MCM603_Professional Business Communication-1

["Interpersonal Relations 43 z Experience and educational requirement: The position may also require a certain degree of background experience or possession of knowledge in a specific field. These must also be set out clearly in the position description. z Performance Management and Indicators: It is also important to define how the employee in that position will be evaluated with respect to his or her performance. What are the metrics to be used? What are the performance targets? What actions will be taken if they exceed, meet, or fail to meet these targets? Prepare a final organizational chart Once the roles and responsibilities of each member of the organization has been clearly defined, it is a good idea to create a final organizational chart, which will also define the relationships between and among all the departments, teams and individuals within the organization. Simply by looking at the chart, the employees will know who they should report to, and with whom they are expected to work or collaborate with. Communicate to the employees There is no point in defining the roles and responsibilities if the employees are not made aware of them. Each employee should be clearly made aware of what is expected of him or her. This can be done through various communication methods, such as direct conversations with the concerned employees, group workshops and training\u2019s and other similar activities. 2.8 Determining Personal Goals and Devising Ways to Achieve Them Goals are desired outcomes for individuals, groups and entire organizations. Individual personality development objectives focus on shaping attitudes and developing knowledge and skills as given in Table 2.3. Table 2.3: Goal areas for Management students Goal areas Description Attitudes Positive attitudes, empathy (ability to understand others), etc. Business General Knowledge Knowledge of current business events and future of business Functional knowledge organizations. In\u2013depth Knowledge in chosen area of specialization CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","44 Professional Business Communication-I Conceptual Skills Ability to conceptualize the situations tasks, and accomplishments. Design skills Abilities in forecasting, decision making and action planning. Technical skills Abilities in using tools and techniques related to the business. Soft skills Abilities in oral, written and non \u2013verbal communication. Abilities in managing time, stress, and individual emotions (emotional intelligence). Inter-personal relationships and social etiquette. Physical personality Body \u2013building for health and energy. Development goal can be spread over a period of time which can be divided into \u0378 Long, medium and short terms. Table 2.4 shows goals by periodicity of a student aspiring to become manager. Table 2.4: Classification of Goals by Periodicity Term Periodicity Concerns Goal setting tasks Long More than one year Life ambition and career plans Securing first class in MBA Medium One year Study plans Securing a job of my choice. Short Day\/week\/fortnight\/ Immediate I st class in the annual examinations. month study Project assignment in a chosen company and achievements in chosen area. Proficiency in English communication First class in semester end examinations In case of a single development project like \u2018Creative skills\u2019 the short term goals may include - awareness, creative thinking process, creative people and their traits, and benefits of creativity. The mid-term goals include learning individual creative techniques whereas the long-term goals may include corporate creativity practices. Ways to set goals and achieve them The following steps on how to plan your life goals should get you started on a journey to your destination: (i) Make a list of your goal destinations: To prepare a list of goals for your life, ask the following questions: z So what do you really want to do with your life? z What are the main things that you would like to accomplish with your life? CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Interpersonal Relations 45 z What is it that you would really regret not doing if you suddenly found you had a limited amount of time left on the earth? Each of these things is a goal. Define each goal in one sentence. If any of these goals is not an end goal but a stepping-stone to another one of the goals, take it off this list. (ii) Fix the time frame: Think about the time frame to have the goal accomplished. This is where the plan for next one year, 5 years, and 10 years comes into picture. Some goals will have a \u201cshelf life\u201d because of age, health, finance, etc., whereas others will be up to you as to when you would like to achieve them by. (iii) Write down your goals clearly: Write each goal at the top of a new piece of paper. For each goal, write down what is it that you need and do not have now that will allow you achieve that goal. This could be some kind of education, career change, finance, a new skill, etc. May be the \u201cstepping stone\u201d goals you have removed may as well fit into this exercise. If any of these smaller \u201cgoals\u201d have sub-goals, go through the same process with these so that you have a tree of goals and precise action points to work with. (iv) Prepare check list of actions: Under each item listed, write down the things that you will need to do in order to complete each of the steps required to complete the goal. These items will become a checklist. They are a tangible way of checking how you are progressing towards reaching your goal destinations. Thus, you will have a record for your success journey. (v) Develop a schedule: Within the time-frame fixed for each one of the goals, write down the start and completion dates. For any goal that has no fixed completion date, think about when you would like to have accomplished it by and use that as your destination date. Make a note of realistic dates by which you will complete each of the small steps. Work within the time frames for each goal and sub-goal. (vi) Schedule your to-dos: Make a schedule of what you need to do this week, this month, this year \u0378 in order to progress along the road towards your goal. Write these action points on a schedule so that you have a to do list with definite dates on which to do things. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","46 Professional Business Communication-I (vii) Review your progress: At the end of the year, review what you have done this year. Mark things off the checklists for each goal and write up the schedule with the action points you need for the next year. 2.9 Summary Interpersonal relationships are corner stone to cooperation in an enterprise. They refer to a strong, deep, or close association or acquaintance between two or more people that may range in duration from brief to enduring. Relationships can be formal and informal. Formal relationships are official, bound by rules and regulations and task oriented. Informal relationships are based on \u2018will and pleasure\u2019 of an individual. Interpersonal relations fulfil security, self-esteem, affiliation, and Power needs. They are necessary to have appreciation and direction for goal attainment. According to famous psychologist George Levinger, every relationship goes through following five stages \u2013 Acquaintance; Build up, Continuation, Deterioration and Termination. The tips for strengthening interpersonal relations are: Maintain decorum of office, Do not interfere in your colleague\u2019s work, Give space to your fellow workers, Do not spread baseless rumours at workplace, Pass on correct information to others, Do not share all your secrets with your coworkers, Leave your ego behind, Do not scold any employee and Stay away from politics. Groups become teams when they develop synergy \u2013 the ability to produce more by coordinated effort. Team spirit is the feeling of pride and loyalty that exists among the members of a team and that makes them want their team to do well or to be the best. Team spirit and team work are important for organizations for bonding, cooperation and responsibility. Spirit may lay dormant in many, but when stirred from its slumber, it inspires great thoughts and great actions. The building blocks of team spirit are: values, direction, trust, respect, right job, listening, motivation, win-win attitude and informal relationships. Successful managers are good at coordination. Mooney and Railey defined coordination as \u201corderly arrangement of group efforts to provide unity of action in the pursuit of common goals\u201d. Co-ordination is an integral element or ingredient of all the managerial functions - Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling. Coordination is essential for fulfilling various CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Interpersonal Relations 47 objectives such as: Quality delivery, planning, information sharing, mobilizing resources, sharing capacities and advocate. The skills of coordination can be classified into three categories: (i) Relationship skills (ii) Process skills and (iii) Task skills. Clearly defining duties and responsibilities and making employees become aware of them can have a positive impact on the team projects and company as a whole. The benefits of making employees aware of their roles and responsibilities are: (i) Everyone knows what to do. (ii) Everything is done. (iii) People work together better, and (iv) Less energy is wasted. The steps in creating awareness of role and responsibilities are: (i) Prepare position description that includes Job description, Task or functions, Role and responsibilities, Experience and educational requirement and Performance Management and Indicators. (ii) Prepare a final organizational chart, and (iii) Communicate to the employees. Goals are desired outcomes for individuals, groups and entire organizations. Individual personality development objectives focus on shaping attitudes and developing knowledge and skills. Development goal can be spread over a period of time which can be divided into - Long range, medium range and short range. The following steps on how to plan your life goals should get you started on a journey to your destination: Make a list of your goal destinations, Fix the time frame, Write down your goals clearly, Prepare check list of actions, Develop a schedule, Schedule your to-dos and Review your progress. 