Inquiries for
information about services or goods are received and sent in business all the
time. When you write a routine letter of inquiry, you can follow these
guidelines:
Ø
Write
clearly and precisely what you want — a catalogue,
price list, quotation, sample, general information, etc.
Ø
Do
not mention the price limit at which you want to buy a particular product. If
you do so, the supplier may raise the quotation to the limit you state.
Ø
Suppliers
usually state their terms of payment when they reply to your inquiry. So you need
not ask for them unless you hope a special rate.
Ø
Try
to keep your inquiry clear and concise as far as possible.
An inquiry
letter must be acknowledged promptly as it means potential business. If you
receive it from an established customer, reply to it with much appreciation. If
you receive it from a prospective customer, reply to it saying that you are happy
to receive it and state your hope of a lasting and friendly business relationship.
Here are some examples of correspondence exchanged for inquiry.
Inquiry
Letter Sample: 1
Myako Departmental Store
305 Youngman Road
Ottawa, Ontario
(301) 321-5845
info@miyako.com
20 August,
2014
Reliance
Electric Company
579 Lake Center Drive
Upper Marlboro, MD 20773
Dear Sir/Madam
I have a large
departmental store in Ottawa and I am interested in the electric hair dryers
you have advertised in the Daily Mirror.
Please send me
a copy of your illustrated catalogue and price list. As I need this product
urgently, I would appreciate for an early reply.
Yours
sincerely,
William Smith
Purchase
Manager
Reply
to the Above Inquiry Letter
Reliance Electric Company
579 Lake Center Drive
Upper Marlboro, MD
20773
Phone: (301) 321-5248
E-mail: info@reliance.com
21 August,
2014
Myako
Departmental Store
305 Youngman Road
Ottawa, Ontario
Dear Mr. William
Thank you for your
letter inquiring about electric hair dryers. I am happy to enclose a copy of
our latest illustrated catalogue and price list.
You may have shown
your interest in our latest electric hair dryer, the RX55 model. This specially
designed model is easier to use and gives more comfort than earlier models. You
will find detailed information of our terms in the price list page of the
catalogue.
Your consideration to
place a trial order to test the efficiency of the product would be highly
appreciated. We assure you of our best services and shall deliver the products
within a fortnight of the receipt of your order.
If you have any
question please contact me on 2356987.
Yours sincerely
Jennifer Gomez
Sales Manager
Inquiry
Letter Sample: 2
Sinha Furniture Mart
134 North Street
Mississauga, ON M9A 3L1
905-555-1234
sinha@gmail.ca
20 August,
2014
Concord
Furniture Ltd.
329 Lake Center Drive
Upper Marlboro, MD 20773
Dear Sir/Madam
I am the
proprietor of Sinha Furniture Mart in Mississauga and am interested in the
wheel chairs you have advertised in the Daily Sun.
Please send me
a copy of your current wheel chairs' catalogue and price list as early as
possible. I am especially interested in purchasing 100 wheel chairs with seat
belt.
Pascal Judean
Reply
to the Above Inquiry Letter
Concord Furniture Ltd.
329 Lake Center Drive
Upper Marlboro, MD
20773
509-345-5555
concord@gmail.com
21
August, 2014
Pascal Judean,
Proprietor
Sinha Furniture Mart
134 North Street
Mississauga, ON M9A
3L1
Dear Sir
Thank you for
your inquiry dated 20 August, 2014. I have pleasure in enclosing the catalogue of
wheel chairs as you requested. This includes details of a number of wheel
chairs by various categories.
You will find
various models and specifications of wheel chairs on pages 10-25, and will see
from the price list that prices of all models are more reasonable than other
wheel chairs available in the market.
We have in
stock all the models mentioned in the catalogue and would be happy to show them
to you if you would like demonstrations.
Yours
sincerely
Gordon Brown
Sales Manager