INQUIRY LETTER AND ORDER LETTER

INQUIRY LETTER

   The letters that are written for collecting information about job seekers, prices, products, and services before awarding jobs, granting credit, making contracts and giving promotions are known as letters of inquiry. These letters are written to a third party seeking information about either a job or a company that wishes to make business relationship.

   In broad sense, when a buyer wishes to get some information about the quantity, price, quality and availability of goods or about the terms of sale, he writes a letter to the seller known to be inquiry letter. Here you can get definition, forms and content of inquiry letter.

As Gartside said: “An inquiry letter asks information like catalogue, quotation, sample, cost of a product from a seller in a concise and clear way.”

J. H Jains quoted : “The business letter which collects valuable information of the business and therefore provides price reduction and profit earning facilities is defined as inquiry letter”

Quible and others defined, “Letters of inquiry are a type of business message that asks the recipient for information or assistance.”

   Prospective employers and business organizations usually write inquiry letters for obtaining desired information. Prospective employers write this letter to the referees mentioned in the job application to obtain information about the applicant’s personal and family background, ability, skills, honesty, character, integrity, quality of performance, fitness for job etc. on the other hand, business enterprises write inquiry letters to third parties referred by the customers to know about their business dealings, financial capabilities and goodwill to determine whether to establish business relationships with those enterprises.

Types of inquiry letter

Based on purpose, there are two most common types of inquiry letters such as (1) personal status inquiry letter and (2) business status inquiry letter.

Personal status inquiry letter : The letters that are written by prospective employers for obtaining information about job applicants are called personal status inquiry letter. Employers write this letter to obtain information relating to the applicant’s personal and family background, ability, skills, honesty, character, integrity, quality of performance, fitness for job etc. generally this letter is written to the referees mentioned by the concerned applicant. In response to this letter, the referees write a reply letter to the employer. This response letter may be favorable, unfavorable or neutral to the applicant.

Business status inquiry letter : When a business enterprise writes letter to another business enterprise for collecting information about a prospective customer, it is known as business status inquiry letter . This letter is usually written for collecting information about financial capability, goodwill, nature of business dealings, honesty etc. of a business enterprise to determine whether to establish business transactions with it. Responses of this letter may be either favorable or unfavorable.

In the business world, various letters are communicated and among them inquiry letter is a one which seeks information for future decision. Definition, forms and content of inquiry letter are described below:

Generally when a buyer sends a letter to a producer or seller of a product or service to know about any product or service in detail such a letter is termed as inquiry letter.

Forms of Inquiry Letter

Forms of Inquiry letter may take any of the following forms:

1. Solicited Inquiry : An inquiry made in response to the seller’s advertisement and publicity.

2. Unsolicited Inquiry : An inquiry made at the buyer’s own initiative.

3. Inquiry for favor: An inquiry about some other information which may be about some special price or some favorable terms.

4. Routine inquiry : An inquiry made by an old buyer in the usual course of business so, A letter of inquiry which asks valuable information from seller or producer should be:

Straightforward and courteous

Positive and confident in tone

Brief, complete and correct.

Content of Inquiry Letter / Factors to be considered for drafting an Inquiry Letter

Generally content of inquiry letter asks information regarding two things which are:

Inquiry Letter

1. Price, quality, quantity and availability of a product

2. Business policy related information such as terms of credit

Keeping the above two things into consideration an inquiry letter should highlight the following matters:

1. Name : The product that is going to be purchased should be mentioned clearly in such letter.

2. Description : Information like quality, quantity, size & share, local or foreign origin and others of the inquired product should be mentioned clearly.

3. Sample : Such letter should request for sample of the inquired product

4. Price list : Such letter should ask for price list of the inquired product.

5. System of Supply : When, where, how and in what terms the product should be traded must be asked by such letter.

6. Payment system: What should be the way to pay the price should be sought by such letter.

7. Transportation : The way of shipment of the inquired product should be asked by such letter.

8. Provision for Addition or subtraction of value and quantity : Because of change in the economy or other events whether there would be any provision for plus/minus of value and quantity of inquired product must be sought by such letter.

9. Assurance : If the sales term and other conditions favor the buyer, whether he can go for bulk purchase or not and in this connection what additional benefits will be given should be inquired by such letter.

The above matters should be mentioned properly in a systematic, brief and complete way.

ORDER LETTER

An “Order” is an expense for the person placing the order and an income for the one getting it. But this is not all. The company that bags the order has to fulfill lot of commitments to ensure that it has a satisfied customer, which can be an individual or another company. Timely delivery of the order, quality of delivery and after sale service – are all part and parcel of getting an order.

An Order Letter is the one that is written by the person/company placing the request of purchase from another company. This letter comes into action only when a detailed study of the desired product has been done in the market and based on promised service, quality and price of the product, a decision for a purchase has been made.

An Order Letter should be drafted very carefully as it needs to pen down all the terms and conditions of the purchase for the benefit of both involved parties. It should have details such as product specifications, quantities, price agreed upon, delivery date, late delivery clauses, etc. It should be addressed to the person responsible for the execution of the order with a copy to the head of department. Since it is totally an official letter it should be typed.

DOS AND DON’T’S OF ORDER LETTER

An Order Letter should be addressed to the person responsible for executing the order

It should include all the terms and conditions agreed upon by both involved parties

Since it is purely an official letter it should be typed out

There is no need to use too many adjectives in the letter since it is purely for an order being placed

The letter should have all relevant details related to the order, for example, quantity, price and other terms and conditions

SAMPLE ORDER LETTER

Name of the person to whom order is being placed

Name and address of the organization

Name of the person placing the order

Name and address of the organization

Date:

Subject: Order for 100 copies of Mastering Mathematics

Dear Sir or Madam,

As per our discussions on __________ (date of meeting) we are pleased to place an order for 100 copies of Mastering Mathematics book by _________ (writer) for Class VII for the ICSE Board on the following terms and conditions:

1. The cost of each book will be Rs.________ (inclusive of all taxes)

2. Payment terms will be a post-dated cheque for 50% advance with order. This cheque will be cleared on the day of the deliver. The balance payment of 50% 7 days after delivery and after random inspection

3. Delivery will be done within 7 days from the order date

4. Delivery will be done at ________________ (address of organization)

5. If the order is not delivered as per the above terms and conditions, the order stands cancelled

Please find enclosed chequenumber ________ dated ________ for Rs.________ towards advance for the order.

Hoping to have a long business relationship with you.

Best regards,

(Name of signing authority)

REFERENCE:

http://www.businesscommunicationarticles.com/definition-forms-and-content-of-inquiry-letter/

http://thebusinesscommunication.com/what-is-inquiry-letter-types-of-inquiry-letter/

http://www.letters.org/order-letter/order-letter.html