Model Business Letters, Emails and Other Business Documents, 7th Edition

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Enquiries and replies

Enquiries for information about goods or services are sent and received in business all the time. Today it’s usual for routine enquiries to be made on the telephone or in a simple email. Here are some guidelines when writing an enquiry:

1. State clearly and concisely what you want – general information, a catalogue, price list, sample, quotation, etc.
2. If there is a limit to the price at which you are prepared to buy, do not mention this, otherwise the supplier may raise the quotation to the limit you state.
3. Most suppliers state their terms of payment when replying so there is no need for you to ask for them unless you are hoping for special rates.
4. Keep your enquiry brief and straight to the point.

Enquiries mean potential ...