Business correspondence. Why have uniform corporate standards in business correspondence? Correspondence with foreign partners
If you think that the epistolary genre has sunk into oblivion, you are deeply mistaken. In everyday life, you can't argue, it has become customary to make phone calls or exchange instant messages ICQ - simply and quickly. However, letters still play an important role in business relationships: a telephone conversation, correspondence via ICQ cannot be connected to the case: more serious documents are needed here.
It is necessary to treat writing business letters scrupulously and responsibly. For anyone business letter, including those sent by e-mail, it is recommended to use letterhead, where the details of the organization are indicated. This emphasizes that there is a reputable company behind the letter, and it is possible to deal with it. Be sure to include the date the letter was written. It is desirable to write the month in letters, abbreviations, such as 01/20/02, are accepted only in Russia and are not used in international practice.
The business letter must contain header, revealing the content of the text. This greatly facilitates the processing and sorting of letters by the recipient. First of all, you need to ensure that your letter is singled out from the mass of similar ones and sent to the right employee. The subject of the letter is underlined or written in capital letters.
Address of the recipient it is written twice: on the envelope on the lower right side and in the upper left corner of the letter. If the letter is enclosed in an envelope with a transparent window, then the address is written once - in the letter, and it is folded so that the recipient's address is in the window. The address is written in the following order: house number, street, name of the city, region, republic (state, county, canton, etc.), postal code, country.
After the address - the initials and surname of the addressee. The initials are preceded by the abbreviations "Mr.", "Ms.", or "Mrs.". If the addressee has a rank or title, it is better to indicate it instead of addressing “Mr. In all Western European countries and in the United States, it is considered impolite to omit titles. However, writing and saying “Mr. + title + surname” is customary only in Germany. In France and England, the title of nobility of the addressee is always indicated in the address, but it is not customary to mention it in the text of the letter.
The words "Mr" and "Madam" are not usually used without a surname, and they are always abbreviated to "Mr" or "Mrs", while it is desirable to write titles and titles in full. In England, after the name of the addressee, the polite treatment "Esquire" (Esquire - Esq.) is often written, and it is never used in conjunction with the word "Mr." If you want to send a letter in person, then after the last name, indicate: "Personally" (Private - for England, Personal - for the USA).
If the letter is addressed to a firm and should be read by a specific person, the expression "Attention of ..." is used. You can send a letter to the address of the company to a person whose address is unknown, and the company in which he works, maintains a business relationship with him, indicating "Through" (Care of or C / O).
Opening address traditionally consists of the words "Dear Mr. (Ms.) + last name" or "Dear Mr. (Ms.) + last name". In formal letters, it is not customary to address "you", even if in life you are short. Depending on the degree of closeness with your correspondent, the appeal may begin with the words "Dear + first name" or "Dear + last name."
It is not necessary to write in circulation: “Uv. Mr Director! In this case, the abbreviations are inappropriate. The words "respected", "sir", "madam", "deputy director", "head of department" and the like should be written in full. Otherwise, the recipient has the right to think that you don’t really respect him very much.
A good impression is made by business letters in which, after the greeting, they contain some compliment intro. Usually they say that they are glad to welcome such a well-known company, that it will be a great honor for you to provide services to such a solid partner, etc. We can express hope for long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Bad impressions are made by business letters containing verbal trash (“Of course, we are sure that cooperation with us will definitely be beneficial for you.", excessive politeness (" Kindly read this letter please""), empty adjectives ( outstanding, amazing, wonderful), extra pronouns (" we are all happy to cooperate with you and your company »).
When writing business letters, do not use directives. instruction phrases (« you should contact us by phone..."). With such a phrase, you psychologically set people against you. Do not arrogantly tell partners how they should behave. It's better to write: To discuss the details of our offer, you can contact us by phone..". The meaning is the same, but the tone of the letter sets you up for a more friendly attitude towards you.
When writing about the activities of your firm, to create the impression of concrete achievements, pay attention to choice of verbs. Perfective verbs talk about real results: completed, developed, increased, created, made, etc.. Imperfective verbs create more indefinite in relation to the result of the activity: produce, work, perform, participate. They give an idea of the functions performed rather than the results achieved. The use of perfective verbs will create the impression of concrete success, which means it will create the impression of solidity and respectability of your company.
AT letter of request, if possible, briefly indicate the reason, formulate the request itself clearly, thank you in advance for the execution. As a token of gratitude for the answer, as an expression of readiness for cooperation or as an informational message, write notification letters. Under such a letter, it is enough to put the signature of the referent.
Reminder letter sent in cases where telephone conversations or personal contact fail to achieve the desired result. The purpose of such a letter is to tactfully remind you of the need to fulfill your obligations.
Confirmation letter is a guarantee of previously given promises or already agreed conditions. Such a letter is an expression of courtesy and respect for a partner. AT letter of claim the claim itself, the basis for its presentation and specific requirements must be contained.
In response to a complaint write rejection letters. It is better to start and end such a letter with positive information: for example, listing what you agree with, then explaining the reason for the refusal. The letter will help, despite the refusal, to maintain normal relations with the client or partner.
letter of apology usually contains a statement of the reasons why a preliminary agreement is suddenly violated. In some cases, such a letter is sent after notification by telephone. Letter of guarantee sent as an obligation to pay for something, indicating the type of operation to be performed. The letter ends with the phrase “We guarantee payment” and an indication of your bank details and has two signatures - the head and the chief accountant.
Congratulations, thanks, condolences it is better to write by hand to emphasize a sincere and individual attitude towards a partner.
A business letter must contain final courtesy formula: "Respectfully," "Respectfully." In an official letter abroad, as a rule, Very truly yours is used (“Sincerely yours”). Moreover, in the response letter it is desirable to use the same politeness formula as in the received one.
As you can see, everything is very simple, although there are more than enough conventions. Write letters!
In practice business communication a special place is given to compliance with the norms and rules of speech etiquette in letters of various contents. The speech etiquette of a business letter is a manifestation of the sender's culture.
The introductory address and the final form of politeness are generally accepted standard formulas.
Opening address- this is a way to attract the attention of the addressee, establishing contact with him.
In the practice of domestic correspondence, until recently, the appeal was traditionally used in letters of a semi-official nature; in letters of invitation addressed to specific persons (honored workers of science, art, culture, deputies, persons holding a high social position, etc.) or a group of persons related to the nature of their activities; in commercial correspondence. In modern official letters, the role of the appeal has increased, it is used in cases where the situation requires a direct appeal to the official or persons.
The appeal is placed in a separate line in the center. The exclamation mark gives the letter an emotional character, indicates special meaning given by the author to the content of the question being posed.
When addressing the addressee, one should take into account his official position, field of activity, the nature of the relationship between the parties, the purpose of the letter, etc.
If a letter is sent to an institution, organization, enterprise, company or is addressed to an official whose name, surname and gender are not known, then the generally accepted addresses are as follows:
- Dear Sirs!
- Lord!
When addressing persons of the same professional circle, it is possible to address:
- Dear colleagues!
- Dear Colleagues!
For Russian speech etiquette, gender leveling is a characteristic feature, since until 1917 there were practically no women in the public service, and in the Soviet period the asexual address “comrade” was common (comrade Ivanova N.S.). In recent years, when addressing a letter to a female official, a masculine noun has been used (investigator, director general, head, etc.).
If the recipient of the letter is a particularly important person: a high official (governor, mayor), an honored worker of science and culture, a well-known public figure, the president (chairman) of a society, campaign, company, etc., then use the following appeals:
- Dear Alexey Petrovich!
- Dear Pavel Anatolyevich!
It is possible to apply with an indication of the position and without a surname:
- Dear Mr. Minister!
- Dear Mr. Governor!
- Dear Mr. Deputy!
- Dear mister publisher!
- Dear Mr Chairman!
When referring to a person with a rank, you can use the following option:
- Dear doctor!
- Dear Professor!
Writers of letters should keep in mind that today, more than ever, a personal appeal is important, which causes the addressee's increased interest in the letter, indicates the sender's attention and respect for the business partner.
The inclusion of the addressee's surname in the address formula gives the text of the document a polite-official character. If the name and patronymic are indicated in the appeal, but the surname is not called, then it acquires a somewhat personal character. Addressing by name and patronymic is allowed in an invitation letter, a message letter, a letter of gratitude and some others. These differences are due to the traditions of Russian speech culture:
- Dear Mr. Petrov!
