11Orders and their fulfilment

Placing orders
Printed order forms
Most companies have official printed order forms (see Figure 11.1). The advantages
are:

■ such forms are pre-numbered and therefore reference is easy

■ printed headings ensure that no information will be omitted.

Printed on the back of some forms are general conditions under which orders are
placed. It is usual to refer on the front to these conditions, otherwise the supplier
is not legally bound by them.

Letter orders
Smaller companies may not have printed forms but instead place orders in the
form of a letter or email. When sending an order by letter or email, always
ensure accuracy and clarity by including:

■ an accurate and full description of goods required

■ catalogue numbers
■ quantities
■ prices
■ delivery requirements (place, date, mode of transport, whether the order will
be carriage paid or carriage forward, etc) and
■ term of payment previously agreed.

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 PLACING ORDERS

FIGURE 11.1 An order form

Legal position of the parties

According to English law, the buyer’s order is only an offer to buy. The arrange-
ment is not legally binding until the supplier has accepted the offer. After that
both parties are legally bound to honour their agreement.

The buyer’s obligations

When a binding agreement comes into force, the buyer is required by law to:

■ accept the goods supplied as long as they comply with the terms of the
order
■ pay for the goods at the time of delivery or within the period specified by the
supplier
■ check the goods as soon as possible (failure to give prompt notice of faults
to the supplier will be taken as acceptance of the goods).

The supplier’s obligations

The supplier is required by law to:

■ deliver the goods exactly as ordered at the agreed time

■ guarantee the goods to be free from faults of which the buyer could not be
aware at the time of purchase.

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 ROUTINE ORDERS

If faulty goods are delivered, the buyer can demand either a reduction in price,
a replacement of the goods or cancellation of the order. It may also be possible
to claim damages.

Routine orders
Routine orders may be short and formal but they must include essential details
describing the goods, as well as delivery and terms of payment. Where two or
more items are included on an order, they should be listed separately for ease of
reference.

Confirmation of telephone order

Dear

Thanks for your call this morning. I confirm our order as follows:

10 Excelda Table Lamps, 50 cm high Price: £45 each

5 Excelda Standard Lamps Price: £105 each

Colour: Gold

Terms: 40% trade discount

We need these lamps urgently, so I’m glad you can arrange for immediate delivery
from stock.

Please confirm.

Many thanks

TIP Notice how the introduction begins with ‘Thanks for your call this
morning’. Please don’t use stale expressions like ‘We spoke’ or ‘As per
our telecon’ or ‘As spoken’. Use modern language as if you were
speaking. See Chapter 3 for more help.

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 ROUTINE ORDERS

Tabulated order

Dear Martin

Here is our order for books on our usual discount terms of 25% off published prices:

Number of copies Title Author Published

50 Communication for Business Shirley Taylor £9.95

100 Email Etiquette Shirley Taylor £7.95

Please let me know when we can expect delivery.

Many thanks

Order based on quotation

Dear John

Thank you for your quotation of 4 June. Please supply:

Code ST3134
500 CD/DVD Sleeves white window (in packs of 100)
Price: £2.10 per 100 (including VAT)

Please deliver by the end of this month.

Many thanks

Covering email with order form

When a covering email is sent with an order form (as shown in Figure 11.1), all
essential details will be shown on the form and any additional explanations in
the covering email.

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 ACKNOWLEDGING ORDERS

Dear

Thank you for your quotation of 5 July. Our order number TW-237 for four of the
items is attached.

I know you have all these items in stock, and hope you can deliver them within the
next few days. Please call me on 6923848 if you need to discuss.

Many thanks

Acknowledging orders
An order should be acknowledged immediately, especially if it cannot be ful-
filled straight away. For small routine orders a standard email may be enough,
but a short note stating when delivery may be expected also helps to create
goodwill. If the goods cannot be supplied at all, you must explain why and offer
suitable substitutes if they are available.

Formal acknowledgement of routine order

Dear

Thank you for your email and order number TW-237 for bed coverings.

All the items are in stock, so we will be delivering them to you tomorrow afternoon.

We look forward to receiving further orders.

