Writing a reply to a request for an interview or meeting appointment may come in the form of an e-mail or actual letter. This kind of letter, which acknowledges the sender’s request for a meeting, finalizes the date, venue, and attendees to the meeting requested for. It must be succinct yet complete in details. If the correspondence is to be given to people outside the company where one belongs, it should come in letter format, even if it is sent through email. The sample letter of reply below is written in formal, straightforward manner.

Writing in formal style does not mean using legalese or very academic words like ergo. Cut the fluff and delete unnecessary details. Nonetheless, strive to cultivate a professional image by using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. A professional business correspondence may begin by properly addressing the letter recipient based on familiarity or unfamiliarity with the concerned party. A business associate or friend may be greeted using first-name basis.

For a casual letter confirming an appointment between friends, or between a professional such as a hair stylist and a long-time client, there may be casual greetings, banter, or a short personal experience update or comment incorporated in the letter. For letters confirming a meeting or appointment sent through e-mail, the contact information of sender including telephone numbers and office address are indicated underneath sender’s name and designation.

Sample Confirmation Letter

28 May 2010
MR.MARK KINER
Principal
Kiner Design Group
17992 Mitchell South, Suite 110
Irvine, CA

Dear Mark:

Further to our telephone conversation, I am writing to confirm our meeting on June 6, at 10:30 a.m. at the SM Corporate Office located at the 10th Floor of SM One E-comCenter, Harbor Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Honolulu, HI. Elena Tronco, our Senior Manager, will be joining us.

Until then, please call Jenny, our administrative assistant, at 632-857-0106 if you need more information, or if there is a need to change the date and/or time or our meeting. I am optimistic about what we can accomplish together.

Sincerely,

JESS C. LUCAS
Executive Vice President
SM Group of Companies

Perhaps you have placed an order through the phone or online, and after a couple of hours or days of waiting, you still have not received any confirmation of your order. When this happens, you may find the need to write a letter which confirms your order. This will also serve as a reminder to company about your business transaction.

The purpose of writing a confirmation letter for an order you have placed is also to clarify details or specifications which are integral in the product that you need. This becomes useful when you are ordering different kinds of customized products. Also, when you are ordering products or materials using promotions or discounts, you, too, have to indicate them in your confirmation letter. Take a look at this example:

SAMPLE LETTER

Camille Jones
Store Manager
DEF Toy Store
47 Poplar St
Oakland, NJ 07436

April 27, 2010

Dear Ma’am:

I would like to confirm the placement of my order for 3 sets of the Nala Talking Dino Dolls which are priced at $50 each, my bill having a total sum of $150. I placed the order by making a phone call through your Customer Hotline (201) 888-8888. The sales agent who took my order is named Melissa Jeans and the transaction was made yesterday, April 26 with transaction number 479099912.

I am expecting to have the toys delivered to my address at 57 Henry St. Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 within seven days through your speed delivery promo, which states that failure to deliver the products on time would translate to a twenty-dollar discount on my next purchase from your store.

Thank you for taking time to read my letter. Should you need more information my number is (201) 555-5821. You may also email me at clairehopkins@excite.com

Yours sincerely,

Claire Hopkins

Appointment, meeting and interview invitations may be given to you verbally through a phone call, but they may also be given to you in written form like emails, memos or letters. As a rule of thumb, confirm your attendance by using confirmation letters as they provide a formal response. It is specifically important to use letters when the invitation was sent to you through posted mail, unless the invitation states that you confirm attendance by other means.

Confirmation letters for interviews and meetings in general serve the purpose of letting the other party know that you are attending the event and reviews the details of the information that was given to you. By recalling the details of the meeting, such as the date, the place and the agenda, you are giving the person you’re meeting with a confirmation of the information you received. Here is an example of this confirmation letter:

SAMPLE LETTER

Emily Haven
Store Manager
XYZ Company
50 Henry St.
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

April 27, 2010

Dear Ms. Haven:

I would like to confirm our meeting on Monday, May 3, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. in your office in Unit 201 on the 3rd floor of XYZ Company Building regarding my application as Sales Executive for your company.

Your secretary, Miles Green called me yesterday regarding your request for an interview, and asked me to confirm my attendance by sending you this letter.

I was also informed to send in a copy of my transcript and my resume for your reference, and I have attached these files in this letter.

I look forward to meeting you. You may contact me at (201) 262-5477 if there are changes on our meeting.

Thank you for your interest in my application.

Yours sincerely,

Jill Jackson

At times when transfers, promotions or relocation assignments are given without memos or formal ceremonies, letters may be used to confirm such actions. Some individuals who are unsure of a certain promotion may request such a confirmation letter, while other officials may simply write a memo to their subordinates to ensure that instructions are clear. Having a clear understanding between the staff and the management is vital in the operation of business. Aside from reviewing the particulars of the assignment, such a letter serves as authorization or affirmation that can inspire confidence and certainty in an individual.