- Dear Mrs. Petrova!
- Dear Mr. Smirnov!
- Dear Mrs. Demina!
- Dear Mr. Gorsky!
- Dear Mrs. Pronina!
- Mr Martinov.
- Dear Dmitry Ivanovich!
- Dear Ksenia Petrovna!
- Igor Konstantinovich,...
Final form of politeness completes the main text, is placed on the right side on the same vertical with the date at the top, and is separated from the text of the letter by two or three intervals. At the end of the final formula of politeness, as a rule, a comma is placed, but its absence is also acceptable. The requisite “Signature” (name of the position of the person who signed the document, personal signature and its transcript) is affixed below the final courtesy formula in accordance with GOST R 6.30-97. In letters drawn up on official letterheads (as well as in some letters of a private nature), the title of the position and the decoding of the signature are not put.
In business correspondence, there are several options for the final courtesy formula. If the letter begins with the phrase: Dear Sir ..., then it should end with: Sincerely,...
In congratulatory and thank you letters, in letters of a personal nature, the following language formulas are used:
- Sincerely yours); ...
- Sincerely yours,...
- FROM the bestwishes, ...
- Best wishes and greetings, ...
-With cordial regards, ...
- With warm regards and best wishes, ...
-With thanks. Your...
- FROM friendly hello,...
- With friendly greetings, ...
- Our best wishes Mr (name).
In a real situation, the sender should be guided not only by the standard, but also by the rules of good manners.
In letters to unfamiliar people or a business partner, official wording should be used:
- Sincerely,...
- With gratitude and respect, ...
- With deep respect, ..
LETTER OF THANKS
As a rule, such letters have personal addressing.
Words of gratitude are appropriate both at the beginning and at the end of the letter. A letter of gratitude can be different in content, for example: a letter of request, a letter of confirmation, a letter of invitation, a letter of response to an invitation, a cover letter, a letter of inquiry, etc. When choosing one or another wording for expressing gratitude the nature of the business and personal relationship between the sender and the recipient of the letter should be taken into account.
At the beginning of the letter, you can testify your respect, a respectful attitude towards the addressee, recognition of his merits, a positive assessment of the mind of a business partner, etc., or express gratitude for the received correspondence:
-It's very kind of you ...
- I appreciate your kindness...
- Recognizing and appreciating your contribution to...
- We were happy to get...
- This letter - expression of deep gratitude (gratitude) ...
- We acknowledge with gratitude the receipt of your order for...
- Thank you very much for the fax from...
- Thank you for the catalog we received...
- Thank you for your letter of...
- Please accept my sincere (deep) gratitude for...
I would like to express my deepest gratitude for...
I am (sincerely) grateful for your...
- Let me express my gratitude for participating in...
- Let me thank you for...
- Allow me to express my gratitude to you
- We are grateful to you for...
- We express our gratitude on behalf of...
- Thank you for participating...
At the end of the letter you can also use the words of gratitude again, express the hope for a quick response, for continued cooperation, for possible prospects for business relations, etc.:
FROM thanks for your interest in this matter, I remain, ...
- Thank you in advance for your assistance, I remain, your...
- I will (we will) be very grateful (grateful) for a quick (urgent) answer.
- We would be very grateful (grateful) if wouldYou answered as soon as possible.
- Thank you very much for your (kind) assistance.
- Your assistance in this matter will be highly appreciated.
- With heartfelt greetings and gratitude for your action (patience) in this matter.
- I sincerely appreciate your patience and continuing. interest.
- Looking forward to your kind reply.
With best wishes and confidence in the development of mutually beneficial cooperation...
CONGRATULATION LETTER
A letter of congratulation is proof of the good disposition of the sender towards the addressee.
Congratulations and wishes are most often the main aspect of a letter, postcard, telegram, but they can also be part of a multifaceted letter. In this case, the words of congratulations and wishes are usually located after the appeal and greeting.
For letters that are written and sent long before a significant date, it is possible to place a congratulation at the end of the letter.
In official congratulatory letters, the most common formulas are:
allow me to congratulate you;
let me congratulate you;
Please accept my (our) congratulations.
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Congratulations |
with a new assignment. Happy New Year and coming Christmas. with your anniversary. |
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We greet you |
on the occasion of the national holiday. on the occasion of your anniversary. in connection with the opening of the international conference. |
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On the occasion of |
electing you to... |
allow (let) congratulate .... |
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About |
successful defense of your dissertation |
Please accept my (our) congratulations... |
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Allow Let |
wish |
I wish you great success, health, prosperity, happiness ... Good luck with your plans |
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Please accept our (sincere, warm, cordial, etc.) wishes |
new successes. great achievements. health, fulfillment of hopes (desires) |
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INVITATION LETTER
An invitation letter can be addressed to a specific person or several persons, as well as to institutions. An invitation to a specific person should be drawn up taking into account the status of the addressee, the nature of the relationship between the parties, as well as the degree of officiality of the event.
The most common in business correspondence are expressions with the words: allow to invite; let me invite.
Expressions that are neutral in style emphasize the interest of the inviting party. Such expressions are still in the nature of a discussion, that is, a unilateral invitation without the consent of the other side. In the event that the other party agrees, an official invitation is already sent.
- We would be glad to see you at...
- We would greatly appreciate your participation in ...
- We would be grateful to you if you could accept our invitation to...
In the case when the initiator of the invitation is the protrusions of the second party (We would like to take part in your owl shaniya), in the response letter of invitation, the expressions are appropriate:
- We will (with great) pleasure receive (meet) your representatives (your delegation).
- We are glad to invite you...
- We agree to receive your delegation ...
- We can accept your representatives.
- We do not object to your participation in the meeting.
- For our part, we (with pleasure) are ready to receive (invite, meet) your representatives.
If the first party is particularly interested in consent, then after the actual invitation phrases, the following expressions are used:
- We hope that you will accept our invitation.
- We would like to hope for your consent.
- We express the hope that you will accept our invitation (proposal).
LETTER OF APOLOGY
Common formulas for expressing regret are as follows:
-Unfortunately,...
- To our great regret, ...
- To my great regret, ...
- Regretfully...
- We are very sorry ...
- We are extremely sorry ...
- I am very sorry that...
- I regret to learn from your letter that ...
- Regret ...
Expressing regret about a failed transaction, late payment, delay in delivery of the ordered goods, etc. is not enough to maintain good relations between both parties and the possibility of further successful cooperation, therefore, it is recommended that business etiquette rules apologize for the inconvenience caused. Letters of apology can accompany requests (Sorry for asking you), failures (Sorry, but unfortunately we cannot fulfill your request) etc.
Typical and most common apology formulas are as follows:
TRANSMITTAL LETTER
A cover letter is drawn up when sending any material assets to the addressee; a document without an addressing part; documents requiring further clarification. Cover letters are also required in cases where the documents to be sent include several sheets. The cover letters indicate the name of the accompanying document and the purpose of sending it, the deadline for execution, the reason for the delay, etc.
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- In response to your letter from... (at your request, at your request) With reference to your (our) letter dated ... (to your request, to our agreement, to our telephone conversation), ... According to your request According to our agreement In accordance with the additional protocol for ... a year (with our agreement, with your request) Based on an additional protocol for ... a year (your request, our agreement) In connection with your request (our agreement) In confirmation of our agreement (our telephone conversation) |
directing send send forwarding | ||||
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Directing Sending Sending Forwarding We return |
in the application... with this letter... separate package... registered parcel... today's mail... postage... by separate mail... |
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With pleasure |
we send we send we send we forward | ||||
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We're glad In the application Wherein Concerning Simultaneously |
direct forward directing send send forwarding sent sent sent forwarded | ||||
- (We) apply...
- Submitting an application for ...
- We send (to you) cash on delivery ...
- Submit for approval ...
- We send (to you) for consideration ...
- According to the attached list ...
We are sending you samples along with this letter...
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In response to |
Your letter from Your request your request |
directing send send forwarding | |
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Referring to |
Your request our agreement our telephone conversation |
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According to |
your request our agreement |
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In accordance with |
additional protocol our agreement Your request |
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In connection with |
Your request our agreement |
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In confirmation |
our agreement our telephone conversation |
In letters smart person reflects the nature of those to whom they are addressed.
[Lichtenberg Georg Christoph]
Write letters that you would like to receive.
