Writing business letters requires two kinds of skills. First, we need to know how to design a business letter in acceptance form and be completely familiar with it, so that practically every letter we write we use the standard layout. There will always be some strange letter that for some reason is non-standard, but in general we should write naturally in the standard and well-tested way, so that our correspondents feel comfortable with the letter when it arrives. The other skill is the ability to write in good English, with the subject of the letter divided into clear paragraphs, each of which is written in lucid sentences. The ability to write in sentences, both simple sentences and more complex sentences, ensures that each part of the letter expresses a complete thought, or a group of related thoughts. This allows our correspondence to follow the points we are raising, in logical steps, and to come to the end of the letter with a clear understanding of our point of view on the matter, or issues, we have raised.
These two aspects require a lot of explanation, and the skills we will learn better if we understand the reasons behind the various practices that have been adopted over the years. Therefore, we will begin by considering the legal aspects of business correspondence.
The legal aspects of business correspondence
Almost all business activity is contractual in nature. This means that the two people involved in a particular transaction assume certain obligations to each other and at the same time acquire certain rights. Therefore, the furniture manufacturer who agrees to supply some of his products to a wholesaler is entering into a transaction whereby he accepts the obligation to supply the specified goods in exchange for the right to receive a monetary payment called ‘the price’. . When a service is to be provided, the arrangement is the same. For example, a security company agrees to protect the premises with its security guards and specialized devices, in exchange for an agreed contractual fee.
If a dispute arises, it can be resolved by going to court, and the aggrieved party sues the other party. To sue someone is to summon them to court, to show them why they should not have the justice they seek. The judge will examine the correspondence that has passed between you (including any documents such as contracts, invoices, memos, etc.) and will pronounce a ruling on the matter. It is the legal nature of the correspondence that requires that the correspondence be established in a standard form of design. The main points are:
1) The names and addresses of both parties to the contract must be indicated in all correspondence.
2) All correspondence must be clearly dated.
3) To help track correspondence, it is customary to give references at the top of the letter.
4) To clarify the subject of the letter, it is customary to give a subject title at the beginning of the letter.
5) To start the letter itself, we need some kind of greeting. This is called a greeting and it can be a general greeting, such as Dear Sir.
6) Then we have a series of paragraphs that deal with the matter at hand.
7) Finally, we need a concluding section. This is called a “supplemental closure” or “subscription.”
8) If copies are sent to other departments, there may be a list of their names, titled CC (copies are distributed).
If all these details are included, the court will have no difficulty in understanding what the parties have done. Clearly, we do not expect to end up in court when we begin to deal with a supplier or customer, but if we do, the formal design outlined will serve as evidence.
