A. Decline orders or request for information
Letter #1:
Recently we received your request for an item-by-item register of
cases 35 to 43 of the John Doe Photographic Collection housed here
in the Springfield University Library Archives.
We always try to assist our patrons in their various research
projects, although the small size of our staff often prevents us from
following up on specific kinds of inquiries. Because the Doe
Collection, a very recent acquisition, is enormous in size and has
not yet been cataloged, the best we can do for you at this time is
invite you to survey the collection in person. Library attendants
will be on hand to assist you during your visit, and a light table is
available in our Special Collections Reading Room for your
perusal of photographic slides and transparencies.
To help you plan your visit to our library, I'm enclosing a flyer
with our Reading Room hours and policies, along with a summary
of various library services. We wish you the best of luck in your
research and look forward to your visit.
Letter #2:
We appreciate your interest in Doe's English Language schools,
but we do not supply large quantities of our brochure to free-lance
recruiters. I am enclosing one brochure giving pertinent
information about our program. It is intended for your personal
use and is not to be used in a business that would recruit students.
We routinely receive more student applications than we are able to
accommodate, so we do not activity recruit. Of course we will be
pleased to consider your personal application.
Letter #3:
Thank you for your recent order of the Business and Industry
Directory for the State of Kansas. This directory has always been a
big seller. Unfortunately, the 2001 directory is no longer in stock
and the 2002 directory will not be published until November.
You may want to order the same directory on CD. Although it
costs $20.00 more, those who have used it give glowing reports.
The entire 2001 directory is on the disk. You may access
information by town, zip code, or business name. It is actually a
much more efficient source of information.
I have enclosed an order form and a brochure explaining the CD in
more detail. You may order by phone or by returning the order
form at the bottom of the brochure. In either case, we will ship the
day we receive the order.
Thank you for your understanding. I hope the CD alternative
meets your needs.
Letter #4:
Thank you for your inquiry about our tax preparation services. I
am sorry that we will be unable to help you with your individual
tax return. For the past few years Doe has focused exclusively on
corporate returns, and we cannot take on any new individual
clients. I would be happy to send you the names of several other
tax attorneys in the area who can give you competent service.
Please call my secretary at 555-5555 if you would like such a list.
Thank you for thinking of us at Doe & Doe.
B. Decline orders but offer an alternate or substitute item
Letter #1:
We were pleased to receive your request for our classic,
windowless model of BreadMax, the most popular bread-making
machine on the market. BreadMax's simplicity and large loaf size,
combined with our famous service contract, have given us a
reputation to be proud of--a reputation made only brighter by the
recent success of BreadMax II.
With its fogless window, BreadMax II has been so favorably
received that manufacture of the model you ordered--the original
BreadMax--has been discontinued. While we're sorry for the
inconvenience this may possibly cause you, we've found that
virtually all our customers ordering by phone, when told of our
recent change, have gladly opted for BreadMax II. They consider
the additional $1.75 a small price to pay for the useful window
feature. BreadMax II is essentially identical to our original model,
differing only in its new window and a new latch design for
improved insulation.
Upon your request, we will immediately process your order,
substituting Bread Max II for the unavailable model. We invite you
to call us any time toll-free at 555-5555 or return the enclosed
verification card at your earliest convenience. Alternately, we
would be happy to offer you a complete refund. We value you as a
customer and look forward to hearing from you.
Letter #2:
Thank you for your order for a 310-lb National weight set listed at
$250 in our 2001 catalog. Unfortunately, the manufacturer has
discontinued this item. I am enclosing our 2002 catalog that offers
a comparable set by Doe Sports for $199.50. You will find this set
listed on page 59. To place an order call 555-5555 and charge it on
any major credit card. We will deliver the set to your home within
three days. We appreciate your business and look forward to
serving all your fitness needs.
Letter #3:
Thank you for inquiring about the Doe Wetlands Sanitation
System, the ecologically sound way to process human waste.
Unfortunately, the Wetlands system will not be available for sale
in this country for several more years. We do, however, sell a
Swedish Compost Toilet that is a very effective mode of waste
disposal.
While some Americans shy away from the compost toilet, you will
find the system both practical and economical. The end product
affords you nutrient-loaded soil that at the end of two years you
can transfer directly to your garden to enrich your soil. If you
would like to order the Compost Toilet, or receive more
information about it, call 555-5555. Thank you for choosing Doe's,
where ecology and practicality go hand in hand.