[Antique aphorism]
Writing is a powerful argument in the business world.
[Bekhtereva Victoria]
1. Why have uniform corporate standards in business correspondence?
E-mail is a mandatory attribute of business communication for any company. There are practically no companies that do not use e-mail. But ask yourself the following questions:
- Does it happen to you that when sending email colleague, you get the feeling that you are sending a letter into a black hole, and you can easily just not be answered
- When employees call each other and ask to read an urgent email, and this happens all day
- When you absolutely cannot understand what exactly they want from you in an email
- When complex and difficult issues, when discussed by e-mail, are drowned in a sea of information, details, and the issue is not resolved
If these questions are relevant to you, then you can win a lot of time every day by implementing uniform rules. email. In this article we will talk about etiquette business correspondence.
2. Seven main rules of business correspondence ethics
We conditionally separate the rules of business correspondence on the rules of ethics and rules of communication and information exchange.
Communication rules are governed by the rules for exchanging information within business processes and projects. We will devote a separate article to them. The rules of ethics form the style of internal relations of company employees and inevitably influence the formation of the image of your company among partners. For example, I recently received a letter from one of our partners beginning with the words, "Good afternoon, Bekhterev." What do you think about our cooperation?
In order not to “lose face” of the company while conducting business correspondence, it is necessary to follow the “golden rules” of the ethics of business correspondence:
- We always start a letter with an appeal
- The subject line of the email must be
- Check for spelling, punctuation, and speech errors before sending.
- The letter must be structured (NO water!)
- The letter must contain the correct wording
- If we send attachments in a letter, then we will definitely write that there are attached files (this move will help to avoid situations when you send a letter and the file is not attached; the recipient, having read the letter and not finding the attached document, can quickly respond and write to you that the attached documents that you indicated in the letter are missing).
- We never delete messages. One of the most important points. The message history should never be deleted, since a letter is a document. If necessary, you should always be able to raise the history of correspondence. Radislav Gandapas, for example, even included a request not to delete the history of correspondence in his signature.
3. Types of letters
There are many different classifications, we propose to distinguish letters according to the design structure:
- Letter of communication (letter of refusal, letter of claim, letter of recognition, letter of justification, etc.)
- Letter of agreement
Letter-communication
In this type of letter, we include all types of letters that the employee uses in the course of his professional activities.
Letter structure
The letter should not be formatted in a single text. It should be clearly structured and well-formed so that the recipient does not lose sight of important information. The structure of the letter consists of clear components:
Letter subject
The subject of the letter should contain the specific action that you expect from the respondent: “negotiate a contract”, “propose issues for consideration”, “send a report”, etc.
If you are sending documents, then the subject line should contain a clear wording of the documents contained in the letter attachment.
Why is it important to write the right subject line?
By the subject of the letter, it is very easy to find the necessary letter in the daily flow of information. No letter will be lost.
Note: if you send a letter within the company, then the subject of the letter is formatted according to a given standard, if you send a letter outside the company, then it is advisable to format the subject according to the template: Company name: purpose of the letter.
The more constructive in the body of the letter, the better! One of the key skills in business correspondence that you should develop in your employees is the ability to clearly and concisely articulate your thoughts.
P.S. If, when composing a letter, we mention a fact from the letter of the interlocutor, it must be quoted, separating it with color or font.
Corporate Signature
The corporate signature design template must be the same for all employees of the company.
The signature should contain all the key data of the addressee so that, if necessary, the recipient of the letter can easily contact you.
Sincerely,
Full name, position.
P.S. If we want a warm relationship with a partner / client, then it is worth issuing a personal signature. Any person is pleased to receive a letter with a personal attitude, even in formal correspondence.
The personal signature always refers to the body of the letter. Example: Have a good day/ Thank you / It was a pleasure to talk today / Thank you for taking the time for such an important issue / Greetings to family and children, etc.
To/Cc
We fill in the "To" and "Cc" fields last so as not to accidentally send the letter when it is not yet ready.
What is the difference between the "To" and "Cc" fields?
In the "To" field, we insert the address of the person from whom we want to perform some action.
In the "Copy" field, we insert the address of a person who would benefit from reading the contents of the letter.
P.S. Our experience has proven that the "Copy" field is very useful. If we are negotiating with an ordinary employee, discussing important issues, but do not receive answers on the merits and on time, then it is worth inserting a letter from a director or a higher manager into a copy, as soon as the correspondence begins constructively.
Unfortunately, in many companies the level of corporate culture is not at the proper level, as a result of which there are situations when, in order for an employee to do his job well, strict control by the management team is necessary.
Also in Outlook there is a function like "Bcc" - an important tool that allows you to inform about the letter stakeholders, but at the same time do not embarrass the recipient that the letter is not addressed to him alone!
Letter of agreement
An important type of letter that allows you to sum up the results of the meeting, form agreements in writing, indicate the time for completion and clarify: did both parties understand what they must do correctly?
It is useful to write such letters after a meeting, negotiations and meetings in order to have written agreements and a common vision of their implementation.
Letter structure:
- Greetings, appeal and gratitude to the participants of the discussion.
- Repetition of the purpose of the meeting at which the agreements were formed.
- A listing of all the issues that were discussed, in conjunction with the decisions made on them and the appointment of a person responsible for execution.
- Fixing ideas that do not require urgent implementation for history.
- Question to the recipients: Is everything taken into account? Are there any comments or additions?
For example:
Letter design
Font
The font of the letter should be uniform, italics can be used to highlight key points in the text, headings, but it is imperative to adhere to a single design style.
P.S. You should always remember that words written in capital letters are perceived as a rise in tone. They should be avoided.
Paragraph
It is desirable to arrange each separate thought in a separate paragraph so that the text is easier to perceive.
Indentation
Paragraphs should not merge with each other. To make the letter more readable, indentation should be after the salutation, before each paragraph and before the signature:
To make the letter visually more attractive, it is better to format the links in the body of the letter as hyperlinks:
Writing style
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Activity business man impossible to imagine without working with documents. Economists have calculated that some categories of employees of the administrative apparatus spend from 30 to 70% of their working time on compiling official documents and working with them.
There are people behind every document, it indirectly expresses the relationship between them, therefore it is no coincidence that in the field of business relations there are quite strict requirements for compiling official documents and conducting business correspondence, which are included in business etiquette. Good relations in the team, with business partners and, ultimately, the success of the business largely depend on a correctly drawn up order, a correctly written letter.
One of the Western businessmen once remarked: “Everyone who is engaged in business must remember that the written word is your face and the face of your company. A word used out of place can ruin the trade, destroy the employee's trust in you. Writing a letter or memo is just as important as writing a calculation.” Ron Tepper, author of the US-popular How to Master the Art of Business Writing, points out that good business papers are works of art. And masterpieces, as you know, are not created in a few minutes.
Authors of effective messages and business papers devote a lot of time to their documentation. People who are fluent in the style and art of business conversation often find themselves helpless in the face of the need to draw up a particular document. The reason for this is the formalized nature of service documentation, which requires conciseness, clarity, and monosyllabicity of the language. Documents should not be overloaded with words, unnecessary speech turns. Maximum information with a minimum of words is an immutable rule for their compilation.
The formalization of service documentation allows you to quickly and clearly understand the essence of the issue, avoid wasting time on its preparation and reduce paperwork. Like any formality, which is one of the signs of etiquette, it is of a contractual nature. On the one hand, this leads to the fact that the rules for compiling official documents and conducting business correspondence are fixed in official documents, for example, in GOSTs, and thus become the same for all business entities, and on the other hand, they can differ significantly from such rules. adopted, say, in Japan or France.
According to the rules of business communication adopted in the United States, a merchant writing a message to a client must necessarily use some personal moment: a football game, children, school, a mutual friend mentioned in the conversation. In our domestic business practice, such familiarity is considered unnecessary. In the same time general principles business communication through documentation is practically uniform all over the world.
REQUIREMENTS FOR PREPARATION OF OFFICE DOCUMENTS
All service documents can be divided into instructive and administrative (instructions, decisions, orders, instructions), reference (summaries, acts, protocols, statements), operational (service letters, notes, telephone messages, etc.) and organizational (charters, regulations, instructions ).
Among the administrative documents, the most common - order. It must be accurate, clear and in accordance with the law. Its content is placed in the heading and is formulated in the prepositional case, for example: "On quality control of incoming products."
