 25 May 2010

Dear Mr Waters

Thank you for your enquiry of 18 May.

We have pleasure in enclosing a copy of our latest catalogue and a leaflet giving
details of our special trade discounts. All the items are now covered by our
standard two-year guarantee.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

F WILANDER
Sales Director

Enc: 2

Questions:
1. Who is LW?
2. Who are ‘we’ in paragraph 2?
3. Why is F Wilander ‘looking forward’ to hearing from Thomas Green Ltd?

Exercise 3
Match these words with their definitions.

a catalogue 1 details of conditions of sale

b trade discount 2 price reduction to a company in the same business
c order 3 a small amount of a product offered free to a potential
customer
d quantity discount 4 book giving details of items for sale
e sample 5 request from a customer to supply goods
f terms of trade 6 price reduction for a large order
Exercise 4
Here are some of the questions Mr Whang asked. Rewrite them in reported speech.

Example:
1. Do you offer discount on large orders?
He asked if they offered discounts on large orders.

2. How soon can the goods be delivered?

He asked ________________________________________

3. Can you send me details of your prices?

He asked for _____________________________________

4. Where can the goods be purchased?

He wanted to know ________________________________

5. Is there an after-sales service?

He asked ________________________________________

6. How long are the goods guaranteed for?

He asked ________________________________________

7. What are your terms of payment?

He wanted to know ________________________________

8. Do you give quantity discounts, and how much are they?

He asked ________________________________________

9. Can you send me details of the range of goods available?

He wondered _____________________________________
Exercise 5
Read the following enquiry then fill the missing words with the words given.

27 June 2009

Fournier et Cie SA
Avenue Ravigny 14
Paris XV
FRANCE

Dear Sirs,

We thank you (1) ___(on, for, an) enquiry (2) _____(of, for, on) 12 October, and
appreciate your interest (3) _____(from, of, in) our product.

Details (4) ______(for, from, of) our export prices and terms of payment are enclosed,
and we have arranged (5) _______ (for, from, of) a copy of our catalogue to be sent to
you today.

Our representative (6) _____ (for, from, of) Europe, Mr J Needham, will be (7)_____ (at,
on, in) Paris from the 24th to the 30th (8) ______ this month. And we have asked him to
visit you during this period. He will have with him a full range of (9) _____ (samples,
examples) of our hand-made lines, and is authorized to discuss the terms of an order with
you or to negotiate a contract.

We think our article will be just what you want for the fashionable trade, and look
forward to the opportunity of doing business with you.

Yours (10) ______ (faithfully, sincerely),

WESTERN SHOE COMPANY LTD

S Granville
Export Sales Manager

An 21
Exercise 6
Read this enquiry and make a letter to answer it

PERKASA IMPORTERS & Co. Ltd.

Jl. Slamet Riyadi 101, Surabaya, Indonesia
Telp.: (031) 567575 Fax: (031) 567000

September 24, 2009

The Export Manager

Excelsior Perfumes
191 Bedford Street
Liverpool, FYB 3EG
UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Sir

We have heard from the British Embassy in Jakarta that you are producing for export
masculine perfumes.

There is a steady demand in Indonesia for masculine perfume of any type. Sales are not
very high, but are increasing steadily as the national economy is getting better.

Will you please send us your catalog and all details of your masculine perfumes, export
price, term of payment, and discount.

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

Ekanita Sari
Purchasing Manager