Whenever your company receives a business document such as a contract, you should send an acknowledgment letter. While the letter essentially serves as a receipt, it also tells the recipient the actions to be taken regarding the contract. It should be sent as soon as the document has been received in order to assuage any concerns on the part of the sender. Since the recipient of the letter is a client of the company, the tone of the letter should be courteous and sincere.

The letter should begin with an acknowledgment of the receipt of the document in question (i.e. we have received the contract). Then, the letter should tell the recipient what action will be taken on the document (i.e. the contract should be signed and returned to you by courier within five business days).

The acknowledgment letter should communicate to the recipient that the document is being taken seriously and being acted on with all due urgency. The deeper aim of the letter is to build goodwill and trust for the company on the part of the client. So that the recipient feels that the document is being taken seriously, the letter should be signed by a high company official even if they are not the ones who directly write the letter.

Since this is an official letter, the tone should be formal even to the opening and closing salutations. Suggested closing salutations include Sincerely, Yours Truly or Respectfully Yours. In the opening salutation, the recipient should also be addressed either as Dear Mr. or Mrs. or by their formal title if they have one (i.e. Dr. or Prof.).

Here is a sample of a letter acknowledging the receipt of a business agreement.

Sample Acknowledgment Letter

(Date)

(Name of recipient)
(Position)

Dear (name of recipient)

We would like to acknowledge that we have received (document). We are currently examining it and if there are no issues to be addressed, the signed (document) will be returned to you within five business days. If there are any further concerns regarding the (document), we will contact you by (date).

Thank you for your continued trust in our company and we look forward to doing business with you in the future.

Respectfully yours.

(Name of sender)
(Position in company, company name)

Retail companies usually go out of their way to ensure that the products they sell are of the highest quality. Unfortunately, sometimes customers are dissatisfied with their purchases for various reasons and they want to return them to the shop. In this case, after they return the product in question, you have to send them a letter acknowledging the return of an item for a refund, credit or exchange. These letters are intended to inform the customer that the product they returned has been received and that their concerns are being addressed. Its aim is to soothe any ill feelings the customer may have about the product and, by extension, the service of the company.

The letter should begin with an apology to the customer addressing the specific problem regarding the product (i.e. the wrong product was shipped, it was damaged in transit) and should name the specific product the customer ordered. It then goes on to reassure them that the problem is being addressed to avoid future recurrences and tells them what action the company is taking (i.e. they are being sent a replacement unit or a credit voucher) and within what specific time frame (it will arrive within four business days). It should end by reiterating the apology and expressing the hope that the company can continue to serve the customer in the future.

This letter may also be an acknowledgment of the customer’s problem with the product, in response to a complaint letter or call. In this case, the letter may provide instructions as to what the customer should do to get satisfaction (please return the product in its original packaging and we will provide you with a replacement).

Here is a sample of a letter acknowledging the return of an item.

Sample Acknowledgment Letter

Dear (name of customer),

We have received the (product name) that you have returned to our store. The (product) is one of a small batch that was damaged during shipping and we have already issued recall notices to other customers who have purchased the product.

We are sending a replacement (product name) to you by courier and it should arrive within five business days. Please accept once again our apologies for any inconvenience the product has caused you and we hope to continue being of service to you in the future.

Respectfully yours,

(Name of sender)
(Position)

Letters acknowledging the receipt of a resume are usually written in the context of a company advertising a vacancy for a particular position and requesting those interested to send in resumes and cover letters. It tells applicants that their applications have been received and assures them that the company will contact them once their resumes have been processed. They are usually sent by members of a company’s human resources department. Although sending a letter acknowledging the receipt of a resume is not strictly necessary, it is a way for a company to show consideration towards applicants and build goodwill.

Apart from acknowledging the receipt of a resume, the letter should also give the applicant a time frame within which they will be contacted by the company (i.e. we will contact you within two weeks or by this date). Although it does not encourage the applicant to follow up their application, it may provide the name of a contact person along with contact information in case the applicant has some concerns that need to be addressed.

While the acknowledgment letter is ideally sent a few days after receiving the resume, sometimes the letter is not sent at once. In this case, the letter may open with an apology to the applicant for not replying promptly to their application; make sure that the tone of the letter is courteous since the delay may have inconvenienced the applicant.

The tone of the letter should be formal. The opening salutation should be ‘Dear’ and the closing salutation should be ‘Respectfully Yours’ or ‘Yours Truly’. The signatory to the letter should also include their position underneath their name.

The letter may also assure the applicant that even if they do not pass the initial screening, the company will keep their resume on file for a certain period of time in case an opening becomes available that suits their qualifications.

Below is a sample of a letter acknowledging the receipt of a resume.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

Dear (name of applicant)
Greetings!
Thank you for your interest in our company. We have received your resume and are currently reviewing it.

We will be in touch with you shortly to update you on the status of your application. We will keep your resume on file for twelve months in the event another suitable position opens up and we will contact you again.