The introductory (stating) part of the order sets out the facts or events that served as the basis for the issuance of the order: “In accordance with the decision ...”, “In pursuance of the order ...”, “In addition to the order ...”, “In order to eliminate the noted shortcomings ... ”In the administrative part of the order, vague expressions such as: raise, increase, strengthen, improve, take measures should be avoided. Items containing such tasks are vague, and it is almost impossible to check them.
Orders on personnel have some features and are drawn up separately from orders on general issues. The stating part can be omitted in them. In the administrative part, as a rule, first there are paragraphs on appointment to a position, then on transfer, dismissal from a position, change of surname, etc. The presentation of the content of such orders should be uniform, which facilitates their use for reference purposes. Each paragraph of the order begins with a verb: assign, transfer, release, announce (thanks or reprimand). These words are written in capital letters. Then, on a new line, the surname, name and patronymic of the person about whom in question, his position, the structural part where he is appointed.
Orders and orders must be stated in such a language as if they were read aloud. You should not abuse excessive science, use artificial lengthening of speech, you should try, observing the formality of the language of the order, to avoid inertness in the presentation of the material. And of course, an offensive or rude tone of the order is unacceptable. Orders are brought, as a rule, to the attention of all employees of a given institution, firm or department, with the exception of special cases when it is announced only to interested persons.
A large place among official documents is occupied by business letters, which are made for a variety of reasons. A smart, well-written letter is one of the most effective means of achieving business success. What is the purpose of business letters? They perform two functions: they provide a connection between business partners and store information about this connection.
When writing a business letter, it is important to follow the following requirements:
- the performer must clearly imagine the message that he wants to convey, or the question that he wants to find out, and know exactly how to express it in an understandable and concise form;
- the letter should be simple, specific, logical, without ambiguities, allowing for several interpretations so that the addressee can understand its content;
- The letter is composed of only one question. The text of the letter is divided into paragraphs, each of which should address only one aspect of the issue;
- the letter must be convincing, with sufficient reasoning;
- the letter is written in a neutral tone of presentation, which does not allow for emotional and expressive coloring;
- the volume of a business letter, as a rule, should not exceed two pages of typewritten text, however, the performer should in no case sacrifice politeness of tone for the sake of brevity;
- a letter with spelling, syntax and stylistic errors makes a bad impression and irritates the addressee.
It should be borne in mind that the perception of a letter largely depends not only on the content, but also on the envelope, the letterhead of the company. Business letters are written on special letterheads that meet standards and have an established set of mandatory elements (details) arranged in a certain order.
the name of the department to which the organization belongs (full or abbreviated); the name of the organization (firm, enterprise, institution), which is given in full and abbreviated form; postal and telegraphic address; telephone and telefax number; bank account; the date; document index; reference to the index and date of the incoming document;
name (name) of the addressee; title to the text; text; a mark on the presence of the application; signature; surname, name, patronymic and phone number of the performer.
A business letter is the only official document that does not have its name on it. It is not allowed to arbitrarily abbreviate the names of organizations, although official abbreviation is not only allowed, but also necessary, for example, as a prop for a business letter. The date of the letter (its signing), affixed in the upper left corner, is a search feature and is used when referring to the letter.
The link to the letter being answered includes its zip code and date and is located below the zip code and date of the outgoing document. This requisite is only on letterhead. Comparison of the dates of sending and receiving letters gives an idea of the degree of efficiency of work with correspondence and business courtesy. Sometimes in letters there are expressions like "To your number ... from ...", which are often placed in the text of the letter itself. The words “our”, “your” are not recommended to be used, and a link to the letter should be included in the form, for example: “To No._from_”.
The name and address of the recipient of the letter (addressee) is put on the upper right side of the letter form, slightly below the line with the date and outgoing number. Here the name of the organization, its structural part, firm or surname and address of the person to whom the letter is sent are indicated. When sending a letter to an official, the name of the organization is indicated in the nominative case, and the position and surname - in the dative. Initials are written after the last name. Punctuation marks in an internal address may be omitted. The name of the organization, the name and surname of the person to whom the letter is addressed should be written as they are given in the correspondence outgoing from this organization or in the directory.
If the letter is sent to a private person, then first the postal code and address are indicated, and then the surname and initials of the recipient in the dative case. If the letter is addressed to several persons, then each surname is written on a separate line. If the recipient of the letter has an academic or any other rank, then it should be indicated before the surname. Abbreviation like "t.", "gr.", "g." or "Mr" is not used in this case. For example:
Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor Petrov V.I.
Colonel Stepanov I.D.
The letter should not contain more than four addressees. When sending a letter to more than four addresses, a mailing list is compiled and only one addressee is affixed to each letter.
The heading is placed before the text of the letter, on the left and contains one phrase, which should reflect the main reason for sending the letter and an indication of what it is about. You should not try to state the content of the letter in the title, it should be short and capacious. The heading usually begins with the preposition "About" or "About" and is not marked with quotation marks. For example:
On the purchase of a batch of shoes from the company "Marco"
The body of the email follows the header. Since official letters have legal significance, their content and style must meet certain requirements. The letter usually consists of two parts. The first set out the facts and events that caused the need to write this letter, the second - specific requests, proposals, decisions, recommendations, etc.
An American specialist in the field of business writing, R. Tepper, believes that correctly composed business letters are built according to the same scheme. Initial lines attract attention, the following one or two sentences encourage interest reader, then in two paragraphs expresses request, a the last part forces the reader of the letter act.
Although the language of official documents is a set of clichés, cliches, standards that seek to minimize the subjective-emotional factor, any business letter, in addition to the content itself, has a subtext, which is expressed by the word "tone". By the small strokes of the letter, the choice of words, stylistic turns, and simply by the design, one can judge the author of this letter.
The use of standardized verbal turns allows not only to eliminate the unnecessary emotional tone of the letter, but also is an expression of business courtesy, as it eliminates the addressee's excessive stress when reading the letter, as well as ambiguity and inaccuracy of wording. The formalization of the language of a business letter also helps its author or performer, reducing the time and effort to draw up a document. We can say that the language of official correspondence is a set of forms into which new content is laid every time.
An official letter is not a literary work, although it requires compliance with the rules of the language and has its own business “beauty”. As written in one of the French manuals, business letters are not intended to arouse the admiration of the reader, but to convince and win him over.
If there is an attachment to the letter, then a mark about it is put in the lower left corner of the letter. The word "Application" is printed and underlined from the red line. On the right is a list of attached documents indicating the number of copies and sheets.
Each title is on a separate line. For example:
Application: 1. Minutes of the meeting on issues financial activities firms on Yul. in 1 copy.
2. List of stabilization measures economic situation firms for 3 liters. in 1 copy.
If the name of the application is given in the text of the letter, then only the number of sheets and copies is indicated in the mark, for example:
Application: for 5l. in 3 copies.
The letter ends with a signature, which includes the name of the position of the person who signed the letter, a personal signature and its transcript. The name of the institution is not indicated so as not to repeat what is already indicated in the form. In the signature, the initials are placed before the surname. For example:
JSC Director (signature) I.P. Karov
Two signatures are put in cases where it is necessary to confirm the validity of the first signature or when it comes to matters requiring confirmation of their correctness by a specialist. For example, in letters on financial and credit issues sent to financial and banking institutions, the signature of the chief accountant is put. In such cases, the signatures are placed one under the other in the sequence corresponding to the position held. For example:
Director of the firm (signature) A. I. Petrenko
Chief Accountant (signature) S.E. Viktyuk
Sometimes it becomes necessary to sign a letter by several officials holding the same positions. Then the signatures are placed at the same level. For example:
Director of the joint-stock company "Phoenix" (signature) M.S. Sandpiper
Director of the firm "Selena" (signature) Ya.L. Ivanov
What to do if there is no official whose signature is printed in the letter? Such a letter may be signed by the person acting in his capacity or by his deputy. Often in such cases, the signature is supplemented with the preposition "for" or just a slash. This is not recommended by the rules of business etiquette, since it is not clear to the addressee who signed the letter, whether the signatory has the necessary powers. Therefore, it is required to indicate the position and surname of the person who signed the letter, for example: “Acting.” or "Deputy."