2.10 Key Words\/Abbreviations z Interpersonal relations: It refers to a strong association among individuals working together in the same organization. Employees working together ought to share a special bond for them to deliver their level best. z Team: A team is a group of individuals working together to achieve their goal. Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort, which allows each member to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","48 Professional Business Communication-I z Group: A group is a collection of individuals who have relations to one another that make them interdependent to some significant degree. Groups are classified as primary groups (family) and secondary groups (organizations in which people work or study). z Team spirit: It is the feeling of pride and loyalty that exists among the members of a team and that makes them want their team to do well or to be the best. z Coordination: It is a managerial process of integrating actions, knowledge and goals of interdependent members, in order to achieve common goals.s z Coordinating Skills: They include relationship skills, process skills and task skills. 2.11 Learning Activity 1. Interpersonal Relationships Inventory: Read the statements that describe your interpersonal relationships. Respond on a 5-point scale honestly. The scale indicates your behaivour frequencies. Circle the number that best describes your behaviour. Scale: 5-Always 4-Most of the times 3-Usually 2- Occasionally 1- Never. Sr.No. Statement Scale 1. I like to be friendly with people. 5 43 2 1 5 1 2. I am assertive in my relationships. 5 43 2 1 3. To maintain my relationships, I take steps to 5 43 2 1 please others. 5 1 5 1 4. I have learnt four languages to expand my social 43 2 relationships. 5 43 2 1 5 43 2 1 5. I have many friends in my college. 5 1 6. I do not find any difficulty in maintaining relationships with people of different religions. 7. I wish to work in MNC. Therefore I am learning 43 2 about different cultures. 43 2 8. I have a wide network of friends. 43 2 9. I set aside my ego to foster my relationships. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Interpersonal Relations 49 10. I do not have any problem in dealing with my 5 4 3 21 superiors. Key to scoring: Add the scores and find out how good your relationships are. Total points______________ If you have scored Above 44 you are an excellent in interpersonal relationships. 36-44 you are good in interpersonal relationships. 25-35 you are average in interpersonal relationships. 0-24 you need to develop ability to maintain interpersonal relationships. 2. My interpersonal relationships: Instructor asks students\/participants to form into dyads. Select one person in the class you know well. Find a comfortable place to sit together. Reflections: Figure out your interpersonal relationships and describe them in the following terms. 1. My friends\u0378Number of friends\u0378degree of emotional attachment \u0378 mutual support\u0378 exciting experiences \u0378 Your decisions for making friendships in the future. 2. Persons with whom my relationships are not on friendly terms\u0378 Number of persons- Reasons for bitterness\u0378 Experiences \u0378 your future plans for dealing with them. 3. People I respect \u0378 Number \u0378 reasons for respect \u0378 Experiences- Future plans. 4. People from other states or languages \u0378 Number \u0378 How friendships formed- problems faced \u2013 How attachment is enhanced. Learning from others: Share your notes with your partner and note down his\/her observations. Presentation: Make an oral summary of your answers in front of the class. 3. Conversing with different people Instructions to students CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","50 Professional Business Communication-I How do you greet superiors and friends? How do you talk to them? Step-1: Form into groups of three members(A, B and C) each. Step-2: Members take turn to be speakers and observers. Observers make note of their observations (greetings, issues talked, tone, style, manners, leave taking, etc., in verbal and nonverbal forms). Step-3: Participate in the conversation taking turns as follows. A and B talk and C observes. B and C talk and A observes. A and C talk and B observes. Step-4: Each member will make a presentation that includes: (a) My emotional relationship with other member, at the end of conversation (b) My observation of emotions in members who engaged in conversation. 4. Two sides of a coin: Building on the timeless notion of positive and negative from a single experience, team of 2 or more come together and discuss a situation. For instance if there are two members, Partner A shares something negative that happened in their life with Partner B. It can be a personal or professional memory, but mandatorily a true incident. Then Partner A discusses the same memory again, but this time focusing on the bright side with positive takeaways. Partner B helps sheds light on the silver lining of the negative experience. Afterward, they switch roles. 5. Preparing for A Career: Before doing this exercise ask the students to take a look at various employment ads in newspapers and internet. Step-1: Form the students into groups of three members each. Step-2: Ask them to list individually to list three jobs they would like to get after their two year MBA course. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Interpersonal Relations 51 Step-3: Ask the students, to develop a description of qualifications, skills and attitudes required for each job, of course, in consultation with other group members. Step-4: Ask the students to identify the qualifications, skills and attitudes they have at present. Encourage each member do this in consultation with other group members. Step-5: Ask each student to develop list of improvements required in the two years and proposed plan of action. Step-6: Invite each member to make a presentation on \u201cMy career goals and my preparation\u201d. 6. Managing Self-Goal-Setting Questionnaire: Instructions: The following statements refer to a job you currently hold or have held. Read each statement and then select a response from the following scale that best describes your view. You may want to use a separate sheet of paper to record your responses and compare them with the responses of others. Scale: Almost Never 1 2 3 4 5 Almost Always ______1. I understand exactly what I am supposed to do on my job. ______2. I have specific, clear goals to aim for on my job. ______3. The goals I have on this job are challenging. ______4. I understand how my performance is measured on this job. ______5. I have deadlines for a accomplishing my goals on this job. ______6. If I have more than one goal to accomplish, I know which are most important and which are least important. ______7. My goals require my full effort. ______8. My manager tells me the reasons for giving me the goals I have. ______9. My manager is supportive with respect to encouraging me to reach my goals. ______10. My manager lets me participate in the setting of my goals. ______11. My manager lets me have some say in deciding how I will go about implementing my goals. ______12. If I reach my goals, I know that my manager will be pleased. ______13. I get credit and recognition when I attain my goals. ______14. Trying for goals makes my job more fun than it would be without goals. ______15. I feel proud when I get feedback indicating that I have reached my goals. ______16. The other people I work with encourage me to attain my goals. ______17. I sometimes compete with my co-workers to see who can do the best job in reaching our goals. ______18. If I reach my goals, my job security will be improved. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","52 Professional Business Communication-I ______19. If I reach my goals, my chances for a pay raise are increased. ______20. If I reach my goals, my chances for a promotion are increased. ______21. I usually feel that I have a suitable action plan(s) for reaching my goals. ______22. I get regular feedback indicating how I am performing in relation to my goals. ______23. I feel that my training was good enough so that I am capable of reaching my goals. ______24. Organization policies help rather than hurt goal attainment. ______25. Teams work together in this company to attain goals. ______26. This organization provides sufficient resources (e.g., time, money, and equipment) to make goal setting effective. ______27. In performance appraisal sessions, my supervisor stresses problem solving rather than criticism. ______28. Goals in this organization are used more to help you do your job well rather than punish you. ______29. The pressure to achieve goals here fosters honesty as opposed to cheating and dishonesty. ______30. If my manager makes a mistake that affects my ability to attain my goals, he or she admits it. Scoring and Interpretation Add the points shown for items 1 through 30. z Scores of 120 to 150: High-performing, highly satisfying work situation. Your goals are challenging and you are committed to reaching them. When you achieve your goals, you are rewarded for your accomplishments. z Scores of 80 to 119: A highly varied work situation with some motivating and satisfying features and some frustrating and dissatisfying features. z Scores of 30 to 79: Low-performing, dissatisfying work situation. 2.12 Unit End Questions (MCQ and Descriptive) A. Descriptive Types Questions 1. What do you mean by interpersonal relations? 2. What is team spirit? 3. What is the difference between team and group? 4. Define goal and give three examples of measurable goals. 5. Discuss how effective satisfying relationships can be developed. