CC Unit 7, Complaints and Adjustments

Commercial Correspondence Unit 7

Complaints and Adjustments

Complaints, Claims and Adjustments

A complaint letter informs the company that the customer is dissatisfied with the goods or services.

A claim is a complaint to inform the company of the problem and suggest a fair compensation.

An adjustment is the company’s reply to the complaint/claim. 2

Complaints and Adjustments

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Why are there complaints?

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Making a written complaint

Points to remember before making complaints:

1.Make your complaint at once.2.Purpose: not to express anger but to get results. Therefore: avoid a rude, hostile or demanding tone.3.Do not assume that the supplier is automatically to blame.

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Making a written complaint

Six parts:

1. Opening2. State of goods in further details3. Explanation of the problem

(optional)4. Enclosed documents5. Suggestions for solutions6. Closing

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Opening

Acknowledge the consignment: name of goods, order number, name of vessel, delivery dates…

Describe briefly the problem

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Opening

• We would like to inform you that the consignment of … was in damage.

• I am writing to complain about the consignment of … shipped by/ carried by/ shipped on board (name of vessel), arriving at (port) on (date) …

• … which arrived at Sai Gon port on (date)• … under/against Order No. P123/ the

above order8

Opening

• I am writing with reference to Order No. P32, which we received yesterday.

• We thank you for so promptly delivering (the goods) we ordered on (date). However, on its arrival at Sai Gon port on (date), it was reported (found/ discovered) missing (short-delivered/ damaged/ in damage/ in a damaged condition/ in a short and damaged condition).

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State of the goods in further details

• Upon the arrival of the consignment (goods) at the port, it was found (discovered) that …

• On opening the parcel received this morning we found that …

• When we opened the cases (we had the cases opened), it was found that …

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State of the goods in further details

• ... under (with/by) the supervision of an inspector (a surveyor) from Vinacontrol in Ho Chi Minh City

• ...with the presence of the representatives from the local Vinacontrol, the condition of the goods has been stated as follows.

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State of the goods in further details

Wrong Delivery•Against 20 items ordered (stated in the invoice), the actual consignment consists of only 18 items. •There is a difference between your invoice and the packing list. The actual consignment …•In accordance (conformity) with our contract, the consignment must include…, but we found…•The delivery consisted of … instead of … I asked for.

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State of the goods in further details

Low Quality•The goods are not up to our requirements (expectations).•The goods do not tally with the samples.•The consignment does not meet the standard we required.•The quality is low. (inferior to/ below the standard)

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State of the goods in further details

Damage•Out of 20 items ordered (received), 2 items have been seriously broken (crushed/ dented).•The boxes were damaged and looked as if they had been broken open in transit (during transportation).•Case No. 12 under the above order was reported damaged.

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Explanation of the problem

• We presume (reckon/suppose) that …• The representatives from Vinacontrol hold

(maintain) that …• The shortage was due to the mistake in packing.

(due to careless/improper/inadequate/ poor packaging).

• I think the reason that wrong sizes have been sent to me is because I am ordering in metric sizes, and you are sending me sizes measured in feet and inches. 15

Enclosed documents

• To prove the situation (what we have said) …

• To support our complaint (case), we enclose herewith: a Survey Report (SV) (Biên bản giám định) a Cargo Outturned Report (COR) (Biên bản dỡ

hàng) a Report on Receipt of Cargo (ROROC) (Biên bản

nhận hàng với tàu) a packing list/ an invoice/ a Bill of Lading 16

Suggestions for solutions

• to put (hold) the goods aside at one’s disposal• to put aside (on one side/at our warehouse) until

receiving further instructions• to return the goods by parcel post for immediate

replacement• to return (send back) the goods at your expense• to sell (dispose) the goods at the highest

possible (obtainable) price

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Suggestions for solutions

• to arrange to deliver the remaining items as soon as possible

• to send the replacements before (by) …• to pick up the wrongly-delivered goods• to offer a discount (a price reduction/ a

credit for the next orders)• to arrange shipment of the missing goods/

to arrange for repairs within (not later than) … 18

Closing

Express hope for a prompt and satisfactory solution of the problem•We look forward to your sensible (acceptable/ satisfactory) solution.•We hope you will look into (take up) the matter and have it solved immediately.•We hope the matter would be put right in no time (at once).

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Closing

• In case there is no satisfactory solution within a month, we have no choice but (we are obliged) to take legal action.

• We feel there must be some explanation for this delay and await your prompt reply.

• We hope to learn that you are prepared to make some allowance in these circumstances.

• I hope to receive a complete refund soon. 20

The language of complaints

1. Avoid emotional terms like disgusted, infuriated, or amazed. Dissatisfaction can be expressed by saying:

• We are far from satisfied with the service you offer.

• Please ensure that this sort of problem does not arise again.

• Unless you can fulfil our orders efficiently in the future we will have to consider changing to another supplier. 21

The language of complaints

2. Use the passive and impersonal structures to avoid being rude or personal.

Make the following sentences more polite:Make the following sentences more polite:• You must correct your mistake as soon as

possible.• You made an error on the statement.• You don’t understand the terms of discount.

We told you to deduct discount from net prices, not CIF prices. 22

The language of complaints

2. Use the passive and impersonal structures to avoid being rude or personal.

• The mistake must be corrected as soon as possible.

• There appears to be an error on the statement.

• There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding terms of discount. Discount is deducted from net prices, not CIF prices. 23

The language of complaints

3. Avoid using words like your/our fault or blame.

For example:• It is not our fault. It is probably the fault of

your despatch department.

Instead, write:• The mistake could not have originated

here, and must be connected with the despatch of the goods. 24

Practice 1Nam Viet Co., Ltd.

50 Truong Chinh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

Your Ref:Our Ref:

NP/26Date:______

Pyramid Co.235 High StreetSingapore 20073

Dear Mr SmithRe: Contract No. 107/05

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Practice 1We are writing with reference to the above contract covering a purchase of 1,000 mirrors packed in one container, which arrived at Hai Phong port on 5 January 20__.

(We received the consignment of 1,000 mirrors packed in one container against the above contract, which arrived at Hai Phong port on 5 January 20__.)

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Practice 1However, on unpacking the container under the supervision of the Customs and local Vinacontrol’s representatives, it was found that out of 100 cartons, 20 had (contained) broken goods, estimated at about 15% of the contract value, equivalent to US$2,500.00 (an equivalence of US$2,500.00).

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Practice 1We proceeded to have a Survey Report made and it confirmed our findings that this problem arose in transit (during transportation) and resulted from substandard (poor) packages which are not suitable for fragile goods. It appears that the packaging was not in conformity with our packing instructions sent to you before shipment.

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Practice 1

On the strength (basis) of the Survey Report we would like to lodge (register) our claim as follows: + Damaged goods value US$ 2,500.00

+ Inspection fee : US$ 150.00+ Total claim: US$ 2,650.00

Would you please pay the above sum by T/T to our account at Vietinbank on account No. … stated in the contract.

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Practice 1We would like you to pay due (proper) attention to the packaging of the next orders that contain fragile glass items.We look forward to your early settlement for this claim.Yours sincerely (Signed)Nguyen PhuongDirector

Enc. Documents required for the claim.

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