The last requisite of a business letter is a note about the performer. The author of an official letter and the performer are not always the same person. The author is responsible for the legal side of the letter, and the performer is responsible for the technical side, and therefore there is a requirement to make a note about the performer in the letter. This mark includes the surname of the originator of the letter and his official telephone number. The mark is placed on the front or back of the letter in the lower left corner. Unlike a signature official initials are placed after the artist's last name, for example:
Viktorova L. N. 105 17 10
These rules apply to all official letters. But depending on the purpose, there are several types of business letters, each of which has its own characteristics and must meet the requirements for it.
So, request letters in form they resemble a statement with which each of us has repeatedly applied to various institutions. They can be written in the first person singular(“I ask ...”), from the first person plural (“We intercede ...”) or from the third person singular, if the speech is on behalf of an institution or its body (directorate, administration, leadership). An appeal from a third person plural is also possible, when a request is made by several institutions or bodies, for example: “Small enterprise “Vector” and Joint-stock company The “Sphinx” is asking...” In such letters, since they are related to the interest of the authors of the letter in fulfilling the request, special business courtesy is required.
The letter sent in a branded envelope with a beautifully printed address gives the shareholder a sense of his importance, respectful attitude on the part of the Fund's management to the ordinary shareholder, which, in turn, increases his confidence in this company.
cover letters are necessary when they contain some additional clarifications to the documents attached to them. If such a letter is written only to put down the address, date and index on it, then it increases the flow of papers, since these details can be put down in the document itself. But the cover letter should not be underestimated: confirming the fact of sending any documents within a certain period, it is a reliable means of monitoring compliance with the discipline of official correspondence and the safety of the sent documents.
To confirm the received documents and materials, and sometimes a telephone conversation, sometimes they write confirmation letters. It is desirable at the beginning of such a letter to briefly state the content of the letter to which they refer, so that the addressee is clear about what is at stake. They may end with a request, suggestions, comments or instructions. Business courtesy requires sending the confirmation letter in a timely manner, without waiting for the reminder letter.
Reminder letter should be directed when it is not possible to obtain the necessary answer through telephone conversations or personal contact. It usually consists of two parts: a reminder of the need to fulfill certain obligations or requirements, and the measures that will be taken if they are not met. The preparation of such a letter requires special delicacy so as not to cause a negative reaction from the addressee.
In turn, receiving a reminder letter should be regarded by the addressee as a sign of disrespect for them. business partner. When such a letter comes from a higher organization, it is understood that the subordinates are negligent in their duties or the management is not confident in the clear performance of these duties by these subordinates. If the author of the reminder letter is not sure that the addressee received the letter addressed earlier, he literally repeats the text of the previous letter. In this case, the mark "Secondary" is placed on the field of the letter and emphasizes the fact of the reminder.
AT notice letter something is reported or asserted. Usually it is a response to a request and begins with the words: “We inform”, “Notify”, “Bring to your attention”. One of the most common types of such letters is informational letters. With little significance of the facts stated in them, they can be signed by an assistant or a secretary. Often information letters are sent to advertise the activities of firms and organizations and their products.
In the practice of business communication are widespread circular letters, the purpose of which is to deliver information of the same content to several addresses. Circular letters are usually sent governing body to inform the enterprises subordinate to it on a particular issue or to give appropriate orders. These letters may be purely informational in nature, relating to the economic issues of the company. If there are a large number of recipients, they are not entered in the internal address of the letter, instead the heading "Circular letter" is written. The circular letter is signed by the head of the firm or organization, and on financial and accounting activities, accounting and reporting, it is also Chief Accountant or head of financial and accounting services.
AT letters of guarantee certain promises or conditions of activity are confirmed. As a rule, wages for the work performed, the timing of its implementation, work in the specialty, living space, and the quality of the work can be guaranteed. These guarantees may be reflected in a separate letter or as an integral part of it. Letters of guarantee make a good impression if they are written in a polite, friendly tone that expresses goodwill to the addressee.
A lot of space in business correspondence is occupied by request and response letters on them. Letters of inquiry are written if it is impossible to resolve any issue in person or by phone. They usually consist of two parts. In the first part, the essence of the question is stated, in the second, the actual request is formulated, to which the answer is expected.
When drafting a request, references are made to regulatory materials, decisions, agreements, instructions from higher authorities or previous letters. If this is a commercial request, then usually in this way the buyer requests the seller to give detailed information about the product or services and (or) send an offer for the supply of goods. It specifies the name of the product and the conditions under which the buyer would like to receive the product, such as the quantity and quality of the product, its model, brand, price, delivery time, and terms of payment.
Business etiquette requires an unconditional response to requests and in the shortest possible time. The response must reflect all the points of the request, although it is allowed to present them in a different order than in the request. It depends on the opinion of the other side, the degree of production significance of the issue raised. If the respondent is unable to respond to all points of the request, his letter should indicate that these points will be mentioned in the next letter. If the seller cannot immediately satisfy the buyer's request, he sends him a letter in which the customer is informed that either the request has been accepted for consideration, or the possibility of supplying the goods of interest to the buyer is clarified, or a refusal to deliver the goods is given.
In response to the request, there may be an indication of a change in the conditions that the buyer imposes, for example, the requested quantity of goods, model, delivery time, etc. The letter may also contain a promise to send a proposal for the supply of the goods of interest within the specified time frame. Such an offer is called an offer. It is used if the seller can satisfy the buyer's request and deliver the goods he needs. The offer usually specifies the main conditions for the delivery of goods (quantity, quality, price, delivery time, terms of payment, etc.). If the buyer agrees with this offer, he confirms its acceptance to the seller, which results in the issuance of an order or the conclusion of a contract. In case of disagreement with any terms of the offer between the seller and the buyer, correspondence is established or personal negotiations are held until an agreement is reached.
The most important requirement of business etiquette is the need to keep one's word, to strictly adhere to the obligations assumed. If these obligations are not fulfilled for any reason, claims and a claim for damages in the form of a complaint are made against the supplier of the goods.
Complaint may contain demands for the replacement of low-quality goods with high-quality ones or their markdown, additional delivery of the missing quantity of goods or refund of the amount paid for the missing quantity of goods, discounts from the total cost of the consignment of goods, termination of the contract and compensation for losses due to violation of its conditions.
Claims must be submitted in writing. by registered mail with the attachment of all documents confirming the violation of the contract and having probative value for both parties. If claims are accepted, the response to the claim must be sent in writing by registered mail or by fax, and in case of refusal - by registered mail with all documents justifying the refusal attached.
The fact of receiving a business letter is evidenced by the incoming number, which is placed in the upper left corner, and that the letter was read - resolution leader, including an indication or attitude to information, a number and a signature. It is placed at an angle on the left side of the letter, for which margins of at least 5 cm are left on the first page, and at least 2 cm on subsequent pages. Attitude to information is usually expressed by the words “Agree”, “Disagree”. It is not uncommon to encounter the indefinite “I don’t mind.” When you see such a resolution, and often they follow one under the other, you get the impression, most often not unfounded, that the official seeks to evade responsibility. I, they say, do not mind, but see for yourself, the specific decision is yours, and the responsibility for it will fall on you.
Resolutions containing instructions can be either general or specific. General instructions are expressed by the words "For guidance", "For execution", "For information". Specific instructions are formulated in the imperative mood or the indefinite form of the verb and are addressed to subordinate persons (one or more), for example:
“To Nikiforov F.S. Ensure the shipment of the goods urgently. However, the imperative tone of the presentation of the resolution is unacceptable when it is addressed not to subordinates, but to allies. After the instruction, the leader can express a personal attitude to the state of affairs: “Sidorov P.N.!
Please look into it and report back. In my opinion, attention should be paid to the selection of personnel for the support group.” The word "please" softens the commanding tone of the resolution and gives a hint of respect for the performer.
At the same time, a resolution addressed to a subordinate is actually an order, an instruction containing prescriptive actions. Therefore, it is not enough to be limited to general remarks, especially in the form of questions like “Your opinion?”, “Your considerations?” etc. It is more correct to write in such cases: "Report your opinion on this issue" or "Please report on the possibility of resolving the issue." The tone of the resolution should be friendly, without insults or humiliation. Humor is necessary in business relations, but it has no place in resolutions that are in the nature of a legal imperative. A resolution is not just an order. It is an indicator of leadership style, it can be used to judge the degree of efficiency, competence, character of the official. Therefore, one should pay attention not only to the content of the order, but also to its form: style, language, tone, design.