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Interpersonal Relations 53 6. Describe how team spirit can be created in an organization. 7. What are coordination skills? How can they be developed? 8. Explain how to make employees become aware of their duties and responsibilities. 9. How do you determine and achieve personal goals? B. Multiple Choice\/Objective Type Questions 1. Interpersonal relationship is characterized by (a) Acquaintance (b) Friendship (c) Love (d) All of the above 2. According to George Levinger, the stages in interpersonal personal relationship are: (a) Acquaintance, Build up, Continuation, Deterioration and Termination (b) Introduction, Acquaintance, Friendship, Love and Break-up (c) Introduction, Growth, Maturity, Saturation, Death (d) Acquaintance, Association, Affiliation, Deterioration and Termination. 3. Coordination refers to (a) Orderly arrangement of group efforts to provide unity of action in the pursuit of common goals. (b) Integration of several parts into an orderly whole to achieve the purpose of understanding. (c) Only A (d) Both A and B 4. Coordination skills include (a) Communication skills, Synchronization skills and Cooperation skills (b) Relationship skills, Process skills and Task skills (c) Communication skills, Analytical Skills and Decision skills (d) Communication skills, Decision skills and Task skills CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","54 Professional Business Communication-I 5. One of the tools for making employees aware of their duties and responsibilities is: (a) Job specification (b) Organization manual (c) Job description (d) Job enlargement Answers 1. (d), 2. (a), 3. (d), 4. (b), 5. (c). 2.13 References Text Books 1. Stephen M. Robbins and Seema Sanghi (2005), Organizational Behaviour, New Delhi: Pearson Education Asia 2. Newstorm, John W. (2007), Organizational Behaviour, New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Web Resources from 1. Interpersonal Relationship|Definition, Importance for Career. Retrieved https:\/\/www.cleverism.com \u203a skills-and-tools \u203a interpersonal-relationship. 2. Workplace Interpersonal Relations. Retrieved from https:\/\/nature.berkeley.edu \u203a ucce50 \u203a ag-labor 3. Personal Goal Setting - How to Set SMART Goals - from. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.mindtools.com \u203a Time Management \u203a Goal Setting 4. Coordination and Teamwork - Module 4: Elements of. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.coursera.org \u203a lecture \u203a designing-organization \u203a 4-1-4-coord. 5. S. Reeves, Teamwork, collaboration, coordination, and networking: Why. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com \u203a doi \u203a full. References 1. Drucker, Peter F. (1970), Practice of Management, Mumbai: Allied Publishers. 2. Canary, Daniel J. & Dainton, Marianne (2003), Maintaining Relationships through Communication: Relational, Contextual, and Cultural Variations. New jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 55 UNIT 3 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE Structure: 3.0 Learning Objectives 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Letter Writing 3.3 Memo Writing 3.4 Meeting\u2019s Agenda 3.5 Minutes 3.6 Summary 3.7 Key Words\/Abbreviations 3.8 Learning Activity 3.9 Unit End Questions (MCQs and Descriptive) 3.10 References 3.0 Learning Objective After studying this unit, you should be able to: z Explain the layout of a letter. z Elaborate the tips for writing memos z Describe how to write an agenda and minutes of meeting. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","56 Professional Business Communication-I 3.1 Introduction Business organizations communicate externally for several purposes with several agencies or stakeholder groups. Purchasing goods involves gathering information about the vendors and the terms of sale, screening the vendor list, selecting the right vendor and placing an order. The vendor acknowledges the receipt of the order and executes it to the satisfaction of the buyer. As buyers, organizations may have occasions to complain against the improper delivery of goods. As sellers, they may receive complaints due to their failure to meet the requirements of customers. Responding to such complaints, managers make suitable adjustments as well as offer convincing explanations and assurances. Understanding the variety of letter writing needs and writing letters effectively is an important skill of managers. 3.2 Letter Writing The business letter is the most common means of external communication. It should be written not only to communicate ideas or actions but also to enhance the corporate image. Letters help favorably influence the firm\u2019s various publics towards the business, its product or service. The concern in writing letters lies in both presentation and content. Presentation depends upon the layout of writing and appearance of the letter. Content depends on the language and style of writing. Structure of Letter Letters have a standard layout. Layout refers to the arrangement and location of the parts of a letter. The structure of a business letter consists of: (i) Essential pars and (ii) Auxiliary parts. Figure 3.1 shows the layout. (i) Essential parts: The following seven essential parts appear commonly in standard letters. Each part of the letter must appear in its correct order and should be written to conform to the letter style used. (i) Heading (ii) Date line CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 57 (iii) Inside address (iv) Greeting or salutation (v) Body (vi) Complimentary close (vii) Signature z Heading: This is usually printed in a suitable and attractive design. The sheet is called a letterhead. It consists of sender\u2019s name and address, telephone number, and space for date. z Date line: The date line has an important place in any type of business letter. It is typed two spaces below the last line of the letterhead at right-hand corner indicating the date, month and year on which the letter is drafted. The dates are written in various ways like 1-10-2019 or 1st October 2019 or October 1, 2019. Though all of these methods are correct, the modern approach is 1st October, 2019. z Inside address: Address, to which the letter is written, is usually placed below the heading, at the left-hand margin. It is to be two spaces below the date line and two spaces above the salutation. The name of the person or the business organization should be written in the first line of the letter. The following line should indicate the address. The inside address is generally restricted to three or four lines. Mr. is appropriate for men. Miss and Mrs are used for unmarried and married women respectively. When the marital status of a woman is not known, Ms. may be used. For business organizations, Messrs is to be used. If the person has honorary titles, like Dr. or Prof. or Rev., do not use Mr. or Miss. If the name of the organization has honorary title like: Sir Anthony Ltd., or starts with the The Cosmos Ltd., avoid the use of Messrs. z Greeting or salutation: It is placed two lines below the inside address, flush with the left-hand margin. Sir\/Madam Very cold and curt Dear Sir\/Dear Madam Less formal and friendly CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","58 Professional Business Communication-I Gentlemen To a firm Dear Mr. Shyam\/Dear Miss Neeraja Formal, personalized Dear Shyam\/Dear Neeraja Informal and intimate z Body: It contains the message of the letter. It starts two spaces below the greeting. It is commonly single-spaced. The body is to be divided into suitable number of paragraphs. Paragraphing is necessary for breaking up the composition into readable or logical progressive units. It is also needed for good appearance. z Complementary close: It is usually placed two or three spaces below the last line of the body. Only the first word is capitalized. It is usually punctuated by comma. Friendly Dear Customer Sincerely Dear Mrs. Ragini Yours sincerely Very sincerely Informal Dear Mrs. Ragini Yours Less formal Cordially yours, Very courteous and formal Dear Sir Cordially, Dear Sirs Truly yours Sir Very truly yours Madam Respectfully yours Respectfully z Signature: It is handwritten and placed directly below the complimentary close. It may also include the writer\u2019s business title, his department or the name of the company. The following styles are in common use. Yours truly, Yours faithfully, Garret Manufacturing Co. Ltd., (V. Mohan), (V. Mohan) Sales Manager Sales Manager Garret Mfg. Co. Ltd., z When the words per pro or p.p. are put before the names of the person or company, then the one who signs is not personally liable but has been given power of attorney to sign. Per pro. or pp. is the abbreviated form of per procurationem, a Latin phrase meaning CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 59 agency or on behalf of. If an officer is signing proxy for someone else, he should put his signature above the words. Signature For Managing Director z If a Secretary is signing on behalf of his boss, he should clearly indicate as follows: Yours faithfully (Ramana) Secretary to Srikanth (ii) Auxiliary parts: The auxiliary part include the following: z Personal line: It indicates the letter is confidential. It is underlined and placed above inside address. z File reference: It may be typed two spaces below the date line or placed at the left-hand margin. The reference lines are written in various ways: (i) Your Ref.: Our Re.f: (ii) Reference No: (Ref. No :) (iii) Please quote in reply this Ref. No.: z Attention line: Directs the message to a specific person or department. It is typed two spaces below the inside address at the left-hand margin. Attention: Collection Department z Subject: It is placed in the centre, either before or after the salutation. The subject is generally placed two spaces below the salutation. It lets the reader understand the central theme of the letter. Sub: Supply of defective items-immediate replacement requested CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","60 Professional Business Communication-I z Reference section: It includes enclosures, copies, mail and initials. If any enclosures are to be included, their number is indicated (Encls: 2). Sometimes, the enclosures are named (Encl: Copy of Certificate). If carbon copies are to be sent to third party, it is indicated as: C.C: Mr. A. Ram The type of delivery service may be indicated as Air Mail, hand delivery, etc. Initials of the person dictated the letter and the typist are put at the bottom.