Business communication letter Example
Welcome students!
Let’s make 2023 a productive year and get down to the Business of Communication.
Note to students: Kindy note the KCQs, and longer questions are a form of reference and practice for
assignments and exams. The answers are incomplete and is not a memorandum. The questions and
answers aim to provide structure on how to answer longer and shorter questions, your own content and
examples should be provided. Copying and pasting the answers and examples verbatim from the document
constitutes a form of plagiarism.
 Remember to read your instructions very carefully and look at the key words as this provides
guidance.
 I highlight key words as it gives students a sense of direction and is an indicator of focal points
in the question.
 The mark scheme will give you an indication of how to answer the question.
QUESTION 1
(20)
You have recently viewed an advertisement in the Natal Mercury for a vacancy for a Manager at
Roman’s Pizzarette.
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Write a formal letter of application for the vacancy.
Pay careful attention to the following:
Audience, register, tone and style
Choice of words and language structure
Format
Hints:
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Plan your letter as you would plan a business message.
Follow the conventional letter format when crafting your letter.
Focus on the use of language, grammar and spelling, as marks will be deducted for incorrect
use.
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Your letter must contain an introduction, body and conclusion.
The body must provide the objective of your letter.
Write at least 3-4 paragraphs in the body of the letter.
Each new point needs to be elaborated into 1-2 paragraphs.
Present your thoughts in a logical order.
 Note to students: Letters are very subjective in the marking process, there is no guarantee of
the perfect letter and is very opinionated with content (everyone interprets business letters
differently)
 E.g. it is not a maths question (2 + 2 = 4) straight to the point where you achieve a 100% for
the answer- this is objective.
 Business Communication is subjective!  Keep to structure and guidelines.
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I hope you identified that this a letter of application
For more detail on the application letter refer to unit 13- page 188
Unit 13 and Unit 15 - provides a detailed breakdown of structure and layout- be sure to read
heading 15.4- (page 226….), there are 10 tips that will break down the structure of elements
of the letter.
Now structure your letter and compare it to the headings 15.6.1 and 15.6.2-(pages 230-,233),
these are examples of business constructed letters
Refer to my example below:
19 Protea Road
Pretoria West
1234
11 January 2015
(Name) Mr/Mrs/Miss
The HR Manager
Roman’s Pizzarette
20 Station Road
Garsfontein 0042
Dear Mr de Villers
Re-Application for the position of Manager
I am responding to the advertisement for a manager that appeared in the in the local newspaper, “The
Natal Mercury”, the advertisement stated that your company (Roman’s Pizzarette) was looking for a
person to work in your restaurant. I would like to apply for this position. I think I have both the
knowledge and people skills that are required.
I have more than 5 years of experience in managerial roles in the restaurant industry. My professional
expertise aligns perfectly with the goals of this position in your already very popular establishment.
In my role as a Restaurant Manager for Pizza Hut, I proved to be an efficient, enthusiastic, and strong
leader. My value was demonstrated after training the entire opening staff in preparation for the
restaurant’s grand opening. Not only did we meet our sales goal each month for the first year, the
down payment for the property was paid back in the first six months.
Roman’s Pizzarette would benefit from my skills in the following areas: a keen eye for excellence and
high level of standards, strong work ethic and leadership skills, a positive attitude even under pressure
and excellent diverse interpersonal skills. I have developed these skills due to the management courses
I have attended, implementing The Occupational Health and Safety Act, implementing covid
procedures on a daily basis and working with diverse staff and customers.
I believe that Roman’s Pizzarette will be a great success for many years to come. My extensive
expertise would be a valuable asset at this early planning stage. Along with offering my professional
advice during this crucial process, it would be a good opportunity for me to get a perfect feel for the
quality and expectations of this establishment so I can infuse my technical, interpersonal and
conceptual skills into your work culture.
It would be a privilege to discuss your Restaurant Manager position in more detail. I would be happy
to come by whenever it is most convenient for you. Thank you for your time, and I am looking forward
to hearing from you.
Please find my CV and character reference attached.
