LESSON 20: HOW TO COMPLAIN ABOUT DELIVERY OR BILLING ERRORS?
--怎样就发货或帐单中的错误提出诉怨？


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. BOOK REVIEW 好书共享

I. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
常用语

1. How to start your letter?

Thank you for your promptness in delivering the NC-606 keyboards we ordered on October 5.

I have received a consignment of 6 dressing tables from you yesterday.

We have to draw your attention to an error in your invoice No. 0563289.

I have received your June statement for $8,860.56 but noticed that a number of errors have been made.

We are unable to process your invoice #45732 for the following error(s):

2. How to specify the errors you want to complain about?

On unpacking the consignment, however, I found that ten dark-brown computer tables had been sent, instead of the light-brown ones we asked for.

In the consignment we received, we found only 200 keyboards, whereas we ordered for 250.

Your invoice did not deduce the 2.5% discount you promised to offer us.

In your invoice, no credit has been listed for the fax machine I returned last month.

3. How to ask for a correction of the mistake?

Would you send someone to pick up the wrongly delivered goods?

Could you please make the necessary corrections and send us a new invoice?

We are holding the goods sent in excess of order until we receive your instructions.

We request that you remove this charge of $450.50 from our account and send us a written notification of such removal.



II. SAMPLE
范文


Dear ________:

Thank you for your promptness in delivering the NC-606 keyboards we ordered on October 5 (our order No. 23392). There was, however, an error in the number of keyboards delivered by your carrier this morning. We found only 200 keyboards, whereas we ordered for 250.

For this reason, we are unable to process your invoice No. 56478. According to our policy, we cannot pay the invoice until the entire purchase order has been filled.

Please inform me as early as possible when you can make another delivery of the 50 keyboards.

Sincerely,



__________
__________



III. TIPS
掌握写作要领

1. Be specific about the error: provide all the necessary details to support your complaint (order or invoice numbers, dates, product names, quantity, prices, costs, etc.).

2. Be firm (but also polite) in demanding a correction of the mistake.

3. If you want the problem to be handled in a certain way, make specific requests.

4. Ask for an early response.



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. There is an error in the credit note referring ____ the fax machine we have returned to you.
    (A) for
    (B) to
    (C) at
    (D) on

  2. You have charged me ____ a delivery of 100 flopy disks for $52.00 but I never ordered or received them.
    (A) on
    (B) of
    (C) with
    (D) for

  3. We accept partial delivery when the supplier doesn't have all the items ____ stock.
    (A) on
    (B) in
    (C) out
    (D) under

  4. Long-term contracts with suppliers often result ____ close business relationships.
    (A) with
    (B) by
    (C) in
    (D) as

  5. _____ simplify the receiving job, it is necessary to establish a step-by-step procedure.
    (A) For the purpose of
    (B) With regard to
    (C) As to
    (D) In order to

  6. Here is a list of employees who are authorized to receive goods and materials _____ the company.
    (A) on behalf of
    (B) representing
    (C) representative of
    (D) instead of

  7. On unpacking the consignment, I found that six mahogany chairs had been sent, _____ the oak ones we asked for.
    (A) replacing
    (B) instead
    (C) instead of
    (D) not that

  8. ____ most of my customers earn a moderate income it is doubtful that I will be able to find a market for expensive furniture.
    (A) As
    (B) That
    (C) Although
    (D) Through

  9. Your invoice represents only a portion of our purchase order. We cannot pay _____ the entire purchase order has been filled.
    (A) if
    (B) when
    (C) provided
    (D) until




2. Fill in the blanks with words chosen from the list below. Add capitalization when necessary:


in a way, abundant, however, integrates, when, need, bring together, numorous, increasing, with, in short, over

E-business is what happens (1) you combine the broad reach of the Internet (2) the vast resources of traditional information technology systems. It is dynamic and interactive. It (3) intranets and extranets with the Internet. It uses the Web to (4) customers, vendors, suppliers and employees (5) never before possible. (6) , e-business efficiently connects valuable information to the people who (7) it.

E-business presents (8) opportunities. (9) companies around the world are buying and selling (10) the Internet. They connect with customers, salespeople, suppliers, and shareholders. They are doing an (11) amount of business on the web. There are challenges, too. Like security, scalability and reliability. These problems, (12) , are all surmountable.



V. WRITING WORKSHOP
写作小作坊


1. In each of the following pairs of sentences, complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first sentence. Here is an example:

a) The goods will be delivered in 30 days.
b) We ....
[Answer] "We will delivered the goods in 30 days."

(1)
a) It is requested that this charge of $343.53 be immediately removed from our account.
b) We request that you ....


(2)
a) A written notification of such removal should be sent to my attention.
b) You ....

(3)
a) A credit is requested from you for the six books we have returned to you.
b) We ....

(4)
a) A total of $245 has been deducted from your statement, and a draft for $2,450 will be sent to you.
b) I ..., and I ....




2. Displayed below are phrases and sentences for you to compose a letter notifying the supplier that there is an error in his invoice. Number the phrases and sentences so that they form complete sentences arranged in a logical order:

1) Dear Mr. Stock:

2) from a total of $14,456 for the 10 desktop computers we purchased.

3) that we should benefit under the terms of your 'Valued Customer' plan.

4) We have to draw your attention

5) however,

6) a deduction of an additional 5 per cent from this invoice.

7) You have deducted a trade discount of 5 per cent

8) We are therefore claiming

9) Could you please make the necessary corrections and send us a new invoice?

10) You will recall,

11) to an error in your invoice #01587075.

12) that your sales representative Mr. James Lee agreed on April 24

13)
Sincerely

Mary Stone
Purchasing Department


写作小作坊 叁考答案


Dear Mr. Stock:

We have to draw your attention to an error in your invoice #01587075.

You have deducted a trade discount of 5 per cent from a total of $14,456 for the 10 desktop computers we purchased. You will recall, however, that your sales representative Mr. James Lee agreed on April 24 that we should benefit under the terms of your 'Valued Customer' plan. We are therefore claiming a deduction of an additional 5 per cent from this invoice.

Could you please make the necessary corrections and send us a new invoice?

Sincerely,


Mary Stone
Purchasing Department



VI. BOOK REVIEW 好书共享

American Business English. By Karen H. Bartell. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1995.

American Business English is a very good textbook for students or business people who want to improve their skills in using English in business communication. The purpose of this book, as the author describes, is to take the reader by the hand and walk him through all the basic strategies and techniques of writing.

The book itself is an excellent example for good writing. Its language is concise and clear. Its organization and format help the reader grasp the crucial points. I especially like the author's advice for choosing the right words for specific audience:

"First decide who your audience will be. Choose words that are appropriate for that audience. If your audience is composed of doctors, for instance, you can use words such as medulla oblongata. If your audience is composed of nonmedical people, you would do better to use the word brain" (p6).

I also like the way she defines good writing: "The best writing is invisible" -- the best writing has no errors or difficulties to interrupt the flow of ideas from the author to the reader.