(Csg\/Vsl). z Post-script: It is the bit of writing added to the letter after the signature. It is signed again, without complimentary close; by the same person. Quite often, it is added in handwriting: P.S. Accumulated bills are hard to get rid of. It is also used to add a friendly personal note to a formal letter. P.S. It was nice meeting you at the dinner last Sunday. The postscript should never be more than three lines. In fact, it is generally avoided. Contact information Ranveer Singh 19, Krishna Street Date Puducherry - 605104 Contact address May 25th 2020 Rajaram Greeting Crystal Infotech Pvt. Ltd Body of the letter Puducherry - 605104 Dear Sir, Closing I am writing to resign my position as Customer Relations Officer Signature effective from July 1, 2020. I have decided to go back to University and my course starts early in July. I am tendering my resignation now so that I can be helpful as helpful as possible during the transition. I am grateful to you for your guidance and support. Thanks and best wishes Sincerely (Signature) Fig. 3.1: Letter Format CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 61 Types of Business Letters Business organizations use letters to carry out operations in different functional areas. There are many standard types of business letters in commercial correspondence, and they may be written in different formats as shown in Table 3.1. z Direct request: They provide information and then politely make a request in clear words. z Informative: Usually, readers have a neutral attitude towards informative letters. So, the most important aspect of this letter is to capture their attention. z Persuasive: They not only inform but also try to change the mind of the reader, who may initially resist your request. z Good news: They are informative with an impressive account of the benefits. z Negative message: They communicate the negative message. They adopt a gradual movement from the positives to negatives. Table 3.1: Types of Letters Types of Letters Format Sales letter Persuasive Enquiries Direct request Quotations Informative Order (Placement\/Cancellation) Informative Acknowledgement (Confirmation\/Execution\/Refusal) Informative Complaints Negative Adjustments Informative Cover letter Informative Sales Letter A sales letter is a form of sale correspondence. It tries to sell a product. It comprises the following elements. Figure 3.2 gives a sample sales letter. The first line of the letter is a hook, which forces the reader to read it further. It draws attention to the main purpose of the letter. The following paragraphs, in general, provide the following information: features of product or the service, such as quality, comparison with rival products, quality, cost, savings, terms of contract CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","62 Professional Business Communication-I etc., warranty, discount etc. Finally, it motivates reader by providing a list of satisfied customers and special offers to potential customers. Shanti, Vangala Home Services, 55 MG Road, Puducherry - 605104. Date: 2 February, 2020 K. Smitha, 19, Sivan Koil Street, Kotakuppam, Puducherry - 605104. Dear Ms. Smitha For as little as ` 1,500, you can have your entire home clean and sparkling, without enduring the nasty odor of chemical cleaners. We care about the environment and use only state-of-the-art green cleaning methods that are safe for children and pets! We leave surfaces clean, sparkling, and hygienic. Our staff are efficient, polite and reliable. We guarantee 100% satisfaction. If you are not happy with the service, we promise to make it right. As one of our customers says, \u201cGreenClean does a top-notch cleaning job for a reasonable price.\u201d Another of our customers says, \u201cI can\u2019t believe they get things so clean and sparkling without the use of toxic chemical cleaners!\u201d Call us at 99876-78923 or email us at [email protected] for a free estimate. Get your house cleaned and do your part to help the environment! Sincerely, Shanti, Vangala Home Service P.S. We are offering a 10% discount for first-time users of our service until the end of the year. Fig. 3.2: Sample Sales Letter CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 63 Enquiry Letter Letters of enquiry are sent to vendors to find out the details of goods a vendor can supply. Figure 3.3 gives a specimen of enquiry letter. The body of the letter may be divided into three parts \u2013 opening, middle and closing. The opening paragraph mentions the interest in a product or service. Some typical opening sentences are: z We would be grateful to get details of your prices\u2026 z We should be pleased to get information about the prices and terms on which you could supply\u2026 z We intend to buy the following items\u2026I should be grateful if you would kindly quote your lowest rate for the items. The middle part contains the key message. It requests the supplier to provide the information about product, price, warranties\/guarantees, and terms of payment. In addition, a request may be made for providing samples or arranging demonstration of the product use. The closing sentence may express thanks, desired response from the receiver of letter and an assurance of long-term relationship. Sample closing sentences are: z We would really appreciate an early response. z Should your terms be favorable, we would be pleased to send our first order immediately. z Since our stocks are exhausted, kindly treat this enquiry as urgent. z Since we plan to give you regular business, we are sure, you will quote us the most favorable terms. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","64 Professional Business Communication-I February 25, 2020 SURAT FASHIONS LTD. The Sales Manager, 4, Brindavan Complex, Swiss Quartz Ltd. Ransingh Road, 21, Rehman Buildings, Hyderabad - 500786. Maruti Nagar, Mumbai - 400002. Dear Sir, We understand that Swiss has introduced new types of fashion watches. We shall appreciate detailed information about them along with the illustrated catalogue and price list. We also want to know about the guarantee for each of the new watches. Kindly state the terms of payment and discounts you would allow for the order of larger quantities of individual items. We hope that the enquiry of ours will receive your prompt and best attention. Yours faithfully K. Vanaja Purchase Manager Fig. 3.3: Letter of Enquiry Quotation Letter A quotation is a specific offer for a sales made in response to an enquiry. Figure 3.4 shows a specimen of quotation. Guidelines to write quotations are as follows: (a) Opening part z Refer to the date and\/or number of the letter. z Thank the party for his letter and show appreciation for his interest in your company, its products or service. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 65 (b) Middle part z Provide information to all the questions in the letter of enquiry. z Add any relevant information in the form of a short description of goods, prices, advantages, favorable terms, etc. z Mention the terms clearly and concisely; time required to execute the order, if placed; place and mode of delivery; terms of payment; discount (trade and cash); packing; etc. z Indicate the time for which the offer is open. z State whether the price list, catalogue, samples, etc. are enclosed or they are being sent separately. (c) Concluding part z Show your willingness to serve or help the customer. Swiss Quartz Ltd. 21, Rehman Buildings, Maruti Nagar, Mumbai - 400002. February 28, 2020 The Manager Surat Fashions Ltd., 4, Brindavan Complex, Ransingh Road, Hyderabad - 500786. Dear Madam, Thank you for your enquiry of February 25, 2020, for our fashion watches. We are happy to learn about your interest in our watches and enclose herewith our illustrated catalogue and price list. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","66 Professional Business Communication-I The watches are priced in the range of ` 300 to ` 800 onwards. With our watch, the customer has assurance of many years of faultless performance. Every watch is guaranteed for two years. Our after- sales network offers services with speed and economy. Any orders you may place with us will have our prompt and careful attention. Yours faithfully, M. Radhika Sales Manager Fig. 3.4: Letter of Quotation Order Letter The letter written by a buyer to a seller requesting him to deliver goods is known as an order letter. In modern times, sellers supply printed orders forms to the customers and customers place orders by filling up those printed order blanks. In this case, the printed order sheet or blank is considered as the order letter. The order letter is an important document. It establishes legal relation between buyer and the supplier. It can be produced as legal evidence in the court of law in case of any dispute between the buyer and supplier. Order letters contain three major categories of information: (i) items being ordered, (ii) shipping information and (iii) terms of payment. Figure 3.5 shows an order letter. KAMALA GARMENTS 87, Sivaji Commercial Complex, Tirupati - 517502. February 25, 2020 M\/s Excel Sewers Co., 25, Kanakadurga Marg, Perambur, Chennai - 600011. Dear Sirs, Sub: Order for 3 Singer sewing machines I have pleasure in placing an order with you for three Singer sewing machines. The order is placed strictly, on the condition that the delivery is to be made on or before 20th March 2020. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 67 Please send the machines by S.T. Parcel, carriage forward to Chennai Central Bus Stand from where the consignment will be collected. We shall arrange payment within ten (10) days to comply with 2\/10, Net 30 terms. Yours faithfully, M. Vinodini Proprietor Kamala Garments Fig. 3.5: Order Letter Acknowledgement\/Confirmation Once the order is received, the supplier has to initiate steps to respond to the order. The response may be two types: Refusal or Execution. If the seller refuses to supply the goods according to order placed by the buyer, he (seller) forwards a letter to notify the refusal which is known as order refusal letter. Figure 3.6 shows a sample refusal letter. In case the order is acceptable, seller may send two types of letter, one confirming the order and another to inform about the supply and dispatch of goods as per the directions of the buyer. Figures 3.7 and 3.8 show a letter of confirmation and letter of execution. Here are some tips to writing order execution letter. 1. Provide specifications regarding the dispatch of goods \u2013 the mode of transport and the date of dispatch. 2. Attach a copy of invoice to the letter. 3. Mention the enclosures of receipts such as lorry receipt, railway receipt, bill of loading, etc. If not enclosed, give details of courier or speed post through which they are sent. 4. Request for the payment as per the terms agreed in the previous correspondence. 5. Express hope that the goods would meet requirements of the buyer. State your willingness to serve in all possible ways. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","68 Professional Business Communication-I Excel Sewers Company 25, Kanakadurga Marg, Perambur, Chennai - 600011. March 1, 2020 Kamala Garments 87, Sivaji Commercial Complex, Tirupati - 517502. Dear Madam, Thank you for your letter of February 25, 2020 placing an order for three Singer sewing machines. But we regret to inform you that we can no longer supply these machines. Since they have become outdated, we have stopped selling them. Instead, we can offer you Sony Sewing Machines. The illustrated catalogue of Sony Sewing Machines is enclosed. If you place an order for these machines, we could meet it within three days. Yours faithfully, S. Kumar Manager Excel Sewers Company Fig. 3.6: Order Refusal Letter UNIVERSITY BOOK CENTRE Prakasam Road, Tirupati - 517503. March 2, 2020 The Librarian Mahatma Gandhi Engineering College, Guntur- 522002. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 69 Dear Sir, We thank you for your Order No. 22\/k dated February 25, 2020. We are taking necessary steps for supplying the books within stipulated time. Thank you for your order. Expecting your best cooperation. Yours faithfully, Ramesh Manager University Book Centre Fig. 3.7: Order Confirmation Letter UNIVERSITY BOOK CENTRE Prakasam Road, Tirupati - 517503. March 9, 2020 The Librarian Mahatma Gandhi College, Guntur - 522002. Dear Sir, We thank you for your Order No. 22\/k dated February 9, 2020. We have sent you all the books included in your order offering you a special discount of 5% in addition to the standard discount of 15% offered to you in our quotation. We shall always be happy to hear from you and to offer you our services for further orders from you. Yours faithfully, Ramesh Manager University Book Centre Fig. 3.8: Order Execution Letter CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","70 Professional Business Communication-I Complaints A letter written to the seller by the buyer stating the failure to comply with specifications or terms in an order is called a complaint letter. Table 3.2 presents the failures of supplier that warrant writing a complaint letter. Aspect Table 3.2 Failure of Supplier Goods Time Failure Quantity Supplied goods are wrong or damaged. Inferior in quality or defective. Price Delay in the execution of the order Terms and conditions Variance in the ordered quantity of goods Excessive prices are charged Variance in the agreed terms and conditions Figure 3.9 presents a specimen complaint letter and reply to it Apollo Illuminations Mohakhali C\/A, Dhaka - 1212. March 5, 2020 Manager Sales & Service Division, Belgaum Manufacturers Ltd., Tongi, Gazipur. Sub: Complaint for goods received in a damaged condition Dear Sir, Many thanks for your prompt delivery of the ordered tubelights. Unfortunately, on opening the cartoon, we found 20 tub lights in a damaged condition. We are not sure whether poor handling or wrong packing has caused the damage. Kindly provide replacement before 15th Mach, 2020 to enable us meet customer orders. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 71 We are looking forward for immediate action from your end. Yours faithfully M. Hafiz Purchase Manager Apollo Fig. 3.9: Specimen of Complaint Letter and Reply to it Responding to such letters is a challenge to suppliers. Complaints should be viewed as an opportunity, rather than an offense. They should be handled with a positive attitude. Sellers have to consider them objectively and react swiftly to send a reply and initiate remedial action. They should remember the following \u2018do nots\u2019 when responding to complaints. z Do not express surprise about a complaint. z Do not try to minimize your fault by saying \u201cSuch errors very often occur\u201d. z Do not suggest that the customer is negligent or insincere by saying \u2018No other customer has ever complained about.\u2019 z Do not blame customer. Even if the customer is wrong, do not say it directly. z Do not say, \u201cIt is policy of our company not to\u2026\u201d Try to satisfy customer given the policy constraints. Tips to write complaint letter in a proper way are as follows. z Acknowledge the letter and thank the customer for explaining the problem. Frankly admit the fault at once and regret the mistake sincerely. Show your concern. Be brief. z Respond immediately. Delay will cause further irritation. If you have to investigate, acknowledge the complaint, and tell him \u201cWe are investigating the matter and we will be in touch with you again.\u201d Say how soon he can expect your actual reply. z Sample opening sentences, when customer is right. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","72 Professional Business Communication-I Thank you for our letter dated \u2026\u2026... We are very sorry to learn that you have been put to lot of inconvenience owing to our mistake. Many thanks for telling us that we went wrong with\u2026 Please accept our sincere apology for the mistake in your bill for November \u2026\u2026\u2026 We are very sorry to learn about your experience. z Sample sentences when customer is right but fault is with other party. Thank you for your letter no\u2026.dated\u2026.bringing to our attention the delay in the delivery. We are sorry that M\/s Navata Transport Agencies have not been able to provide satisfactory service. Thank you for calling our attention to the poor service of our dealer. You did right thing by freely telling us your bad experience with our service agency. z Sample sentences when customer is at fault. Say sorry for Thank you for your letter of 12th March 2011 telling us of your the problem difficulty with the sewing machine. We are sorry to learn from your letter of 21st August that SHARP camera you bought from us has failed to satisfy you. Explain the From the explanation given, I presume you have some problem in cause following the instructions. The problems may be due to inexperienced handling of the machine. Give You get trouble-free service from the sewing machine if you follow suggestions the instructions given in the manual. Kindly take the help of our local dealer who will explain you how to handle the camera. In case, the problem persists, we will replace it immediately. z In concluding lines, assure your attention and continued support. Sample sentences are: Please tell us whether we can do anything further. We value greatly direct contact with our valued customers. Please do write again to say how you find the replacement. Should you need to say something in future about our\u2026 please do not hesitate to write to us. Figure 3.10 shows a letter responding to complaints. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 73 Belgaum Manufacturers Ltd. Tongi, Gazipur. March 10, 2020 To, Purchase Manager Apollo Illuminations, Mohakhali C\/A, Dhaka - 1212. Ref: Reply to your letter dated 5th March, 2015 Dear Sir, We feel extremely sorry to know that 100 units of the tubelights delivered to you are in damaged condition. Our dispatch section conducts pre-packing inspection to ensure delivery of goods in good condition. Damage, such as in your case, occurs very rarely when the packages are roughly handled in transit. We ensure the supply of 100 tubelights with more extra packaging. Will you kindly sign the enclosed \u201cDamage Report\u201d so that we can submit our claim to Insurance Company? The attached Business Reply Envelope is for your convenience in returning the report. Our authorized representative will collect the damaged goods before 15 March 2020. Please confirm the arrival of goods. Yours faithfully S. Alam Manager, Sales & Service Belgaum Manufacturers Ltd. Fig. 3.10: Response to Complaint Letter Cover Letter A cover letter is a letter of introduction addressed to a potential employer. It seeks to explain why you are suited for a position. It is usually three to four paragraphs in length, and attached to your r\u00e9sum\u00e9. It is a careful blend of the direct and persuasive letter with the purpose of letting the receiver know how well you match their needs. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","74 Professional Business Communication-I Suchitra Banerjee 45, Nehru Marg, Kolkatta - 700 001. March 1, 2020 Rama Devi. M Manager, Bengal Motors Ltd., 76, Commercial Circle, Kolkatta - 700009. Dear Ms. Rama Devi, I am writing to apply for the position of executive assistant, as advertised in The Hindu on February 29, 2020. I was as an administrative assistant in Hind Motors before taking a position as an executive assistant at Royal Automobile Company. In addition to my administrative and executive assistant skills, I have good communication skills.. At my last job, I improved the company website and it was appreciated by my superiors. I have attached my resume for your review. I look forward to hearing from you about this exciting opportunity. You can contact me by e-mail at suchi@gamilcom or through my cell phone at 999-888- 7766. Sincerely, Suchitra Banerjee Fig. 3.11: Sample Cover Letter 3.3 Memo Writing Memorandum, popularly known as memo, means a note to assist the memory. Memorandums (memos) are internal office communication exchanged by employees in the conduct of their work. It can be used to serve different purposes like issuing instructions, giving suggestions, requesting help or information, inquiring progress in work, to seek explanation on matters of misconduct, etc. