Graduate Writing

You will create three separate but related items:

  • Letter #1 A letter from a customer requesting an adjustment to a business for a product
  • Letter #2 An Adjustment letter from a business saying yes to the customer letter (also known as granting a request for an adjustment – this uses the direct approach)
  • Letter #3 An Adjustment letter from a business saying no to the customer letter (also known as refusing the request for an adjustment – this uses the indirect approach)

Submit all three sections within a single document – in other words, page 1 is letter 1, page 2 is letter 2, page 3 is letter 3.

Letter 1 – A letter from a customer requesting an adjustment from a business for a product – refer to 10.2 to help you.

  • You are the customer. You are writing a letter requesting an adjustment from a business for a product.  You must sign up for the product and business.  No duplications please.
  • You can decide what company and what the issue is.
  • your email and phone contact details at the top of the letter
  • Today’s date
  • A fictitious name Mr. Or Ms. first name and surname (not “To Whom It May Concern”), Customer Relations Department, the name and address of the business
  • The salutation (Dear Mr. Or Ms. Surname)
  • Four paragraphs to document the details, explain what is wrong, clearly state what should be done, and to thank and specify an acceptable time frame.
  • Complimentary closing (thank you).
  • Sincerely, your name

Template for Letter #1 A complaint letter from you (the consumer) to the company

FROM:

Your name

Your email address

Your phone number

Today’s date

TO:  

First name Last name

Customer Relations Department

Company Name

Fake Email address

Dear First name:

Paragraph #1 document all relevant details about the product.

Paragraph #2 explain politely what is wrong

Paragraph #3 clearly state what should be done.

Paragraph (one sentence) #4 specify an acceptable timeframe.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Letter #2 An Adjustment letter from a business saying yes to the customer letter (also known as granting request for an adjustment – this uses the direct approach) – refer to 10.4.2 to help you.

  • Now you are writing the adjustment letter saying yes to the customer. You are writing a response as the fictitious named person from the Customer Service department at the business identified back to you the customer
  • You are using the direct approach. See this week’s lecture.
  • A Response within the time frame specified for the complaint letter
  • An Apology and announces good news
  • Explain what happened and why problem will not recur
  • Express respect for the customer
  • Close with friendly offer to help again
  • Signature (person’s name and title).

Template for Letter #2 An Adjustment Letter saying “Yes” from the company to you the customer

 FROM:

The name of the person at the company

Customer Relations Department

Company Name

Fake Email address

The date (within the 5 business days)

TO:  

The customer name

The customer email address

The customer phone number

Dear (customer first name),

Paragraph #1 Apologize and announce good news

Paragraph #2 Explain what happened and why the problem will not reoccur.

Paragraph #3 Express respect for the customer

Paragraph #4 (brief one sentence) Close with a friendly offer to help again.

Sincerely,

First name Last name

Customer Relations Department

Company Name

Letter #3 An Adjustment letter from a business saying no to the customer letter (also known as refusing the request for an adjustment – this uses the indirect approach)  – Refer to 11.5.5 to help you

  • Now you are writing the adjustment letter saying no to the customer. You are writing a response as the fictitious named person from the Customer Service department at the business identified back to you the customer
  • You are using the indirect approach.
  • Make sure you write this following the format to include:
  • Response within the time frame specified for the complaint letter
  • Buffer to thank and sympathize with the reader
  • Explain problem without directly blaming the reader; gives firm decision
  • Turns a “No” into a “Yes” for customer
  • Ends politely without referring to the problem.
  • Signature (person’s name and title).

Template for Letter #3 An Adjustment Letter saying “No” from the  company to you the customer

 FROM:  

The name of the person at the company

Customer Relations Department

Company Name

Fake Email address

The date (within the 5 business days)

TO: 

The customer name

The customer email address

The customer phone number

Dear (customer first name),

Paragraph #1 Buffer – thank and sympathize with the reader

Paragraph #2 Explain problem without directly blaming the reader; give a firm decision

Paragraph #3 Turn a “No” into a “Yes” for the customer

Paragraph #4 (two sentences) End politely without any reference to the problem.

Sincerely,

First name Last name

Customer Relations Department