How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) Part 37

Very truly yours, Harold Grant.

or, according to the circ.u.mstances any of the following may be used:

I desire to open a line of credit _________________________ I desire to open an account _______________________________ I desire to maintain an open account ______________________ I desire to maintain a charge account _____________________

_Replies to application for credit_

HOYT & JENNINGS 32 EAST 48TH ST.

NEW YORK

May 8, 1923.

Mr. Harold Grant, 48 Dey Street, New York.

Dear Sir:

May we thank you for your letter of May 3rd in which you expressed a desire to have an account with us?

We enclose a copy of our usual form and trust that we shall have the privilege of serving you.

Yours very truly, (Handwritten) _F. Burd.i.c.k_, Credit Manager, Hoyt & Jennings.

HOYT & JENNINGS 32 EAST 48TH STREET NEW YORK

May 18, 1923.

Mr. Harold Grant, 48 Dey Street, New York.

Dear Sir:

We are glad to notify you that, in accordance with your request, a charge account has been opened in your name.

At the beginning of our new business relations, we wish to a.s.sure you that we shall try to give satisfaction, both with our goods and with our service. Whenever you purchase an article, it is simply necessary that you inform the sales person waiting on you that you have a charge account--and then give your name and address.

As is customary in our business, a statement of purchases made during the preceding month will be rendered and will be due on the first of each month.

We are awaiting with pleasant antic.i.p.ation the pleasure of serving you.

Very truly yours, (Handwritten) _F. Burd.i.c.k_, Credit Manager, Hoyt & Jennings.

_Refusing credit_

(This is one of the most difficult of all letters to write and one in which extreme care should be used for it may happen that the references have not replied accurately or that there may be somewhere an error.

Many people ent.i.tled to credit have never asked for it and therefore have trouble in giving references. A brusque refusal will certainly destroy a potential customer and is always to be avoided. The best plan is to leave the matter open. Then, if the applicant for credit has really a standing, he will eventually prove it.)

HOYT & JENNINGS 32 EAST 48TH STREET NEW YORK

Mr. Harold Grant, 48 Dey Street, New York.

Dear Sir:

May we thank you for your letter of May 5th and for the names of those whom you were kind enough to give as references?

The information that we have received from them is unfortunately not quite complete enough for the purposes of our formal records. Would you care to furnish us with further references in order that the account may be properly opened?

Or perhaps you would rather call in person.

Very truly yours, (Handwritten) _F. Burd.i.c.k_, Credit Manager, Hoyt & Jennings.

_Where an order has been sent in by one who has not opened an account_

GREGORY SUPPLY CO.

114 MAIN STREET BALTIMORE, MD.

July 13, 1923.

J. K. Cramer & Brothers, New Suss.e.x, Md.

Gentlemen:

We write to thank you for your order of July 10th, amounting to $320 and we are anxious to make s.h.i.+pment quickly.

Our records do not show that we have previously been receiving your orders and hence unfortunately we have not the formal information desired by our credit department so that we can open the account that we should like to have in your name. For we trust that this will be only the first of many purchases.

Will you favor us by filling out the form enclosed and mailing it back as soon as convenient? The information, of course, will be held strictly confidential.

We are preparing the order for s.h.i.+pment and it will be ready to go out.

Yours truly, (Handwritten) _B. Allen_, Credit Manager Gregory Supply Co.

LETTERS TO REFERENCES GIVEN BY THE APPLICANT

_To a bank_ (A bank will not give specific information)

GREGORY SUPPLY CO.

114 MAIN STREET BALTIMORE, MD.

July 25, 1923.

Haines National Bank, Baltimore, Md.

Gentlemen: