1.1 Introduction
Correspondence is the most important channel through which Business Communication and Official Communication takes place in any written or digital form between two or more parties. It may be in the form of letters, memos, e-mail messages, text messages, fax messages, voicemails, notes etc.
Business Executives have to write a large number of letters for various kinds of business enquiries, purchase orders, money collection, complaints and adjustments and for maintaining the good relations with other companies. A good business letter follows the 7C’s of Communication – clarity, completeness, conciseness, consideration, correctness, courtesy and concentration. In this unit, the students will learn the different styles of Business Letters and Official Letters such as Memos, Notices, Office Orders, Demi-Official (DO) Letters and Office Note with adopting the proper formatting techniques.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of businesses correspondence with emphasis on how to write and respond to memo, query, complaint letter, supply, and quotation letters. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to:
- Identify the three types of Correspondence – Personal, Business and Official.
- Distinguish between Business and Official Correspondence.
- Know the meaning of Business Correspondence, and define the basic principles of Business Correspondence.
- Make the format and arrangement of Business Letters.
- Use the different styles and layouts of typewriting of letters –Indented, Block and Semi- Block.
- Know about the Official Correspondence and generate Memos, Notices, DO Letters, Office Orders and Office Notes.
1.3 Research Questions
The following questions will be addressed to analyze the effectiveness of businesses correspondence with emphasis on how to write and respond to memo, query, complaint letter, supply, and quotation letters:
- What do you mean by Correspondence?
- What do you mean by Business Correspondence?
- What is the difference between Business Correspondence and Official Correspondence?
- Write down the features of Demi-Official (DO) Letters?
1.4 Justification of Study
Now-a-days business operations are not restricted to any locality, state or nation. Today production takes place in one area but consumption takes place everywhere. Since the businessmen as well as customers live in far off places they don’t have sufficient time to contact each other personally. Thus, there arises the need for writing letters. In the past the situation was not so. Business letters were not essential in olden days. But now the importance of letters has increased because of vast expansion of business, increase in demand as well as supply of goods.
- Help in maintaining proper relationship: Now-a-days business activities are not confined to any one area or locality. The businessmen as well as customers are scattered throughout the country. Thus, there is a need to maintain proper relationship among them by using appropriate means of communication. Here business letters play an important role. The customers can write letters to the businessman seeking information about products and businessmen also supply various information to customers. This helps them to carry on business on national and international basis.
- Inexpensive and convenient mode: Though there are other modes of communication like telephone, telex, fax, etc. but business information can be provided and obtained economically and conveniently through letters.
- Create and maintain goodwill: Sometimes business letters are written to create and enhance goodwill. Businessmen at times send letters to enquire about complaints and suggestions of their customers. They also send letters to inform the customers about the availability of a new product, clearance sale etc. All this results in cordial relations with the customers, which enhances the goodwill of the business.
- Serves as evidence: We cannot expect a trader to memorize all facts and figures in a conversation that normally takes place among businessmen. Through letters, he can keep a record of all facts. Thus, letters can serve as evidence in case of dispute between two parties.
- Help in expansion of business: Business requires information regarding competing products, prevailing prices, promotion, market activities, etc. If the trader has to run from place to place to get information, he will end up doing nothing. It will simply result in loss of time. But through business letters, he can make all enquiries about the products and the markets. He can also receive orders from different countries and, thus enhance sales.
1.5 Methodology
The researcher adopts a multi-dimensional approach in her efforts to get at the substance of this work. The researcher made use of both primary and secondary sources of obtaining pieces of information. Books, journal articles, encyclopedia, dictionaries, magazines, unpublished project works etc were consulted as secondary source materials.
1.6 Scope of Study
The study focuses on analysis the effectiveness of businesses correspondence with emphasis on how to write and respond to memo, query, complaint letter, supply, and quotation letters.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
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