Many thanks

Acknowledgement of a first order

When an order is received from a brand new customer, it should most certainly
be acknowledged by phone call, email or preferably both.

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 ACKNOWLEDGING ORDERS

Refer to the phone call; Dear Laura

make it friendly, as if
you are speaking It was good to speak to you today, and I’m very pleased to receive
your order for cotton prints.

Confirm prices and I can confirm supply of the prints at the prices mentioned in my
delivery information earlier email. Delivery should be made by our own transport early
Give assurance of next week. We feel confident that you will be completely satisfied
satisfaction with these goods and that you will find them of exceptional value
for money.

Mention other goods I wonder if you have checked out the wide range of goods we
and attach any pdfs have available on our website? I’m also attaching a pdf of our
cotton collection that may particularly interest you.

Close with a wish for I look forward to working with you again and to a happy
future business dealings working relationship.

Best wishes

Acknowledgement of order pointing out delayed delivery

When goods ordered cannot be delivered immediately, an email should apologise
for the delay and give an explanation. A delivery date should also be given, if
possible, and express the hope that the customer is not inconvenienced.

Reason for delay: breakdown in production

Dear

Thank you for your order dated 15 March for Imron Hairdriers. I’m sorry that we
cannot supply them immediately due to a recent fire in our factory.

We are hoping to resume production within the next few days and we fully expect to
be able to deliver these hairdriers by the end of next week, ie 14 October.

Please confirm that we can go ahead with this new delivery date.

Once again, many apologies for the inconvenience.

Best wishes

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 DECLINING ORDERS

CAUTION Notice in paragraph one the writer says ‘I’m sorry that’.
Please don’t use ‘We regret that’. This is very old-fashioned now. For
more on 21st century business language please see Chapter 3.

Reason for delay: stocks not available

Dear

Many thanks for your order dated 20 January.

Unfortunately, we are out of stock of the Pink Oversized Tunic (web ID 23421). This
is due to the prolonged cold weather, which has increased demand considerably. The
manufacturers have, however, promised us a further supply by the end of this month.
If you can wait until then we will send you the goods immediately.

Please let us have your instructions.

Name

Declining orders
There may be times when a supplier will not accept a buyer’s order. Some
reasons may be:

■ He is not satisfied with the buyer’s terms and conditions.

■ The buyer’s credit is suspect.
■ The goods are not available.

TIP You must take utmost care when writing to reject an order so that
goodwill and future business are not affected.

Supplier refuses price reduction

When a supplier cannot grant a request for a lower price, reasons should be
given.

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 DECLINING ORDERS

Dear
We have carefully considered your request to reduce our price quoted for woollen
lingerie. However, we are unable to change our quotation for these goods.
The prices we quoted leave us with only the smallest of margins. They are in fact
lower than those of our competitors for goods of similar quality.
The wool used in the manufacture of our Thermaline range undergoes a special
patented process that prevents shrinkage and increases durability. The fact that we
are the largest suppliers of woollen lingerie in this country is in itself evidence of the
good value of our products.
We hope you will reconsider ordering our goods. If you then still feel you cannot accept
our offer, we hope it will not prevent you from contacting us again in the future.
We look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Best wishes

Supplier rejects buyer’s delivery terms

When delivery terms cannot be met, the supplier should show a genuine desire
to help customers in difficulty.

Dear Mr Johnson
Thank you Thank you for your order R345 24 for 10 x ST32LW Full LED TV.
Mention that delivery However, we are not able to deliver before the end of November
date cannot be met as you requested.
Further details regarding The manufacturers of these goods are finding it impossible to
demand for the goods meet current demand for this popular model. We placed an order
and how orders are for 100 sets one month ago and were informed that all orders
being dealt with were being met in strict rotation. Unfortunately, we will not
receive the goods before the end of January.
I understand from our telephone conversation this morning that
your customers are unwilling to consider other brands, and I can
Give an alternative appreciate the popularity of the ST brand. We do have reasonable
stocks of the ST44LW and the ST37LW, if you wish us to supply
This suggestion that the these instead. If not, can I suggest that you try Prime Vision of Leeds.
customer should try They usually carry large stocks and may be able to help you.
another supplier is sure to
All the best
be appreciated. This will
help to build goodwill Name

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 COUNTER-OFFERS FROM SUPPLIERS

Supplier refuses to extend credit

If a previous account remains unpaid, the utmost tact is necessary when reject-
ing another order. Nothing is more likely to offend a customer than the sugges-
tion that they may not be trustworthy. In this email, the writer tactfully avoids
suggestion of mistrust, and instead gives internal difficulties as the reason for
refusing further credit.