A confirmation letter does not need to be long, but it has to be accurate. It needs to contain essential information that the recipient needs to know. Note that its primary purpose however, is not to inform the individual of a certain transfer or promotion, but rather to remind him or her about it. Here is a sample of this type of confirmation letter:

SAMPLE LETTER

Chris Lauren
50 Henry St.
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

April 27, 2010

Dear Chris:

This is to confirm your promotion to the position as Store Manager effective on June 1, 2010. You will also receive an increase of $11,000 to your annual salary. Your total annual salary from the date of your promotion will now be at $36,000.

In line with your promotion, please read the new set of tasks, responsibilities, compensation and benefits in the manual attached in this letter of confirmation. Note that you will also be relocated to the XYZ Company Corporate Building Office at Jersey City.

If you have questions, clarifications and inquiries as regards the whole process of your promotion, please do not hesitate to email me at gracelee@xyz.com. You may also call me at (201) 262-7788.

Thank you and congratulations on your promotion!

Yours sincerely,

Grace Lee
Human Resources Department
XYZ Company

Confirmation letters are important since they formalize and ensure that your understanding of a certain directive is clear and correct. Some critical decisions people make are sometimes delivered orally, and in such a case, it is possible that such decisions will be forgotten over time. Thus, it is best to put these things into writing, especially if they involve the accomplishment of certain tasks or procedures.

A letter that confirms a directive or decision has the purpose of communicating the approval, agreement or understanding of a person in authority or a party involved in the decision or agreement. Read the sample letter below:

SAMPLE LETTER

John Doe
47 Henry St.
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

April 27, 2010

Dear John:

I am writing this letter to confirm your decision to resign as Senior Assistant Manager of DEF Corporation effective June 15, 2010. You recently expressed during the Corporate Executive Meeting last April 21 that you are planning to migrate to Australia with your family, and thus, will be unable to accomplish the tasks and responsibilities that come with your position as Assistant Manager.

Attached in this letter is a document that stipulates your separation pay and an evaluation sheet for your current Junior Assistant Managers, namely Alex Ford, Susan Bliss and Taylor Swan. Your evaluation shall serve as a guide for the Executive committee in making decisions as to which junior assistant manager will be promoted to your position.

I would like to take this opportunity to express our pride and gratitude in having you as one of our most diligent employees in the company. In behalf of DEF Corporation, I wish you the best of luck in your new career as well as all your future endeavors.

If you have further inquiries regarding the matter, please give me a call at (201) 262-5698.

Yours sincerely,

July Summers
Human Resources Department
DEF Corporation

In writing a letter that requests confirmation of an authorization to take action, the purpose usually has something to do with following-up on a certain conversation that approves one’s authority on a task which lacks formal written consent. Such letter therefore seeks another’s written approval and confirms a previously discussed agreement, which often has to be shown to a third party involved in the task at hand.

This kind of letter is not only used for third parties, but may also be used for the purpose of reminding someone about the authorization he or she has given you. For instance, if your boss asked you to withdraw money in his behalf, then you would need to request for him to confirm the authorization he has recently bestowed on you. This type of letter is particularly important when your boss did not give you an authorization letter. Below is an example:

SAMPLE LETTER

Alan Gabriel
Director
XYZ Home Insurance
415 Lafayette Ave
River Edge, NJ 07661

April 27, 2010

Dear Sir:

You have previously stated in our discussion yesterday that I, Anne Hailey, your personal secretary at XYZ Home Insurance am hereby authorized to withdraw the total sum of $2,000 from your account at the Bank of America named after yourself, with Savings Account Number 21678999045. The transaction is supposed to take effect tomorrow, April 28, 2010, to serve as payment for some of our building’s bills on interior repairs in the amounts of $1999.75.

In line with this, may I request that you sign this document below to confirm your authorization of this request, and to send therein your passbook together with a copy of your ID for the bank’s reference.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Anne Hailey
Secretary

APPROVED BY:

Alan Gabriel
Director
XYZ Home Insurance

Noted by:

June Mayers
Finance Manager
XYZ Home Insurance

Sometimes, you may find yourself in a situation wherein you need another person to act in your behalf. From claiming important documents and certificates or even checks to filing certain reports and committing yourself to certain actions, authorization letters let your relatives or friends do things which you cannot do at the moment. If you are for instance, sick, or on vacation, then having someone act in your behalf for errands is necessary.

The purpose of an authorization letter therefore, is to enable someone to do things for you. You would normally ask the person you are authorizing to bring your own ID as well as his or her own for verification. This letter does not need to be long; it simply has to state who’s acting on your behalf and what you are authorizing this person to do for you. Take a look at this sample letter:

SAMPLE LETTER

Ross Dim
Director
Social Security System
413 Lafayette Ave
River Edge, NJ 07661

April 27, 2010

Dear Sir:

I am writing this letter to authorize my husband, Jim Dawn, to claim my check from your office on my behalf from the month of May to September 2010. This is due to the fact that I will be attending several international conferences during this period in Malaysia, Cambodia, France, Italy, Netherlands and Canada. Thus, I will be unable to get the checks from your office myself. Nevertheless, I will be back by October and will personally get my checks from you at that time.