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 75 Advantages Memo form of communication has many advantages. z Brevity: It is the communication without frills. It carries simple, short and precise messages. z Convenient: The simple format permits to write or print message easily. z Economical: It saves time and cost. With minimum stationery and time, it can be prepared. z Record: It can be stored for future references. Format Memo is a form of letter. The formats vary form company to company but the main contents almost remain the same. Some companies have stationery printed especially for memorandums, while many use standard or customized templates in word processors. Because memorandums are often short, some companies use 5 \u00d7 8\u00bd inch stationery for them as well as the conventional 8\u00bd \u00d7 11 inch size. The structural elements of a memo are: Memorandum: Usually, the word memorandum appears at the top of the communication in large, heavy type. However, some companies prefer other titles such as interoffice memorandum or interoffice communication. The structural elements include the following: Date To From Reference Subject Names of recipients: Since in some companies memorandums are often addressed to more than one reader, the heading too may be followed by enough space to list names of recipients. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","76 Professional Business Communication-I Initials of sender: Hard copy memorandums are usually initialed by the writer rather than signed. Writing Memorandums The techniques for writing memorandums (memos) are much like those for writing the other business messages (letters and email). Generally, memorandums are written in casual or informal language as they are written to peers. However, memos written by lower ranking workers to their top administrators tend to be more formal in language. One type of memorandum that deserves special mention is policy or directive memorandum. They are written for all employees by top management. They convey company\u2019s operating rules or procedures. They are made in hard copy and often are compiled in policy manuals. They are kept in loose-leaf form and updated as and when new policies and directives are issued. They are written in formal style in the direct order. They begin with a topic (thesis) statement that repeats the subject line information and includes the additional information needed to identify the specific situation. The remainder of the message consists of a logical, orderly arrangement of the rules and procedures covered. To ensure that they stand out, the rules and procedures often are numbered or arranged in outline form as shown in Figure 3.12. MEMORANDUM Date: June 10, 2019 To: All employees From: Rajit Sinha Ref: CSV\/CSK Subject: Energy savings As a part of cost reduction and energy conservation drive, the following measures are effective immediately. 1. Air conditioners and fans Air conditioners will be shut off in all buildings at 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Air conditioners will be switched on at 11 a.m. each morning. Fans will be switched off during the lunch and tea times. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 77 2. Lighting Lighting levels will be reduced to approximately 50 to 60 foot candles in all work areas. Outside lighting levels will be reduced as much as possible without compromising safety and security. 3. Computers Turnoff all computer monitors and printers at the end of the day. I am confident that these measures will reduce our energy use significantly. Your efforts to follow them will be greatly appreciated. -------------------- (Signature or initials) Fig. 3.12: Specimen of a Memo 3.4. Meeting\u2019s Agenda A business meeting is a gathering of two or more people for the purpose of making decisions or discussing company objectives and operations. Business meetings are generally conducted in person in an office. However, with the rise of video conferencing technologies, participants can join a business meeting from anywhere. Concept of Agenda An agenda is essentially a plan for your meeting. The word agenda is the plural for of the Latin word agendum, which literally means \u201csomething to be done.\u201d The noun retains this meaning because an agenda is a plan \u2014 organized by time \u2014 of events or things to do. Benefits of Agenda An agenda is a form of courtesy. It allows meetings to have a logical flow. It informs the chairperson and participants of the refined purpose of the meeting. This gives them time to prepare for the tasks, and enables them to make a meaningful contribution. z It helps the chairperson to conduct the meeting smoothly in accordance with the order given in agenda. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","78 Professional Business Communication-I z If it is circulated in advance, it helps the members to come prepared for the meeting. z It ensures that only matters relevant to that particular meeting are discussed. z It ensures that every point is properly taken up for discussion. z It avoids conflict among members on items to be discussed. z It facilitates the preparation of the minutes. z It provides basis for deciding in advance future meetings. Before Writing an Agenda Planning to develop a solid agenda before each meeting helps you organize the information you need to cover, remember special materials you might need to bring, and figure out how long the meeting will take. The important things to do: (i) Make a review: Review previous meeting minutes. Check with persons who had assigned duties, and find out if they are ready to give reports on their work. (ii) Identify issues for discussion: Prepare the list of members, whose participation is important for the meeting. Request information from them and other colleagues. People will be more engaged in the meeting if they have a say in the agenda. Ask for suggestions about what to include, and try to add some of them to your agenda. You can send out an email ahead of time or visit with people individually. Make sure to do this at least 6-7 days ahead of time so that your team members have a chance to contribute. (iii) Narrow your list of agenda items down to what you want to cover: Prioritize what is most important at this meeting. You may not be able to cover all the issues you have identified. So, prioritise and stick to the what\u2019s absolutely most important. For instance, maybe you have \u201cnegotiating project deadlines,\u201d \u201cprogress reports,\u201d \u201cnew projects,\u201d and \u201cbrainstorming session.\u201d You may decide you don\u2019t have time for a brainstorming session at this meeting. You may need to schedule smaller meetings to help get things done that fall off your main agenda for the large meeting. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 79 (iv) Map out how much time each item will take: Though it is difficult to predict how much time is required for each issue, develop some approximations. Try to allocate more time to the most important topics. For example, maybe you will put in 30 minutes for progress reports, 10 minutes for discussion, and 10 minutes to vote on new deadlines. If you do not have any set times for topics, you will not get through your agenda. (v) Decide whether to circulate agenda: Decide whether to combine notice and agenda or send the two separately. Agenda is usually sent along with the notice of the meeting. The notice and agenda are usually combined in one document. The portion at the top is known as the notice. The following middle portion of the document is agenda. Notice gives details of the type, place, day, date and time of the meeting. Sometimes, the agenda is prepared after the circulation of the notice in order to enable the members to suggest items they would like to discuss at the meeting. However, if the chairperson and the secretary do not want the members to know the items to be discussed, the agenda is not circulated. Structure of an Agenda An effective agenda should include the following information. Figure 3.3 shows a sample agenda. \u00be Company name and committee name \u00be Notice \u2013 It states place, day, date and time of meeting \u00be The heading AGENDA \u00be Items of ordinary business (some committees will also include \u2018Correspondence\u2019) \u00be Items of special business \u00be Any other business \u00be Date of next meeting \u00be Reference and date Tips to Write Agenda The following tips will be helpful in preparing an agenda. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","80 Professional Business Communication-I 1. Title: Your title should tell the reader that they are reading an agenda. It should also introduce the topic of the meeting. Place your title at the top of your blank document. Keep your title simple and to the point. For instance, your title could be \u201cJuly Meeting Agenda: Discussing New Project Ideas.\u201d 2. Greetings: Set aside time at the meeting for greetings and welcomes. This part of the meeting gives people a chance to say hello. You could also use an icebreaker if the meeting includes many people who do not know each other. For a large meeting, say at a conference, the time needed for this portion could be significant. At a small office meeting, this portion might only take a few minutes. 3. Phrase your agenda items as questions: When you just put a few words on the agenda, it will be less clear. A question helps provide context, and it gives them a chance to think about it ahead of time. For instance, instead of writing, \u201cProject Deadlines,\u201d you could write, \u201cCan project deadlines be moved up to meet growing demand?