A series of letters (confirmation letters, cover letters, some newsletters) do not require a detailed resolution. In such cases, it is customary to limit the indication of the performer. It is not recommended to write “For acquaintance”, “For information”, “For performance”, “For guidance”, when the name of the performer is. If the letter contains several questions, then the resolution of the manager who has read the letter can be multiple, i.e. consisting of several resolutions on each or some of the issues addressed in the letter. The ability to impose a correct, clear, concise resolution testifies not only to the high business culture of an official, but also contributes to the faster passage of documents, the solution of the issues contained in them and, ultimately, the success of the case.
STYLE AND DESIGN OF SERVICE DOCUMENTS
The text of the official document cannot be confused with any other text. This suggests that over the years of the existence of service documentation, she has developed her own style, subject to certain rules, which are part of business etiquette.
A specific "color" to such documents is given by the use of formulations that have developed in the domestic office work, language stamps, such as: "to dismiss from his position ..."; “to impose control over execution...”; "payment is guaranteed..."; "in pursuance of the decision..."; “we, the undersigned, have drawn up this act in that...”; "This certificate has been issued
(to whom) in what (subject of reference), for presentation (where) ”, etc. The presence of such stamps facilitates the process of compiling official documents and provides them with the necessary information content, facilitates, “standardizes” the process of perception of documents. This also determines the need for conciseness, the accuracy of wording, the unambiguity of the semantic content of service documents.
Western record keeping experts, on the contrary, believe that when writing business letters, stamps such as “according to our agreement”, “I am sending you”, “according to your request”, “in connection with the above”, etc. should be avoided. The language of business letters should be as close to conversational as possible.
Business etiquette requires documents to be reliable, evidence-based, objective, and convincing. Accuracy in the selection of facts, assessments of the situation is especially necessary in documentation that reflects conflicts in the field of business relations. If, for example, a refusal of a request is being prepared, then it should be written in a friendly tone with convincing explanations so that the business relationship can continue. Therefore, you should not start the letter with a refusal, first you need to explain what caused it.
Although documents are usually written in a neutral tone, the style of the document itself can be regarded as friendly or rude, polite or tactless, and so on. Even F. Bacon argued that it is more important to conduct a business dialogue in a friendly tone than to use beautiful words and arrange them in the correct order. Often in documents, behind the external neutrality of tone, harshness and disrespect for the addressee are visible. However, one should not go to the other extreme - compete in excessive politeness. Misconception about business courtesy leads to the appearance in documents of expressions like "Do not refuse the courtesy ...", "Be so kind ...", etc.
According to experts, modern business documentation is more likely to be characterized by dryness than by excessive politeness. Western style is somewhat softer in this respect. So, R. Tepper advises businessmen to use a set of "magic words" in business letters and notes that ensure success. He considers these words: amazing, inspiring, amazing, bewitching, sizzling, hot, deafening, unforgettable, riveting, impressive, captivating, stunning, teasing, trembling, etc. The domestic style of business letters is not yet characterized by the use of such "magic" words.
In the business circles of developed countries, it is customary to use business documentation manuals, in which there is a special section on etiquette and containing a list of special idioms that give the document a polite connotation, but due to their formality, have turned into a kind of “etiquette cliché”. It seems that phrases like “Thank you for your timely response” or “Grateful to you for fulfilling our request” not only do not clog official documentation, but also serve an important factor maintaining good business relations.
hardly possible full list recommended expressions. As the language is rich, so are the forms of expression of politeness, despite the dryness, formality and rigid stylistic framework. business documents. And the point is not only in words, but also in the form of constructing phrases, tact in presenting facts and requests, in the accuracy of design and clarity of style, and finally, even in a kind of business “ceremonial”, i.e. rules for drawing up, signing, passing and implementing documents.
So, it is unlikely that the addressee, even who is subordinate to the authors of the document, will gladly accept a letter in which one feels disdain for him: “We are sending you a revised draft charter... We ask you to consider and approve.” The neglect here is manifested in the fact that the authors of the letter do not allow the possibility that the document may not be approved. In this case, the error can be eliminated if in the letter after the words "Please consider" add phrase "and in case of a positive decision..." or delete the word "consider", leaving simply: "Please confirm."
"Ceremonial" is recommended to be observed in the practice of signing business papers. It consists in the need to comply with the official level when signing documents. In particular, a response to a letter signed by a director must also be signed by the director and not by his deputy. But a response to a letter signed by the deputy director may be signed by the director.
Unpleasant impression of the document leaves the sloppiness of its design. Read the document carefully to eliminate possible mistakes and typos. Often there is an incorrect construction of the text, a disproportionate arrangement of its parts, there is no breakdown into paragraphs, which greatly complicates the perception of the text. In official documents, it is necessary to fight against the incorrect use of words and terms, inappropriate or unjustified use of foreign words, unnecessary or incomprehensible abbreviations to the addressee, etc. It must be remembered that there are officially established requirements for paperwork. In particular, in addition to those requirements that have already been named, the following can be noted.
In documents drawn up on two or more pages, the second and subsequent pages must be numbered, and the number “1” is not put on the first page. Page numbers should be placed in the middle of the top margin of the sheet. Arabic numerals at a distance of 10-15 mm from the upper edge.
Details (name of organization, address, etc.), consisting of several lines, are printed with one interval. At the same time, the components of the name of the addressee, the stamp of approval, the mark of the presence of an application, the stamp of approval should be separated from each other by 1.5-2 line intervals. Asami details are separated from each other by 2-4 line intervals.
The name of the type of document is printed in capital letters. The transcript of the signature is printed at the level of the last line of the job title. If the document is signed by several officials and their signatures are located one under the other, the names of the positions and the decoding of the signatures are separated by 2-4 line spacings.
The date in official documents can be drawn up in any of the following ways: 05/20/95 or 05/20/1995. After the numbers indicating the year, the point is not put. Depending on the purpose of the document, it is allowed to bring the date elements in the following sequence: year, month, day of the month. It is also allowed to use a verbal-numerical method of arranging dates in acts, official letters, orders, protocols, and other documents containing financial information. For example: January 17, 1995 or 01/17/95.
When writing a date in a document that will be used by foreign partners, it must be remembered that in the UK the date is written first, then the month - 10/7/95 corresponds to July 10, 1995, and in the USA - first the month, then the day, i.e. . 10/7/95 corresponds to October 7, 1995, so the date in such documents must be written in word-numerical way. In the Russian version of the document, it will look like July 10, 1995, and in the English version - depending on the country - either 10 July 1995 or July 10,1995.
If the text uses numbers, then you should know how to write them. For example, the number 159,000 in the text of the document looks like this: 159 thousand. Such a record greatly facilitates the perception of numbers.
A single-digit number is written as a word, not a number, for example: the goods are delivered in three containers. If a single-digit number is accompanied by a unit of measurement, it is written in a word: three meters of fabric are required for one product.
Multi-digit numbers are usually written as numbers. But if the number is at the beginning of the sentence, it should be written in words.
For example: Twelve days spent on preparatory work(Thu: 12 days were spent on preparatory work).
If the document must be approved, then the stamp of approval is located in the upper right corner of the sheet and consists of the word “I approve”, the title of the position of the person approving the document (including the name of the organization, if it is not part of the details of the form), personal signature, its transcript and dates, for example:
APPROVED Director of the commercial center "Success"
- (personal signature) M.A. Vogt
- 20.03.95
If the document is approved by a resolution, decision or order, then the approval stamp is drawn up as follows:
APPROVED
(document name in instrumental case)
The stamp of approval is placed below the requisite "signature" or on a separate approval sheet. This stamp consists of the word "Agreed", the name of the official with whom the document is agreed, including the name of the organization, personal signature, its transcript and date, for example:
AGREED: Minister of Railways
Copies of documents are certified by affixing the inscription “Correct”, the name of the position of the employee who certified the copy, his personal signature, its transcript and the date of certification, for example:
Correct: 06/17/95
Inspector (personal signature)
K.L. Vinogradov
On copies of outgoing documents remaining in the file, the date of certification and the position of the employee who certified the copy may not be indicated.
Experienced managers are not in a hurry to send it to the address immediately after preparing the document, if, of course, time permits. This is done in order to re-read it again, correct it if necessary, and only then send it. The perception of writing is influenced by many factors, including irritation, fatigue, haste. After a while, the text and its content can make a completely different impression on the sender, which will make him work on the letter more carefully.
