LESSON 32: HOW TO DEAL WITH UNJUSTIFIED COMPLAINTS AND CLAIMS?
--怎样回复不合理的抱怨和索赔？


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?

Thank you for your letter of ______[date] concerning the goods you ordered ____ weeks ago.

Thank you for writing us about your irritation concerning the delay of ....

We have received the letter in which you complained about ....

I'm sorry to hear of the damage to your hairdryer during your trip abroad.

2. How to say that your are not responsible for the damage/error/delay?

The delay, however, was not caused at our end.

We are sorry for the inconvenience you have experienced, but we cannot be held responsible for the delay.

I'd like to clarify a misunderstanding we may have had regarding delivery terms and turn-around time.

It appears that the responsibility should rest with the shipping company.

I'm sorry, but we cannot be responsible for returned goods that are lost in transit.

Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for this damage, which occurred because the hairdryer was plugged into a 220 volt outlet.

3. How to offer suggestions or help?

I suggest that you contact your shipper to start tracing the shipment.

Because we are not responsible for handling damage after the product leaves our plant, we suggest you check with your local store for a possible refund.

We suggest that you deal with the shipping company and the insurers who have covered you on the goods.

4. How to end your letter?

If you need any help in your investigation, please let me know.

Please let me know if I may help further in this matter.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

We appreciate your interest in our products. If you have any other question, please call me at 000-0000.



II. SAMPLE
范文

Dear _________:

Thank you for your letter of ______[date] concerning the goods you ordered ______ weeks ago.

Unlike domestic orders for which we guarantee overnight delivery, international orders take at least _____ weeks for delivery. We have made this clear in the order instruction of our catalog (p. ___). As you will see, shipments for _________[area] usually take _____ weeks.

If you desire faster delivery for your next order, we can send the goods by express delivery. The rate, however, will be considerably higher.

Sincerely yours,



_________[name]
_________[title]



III. TIPS
掌握写作要领

1. Tell the customer that you have received his/her complaint.
2. Tell the customer politely that his/her complaint or claim is not justified.
3. Explain why you are not responsible for the problem.
4. Be helpful in offering assistance or suggestions.
5. When possible, be cooperative in compromise or partial adjustments.

 

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. Thank you for calling to check _____ the status of the coffee makers you ordered from us three weeks ago.
    (A) in
    (B) for
    (C) over
    (D) on

  2. I'm glad to hear that you are pleased ____ the quality of our new model.
    (A) on
    (B) for
    (C) with
    (D) at

  3. I have looked _____ your order, and I can assure you that everything is on schedule.
    (A) at
    (B) on
    (C) within
    (D) into

  4. I'd like to clarify a misunderstanding we may have had _____ delivery terms and turn-around time.
    (A) with regard
    (B) regarding
    (C) in regard as
    (D) as regards to

  5. International orders require a delivery time of four to five weeks _____ the two to three weeks for domestic orders.
    (A) instead of
    (B) in stead of
    (C) instead to
    (D) instead with

  6. We carefully control the quality of our dairy products _____ the time they leave the processing plant. But we can't be responsible for keeping them well refrigerated after the products leave our plant.
    (A) onto
    (B) from
    (C) up to
    (D) during

  7. Every shipment of our exports is strictly inspected by our shipping department before loading, and each package is subject _____ a careful examination.
    (A) for
    (B) under
    (C) with
    (D) to

  8. As our standard terms and conditions of sale state "FOB factory," you should file a damage claim _____ the trucking firm.
    (A) to
    (B) with
    (C) at
    (D) for

  9. I have enclosed a copy of the trucker's pick-up slip, showing that the shipment was in good condition, _____ this will help you in filling a damage claim with trucking company.
    (A) with possibility
    (B) in event
    (C) in case
    (D) in condition

  10. We have enough stock _____ hand to reship your order. If you would like us to do so, please call us with a purchase order.
    (A) on
    (B) in
    (C) off
    (D) by

  11. Installation of the alarm system is a _____ job, and our warranty states clearly that the system must be installed by a technician.
    (A) specious
    (B) speculative
    (C) spectacular
    (D) specialized

  12. I suggest that we send a technician to inspect your house and make the necessary repairs at a _____ cost.
    (A) reasoned
    (B) realistic
    (C) reasonable
    (D) realizable