\u201d If needed, add a brief description under the question. 4. Give estimated times: Beside each agenda topic, mention the time allotted. It can help people prepare. It also gives people a chance to shorten their remarks if the time is short. However, this optional. 5. Mention the names of lead persons: Establish who will lead each section on the agenda. If you are leading the whole meeting, you can note that at the top of the agenda. 6. Leave an opening for other business: Place this at the end. It just gives you a chance to ask others if anything else needs to be addressed at the meeting. You can also include time for questions and answers in this section. 7. Add the meeting details: Include the time, date and location of the meeting. Also, add the names of anyone who will be at the meeting. That way, people know ahead of time who they will be able to connect with while there. 8. Proofread and review: It is wise to proofread it for errors and completeness before giving it out. Doing so reflects positively on your attention to detail and the respect you have for the participants. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 81 SRIVALLI TOYS CORPORATION TIRUPATI The next quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors will take place on Monday, 17th September, 2019 at 5 p.m. in the conference room. AGENDA 1. Welcome 2. Minutes of the last meeting 3. Stephen \u2013 Sales quota update (10 minutes) Raghu \u2013 VP Sales hiring pipeline (5 minutes) 4. New business 5. Savitha \u2013 Discuss facilities move (30 minutes) 6. RamKee \u2013 Employee engagement survey results (30 minutes) 7. Any other business 8. Date of next meeting MS\/CSGK 12-08-2019 Fig. 3.13: Notice and Agenda 3.5. Minutes Minutes are the official record of the proceedings of a meeting. The main object of writing minutes is to record, concisely and accurately the essential work done at a meeting. They show what was formally considered and resolved. All organizations, whether commercial or social, attach great importance to minutes. In case of joint stock companies, it is compulsory for them to maintain minutes of the proceedings of every general meeting and the meetings of the Board and its committees. Once minutes are approved and signed, even a court of law accepts them as evidence of the proceedings. Types of Minutes Minutes are basically of two types: (i) Minutes of resolutions and (ii) Minutes of narration. The third one is a combination of both. The usual practice is to write minutes of resolutions. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","82 Professional Business Communication-I z Minutes of resolution: In this type of minutes, only the resolutions passed at a meeting are recorded. No reference is made to any discussion preceding the resolutions. No mention is made even of the movers and seconders of the resolutions. z Minutes of narrations: Minutes of narration report, in addition to the resolutions passed, a brief account of the discussion and the voting pattern. z A combination of both: Very formal minutes include the proposal with the name of the proposer and the seconder, a short summary of the discussion, and finally, the resolution. Maintenance of Minutes Books Every company is required to maintain minutes of the proceedings of every general meeting and every meeting of the Board and its committees. Separate minutes books are maintained for different kinds of company meetings. Entries are made in the minutes book within thirty days of the conclusion of a meeting. The pages of the minutes book are consecutively numbered. Writing the minutes on a loose piece of paper and then pasting it in the minutes book is prohibited. Signing of Minutes Signing of minutes is an essential safeguard against tampering. It is desirable that page of the minutes book is dated and signed by the chairperson of the meeting (or any other person authorized to sign). The last page of the minutes of each meeting must be signed. Structure of Minutes Minutes should include short summaries of any reports submitted and all the decisions taken at a meeting. They should be brief but exact, describing clearly the action to be taken but not the discussion (unless the members so wish, or if it is an advisory committee meeting). They do not offer a verbatim report of the proceedings. Minutes may be recorded either in a tabular (block) from or in the form of continuous paragraphs. Figures 3.14 and 3.15 illustrate the two forms of minutes presentation. The elements of the minutes are given here: 1. Name of the meeting: Annual general meeting, extraordinary meeting, Board meeting, etc. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 83 2. Date, time and place: The date, time and place at which the meeting is held should be mentioned. 3. Reference number: In the case of general meetings of the company as well as Board meetings, it is usual to give the number of the meeting. 4. Names of those who are present: The minutes should contain the names of all those who are present and the capacity in which they are present. 5. Items numbered and headings: Each item in the minutes is numbered and given a brief heading. 6. Special resolution: If a special resolution is to be passed by a given majority, this fact should be entered in the minutes. In fact, the minutes should record the number of those in favor and those against the resolution. Writing Minutes Writing minutes is a simple, clerical task. Here are few tips on minute writing. (i) Finished at the end of meeting: The Secretary should go on taking notes when the meeting is going on. If a clarification is required, it should be immediately sought. The work of writing the minutes should be undertaken as quickly as possible after the conclusion of the meeting, so that no important facts are forgotten. (ii) Impersonal tone: The tone of the minutes should always be impersonal. Reported speech should be preferred and as far as possible, passive verbs should be used. (iii) Simple language: The language of the minutes should be kept as simple as possible. Unnecessary adornments should be as a rule avoided. (iv) Easy references: Dates and figures should be precisely and clearly mentioned in the minutes. If a reference is made to certain letters or reports, their numbers and dates should also be mentioned. This eliminates the possibility of ambiguity and misunderstanding. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","84 Professional Business Communication-I (v) Indexing: For easy location of any particular decision, minutes are usually numbered and a subject index is maintained at the back of the minutes book. Only special decisions, likely to be referred to in future, are indexed. There is no need to index routine items. (vi) Feelings not recorded: While writing minutes, no reference should be made to the feelings of the persons present. (vii) Approval of chairperson: It is advisable for the secretary to show the rough draft of the minutes to the chairperson and get his\/her approval. This will do away with the possibility of having to make any alterations later if the proceedings are incorrectly recorded. MINUTES Sri Cultural Bhavan 552, Balaji Colony, Hyderabad - 500002. Minutes of the sixth meeting of the executive committee held at 4 p.m. on Friday, 22 August, 2019 at Committee Hall, Sri Cultural Bhavan. Members present: Dr.Vanaja Iyengar (Chairperson) Members absent: Ms. M. Neeraja Ms. N. Sri Rajini Ms. V. Bhargavi Reddy (Treasurer) Ms. C. Sri Valli (Secretary) Mr. C. Sri Krishna 6.01 Minutes of the Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting held on 14 July, 2019 were taken as read, adopted and signed by the Chairman. 6.02 South Zone Cultural Competitions It was decided to organize the XXIV South Zone cultural competitions during 21-23 December, 2019. A sum of ` 1 lakh was approved for the purpose. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 85 6.03 Celebration of Vinayak Chaturthi It was decided to celebrate Vinayaka Chaturthi festival in the premises. A sum of ` 5,500\/- was approved for the purpose. The secretary was asked to make the arrangements. As no other matter was raised, the meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the chair. Dr. Vanaja Iyengar Ms. C. Sri Valli Chairperson Secretary Fig. 3.14: Minutes Sri Cultural Bhavan 552, Balaji Colony, Hyderabad - 500002. Minutes of the sixth meeting of the executive committee held at 4 p.m. on Friday, 22 August, 2019 at Committee Hall, Sri Cultural Bhavan. Members present: Dr. Vanaja Iyengar (Chairperson) Members absent: Ms. M. Neeraja Ms. N. Sri Rajini Ms. V. Bhargavi Reddy (Treasurer) Ms. C. Sri Valli (Secretary) Mr. C. Sri Krishna No. Subject Minutes 6.01 Confirmation of the Minutes The minutes of the meeting held on 14 July, 2019 were of the Last Meeting approved and signed by the Chairman. 6.02 South Zone Cultural It was decided to organize the XXIV South Zone cultural Competitions competitions during 21-23 December, 2019. A sum of ` 1 lakh was approved for the purpose. 6.03 Celebration of Vinayak It was decided to celebrate Vinayaka Chaturthi festival in the Chaturthi premises. A sum of ` 5,500\/- was approved for the purpose. The Secretary was asked to make the arrangements. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the chairman. Dr.Vanaja Iyengar Ms. C. Sri Valli Chairperson Secretary Date: 14 July, 2019 Fig. 3.15: Minutes CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","86 Professional Business Communication-I 3.6 Summary The business letter is the most common means of external communication. The important considerations in writing letters are presentation and content. Presentation depends upon the layout of writing and appearance of the letter. Content depends on the language and style of writing. The structure of a business letter consists of: (i) essential parts (heading, date line, inside address, greeting or salutation, body, complimentary close and signature) and (ii) auxiliary parts (personal line, file reference, attention line, subject, reference section and post script). There are five possible formats for letters and memos \u2013 direct request, informative, persuasive, good news and negative message. Business organizations use letters to carry out operations in different functional areas. Some of the important letters and the suitable format can be stated as follows: Sales letter \u2013 Persuasive, Enquiries \u2013 Direct request, Quotations \u2013 Informative, Order (Placement\/Cancellation) \u2013 Informative, Acknowledgement (Confirmation\/Execution\/Refusal) \u2013 Informative, Complaint \u2013 Negative, Adjustment \u2013 Informative and Cover Letter \u2013 Informative. Meeting brings people together for discussion and decision making. Meetings become effective when they circulate notice and agenda before meeting and minutes after the meeting. An agenda is essentially a plan for your meeting. An agenda is a form of courtesy. It allows meetings to have a logical flow. It informs the chairperson and participants of the refined purpose of the meeting. Planning ahead to develop a solid agenda before each meeting helps you organize the information you need to cover, remember special materials you might need to bring, and figure out how long the meeting will take. The portion at the top of an agenda is known as the notice. The following middle portion of the document is agenda. Notice gives details of the type, place, day, date and time of the meeting. Sometimes, the agenda is prepared after the circulation of the notice in order to enable the members to suggest items they would like to discuss at the meeting. Prepare an agenda with title. Allow time for greetings, review of previous meeting minutes and actions, and then list the business items of the present meeting. Mention time allotted and person responsible for each item. After proofreading, send it to members 3-4 days in advance. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 87 Minutes are the official record of the proceedings of a meeting. The main object of writing minutes is to record, concisely and accurately the essential work done at a meeting. They show what was formally considered and resolved. Minutes are of two types: (i) Minutes of resolutions and (ii) Minutes of narration. The usual practice is to write minutes of resolution. Signing of minutes is an essential safeguard against tampering. 3.7 Key Words\/Abbreviations z Business letter: A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties to serve a business purpose. The purposes can be a business deal, complaint, warning, notice, invitation, declaration, information, apology and various other corporate matters. z Cover letter: A cover letter is a document sent with the resume to provide additional information on skills and experience of the applicant. z Enquiry letter: A formal letter written by a potential buyer to a supplier with a request to provide information about products and services he can supply. z Offer letter: An offer letter is a letter given by a company to an potential employee that provides key terms of the prospective employee\u2019s employment. In commercial correspondence, it expresses willingness to supply goods and services requested for. z Order letter: A document confirms the details of a purchase of goods or services from a supplier. z Complaint letter: A document that brings to the notice of supplier, the discrepancy in goods delivered like shortage of goods, wrong goods, etc. z Meetings: A meeting is a gathering of two or more people that has been convened for the purpose of achieving a common goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing information or reaching agreement. z Business meetings: A business meeting is a gathering of two or more people for the purpose of making decisions or discussing company objectives and operations. z Agenda: Agenda is a plan \u2014 organized by time \u2014 of events or things to do. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","88 Professional Business Communication-I z Notice: It is an informative document that is circulated to draw attention to specific issues. z Minutes: Minutes are the official record of the proceedings of a meeting. 3.8 Learning Activity 1. Assess your meeting skills: Answer honestly. Do not discuss with others. Write T (Mostly true) or F (Mostly false) that represents your answer in the blank against each statement. Sr. No. Statement Write T or F 1 2 When it\u2019s possible, I affirm others\u2019 ideas by using active and constructive 3 feedback. 4 5 Since agenda is there, I will start meeting with first item on the agenda. 6 I will let people say negative or positive comments as it is their freedom. 7 When speaking in a group, I move my eyes around and talk to anyone 8 who\u2019s listening to what I have to say. 9 10 I will ask at the beginning of the meeting, one to volunteer to be \u201ctopic keeper\u201d to interrupt whenever the discussion strays from the topic under discussion. If we assign a time limit to each agenda item or identify the person responsible to speak or moderate the discussion, it restricts freedom of members. I see that new topics are taken up as and when raised by members. When someone arrives late, I will go back and review what has already been covered. Usually, within 24 hours, I ensure that the minutes of the meeting are distributed to all who attended. I will provide all participants with an agenda before the meeting starts. Key to Scoring : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 T F F TTTF FTT The rating of your meeting skills is as follows: Excellent : 8-10 Good : 5-7 Below 7 : Average and you have to improve CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 89 2. Review the agenda given under. Safety Committee Meeting Agenda Date of meeting: 23-7-2019 Time of meeting: 11.00 a.m. Location of meeting: Robert Hall, II Building, Alembic Company Ltd., Chennai - 600234. 1. Roll call 2. Welcome to the members of committee 3. Review agenda for this meeting 4. Review and approve last month\u2019s meeting minutes o Asking Meheren to set up minutes and safety tips on website o Discuss with branch managers on transport facilities during bad weather conditions for employees o Check status of import of safety items in Machine workshop 5. Review of workplace accidents, that occurred in recent month 6. Review safety checklist and approve for use 7. Report to management on status of safety programmes 8. Any other business, with the permission of the chair 3. Using the Informal team meeting minutes template given under, write minutes of a meeting, using hypothetical information. Date: Today\u2019s date Attendees x List of attendees Agenda x Item 1 including key discussions, decisions made, next steps x Item 2 x Item 3 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","90 Professional Business Communication-I Next steps x List goes here in format: action item, responsible person, date (Example: Brian to follow up to this group with a list of target companies by end of week) Closing Record the time the meeting was adjourned Next meeting (date) The next meeting date may be decided at the end of the meeting before everyone leaves. 3.9 Unit End Questions (MCQs and Descriptive) A. Descriptive Type Questions SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS 1. What is a business letter? 2. List the parts of business letter. 3. Define meeting. 4. Explain regular, special and emergency meetings. 5. What is a business meeting? 6. Meetings help information sharing \u2013 Comment. 7. Explain the concept of agenda and minutes. 8. What is the structure of agenda? 9. How do you structure the minutes of a meeting? Long Answer Questions 1. Explain the structure of business letters. 2. Discuss the different types of business letters and their formats. 3. What are the different types of business letters? 4. Explain how do you develop an agenda for a meeting. 5. Describe the concept and significance of minutes. How do you record minutes? CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","Business Correspondence 91 B. Multiple Choice\/Objective Type Questions 1. The format appropriate for a letter of quotation is (a) Persuasive (b) Good news (c) Informative (d) Direct request 2. Memos written by lower ranking workers to their top administrators tend to be __________ in language. (a) Formal (b) Informal (c) Casual (d) Submissive 3. The communication that details the items for discussion in a meeting is __________. (a) Notice (b) Agenda (c) Minutes (d) Schedule 4. A court of law accepts minutes as evidence of the proceedings, when __________ (a) Minutes are approved and circulated (b) Agenda and Minutes are circulated (c) Minutes are communicated to all members (d) Minutes are approved and signed 5. In addition to the resolutions passed, a brief account of the discussion and the voting pattern is found in case of __________. (a) Minutes of resolution (b) Minutes of discussion (c) Minutes of narration (d) None of the above Answers 1. (c), 2. (a), 3. (b), 4. (d), 5. (c). CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)","92 Professional Business Communication-I 3.10 References Text Books 1. Krishnamacharyulu, C.S.G. and Lalitha Ramakrishnan (2014), Business Communication: Text, Cases and Laboratory Manual, New Delhi: Himalaya Publishing House. 2. Guffey, M.E. and Loewy, D. (2016), Essentials of Business Communication, United States: Cengage Learning. Web Resources 1. Business Correspondence: Meaning, Importance, and ... \u2013 Toppr, Retrieved from https:\/\/www.toppr.com \u203a guides \u203a business-communication-and-ethics \u203a bu... 2. Business Correspondence \u2013 ManagementMania.com, Retrieved from https:\/\/managementmania.com \u203a business-correspondence Reference Books 1. Thill, John V. and Bovee, Courtland, L. (2013), Excellence in Business Communication, New Jersey: Pearson Education. 2. Quintanilla, Kelly, M. and Wahl. Shawn, T. (2011), Business and Professional Communication, 1st Edition, New York: Sage Publications. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)"]