Yours faithfully
S.Naidoo
SIGESH NAIDOO
(MANAGER)
QUESTION 2
(20)
You are the HR Manager at Company XYZ. You recently advertised the job of Marketing Manager and
had a good response to the advert. Many applicants therefore had to be rejected. Write a letter to Mr.
Ndhlovu who is one of the applicants advising him as to why his application was unsuccessful.
19 Protea Road
Pretoria West
1234
11 January 2021
Mr S Ndhlovu
(Job applicant)
20 Station Road
Garsfontein 0042
Dear Mr Ndhlovu
Re-Application for the position of Marketing Manager
Thank you for your interest in the vacancy of Marketing Manager in our company XYZ. We appreciate
the time and effort it took to pass on your details and your desire to join our team. We received a
great deal of interest for this role and a large number of applications. It is always difficult to choose
among the excellent candidates whom we interview, especially when we have highly talented
candidates like we really did have this time, although we would be delighted to have welcomed you
into our team in the end we had to choose a candidate whom we believe closely matches the job
requirements of our position at the moment.
Though your Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM) qualification in finance, 5 years work experience,
interpersonal management experience and list of references are impressive, we have decided to move
forward with a candidate whose Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM) qualification in Marketing, 10 years
work experience better meet our needs for this particular role at the moment.
Our decision was based on nuances and you were an exceptional candidate for the job. The subtle
difference noted between you and the chosen candidate was the fact that you are a road marketing
representative and we require the expertise of a marketing manager that will be based full time in the
office and will control the entry and dispatch of a marketing team and various products that are
distributed from the office using logistics. We truly do appreciate your expertise in the marketing
industry and interest in our company. We hope you keep us in mind and apply again in the future. We
strongly encourage you to do so, because you were really among a top few candidates we had an
honour and pleasure to meet.
We as a management team were contemplating employing all top performing candidates into
positions relevant to their qualifications and work experience, however due to the nature of Covid
restrictions and the limited number of employees allowed to work in the office we have to limit
employment and increase the tasks and responsibilities of other senior managers.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, I would be happy to answer. Please don’t
hesitate to contact me by email (sigeshlaw@gmail.com) or phone (073 245 1235).
We thank you for the time, energy and effort you invested in our selection process and we wish you
every personal and professional success in your future endeavours.
Yours faithfully
Sigesh Naidoo(Mr)
(HR MANAGER)
A business letter can be used as an important form of communication in order to persuade, to
express an opinion, to get something done, to provide information, to obtain information or to
complain. Using the structure of a standard business letter, write to the General Manager of
MANCOSA to inform him about a printing and publishing service that you have setup and indicate
how the college might possibly benefit from it.
19 Protea Road
Pretoria West
1234
Reference Number: 0000786
11 January 2015
The General Manager
Mancosa
20 Samora Macheal Street
Durban
4092
Dear Sir/Madam
PRINTING AND PUBLISHING SERVICE
Introduction
The introduction is your first real opportunity to draw in the reader. Attention-grabbing techniques
include asking a question, offering a powerful statistic or sharing a brief anecdote. For instance: “Did
you know that most of today's businesses could not operate without printing and publishing? While
most companies focus on purchasing their own printing or publishing systems, all of their activities
are at risk of malfunction, extra costs and un-user friendly machinery. Fortunately, there are many
other options in the printing sector. That’s where we come in.”
Body
Increase the reader’s interest in what you're selling in the body of your persuasive letter. Briefly
introduce your business, provide details about your service or product and explain why your offer is a
good potential fit for the reader’s needs. Use clear, powerful language that avoids jargon at all costs.
As an example: “The Synch Group is dedicated to providing first-rate printing options to companies
and residences throughout the Durban area. We specialize in printing and publishing that's tailored to
meet your needs. You may choose from a range of options including standard cost effective module
guides to quality text books. We are confident that we can meet your unique needs and we've
enclosed a coupon for 15% off your initial purchase.”