Dear Mr Richardson

We were pleased to receive your order BW435 for a further supply of Coffee
Grinders and Bread Makers.

At present the balance of your account stands at £1,800.54, and unfortunately we are
unable to grant credit for further supplies until this balance is reduced. I hope you can
appreciate that we do have commitments of our own to meet, and we can only do this
by asking our customers to keep their accounts within reasonable limits.

If you can send us your cheque for at least £1,000, we will be happy to supply these
new goods immediately.

Thank you for your understanding.

Name

Counter-offers from suppliers

When a supplier receives an order that cannot be met for some reason, several
options are available:

1 Send a substitute. However, careful judgement will be required, since there

is the risk that the customer may be annoyed to receive something different
from what was ordered. It is advisable to send a substitute only if a customer
is well known or if there is a clear need for urgency. Such substitutes should
be sent ‘on approval’, with the supplier accepting responsibility for carriage
charges both ways.
2 Make a counter-offer.
3 Decline the order.

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 COUNTER-OFFERS FROM SUPPLIERS

Supplier sends a substitute article

Dear

Many thanks for your email and order RS980.

All the items are in stock except for the 25 Macy cushion covers in strawberry pink.
Stocks of these have recently sold out, and the manufacturers inform us that it will be
another four weeks before they can send replacements.

As you state that you need these items urgently, we have substituted 25 Macy
cushion covers in a fuschia pink. These are identical in design and quality to those
ordered. They are attractive and rich-looking, and very popular with our other
customers. We hope you will find them satisfactory. If not, please return them at our
expense. We shall be glad either to exchange them or to arrange credit.

All items will be on our delivery schedule tomorrow. We hope you will be pleased
with them.

Many thanks

TIP Notice in the first paragraph ‘Many thanks for your email and order
RS980’. This is better than ‘We have received your order RS980’.

Supplier makes a counter-offer

If the supplier decides to make a counter-offer, a great deal of skill is needed to
bring about a sale. The supplier is, after all, offering something that has not been
asked for. Therefore, it is important that the suggested substitute is at least as
good as the one ordered.

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 PACKING AND DESPATCH

Dear

Thank you Thank you for your email and order for 800 metres of 100 cm
wide watered silk.

Respond to the enquiry I am sorry to say that we can no longer supply this silk. Fashions
and apologise that the constantly change, and in recent years the demand for watered
fabric ordered is no silks has fallen to such an extent that we no longer produce them.
longer available
Mention a replacement In their place we can offer our new Butterfly brand of rayon.
and give assurance of This is a finely woven, hard-wearing, non-creasable material
quality and reliability with a very attractive shine. We receive a lot of repeat orders
from leading distributors and dress manufacturers, giving clear
evidence of the widespread popularity of this brand. At the low
Include price price of only £4.20 per metre, this rayon is much cheaper than silk
information and its appearance is just as attractive.

Mention other products We also manufacture other fabrics and you can find full details
you have available on our website. All these fabrics are selling very well in many
countries and can be supplied from stock. If you decide to place
Give delivery details an order we can arrange for shipment within one week.

Please drop me a note or call me on 6283842 if you have any

questions.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Packing and despatch

When goods are despatched, the buyer should be informed either by an advice
note or by email stating what has been sent, when it was sent, and the means of
transport used. The customer then knows that the goods are on the way and can
make arrangements to receive them.

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 PACKING AND DESPATCH

Request for forwarding instructions

Dear

We are pleased to confirm that the 10 Carmen CY430 projectors that you ordered on
15 October are now ready for despatch.

When placing your order you stressed the importance of prompt delivery, and I am
glad to say that by making a special effort we have been able to improve by a few days
on the delivery date agreed.

