Inquiry 에 대해서 회신하는 편지는 상대방에게 전하는 이쪽의 첫 의사표시이니만큼 그 내용이 가부(可否)를 막론하고 우선 신속히 회신해 주어야 한다는 것은 앞에서도 언급한 바 있으며 많은 예문에서 본 바와 같이 Reply 편지의 구조를 보면 대개 서두구절 (opening clauses), 본문구절 (main clauses) , 그리고 결미구절 (closing clauses) 로 구분할 수 있다.
A. 서두구절 (Opening Clauses)
a) 정상적인 경우 (Normal Reply)
정상적인 경우란 Inquiry 가 온 후 너무 지체됨이 없이 기일내에 회신하는 경우인데 대개 다음과 같은 표현들이 많이 쓰인다.
1. Thank you for your inquiry of ∼.
2. Please accept our thanks for your inquiry of ∼.
3. We acknowledge with thanks your inquiry about ∼.
4. Many thanks for your inquiry of ∼.
5. We are in receipt of your inquiry of ∼, for which we thank you.
b) 지연된 경우 (Delayed Reply)
고의적이건 불가항력이었간에 제 때에(within a reasonable period of time) 회신을 못하고 지연되었을 경우에는 다음과 같이 표현할 수 있다.
1. Please accept my apology for not having answered sooner.
2. I am sorry for not having written you sooner.
3. As the writer was out of the country (town, city) for a week, this reply has been delayed till now, for which we ask your understanding.
4. Due to my poor health, I could not attend to the normal businss affairs for about a month, which caused this unusual delay in replying to your kind inquiry dated ∼.
5. Due to the misdirected mail within our organization your inquiry of ∼ came to my attention only this morning.
6. Your letter of ∼ was mis-sent to Manila by some strange mix-up at the post office and found the right address only yesterday.
7. I am replying only today to your letter of fortnight ago, to which I have no other excuse but to blame my very bad habit of procrastination.
8. Forgive me for this belated letter.
B. 본문구절 (Main Clauses)
회신 내용에 핵심이 되는 본문구절은 워낙 그 범위가 넓고 다양해서 모든 경우를 한꺼번에 묶어 일반화된 표현을 쓰기는 대단히 어렵다. 회신 내용에는 단순한 거절도 있고 애결하며 요구하는 사연도
있을 수 있으며 견본 요구로부터 할인가격의 요청까지 각양 각색(各樣各色)이기 때문이다. 그러나 가장 많이 쓰이고 일반화된 표현들을 적어 보면 다음과 같은 것들이 있다.
1. We shall appreciate it if you can send us samples along with quotations.
2. In accordance (compliance) with your request, we are sending you ∼.
3. In reply to your inquiry of ∼we submit our quotation as follows.
4. Please offer us ∼.
5. Please send us samples (color cuts, patterns, etc) of your product.
6. We can give you immediate delivery from our stock.
7. We regret to inform you that we cannot comply with your request due to the lack of raw material.
8. We are fully booked to the end of this year.
9. Yes, we do have the exact quality you inquired for.
10. We are not interested in your products for the time being.
11. We are very satisfied with our regular supplier and do not want to switch our source of supply at this time.
12. As we are not the manufacturer, you are requested to include our commission when opening the letter of credit.
13. Enclosed, you will find our check of U.S. $20.00 covering the samples you send to us.
14. Please send the samples by air parcel post (air cargo).
15. We shall, of course, bear the cost of samples and postages.
C. 결미구절(Closing Clauses)
끝맺는 구절에는 거절하는 경우일지라도 다음에 또 연락하자는 여운을 남겨야하며 거래가능성이 있는경우에는 기회를 놓치지 말고 무엇이든지 잘 해 주겠으니 거래를 성사시켜 보자는 내용이나, 견본을 잘 받아 보기 바라며 이 기회를 통해서 좋은 거래선(去來先)이 되기를 바란다는 식의 상대방과 계속된 유대를 이어 나갈 수 있는 끝맺음을 해야 한다. 즉, 끝맺음에 이어 다음 서신을 하는데 하등(何等)의 어색함이 없이 연결된 상태가 될 수 있도록 함이 좋다.
1. We hope that our samples reach you in good condition and shall expect your favorable reply soon.
2. If you are satisfied with our samples and quotations, my we expect your initial order by return mail?
3. As the prices are bullish we suggest you to place an immediate order.
4.. If you can place an order with us within this month, we can supply you with the goods at the old price.
5. May we have the pleasure of hearing from you again on this matter?
6. We shall contact you at other time when the market conditions here change for the better (improve) .
7. It will be our great pleasure to serve you at any time .
8. Let us hope that this is only the beginning of many years of profitable business for both of us.
D. 신용조회에 대한 회신
a) 유리한 회신을 할 때
1.In response to/Replying your inquiry of ∼, we are glad to
supply/furnish/give you the following information.
2. They are known for their prompt settlement of bills.
3. They enjoy an almost unlimited credit with their bankers.
4. The firm enjoys an excellent reputation/an absolute confidence
among the business circles here.
5. They deserve all the credit you can give.
6. We endorse fully their reliability as businessmen.
7. The company is composed of men of integrity and responsibility.
b) 불리한 회신을 할 때
1.We are sorry/regret to inform you that the company you referred is known to be in poor financial condition.
2. We regret to give you an unfavorable report on the firm you inquired.
3. They are said to be slow in settling their bills.
4. They are, by no means, the most desirable customer and you would be better off without taking them into your account.
5. If you are considering of doing business with them, you had better be alert all the time as they are known to stab you in the back.
6. You will run a high risk if you deal with them.