A business letter to a foreign partner should be drawn up, as a rule, in the language of the addressee or, in case of difficulty, in one of the most common in the country of the addressee foreign languages. When sending a letter to an Algerian colleague and not finding Arabic language experts, it is better to write it in French, while in Egypt you will be grateful for a letter in English language. By stating your message in Russian, you run the risk of receiving a delayed response at best and creating embarrassment for your partner. In the worst case, the content of the letter will be distorted and, as a result, will not achieve the goal. It is quite acceptable to write two texts of the letter - in Russian and in a foreign language.
The address on the envelope is written in the language of the recipient country or in English. The following feature should also be taken into account: in foreign postal correspondence, it is customary to first write the position and surname of the addressee, then the name of the company, street, house, city, and only at the end of the country.
Of course, each organization has its own traditions in the design of documents, but at the same time, one should ensure that, with all the differences, the document is clear, specific, evidence-based, objective, written in compliance with the rules of style and beautifully designed, and its content meets the requirements of business. courtesy.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH FOREIGN PARTNERS
Business letters can be formal (formal) and informal. The latter are usually exchanged by people who are well acquainted with each other. Such a letter (or just an appeal) can be written by hand, while the official one must be typed (except for some special cases, which will be discussed below); the author of an informal letter may write in an appeal not Dear Mr Smith, a "Dear Bill." The recipient's address is written only on the envelope. The sender's address is both on the envelope and on the page with the text (in the upper right corner). Both informal and formal letters should be without blots, on a clean, neatly cut sheet.
Those who usually type informal letters on a typewriter or computer should abandon this wonderful technique if they need to send a thank you letter, invitation, congratulations or condolences. And, of course, in all cases, the letter must be signed by hand.
AT developed countries very much attention is paid to the formal side of official business correspondence. The absence, for example, of a traditional compliment at the end of a letter significantly changes the tone of the message and can seriously offend the addressee. The etiquette of business correspondence must be strictly observed if you do not want to spoil relations with foreign partners.
First of all, you need to remember the following rules:
1. It is customary to write business letters on printed letterheads of a company (organization, institution). The form contains the name and address of the sender. This information should be easy to read and at the same time be designed by a professional designer. The opinion of the recipient of the letter about your company depends, among other things, on appearance letterhead, level of printing performance, paper quality.
Details on the form intended for correspondence with foreign partners must be in English (can be duplicated in the state language). In addition to the full address of the company, telephone numbers, telex and fax numbers must be indicated. Business letters should only be written in front side be it a letterhead or a plain blank sheet.
- 2. If the letter takes more than one page, then at the end of it they write: “to be continued” ("continued over"). In international business practice, the text, as a rule, fits on one page.
- 3. Arabic numerals are used for numbering, the number is not put on the first page.
- 4. The letter must be typed on a typewriter or computer. The width of the field on the left side is at least two centimeters (in order to make it more convenient to hem). The text is printed in two or at least one and a half intervals. The paragraph starts with a red line - five intervals from the margin. It is customary to write an appeal to the addressee without a paragraph. Word wrapping should be avoided.
- 5. Corrections in the text of the letter, even the most accurate ones, are not allowed.
- 6. It is desirable that the letter in the envelope be folded no more than once (with the text inside). For especially important letters, an envelope of such a format is selected so that the sheet remains unfolded. On the envelope, you can place all the details available on the form, including company logo. Large envelopes in which letters are sent unfolded should be thick paper so that their contents do not get tampered with in transit.
- 7. Mourning envelopes (with black lining inside) should be used for their intended purpose.
- 8. It is customary to make resolutions on received correspondence only in pencil. If - in ink, then the resolution should be on a separate sheet, which is pinned to the letter.
- 9. A reply to a telegraphic inquiry must be given within three days. By letter - before the expiration of ten days. If it is not possible to give a detailed, comprehensive answer in time, then it should be reported within three days that the letter has been taken into account, and the final answer should be given no later than thirty days later.
A business letter consists of a title, date, name and address of the recipient of the letter, an introductory statement, an indication of the general content of the letter, the body text, the final courtesy formula, and a signature. The structure of the letter also allows you to include a link to specific persons, copy availability information.
HEADINGS
The heading of a business letter is the name and address of the sending company (printed in a typographical way on letterhead).
If you are typing a letter on a blank sheet, then in the upper right corner write your first and last name, below them - the number of the apartment, house, street name and district; even lower - the name of the city, postal code, name of the state.
The date is placed to the right, two intervals below the title. Reduction of dates (25.06.2000) in international correspondence is not allowed. The month and day of the year must be written in full, for example: June 25, 2000. The date indicates the day the letter was sent, not the day the letter was written.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE RECIPIENT
This part of the letter repeats the details of the addressee indicated on the envelope.
The addressee's data is written on the left, two intervals below the link (if any). Before the surname of the person to whom the letter is addressed, his initials are written, and one of the abbreviations must be put before the initials: "Mr" ("Mr.", in English - "Mg.") or "Miss" ("Madam", in English - "Mrs."). The words "mister" and "Madam" are always abbreviated.
If the addressee has a title or rank, then instead of addressing, for example "To Mr. W. Smith" should indicate: "Prof. W. Smith. In Germany, the formula is: "master + title or rank + surname". Ignoring titles of nobility, military and academic ranks is impolite. The lower academic titles - bachelor and master - are rarely used.
Sometimes (very rarely in the USA) instead of "Mg." after the full name of the addressee is put Esq. ("Esquire" - "Esquire"), as a sign of respect.
If there are several titles or titles, only one of them is used. The most honorary titles and titles, such as colonel, general, academician, president, etc., should preferably be written in full, especially on the envelope.
The position of the addressee is written in the second line.
In the third - the name of the company.
Below is the recipient's mailing address: house number, street name, city, state (county, province, county, prefecture, etc.), postal code, and country of destination. If the addressee has a mailbox, then the number of the mailbox is indicated instead of the house number and street name. The order of writing address data must be strictly observed.
Sometimes a private letter to a person whose address is unknown is sent to the address of the firm in which he works.
Tagging "Private" after the surname means that only the person to whom it is addressed can open the letter. In the USA in this case they write "Personal". Tagging "Confidential" means that the recipient's personal assistant or secretary can also print the letter.
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS
The introductory address duplicates the surname (or first name and surname) indicated in the address. If the name of the addressee is unknown and was not indicated above, the following (strictly official) address options can be used: Sir, Madam, Dear Sir, Dear Madam. If the sender of the letter is personally acquainted with the addressee or wants to establish friendly relations with him, you should write like this: "Dear Mr...." ("Dear Mr.").
The opening address in a letter addressed to two or more men, a firm (organization, institution) looks like this: Sirs or "Gentlemen". Sirs more popular in the UK, "Gentlemen"- in the USA. If the letter is addressed to two or more women or to a firm (organization, institution) entirely composed of women, the appeal is used "Mesdames" in the US, it can also be used "Ladies".
The appeal in the letter that you are going to send to Germany must be built according to the formula: "Dear Mr. Professor + surname."
After the introductory address, a comma (in Europe) or a colon (in the USA) is placed.
INDICATION TO THE GENERAL CONTENT OF THE LETTER
It is written under the introductory appeal, starting from the left edge of the sheet (not counting the margin), and unlike the address of the recipient and the introductory appeal, it does not end in the middle of the sheet. An indication of the general content of the letter is indicated by the abbreviation of the word "Regarding" ("Reference") - ("Re:"). For example: Re: "In response to your letter of June 10, 1998."
At present, a different form has become widespread: an indication of the general content is written in capital letters under the appeal or underlined. For example:
Dear Mr. Smith,
About your proposals for the delivery of diagnostic equipment.
MAIN TEXT
Printed two spaces below the previous information, without a paragraph. AT recent times the block style is quite widespread, in which the new paragraph is not indicated by an indent of 5 characters, but is separated from the previous one by 3-4 intervals (instead of the traditional two).
The first paragraph of the letter necessarily contains an introductory compliment. If this is your first time writing to this addressee, it is appropriate to start with the phrase that he is a well-known manufacturer in his field. In a response letter, an introductory compliment may express gratitude for the correspondence received. A common compliment in correspondence between long-term partners is an expression of gratitude for assistance in any matter.