Please let us have your shipping instructions, and as soon as we hear from you we will
send you our advice of despatch.

Many thanks

Advice of goods ready for despatch

Dear

We are pleased to confirm that the books you ordered in your order XY239 dated
3 April are packed and ready for despatch. The consignment consists of two cases,
each weighing about 100 kg.

We have made arrangements for shipment, cif Singapore, with Watsons plc, our
forwarding agents. When we receive their statement of charges, we will arrange
for shipping documents to be sent to you through RBS Bank against our draft for
acceptance, as agreed.

We look forward to further business with you.

TIP You can see commonly used terminology like ‘cif’ in Chapter 10.

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 PACKING AND DESPATCH

Notification of goods despatched

Dear

ORDER NUMBER S 274

The 40 Bukhara silk rugs you ordered on 5 January have been packed in four special
waterproof-lined cases. They will be collected tomorrow for consignment by passen-
ger train, and should reach you by Friday.

We feel sure you will find the consignment supports our claim to sell the best rugs of
their kind.

We look forward to receiving further orders from you.

Please call us on 26919847 if you have any queries.

Report of damage in transit

It is the legal duty of the buyer to collect any purchases from the supplier.
Unless the terms of the sale include delivery, the railway or other carrier is con-
sidered the agent of the buyer. The buyer is, therefore, responsible for any loss,
damage or delay which may affect the goods after the carrier has taken over.

Dear

ORDER NUMBER S 274

I am sorry to inform you that one of the four cases containing 40 Bukhara silk rugs
despatched on 28 January was delivered damaged. The waterproof lining was badly
torn and it will be necessary to send these 10 rugs for cleaning before we can offer
them for sale.

Please arrange to send replacements immediately and charge them to our account.

We realise that the responsibility for damage is ours and have already taken up the
matter of compensation with the railway authorities.

I hope to hear from you soon.

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 PACKING AND DESPATCH

Report of non-delivery of goods

When goods do not arrive as promised, avoid the tendency to blame the supplier
as it may not be their fault. Your email or letter should be restricted to a state-
ment of the facts and a request for information.

Dear

ORDER NUMBER S 524

You wrote to us on 28 January informing us that the 40 Bukhara silk rugs under this
order were being despatched.

We expected these goods a week ago and had promised immediate delivery to
several customers. We naturally feel our customers have been let down.

Please find out what has happened to the consignment and let us know when we may
expect delivery.

Many thanks

CAUTION You must take particular care to watch your tone in written
messages so that you do not offend or anger the reader. Find out more
about appropriate tone in Chapter 16.

Complaint to carrier concerning non-delivery

Upon receiving the report of non-delivery the supplier should at once take up
the matter with the carriers. The message should be confined to the facts and ask
for an immediate enquiry into the circumstances.

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 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Dear

We understand that a consignment of 40 Bukhara silk rugs addressed to W Hart &

Co, 25 – 27 Marshall Avenue, Warrington has not yet reached them.

These cases were collected by your carrier on 28 January for consignment by

passenger train, and they should have been delivered by 1 February. We have your
carrier’s receipt number 3542.

As our customer needs these goods urgently, please let us know the cause of the
delay and when delivery will be made.

Please treat this matter as one of extreme urgency.

Many thanks

Useful expressions
Placing orders
Openings
■ Thank you for your quotation of ___.
■ We have received your quotation of ___ and enclose our official order form.
■ Please supply the following items as soon as possible:

Closes
■ As these goods are needed urgently, we look forward to prompt delivery.
■ Please acknowledge receipt of this order and confirm that you will be able
to deliver by ___.
■ We hope to receive your advice of delivery within the next two days.

Acknowledging orders
Openings
■ Thank you for your order dated ___.
■ We are sorry to inform you that the goods ordered on ___ cannot be supplied.

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 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Closes
■ We hope the goods reach you safely and that you will be pleased with them.
■ We hope you will find the goods satisfactory and look forward to receiving
your further orders.
■ We are pleased to say that these goods have been despatched today (will be
despatched in ___/are now awaiting collection at ___).

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