CC unit 7, complaints and adjustments

State of goods in further details 3.. • 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/ dis

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.

Complaints and Adjustments

Why are there complaints?

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.

Making a written complaint

Six parts:

1. Opening

2. State of goods in further details

3. Explanation of the problem (optional)

4. Enclosed documents

5. Suggestions for solutions

6. Closing

• 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 order

• 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)

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 …

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.

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

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)

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

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.

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

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

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) …

•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

• 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

The language of complaints

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

arise again.

future we will have to consider changing to another supplier.

The language of complaints

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

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.

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

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

Practice 1

Nam Viet Co., Ltd.

50 Truong Chinh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

Your Ref:

Our Ref: NP/26 Date:

Pyramid Co.

235 High Street

Singapore 20073

Dear Mr Smith

Practice 1

We 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 .)

equivalence of US$2,500.00)

Practice 1

We 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.

stated in the contract

Practice 1

We 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