The main points follow. The main text should end with a compliment. This may be a traditional expression of hope for further cooperation: “Taking this opportunity, once again accept our assurances of readiness for further mutually beneficial cooperation”, “We are looking forward to the prospects of our further cooperation” etc.
In the English version of the main text, names, addresses, appeals, each word of the original name of the company (organization, institution), each word of the title of the position, the names of the objects of correspondence (contract, project, etc.) are capitalized. The use of abbreviated forms of modal and auxiliary verbs is not allowed.
FINAL PART
It should be placed to the right, two spaces below the main text. The final formula of politeness should be consistent with the greeting. If the letter starts with "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam" ("Dear Madam"), then in conclusion it is necessary to write "Devoted to you" ("Yours Faithfully").
Opening Addresses Dear Mr. and Dear Mrs. matches final phrase "Sincerely yours" "Yours sincerely." If the letter begins with an informal address, for example, "Dear William" ("Dear William"), then it ends with a friendly phrase, for example: "With cordial regards" ("With best regards"), often combined with the expression "Yours sincerely".
In the US, unlike in the UK, business letters often end with: "Truly yours", "Yours very truly", "Very truly yours".
signature
The signature should be under the final courtesy formula, on the right side of the sheet.
In Germany, unlike in most countries of the world, it is customary to put the final courtesy formula on the left and, accordingly, the signature is also placed on the left side of the sheet.
Between the autograph of the author of the letter and the final formula of courtesy, sometimes, depending on the specific circumstances, the name of the sending company is placed. Four intervals are allotted for the signature. It is usually written in black ink with a fountain pen. Below the signature is printed the name and surname of the author. Even lower is his position. A postscript may be printed at the bottom of the letter. Its designation is well known - " P.S..". A postscript is added to inform the addressee about important events that have occurred since the writing of the body of the letter. In some cases, the postscript serves to emphasize some important point. Postscript is recommended only in exceptional cases.
Sometimes the structure of the letter includes various kinds of instructions. For example, between the headers (the name and address of the sender) and the date, an indication of the link can be placed. The reference includes the initials of the originator of the letter and/or the initials of the typist. The reference usually contains letters and/or numbers of the sender's department or sector, case number, etc. In the United States, the reference to the link is placed in the lower left corner of the sheet.
Between the address of the recipient and the introductory appeal, an indication of specific persons may be affixed. Such an indication is used in a letter addressed to a firm (organization, institution) if the sender wants the letter to be read by a specific person or department in this firm. An indication of specific persons is expressed by the phrase: "Attention of Mr..." or "For attention of Mr..."). Referencing specific individuals may look different, for example: For attention of Mr. Smith pc Attention: Mr. Smith or Attention: Sales manager or Attn.s Mr. Smith or Att.; Mr. Smith.
If the letter is sent with an attachment - any materials or documents, then in the lower left corner of the sheet, under the designation of the position and the author, an indication of the attachment is placed.
The word "Application(s)" is written first. ("Enclosure^)"). To the right of it, on the same line, specific applications are indicated, for example:
Appendix: 1. Agreement
There are quite a few types of application designation used:
Enclosure(s)
Enc.(s) Encs.(2)
Enel. Enel.(2)
An application can also be indicated by a diagonal dash (/), a horizontal line (-), or a series of dots (...) in the left margin, opposite the line that mentions the application. Sometimes an attachment is identified by attaching stickers to both the attachment and the letter. Below, a separate line may indicate the distribution of copies ("Carbon soru", abbreviated - "SS" or "s/s"). For example: s/s: Mr. John Brown.
Office correspondence is a very special genre that you must master if you are going to climb the corporate ladder. Good business writing skills will serve you faithfully: they will help you communicate with subordinates, bosses and partners, emphasize your education and outlook. The style of communication should be restrained, purposeful, without deviating from a given topic.
Features of business communication
Any communication, both personal and written, is interaction with people in order to exchange information, impress, and negotiate. Nothing human is alien to us, we sometimes give vent to emotions, but in the business sphere there should be no place for the violent manifestation of our feelings, character traits and temperament.
It is impossible to imagine that at an international meeting the presidents different countries sang songs, laughed out loud or expressed personal dislike. That's what etiquette exists to make our life as comfortable and orderly as possible.
An important feature of business communication is that it cannot be cut off in mid-sentence. For every letter you receive, you need to write a reply, even if you don't feel like it. If you receive a call and you do not have time to pick up the phone, be sure to call back. Of course, communication with some people is unpleasant. That is why the list of mandatory qualities of a manager includes stress resistance.
A business meeting, a phone conversation or a business e-mail correspondence will certainly have some purpose. As a result, the parties must come to conclusions, discuss the project, agree on a strategic partnership, and so on.
Email Rules
AT writing restrictions and conventions, perhaps even more than in the oral. Communicating with the interlocutor directly, in a personal meeting, we can make an intonation emphasis on this or that fact, clarify something if the interlocutor did not understand us. If a speech error is made, we can correct it immediately. But in a business letter, we must be extremely clear and precise so that the words do not imply a double interpretation.
They used to say: “Paper will endure everything,” implying that even unreliable facts can be written. We are of the opinion that business correspondence should be as honest as possible. By the way, now paper letters are sent less and less. Basically, they transport contracts and other documents. In this case, are used letterhead as evidence of the high status of the organization.
Nowadays, in most cases, business correspondence takes place in the virtual space, and it has its own characteristics. When the dialogue is just starting, it is customary to write a greeting according to etiquette, for example: “Hello, dear Oleg Sergeevich! ". And at the subsequent address during the working day, the greeting can be omitted.
Literacy
Written communication, including by e-mail, requires adherence to language norms and impeccable literacy. After all, correspondence will reveal your gaps to an educated interlocutor. Therefore, we advise you to check what is written with the help of special services, if you are not completely sure of your own knowledge.
We list the general rules that require the ethics of electronic communication. They are quite simple, but many, alas, neglect them:
- the beginning of each sentence is capitalized;
- a period is put at the end of the phrase so that the meaning of what is read is clear;
- to sort out the problem and suggest solutions, it is useful to use a bulleted or numbered list;
- for clarity, it is good to use tables, graphs, charts;
- do not specifically try to seem like an intelligent, educated interlocutor, do not complicate simple thoughts with excessive participial and participle turns;
- the simpler you express your thoughts, the better;
- although in everyday speech culture requires avoiding jargon, in a business environment, professional jargon and borrowings from English are now considered good tone(but don't overdo it!).
Types of business letters
Their structure is almost the same. As for the volume, long text does not look good in the body of the letter. It is better to issue it as a separate file and attach it as an attachment. In this case, in the letter itself, after the greeting, you need to briefly indicate what the attachment is about.
Letter structure (beginning)
Except general rules, it is important to know some details of business writing. We will give the rules that will be appropriate in the vast majority of cases.
The beginning of an email is called a header. It has the logo of the organization. It is useful to always have at hand (that is, on the desktop of your computer) a template in which this logo is included.
Unlike offline communication, modern rules do not oblige you to greet the addressee, and you can immediately state the essence of the matter by calling him by name and patronymic. However, many continue to write at the beginning of the message: “Good morning! ", "Hello! ", "Good evening! ' or 'Greetings.' And in this, too, there is no deviation from the norm.
The requirements for the body of the letter suggest that it is in it that the meaning of the correspondence lies. Dividing the text into paragraphs is considered good form, a sign of an attentive attitude towards the interlocutor. In each paragraph, one or another aspect of the topic is named and disclosed. In addition to identifying the problem, it is customary to suggest ways to solve it. So to speak, to reveal a business idea in miniature.
Structure of the letter (conclusion)
How to send a business message?
Most office employees have a very extensive archive of letters in their e-mail box. So that the interlocutor does not get confused in a long correspondence, it is recommended to send a letter in the form of a reply. When you click the corresponding box at the beginning of the subject of the letter, English abbreviation"Re...". This is very convenient, because the addressee will immediately remember the progress of the correspondence.
You can save the entire history virtual communication with this interlocutor, and you can leave only the last or most significant quotes. Modern business etiquette requires you to respond quickly to emails. After all, we spend a significant part of our day at a work computer. In addition, mail can be checked from mobile devices.
If you are worried about whether the letter has reached the addressee, use the convenient "Receipt Notification" function, which is available on almost all mail servers. Thus, it will be clear to you that the letter has been viewed.
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