LESSON 15: HOW TO INVESTIGATE THE CREDIT STATUS OF A CREDIT APPLICANT?
--怎样查询客户信用状况？

CONTENTS

I. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS 常用语

II. SAMPLE 范文

III. TIPS 掌握写作要领

IV. EXERCISE: WORDS, PHRASES AND SENTENCE PATTERNS 精通常用词组和句型

V. WRITING WORKSHOP 写作小作坊

VI. GOODIES & GIFTS 实用小礼物

I. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
常用语

1. How to start your letter?

BMT Press told us that you would be prepared to act as their referees.

One of our credit applicants, Partner Ltd., has named your company as a credit reference.

Your name was given to us by Partner Ltd., who have asked us to allow them to settle their account by 60-day draft.

Enclosed is a signed statement from Commercial Press authorizing the release of credit information.

We have received an application for credit from Commercial Press who gives your name as a reference.

2. How to specify the information you expect the referee to provide?

Please furnish us with the following information: . . .

We would appreciate receiving information on your financial experience with DelCafe.

We would like confirmation that DelCafe's credit rating warrants quarterly settlements of up to $100,000.

We would be grateful if you could confirm that this company settles promptly on due dates, and are sound enough to meet credits of up to $100,000 in transactions.

Would you please furnish a credit report on DelCafe, including amounts billed annually and their promptness of payment?

Would you please tell us if any court action has been taken against them to recover overdue accounts?

3. How to assure the referee that the information will be held in confidence?

The information you share with us will be held in strict confidence and will be used for credit purposes only.

We can assure you that the information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

4. How to end your letter?

Thank you for your cooperation.

We would appreciate your prompt reply.

Enclosed for your convenience is a self-addressed return envelope.

We appreciate your cooperation and will gladly reciprocate at any time.


II. SAMPLE
范文


Dear _________:

P&S Systems has placed a substantial credit order with our company, and has listed your firm as a credit reference. Enclosed is a statement from P&S Systems authorizing the release of information about their credit status.

We would appreciate receiving information on your financial experience with P&S, including the volume of their credit business with you and their reputation for meeting financial obligations.

Thank you for your cooperation. We would appreciate your prompt reply.

Sincerely,



__________[name]
Credit Manager

Enclosure


III. TIPS
掌握写作要领

1. Give the reader the name of the credit applicant about whom you seek information.
2. Make it clear that the reader has been authorized to release certain information.
3. Specify what kind of information you need.
4. Ask for a prompt response, emphasizing the importance of the information if necessary.
5. Thank the reader in advance for his coorperation.


IV. EXERCISE: WORDS, PHRASES AND SENTENCE PATTERNS
精通常用词组和句型

1. Click on the word or phrase that fits the sentence:

  1. They have asked us to allow them to settle their account ____ 40-day draft.
    (A) with
    (B) on
    (C) under
    (D) by

  2. Would you please fax us your statement so that we can proceed ____ your order?
    (A) with
    (B) on
    (C) in
    (D) to

  3. We have little doubt _____ their ability to clear their accounts.
    (A) in
    (B) with
    (C) about
    (D) of

  4. DELCafe asked us for credit ____ the extent of $100,000, for a period of three months.
    (A) by
    (B) to
    (C) by
    (D) for

  5. We are taking up the references you offered, and _____ it is satisfactory you can consider the new arrangement effective from your next order.
    (A) provided
    (B) despite
    (C) unless
    (D) although




2. Fill in the blanks with words chosen from the list below:

appreciate, act, named, know, warrants, tell, have, examine, passes, meeting

1) Bill Carson has (1) your company as a credit reference in his application for an account with our store.

2) We (2) the name of your organization as a credit reference for Commercial Press.

3) They told us that you would be prepared to (3) as their referee.

4) We are glad to open lines of credit with each customer whose financial statement (4) our review.

5) We would just like confirmation that their credit rating (5) quarterly settlements of up to $25,000.

6) We would (6) an early response so that we can complete our review of Frank Lee's application.

7) We need information about their reputation for (7) financial obligations.

8) Our first step in considering applications for credit is to (8) the financial status of the applicant.

9) Would you please (9) us if this firm has had any bad debts in the past?

10) We would like to (10) if the company is sound enough to meet credits of up to $10,000 in transactions.




3. Complete the letter with words chosen from the list below:

report, as, complete, applied, require, facilities, application, extending, including, with

Dear Mr. Kemp:

One of our credit applicants, OrientFood Ltd., has (1) to our company for credit (2) and named your company (3) a credit reference. Before (4) credit to an applicant, we (5) information on that applicant's experience (6) other creditors. Would you please furnish a credit (7) on OrientFood, (8) length of relationship, amounts billed annually, and promptness of payment?

We would appreciate your prompt response so that we can (9) our review of OrientFood's (10) by the end of this month.

Sincerely,



Nancy Wang
Credit Department




V. WRITING WORKSHOP
写作小作坊


Displayed below are sentences for you to compose a letter asking for information about a customer's credit status. Number the sentences so that they can be arranged in a logical order:

(1) Dear Ms. Carter:

(2) We would be extremely grateful for a prompt reply, and can assure you that the information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

(3) Robert Brown, Purchasing Manager of Nelson Trade, told us that you would be prepared to act as their referees.

(4) We are suppliers to Nelson Trade Ltd. (46 N. King St., Jackson, MI) who have asked us to allow them to settle their accounts on a quarterly basis.

(5) Yours sincerely,

(6) While we have little doubt about their ability to clear their accounts, we would like a confirmation that their credit rating warrants quarterly settlements of up to $10,000.

(7) Steven Lock, Sales Manager

写作小作坊 叁考答案

Dear Ms. Carter:

We are suppliers to Nelson Trade Ltd. (46 N. King St., Jackson, MI) who have asked us to allow them to settle their accounts on a quarterly basis.

Robert Brown, Purchasing Manager of Nelson Trade, told us that you would be prepared to act as their referees. While we have little doubt about their ability to clear their accounts, we would like a confirmation that their credit rating warrants quarterly settlements of up to $10,000.

We would be extremely grateful for a prompt reply, and can assure you that the information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Yours sincerely,



Steven Lock
Sales Manager


VI. SOMETHING FOR NOTHING
GOODIES & GIFTS （实惠小礼物）

1. New Words, New Meanings

TECHY: n. [informal] a person trained with special skills in science or engineering.
技术行家

Example:
As Internet calling grows simpler, it is attracting a large number of customers who are not hard-core techies.


2. A Ready-made Letter for You

Requesting information about a customer's credit status

Dear _______:

_________[customer name] has named your company as a credit reference in his application for an account with our store. We are now reviewing ________'s application and would be grateful if you could provide the following information regarding your experience as a creditor of ________[customer name]:
  1. length of credit relationship
  2. amounts billed monthly and annually
  3. promptness in payment
  4. record of delinquency

We would appreciate your prompt reply.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,



__________[name]
__________[title]