Letter #4:
We are please you have chosen to order your poinsettias from Doe
Nurseries. We offer our customers the highest qualities plants at
the lowest prices. However, because our reputation is well known,
we have been asked to furnish 1,000 poinsettias for the Governor's
reception on Saturday. This completely depletes our stock of red
poinsettias. We could fill your order with 100 blush-colored
poinsettias if you would like. This new color is very popular, and
we would offer you a five percent discount on these poinsettias.
If you would like me to reserve 100 blush poinsettias, please call
me at 555-5555. I'm sure you will find the blush poinsettias add an
innovative touch to your decor.
C. Decline requests for a claim or adjustment
Letter #1:
We are sorry to learn of your misfortune on Lake Springfield when
your propeller broke. We have determined from the picture you
sent that the 3 HP motor was one that we sold over five years ago,
and we no longer stock that model. Of course a five-year-old
motor is beyond any warranty period, so we will not be able to
replace the blade. However, we do carry a large stock of universal
propellers, which we offer at reasonable prices. Please come by the
store and we will be pleased to help you.
Letter #2:
We recently received your request to cancel your life insurance
policy and refund your premiums. We are sorry that you feel
unable to continue paying on your policy.
As for cancelling your policy, if you choose this option, we would
be willing to transfer your premiums to a new term policy.
Otherwise, you will forfeit your premiums. If you decide to
convert to term insurance, please complete the enclosed forms and
sign in the space provided. If, however, after considering term
insurance, you decide that you prefer to cancel your policy
altogether, please call 555-5555, and we will be happy to oblige
you.
Thank you for your business. We look forward to serving you in
the future.
Letter #3:
Please know that Doe Auto Supply regrets your dissatisfaction
with the seat covers you purchased last May. You are correct that
the seat covers came with a warranty. In order to receive a refund
you must return the seat covers in their original packaging and
with the store receipt. These conditions appear on the box the seat
covers came in. We will comply with our warranty as soon as we
receive these items.
Letter #4:
I can imagine how disappointed you must have been to discover
that the backpack you bought from Doe Camping Supply was too
small to hold your gear for an extended trip. While I sympathize
with your plight, you did buy the backpack during our two-day
Thanksgiving Blowout Sale. Signs posted during the sale said that
we could offer no refunds or exchanges. This is the only way that
Doe's can continue to bring you such low prices on our blowout
sales. Having to process returns and exchanges would greatly
increase the price of the gear.
I am enclosing a $5.00 gift certificate you can redeem at any Doe
Camping Supply store. It is good on all merchandise, including
sale items. We value your patronage here at Doe's and hope you
will continue to consult us for all your outdoor supplies.
D. Reply negatively to a suggestion
Letter #1:
Thank you for your great suggestions on how we could use the
left-over budget money. I can tell you have given a lot of thought
to your ideas, and if I had received your memo three weeks earlier,
perhaps we would have used them. I am sorry to inform you that
we have already allocated the money, but I think you will not be
too disappointed with our decision to give the money to the local
library to benefit our community's children for many years.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I am pleased that other
members of our society also feel that we should donate the money
to charity.
Letter #2:
Thank you for your suggestion that we move the air hoses from
the vicinity of the gas pumps to an area near the edge of the station
property. Unfortunately we are not able to move the hoses at this
time because it would necessitate digging up the island and
driveway areas. However, we will consider this possibility when
we do our next renovation. Thank you for taking the time to send
us your suggestion.
Letter #3:
Thank you for suggesting that we use Doe products exclusively.
While we agree that using one office supplier cuts down the
number of invoices handled by the accounting department,
management feels at this time that we must continue with three
suppliers to satisfy our needs.
If Doe or either of the other two suppliers begin to stock all of the
items we use, we certainly will reconsider this policy.
Letter #4:
I reviewed your suggestion that we hire an additional secretary
and agree that at times our present staff seems overwhelmed by
the work load. Unfortunately, the home office is unwilling to
consider new staff at this time. I have kept a copy of your letter
and will talk to them again in six months or so.
I appreciate your initiative. The data you presented were
impressive. Let's see what happens in six months.