2．Inquiry Reply

All inquiries should be answered，even those that cannot for some reason be given a complete response．An inquiry indicates interest in your company and a potential customer．The inquiry reply should be designed not only to increase that interest，but to inspire the inquirer to act．

An inquiry reply should begin by thanking the reader，acknowledging the interest in your company，and end by offering further assistance—but only if you actually want additional inquiries from this person．The substance of an inquiry reply is usually information．You should include not just the specific facts your correspondent requested，but any others that may be of help．If you cannot provide all the relevant data right away，you should promise it．

Dear Mr．Liang，

Thank you for your interest in A＆M equipment．We are happy to supply you with the information you requested．

The following prices are quoted per dozen CIF New York Port．Individual units are slightly higher:

Items　1 Dozen:

A－1 Garment Turner　$ 180．00

A－1 Automatic Winder　$ 90．00

Ace Thread Trimmer　$ 120．00

No-Slip Feed Puller　$ 132．00

In case you have any further questions，Mr．Liang，please do not hesitate to call．I can be reached between 8:30 a．m．and 6:00 p．m．at 201－881－9412．

Sincerely yours，

Finally，it should be noted that whether you are sending an inquiry or responding to an inquiry，you should give as many details as possible to avoid misunderstanding and confusion．

The following letter will run into trouble:

Dear Sirs，

This is an inquiry letter for your newly-developed product．

Please send me one of your weather vanes which I saw advertised for $ 34．95．We have recently repainted our garage，and a weather vane would be a wonderful finishing touch12．

My check is enclosed．

Sincerely，

First of all，an order clerk would not know what to send this customer unless the company manufactured only one style of weather vane for $ 34．95．Moreover，instead of providing necessary facts，the writer included unnecessary details．Generally，it is not necessary to mention a reason for an inquiry．

While the preceding letter would require interim correspondence13 before the goods could be shipped，the letter below would elicit prompt delivery:

Dear Sirs，

I have seen your ad in the Boston Globe of Sunday，February 12，and would like to inquire and order the following weather vane:

Model EPC－18”eagle with arrow，copper，$ 34．95．

I would like the weather vane sent to the above address by parcel post and charged，with any applicable V．A．T．14 and handling costs，to my visa15 account(number 003 0971 A109;expiration date，3/2020)．

please confirm．

Yours truly，