  13. Although not covered by our warranty, we can repair your printer at factory cost and _____ the warranty for a year from the repair date.
    (A) expand
    (B) lengthen
    (C) prolong
    (D) extend

  14. I am sure we can work out a _____ arrangement to handle the repair of the system.
    (A) satisfied
    (B) satisfactory
    (C) satisfying
    (D) satisfy

  15. After going into the matter carefully we estimate that the damage might be due to _____ handling in transit or during unloading.
    (A) rough
    (B) tough
    (C) hard
    (D) heavy

  16. Because we feel we cannot accept responsibility for handling damage after the product leaves our plant, we suggest you check with your local store for a _____ refund.
    (A) hopeful
    (B) probable
    (C) possible
    (D) hoped

  17. We believe this is a matter for you to _____ with the shipping company or the insurers. The responsibility should rest with either of the parties concerned.
    (A) take in
    (B) take on
    (C) take over
    (D) take up

  18. Consequently we find no _____ to compensate for the loss you claimed for.
    (A) land
    (B) ground
    (C) place
    (D) position




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

via, in, specified, enclosed, however, appears, concerning, at, unless, up

Dear Mr. Larsen:

Thank you for writing us about your irritation (1) the delay in your receipt of the five 15" NPC monitors you ordered.

The delay, (2) , was not caused (3) our end. Following the terms (4) in your Purchase Order, we shipped the monitors (5) International Express before May 10. As you can see from the (6) copy of the bill of lading, the monitors were picked (7) by International Express on May 6.

(8) I have misunderstood something, it (9) that International Express is responsible for the delay. Please let me know if I may help further (10) this matter.

Sincerely,



Mary Huang
Sales Manager

Enclosure




V. WRITING WORKSHOP
写作小作坊


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:

01) Dear Mr. Blake:

02) and we find no ground to compensate for the loss you claimed for.

03) If any of them were damaged when arriving at your end,

04) We are sorry to learn that part of the shipment that you received on July 15 was damaged

05) the goods were in perfect condition when they were shipped,

06) We suggest that you deal with the shipping company and the insurers who have covered you on the goods.

07) The damage, however, was not caused at our end

08) the responsibility should rest with the shipping company.

09) If you need any help in your investigation, please let me know.

10) As you will see from the enclosed copies of Clean Bill of Lading and other documents,

11) and we understand your frustration.

12) and each package was strictly inspected and clearly marked with the necessary care marks.

13)
Sincerely yours,



_________[name]
_________[title]

Enclosure


写作小作坊 叁考答案 (1)

Dear Mr. Blake:

We are sorry to learn that part of the shipment that you received on July 15 was damaged and we understand your frustration.

The damage, however, was not caused at our end and we find no ground to compensate for the loss you claimed for. As you will see from the enclosed copies of Clean Bill of Lading and other documents, the goods were in perfect condition when they were shipped, and each package was strictly inspected and clearly marked with the necessary care marks. If any of them were damaged when arriving at your end, the responsibility should rest with the shipping company.

We suggest that you deal with the shipping company and the insurers who have covered you on the goods. If you need any help in your investigation, please let me know.

Sincerely yours,



_________[name]
_________[title]

Enclosure


2. If you want to write well, you must learn to use punctuation marks correctly. Read the passages below and add punctuation marks and capitalization when necessary. The answer is for your reference.
(加上标点符号并在每个整句的开头将字母大写)




写作小作坊 叁考答案 (2)

Dear Mr. Wang:

I am sorry to learn about the damage to the coffee maker when you were using it in China. Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for this damage. We have clearly specified in the User's Guide that this device is designed to be used only on 110-120 volts electrical current. The same warning can also be seen on the box that contains the coffee maker. If you had kept this instruction in mind, you wouldn't have used the coffee maker on 220 volts current. I regret that we cannot accept your return. If you have any other question, please call me at 000-0000.



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

A Ready-Made Letter for You

Dear _________:

We have received the letter in which you complained about the delay of the __________[goods] you ordered from us.

We are sorry for the inconvenience you have experienced, but we cannot be held responsible for the delay. As you can see from the enclosed copy of the bill of lading, the goods were loaded onto the ship on __________[date], one day before the date specified in your Purchase Order. It appears that the responsibility should rest with _____________[shipping company]. I suggest that you contact them for this matter.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Sincerely yours,



_________[name]
_________[title]