Attached in this letter are my two IDs for verification purposes, as well as a copy of my husband’s passport. Should you have other concerns regarding this matter, you may reach me at (201) 262-5742. You may also email me at amydawn@academics.com.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Respectfully yours,

Amy Dawn

The problem with oral agreements is that they are not taken as seriously as those that are written. Oral agreements can be easily forgotten, and there could be no proof to back up one’s claims when agreements are only delivered orally. It is for this reason that it makes sense for you to confirm an oral agreement by writing a letter.

The purpose of writing this type of letter is not only to review the details of the agreement or remind the person you talked to about his or her responsibility, but also to ensure that both parties have the same understanding of whatever it is that has been agreed upon. Here is an example of a letter of this type:

SAMPLE LETTER

Ronald Ray
440 Linwood Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450

April 27, 2010

Dear Sir:

Welcome to XYZ Company. I am writing this letter to confirm the oral agreement we had in our meeting last Tuesday, April 20, in which you agreed to work for our company as Senior Account Manager starting on June 1, 2010. As discussed in the meeting, your salary will start at $ 32,000 per annum. Promotions and incentives thereafter will be made on the basis of your performance, for which you will be receiving quarterly evaluations.

Attached in this letter is a comprehensive Employee Manual for your reference. Please submit the requested documents as stated in the manual on or before May 15, 2010. Note that you will be on a probationary status for the first six months, after which you will hopefully be invited to become a full-time permanent employee of the company.

Should you have other questions regarding your employment, please feel free to contact me at jennwit@xyz.com or (201) 262-5541.

Thank you and we all look forward to working with you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Jennifer Wit
Human Resources Director
XYZ Company

If you have been invited to be a speaker or special guest on any event, it is advisable that you make follow-ups through correspondence. However, writing a letter to confirm your own attendance as a speaker or special guest helps you to repeat the details of the event as you understand them. The importance of repeating the information in your own words is that if you misunderstood something, your reader can respond and clarify them right away.

Your letter should be straight-forward. You may opt to be less formal with the tone of your letter since this is already a response to a previous correspondence.

For this type of letter, be sure to write with enthusiasm, and show it in your letter. Express your appreciation at having been invited as a speaker or special guest. This is also the time to raise your questions, clarifications, and requests.

SAMPLE LETTER

Date

Name of Addressee
Address

Dear (Sir/Madame):

I am writing to confirm my attendance to your event, (Title of Event). I understand that this will be on (date of event) and will be held on the (place of event). From our previous meeting, you have scheduled me to present my cooking demo at (time of event). As I have requested, please include the following ingredients, equipment and kitchen utensils for my demo:

(List of ingredients, equipment and kitchen utensils)

I have attached all the recipes that I will use in the cooking demo as per your request. Please feel free to make copies for the participants.

I would also like to request for your team to please thoroughly wash the ingredients and utensils beforehand. Also, if there are any problems with the procurement of ingredients, please contact me as soon as possible.

I cannot express how deeply honored I am that you have chosen me as one of your guests in your event. I look forward to cooking my specialties for all of you.

Sincerely,

Name of Sender
Title

The sender of this letter can either be the traveler or the arranger of the travel package or itinerary. This letter aims to confirm travel arrangements or itinerary made by a customer. All the details of the travel plan should be specifically written in the letter.

The tone should be business-like and concise. Include in your letter any request or clarifications that you may have. Samples included below are those you would send to the travel agent and a sample of what the travel agent would send you.

Sample Letter from Traveler:

Date

Name of Addressee
Address

Dear (Sir/Madame):

This is in response to the reservation made last month. I am confirming my booking for a 5-day cruise vacation to the Caribbean. Please note that we prefer to start traveling early in the morning because of the children.

I would also like to clarify the itinerary you have sent us. May I request that you change a few things and include in the itinerary for a local restaurant tour while we stop on one of the cities?

Please proceed with final bookings and confirm as soon as possible with my additional requests.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Name of Sender

Sample Letter from Travel Agent:

Date

Name of Addressee
Address

Dear (Sir/Madame):

This is to confirm your reservations to a 5-day cruise vacation in the Caribbean. We are delighted that you have chosen our company to arrange your travel package.

As you have requested, we made the necessary changes in the itinerary to include a restaurant tour while you are touring the city on the third day.

However, we cannot accommodate your request to leave by early morning since the only available schedule will leave after lunchtime.

Attached in this letter are the copies of the itinerary and details of your cruise accommodation.

Thank you very much for your continued patronage. If you need any more assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Name of Sender
Title