The service provider or supplier of the goods against whom a complaint or claim is lodged writes adjustment letters. Most suppliers wish to hear if customers have cause to complain. It also provides an opportunity to investigate, explain, and rectify the situation.
In this way, good relations and goodwill are preserved. Receiving such complaints may also suggest ways to improve the supplier’s products or services.
Adjustment letters may be positive when they grant an adjustment or accept the claim or negative when they do not accept the adjustment or disown the claim. The following discussion will help deal with both of these situations effectively.
Adjustment Grand or Grant a Claim
It is a positive newsletter. Therefore, follow a direct order approach, as in other good-news presentations. Look at the following guidelines:
- Need to overcome a negative impression: The unpleasant experience of the buyer may focus in two directions – on the company and on the product or service. So, remove the bad impression by giving a favorable description of the organization’s quality service and authenticity.
- Directly present the decision: State the answer directly. Choose words for a preventive effect.
- Avoid negativeness: That is, avoid negative references to the problem. So,
- Avoid words that will tend to make the reader recall the bad situation you are correcting.
- Your goal is to change your reader’s mental pictures.
- Emphasize correcting the wrong, not the wrong itself.
- Regain the lost confidence of the customer: Present information about the correction as convincingly and positively as you can.
- Show happiness in the close: End the letter with a pleasant, positive comment. Adapt the close to the specific case. Avoid negative references and do not apologize because it will remind the customers of the loss and make them unhappy.
Sample of A Claim Granting Letter
| Specimen of A Claim Granting Letter |
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| [Date] [Recipient Name] [Recipient Position] [Recipient Company Name] [Recipient Address] Dear [Recipient Name], Thank you for your letter dated [Date of the letter received] regarding the [specific issue or damage]. We have reviewed the details and acknowledge the validity of your claim. We will make the necessary adjustments in the upcoming shipment. Upon thorough examination of the documents provided, we are convinced that your claim is genuine and justified. It is [Your Company Name]’s commitment to promptly address and rectify any valid concerns, as our customers’ satisfaction is of utmost importance to us. We take pride in our meticulous packaging process. Each package undergoes a rigorous quality check by our experienced supervisors before dispatch. Furthermore, we are in the process of introducing advanced packaging machinery to enhance the safety and security of our products. We are confident that these measures will elevate the experience for our valued customers. We are grateful for the opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to serving you. We are committed to delivering quality products and services in the future and look forward to a continued business relationship. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Position] [Your Company Name] [Your Company Address] |
Adjustment Refusal Letter
The letters refusing adjustment of claims are bad news letters. The readers may be upset. Fortunately, most claims are legitimate, and most companies try hard to do what they can to correct any damage or mistake they have caused. But sometimes, claims are not well founded.
- They may be based on wrong information.
- They may even approach fraudulence. On such occasions, the company is likely to say no to the customers. So, say no clearly and diplomatically in such cases. It requires your utmost effort in strategy and writing skills. When the time comes to compose such bad news, you must address two
basic questions:- The first is, what tone will best contribute to the massage effectively?
- The second question is, what arrangement of the main idea and supporting data will most completely cause the audience’s disappointment?
You may be dealing with someone who is upset about the situation and rises to the claim. Someone whose mental filters contain incomplete knowledge and biased judgments on the case.
Of course, some know that their claims are weak, perhaps biased opinions on the matter. All are likely to resist any effort to justify the refusal.
Establish a buffer.
The first step is to put the audience in an accepting mood by making a mental, non-controversial statement closely related to the point of the message.
Building up the audience at the beginning only makes the subsequent letdown even more painful. In some way, you are to overcome your reader’s negative reaction to your message. Here, you must say no and maintain goodwill.
So, one must be careful in developing the basic strategy to successfully establish a buffer. Observe the following:
- Your refusal must be based on legitimate reasons.
- You must present facts and make the reader believe them.
- You must be credible and ethical.
- Identify all the facts of the case as completely and clearly as you can. Of
course they should support your refusal. - Use a topic of mutual agreement or a mental topic to start, but keep to
the subject of the letters. - Indicate your full understanding of the nature of the complaints.
- Avoid all areas of disagreement.
- Avoid any hint of your final decision.
- Put yourself in the readers’ place and look for their viewpoints,
reasoning wherever it can be logically supported. - Avoid saying no now. Use a know-it-all tone. Do not apologize.
- Keep the buffer brief and to the point.
- Review the case again.
- Maintain a confident, positive, and supportive tone.
Set up reasons
The reasons will follow the buffer neutrally. Present reasons to show that your decision is justifiable and fair. Cover the more positive points first and then move to the less positive ones. Provide enough details for the audience to understand your reasons. But be concise; a long, sound explanation may make the audience impatient.
DOs:
- Provide an accurate, factual account of the transaction.
- Offer enough detail to show the logic of your position.
- Emphasize the ways the product has been handled rather than the reader’s negligence.
- Word the explanation so that the reader can anticipate the refusal.
- Avoid relying upon explained policy.
- Avoid accusing or preaching.
- Do not blame or scold the reader.
- Do not make the reader appear to feel stupid.
- Acknowledge the claim incidentally or in the subject line.
- Express concerns for the reader’s well-being
- Show respect for the honest intention.
- Make the explanation believable, factual, and ethical.
- Be persuasive
- Write positively and honestly.
- Inject a brief resale note after the explanation.
Present the Bad News
News. Now, you present the refusal directly. So, consider the following points:
- Make the refusal clear by tactful wording.
- Avoid any hint that your decision is less than final.
- Avoid words such as reject and claim.
- The refusal should flow logically from the explanation.
- Make a counter proposal for a compromise statement or practical adjustment in a willing tone. If desirable, a spirit of honest cooperation would be extended without making it sound like a penalty.
- Include a resale note for the company or firm.
- Emphasize a desire for of good relationship in the future.
- Extend an offer to replace the product or provide a replacement part at the regular price.
Positive, friendly, helpful close.
- Eliminate any reference to your refusal.
- Avoid any apology.
- Eliminate words suggesting uncertainty.
- Refer to enclosed sales materials
- Make any suggestion action to comply with.
- End with off subject, friendly comment. Tell about the new product, favourable image of the company
Sample Of Adjustment Refusal Letter
| Specimen Of Adjustment Refusal Letter |
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| [Date] [Recipient Name] [Recipient Position] [Recipient Company Name] [Recipient Address] Dear [Recipient Last Name], Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns regarding the recent shipment you received. We deeply regret the inconvenience you experienced upon receiving the damaged goods. We value our customers’ feedback and appreciate the opportunity to address this matter. [Your Company Name] has been in the [specific industry] for over [number of years, e.g., “five decades”]. Throughout our journey, we have consistently strived to uphold a reputation for excellence, quality, and integrity. Our comprehensive quality control system ensures that every product is packaged with utmost care, utilizing state-of-the-art mechanical devices to ensure accuracy and protection. Based on the information provided, it appears that the packaging was compromised, resulting in damage to some of the goods. However, it’s important to note that the shipment was inspected by your representative and accepted by the shipping authority in its delivered state. This suggests that the damage occurred post-dispatch, likely due to mishandling during transit. As much as we empathize with the situation, we cannot assume responsibility for damages that occurred outside our control. On a brighter note, we are excited to inform you that we have launched a new range of [specific product or equipment, e.g., “advanced telecommunication equipment”]. Please find the attached catalogue for your reference. We believe these innovations will greatly benefit our esteemed clients like you. We value our business relationship and hope to continue serving you in the future. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Position] [Your Company Name] [Your Company Address] Enclosure: Catalogue of new products. |