Respectfully yours,

(Name of sender)
(Position in company)

A letter acknowledging the receipt of a resume, letter or other business document is a way of assuring the sender that you have received the documents in question and will act on them as quickly as possible. The letter should be sent or e-mailed as quickly as possible, preferably as soon as the document is received, but no more than one or two days after receipt. If the letter of acknowledgment is delayed, then it should begin with an apology for the delay. If some action on the document is expected, then the letter must assure the recipient that the sender will act on them as soon as possible.

The purpose of the acknowledgment letter is simply to tell the recipient that the document has been received and should not offer any information beyond that. For example, if the letter is sent to acknowledge that an office has received a resume in reply to an advertisement, it should not contain any information about the status of the sender’s job application or whether the position remains open or not. If it is sent to acknowledge the receipt of a document requiring some sort of action, it should not include statements on the status of the action requested. But the letter should give the time frame within which the action will be performed (i.e. we will act on your request within two weeks; we will contact you by (date) about your application).

If the letter is in acknowledgment of receipt of a business document, the letter should be addressed to a specific person rather than to the company in general. The name and position of the recipient should be on top of the letter. The tone of the letter should also be friendly while still maintaining a formal and professional tone. This should be reflected in the opening and closing salutation, with the letter opening with ‘Dear’ and closing with ‘Yours Truly’ or ‘Sincerely Yours’.

Here is a sample of a letter acknowledging receipt of a resume and cover letter.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

(Name of sender)
(Position in company)
(Company name)

Dear (name of recipient)

We have received your resume in response to our advertisement for (position). We are currently reviewing your application and we will be in touch with you within three to four working days.

Respectfully yours,
(Name of sender)
(Position)

In businesses, there are instances wherein clients fail to comply on the due deadline of their payments. This in turn may cause some other complications in the business transactions. However, you should still be warm and accommodating when you acknowledge payment of an overdue balance. An acknowledgment letter would be helpful to give your customers the assurance that you’ve already received their payments. A well-constructed acknowledgment letter can be the key to winning your client’s trust and loyalty.

Aside from acknowledging the payment received, it is also used to remind the customer of the terms and agreement of the business transaction. This would be helpful for credits that will be made in the future. Always be courteous and sincere in your letter. And, never blame your customer even though they weren’t able to settle their accounts on the right time. Remember, there must be some reason behind this. So be considerate and think of others as well. Be considerate but strict. Business is still business. Below is an example of a letter on how to acknowledge payment of an overdue balance.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

May 28, 2010
Jenny Smith
455 Shaw Boulevard
New York, USA 4230

Re: Overdue Balance Payment Acknowledgment for Account # 22124

Dear Ms. Smith,

Good day! I am writing to inform you that we have received your payment that was due last month. Thank you for remitting this payment to us. However, please make sure that you settle your credit accounts every first week of the month. Customers who cannot comply with this will be penalized and charged with 3% of the bill.

We have now removed all the restrictions of your account and you can now make transactions again. Please adhere to the terms and condition of your contract to avoid penalty charges. If the client exceeded the given time for payment, we will be forced to block their accounts.

We appreciate doing business with you. Should you have any other concerns that you would like to address us, please feel free to contact us at 380-0014. We are more than willing to address your needs.
We are looking forward to serving you again in the future. Thank you very much and have a good day.

Sincerely,

Susan Bourne
Branch Manager
CDB Credits

To write a confirmation letter that you have received an order, it would be useful to write acknowledgment letters. This would help you inform the recipient of important details. But more importantly, you give your client the assurance that you’ve received his/her order. You can always win your clients’ trust and loyalty if you are attentive of their needs and preferences.

Not all business transactions require you to acknowledge an order or subscription placed. But there’s no harm done in making one. This can serve as a written proof of compliance for important documentations. Your letter should include all the important details regarding your customer’s order or subscription. Don’t forget to include in your letter the following details:

1. The products that were ordered/subscription
2. Quantity
3. Quality
4. Amount of the purchase order
5. The date when the products will be delivered
6. Promos, other products and services if there are any

Make sure that you double check the details before you send your letter. Maintain a professional business tone with your letter. You should send your letter immediately after you receive the letter of order or subscription. Thank your customer for continuous patronage. Leave your contact details so they can easily reach you if they have other concerns. Below is an example of a letter on how to acknowledge an order or subscription placed.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

May 28, 2010

Patrick Smith
65 St. Therese Street
New York, USA 3083

Dear Mr. Smith,

Good day. We are writing to acknowledge the order that you sent us the other day. We are confirming your orders.

We have received your order for the following merchandise:

1. Thirty pairs of fashion boots at $80.00 per pair
2. Fifty pieces of signature sun glasses at $100.00 each
3. Sixty pieces of assorted ladies’ tees at $50.00 each.

Total amount of the order: $10,400.00.

Please note that we will be adding an extra $50 for the shipping fee. Your orders will arrive on June 1, 2010.
Please feel free to contact us if there are clarifications regarding your order. You can reach us at 938-2323. Thank you very much for your continued patronage. We are looking forward to serving you again.

Sincerely,

Jenna Curke
Branch Manager
Curke’s Fashion Merchandise