Closing
Encourage the reader to take immediate action at the conclusion of your letter. Include information
on how you'll make it easy to take next steps. For instance: “The Synch Group also offers free one-onone consultations. We look forward to discussing specific ways our company can support your
business. Please use the enclosed contact information to schedule a session at our service center.”
After you sign off, you may add a PS line to repeat your main point or to make a special offer or
guarantee. For example: “PS: If you bring this letter to your consultation we will add a 5% discount to
your coupon.”
Physical signature
Yours faithfully
S Naidoo (Mr)
(Sales Manager)
19 Protea Road
Pretoria West
1234
11 January 2020
The HR Manager
Apparel Zone
20 Station Road
Garsfontein
0042
Dear Sir/ Madam
Recommendation letter of David Smith
Good day! I am Mr Sigesh Naidoo, the best friend of Mr David Smith from Makro department Stores.
David Smith is applying for the position of manager at your department store (Apparel Zone).
David and I have been friends since high school. He has been good and reliable especially in times of
need. It was by good luck that we also got employed in the same company. We were both working
there as a team leader and manager. As a friend he could take up my roles when I was away. I can
recommend him to any company since he has been hardworking since I knew him right from high
school. He attained good grades and has the best social skills I have ever seen which makes him
professional and very efficient as a manager.
David has undeniably proven his dedication to his work. He is very organized, goal- oriented, computer
literate, flexible, good team leader and reliable. He has excellent communication skills and respects
not only his superiors but also subordinates. David has built a great relationship with his peers and
usually offers help to them, this is what makes him excellent at dealing with all types of customers. I
am so lucky that I have met my best friend.
I strongly recommend him and I assure you that Mr David Smith would be an asset for your company.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me for further questions.
Yours faithfully / Sincerely
Sigesh Naidoo (Mr)
(Academic Manager)
Makro Department Stores
QUESTION 2 -SUPP
(25)
You have recently bought a new motor car called the Adventurer from the Asia Pacific Motor
Company.
During the first month, you did not have any engine problems with the vehicle but you experienced
the following problems: the boot jammed and you could not open it; one of the mirrors fell off when
you were driving on the highway; the indicators do not always work; the leather on the driver’s seat
has split open on the side; the rear tail lights do not work.
The local dealership where you purchased the vehicle has not been very helpful when you have gone
back to them to explain your problems.
Write a letter to the manager of the Asia Pacific Motor Company in an appropriate tone to describe
your experiences with your new Adventurer and to ask for his comments.
ANS:
The letter should include the writer’s name and address and the date. It should be correctly addressed
to The Manager; Asia Pacific Motor Company and it should commence with Dear Sir and end with Yours
faithfully. It should also have a clear heading and be written in separate paragraphs.
The body of the letter should be written in an appropriate tone (not an aggressive or threatening tone)
and contain at least three paragraphs and reflect the following format:
First paragraph: Statement of problem – date of purchase of car and the fact that a number of problems
had been encountered.
Second paragraph: Detail, i.e., list of the problems with the vehicle
Third paragraph: Request for action (e.g., request for advice and how to proceed)
Marks awarded as follows:
Layout and address (10) marks
Appropriate content in three separate paragraphs (15)
For example:
16 Sunrise Street
Johannesburg
2000
16 October 2011
The Manger
Asia Pacific Motor Company
P.O. Box 16
Johannesburg
2000
Dear Sir
Concerns: purchase of an adventurer on 16 July 2011
I would like to draw your attention to the range of difficulties that I have experienced with my new
Adventurer, that I purchased in July, in the hope that you will be able to assist me.
My problems can be briefly summarised as follows:
- The boot jammed within the first week and I could not open it without forcing it to open.
- The front mirror on the passenger side fell off as I was driving on the highway to Pretoria.
- I have noticed over the past week that the indicators do not always work.
- The leather of the driver’s seat has split open on the side.
- The rear taillights do not work.
I have approached the local dealership in Willowvale on three occasions, but they have not been very
helpful and there have been long delays in having these minor problems rectified.
In light of the above, I would like to request you to review my concerns regarding the quality of the
Adventurer and to give me your advice.
Yours faithfully
Peter Simon