1. A mail order house discovered that its files contained the names of 10,000 people who had once been customers but who had not bought anything for the last two or three years. Write a letter in the name of the manager frankly asking why the customer has stopped buying. Advertise the stock.
2. One correspondent in reply demands a return of $16, which he had paid for a coat that was "not worth a cent." How would you reply to this letter so that the one making the complaint would send in an order? Write the letter.
In connection with this exercise study the following letter:
Dear Sir:
We wish to acknowledge your letter of April 16, in which you say that on April 14 you received a bill for five S & Q Railway bonds, which Mr. Wensley had sold you on the 11th at 100 and interest; that you sent us your check for the amount on the same day; and that on the 16th, two days afterward, you received a letter from us, offering a new block of these bonds at 99 and interest.
This complication was brought about through a peculiar chain of circumstances, an explanation of which, we feel, is only just both to you and to us. When Mr. Wensley came to the office on Saturday, the 12th, he told us that he had your order for five of these bonds at 100¼ and interest. The market price was then 100 and interest, and we were very glad to give you the benefit of the more favorable price. At that time we had no intimation that more of these bonds were coming on the market. Quite unexpectedly on Monday we received notice from our Boston office that they had in view a new block of the bonds. Even at that time we did not know definitely that we would get them. On Tuesday, again quite unexpectedly, we were instructed by our Boston office that the bonds had been secured and were to be offered immediately at 99 and interest. So suddenly did the entire transaction take place that we were unable to prepare a new circular, and on Tuesday night we merely sent out a letter, telling our customers that we had an additional block of these bonds. In fact, the new circular will not be ready until about noon of to-morrow.
We realize that you should have been informed of the new price. The bonds, however, came on the market so quickly and in taking care of the details of the offering we were so busy that the matter, unfortunately, was overlooked. We are glad, therefore, to make adjustment of the price now by having our banking department send you our check for $50.
It is unnecessary for us to say, we presume, that we regret this occurrence and to assure you that had we known of the new bonds on Saturday we would have advised you to hold off your purchase until the offering was ready. We feel that you know us and the policy of our house well enough to be sure that we would not willfully take advantage of you in this way. We trust that the arrangement that we have made satisfactorily straightens out the matter.
Yours very truly,
Exercise 235