Credit reference letters are used by companies to check and inform other companies regarding the credit history of the consumer under investigation. The credit letter is usually concise and brief. The content of a credit reference letter is a comprehensive list or enumeration of all the transactions done by the consumer. It seeks to inform other institutions if the prospective consumer is a liability or a viable prospect.

The law allows institutions to divulge financial information of a private citizen. This is for the sake of security and background checking. There are people who have been using fake names and identities in order to extract cash and money from lending institutions and banks. This led to a comprehensive form of credit reference.

This can be requested if a lending agent detects something wrong with the record of a consumer. Together with the credit reference, records such as educational background and job connections are also included. This would assure banks that the identity of the consumer is genuine.

The credit reference letter is presented in a very easy to read format. The only significant part of the letter is the enumeration of payment information and the approval of the bank. Example of the letter would show:

Sample Letter

January 28, 2010

American Bank
#3434 Union St.
New York City

Mr. Carlo Cameron
Account Inspector
Quality Assurance Section
Hong Kong International Bank
#2454 Backdrop Drive, Atlanta City

Subject: Negative Credit of Mr. James Stevenson

Dr. Mr. Cameron,

Mr. James Stevenson has not been cleared by the bank due to records of late payments and negligence of completing contractual obligations. Just last year, he was late paying the monthly mortgage for an average of three weeks. Aside from that, he declared paying with collateral instead of cash.

Our institution has been very lenient in allowing him to have an extension. But it seems he have abused our consideration and ceased contacting us regarding his unpaid debt. We are sending all the records to other banks to bar Mr. James Stevenson from borrowing money and availing credit. His record has shown irresponsible and improper handling of debts and credit responsibilities.

Our managers and lending agents have recommended that Mr. James Stevenson be marked as a liability and unqualified to be admitted at any lending program.

Yours Truly,

Carl Duffman
Credit Inspector

One of the most popular benefits offered by many companies to their employees is a company savings plan that helps them save for their retirement. When companies set up such savings plans, they usually send employees a letter informing them of the plan. Such letters are short and to the point, since they are mainly informative in nature.

A brochure may also be included with the letter that would go into the plan in greater detail. They are usually form letters not addressed to individual employees, although the name of a particular employee may be typed next to the opening salutation.

The important elements of a letter informing employees of a company savings plan are the details of the plan and the date when it will start to be implemented. The letter should also state if participation in the plan is mandatory or on a voluntary basis.

Below is a sample of a letter announcing a company savings plan that can easily be adapted to a writer’s particular needs.

Sample Letter

June 25, 2010

Subject: Company Savings Plan

To everyone concerned,

Greetings!

As you may know, our company has been searching for a way to help our employees save money for their retirement. In line with this, we have signed up with Savings Plans, Inc. to implement a company savings plan, which will begin starting July 15. Employees can contribute as much as 50% of their annual compensation on a before-tax basis, which will be matched by the company on a 25% basis.

However, this is not necessarily fixed and an employee can adjust the amount of their contributions by notifying the accounting department a month in advance. The full amount of an employee’s savings can be withdrawn upon their retirement from the company, or when they reach 65. They can also take out loans against the amount of their contributions to the plan.

Statements will be provided on a monthly basis to allow them to monitor the status of their savings. Participation in the plan is mandatory.

For further details on the plan, please read the accompanying brochure. If you have any further questions, you can consult with Rhonda Johnson at the Accounting Department.

Respectfully yours,

Jason Houseman
Vice President, SBJ Inc.

An official letter of complaint about a superior should be formatted in formal business letter style. An employee pointing out an area of dissatisfaction may worry that such a letter may create negative repercussions to his/her career. Nonetheless, writing and sending such a letter when it is appropriate serves as official documentation of a genuine complaint.

It is usually given only after initial discussion with the person occupying the higher position has failed. The letter of complaint for a superior must be short, factual, courteous and professional, and may be coursed to the head of the Human Resources and Administration Department.

A letter of complaint for a superior must state the details of the complaint but should stick to the facts and avoid being emotional.

Sample Letter

17 June 2010

Mr. David McKenna
Human Resources and Development Manager
Norfolk International, Inc.
555 Anton Blvd., Suite 900
Costa Mesa, CA

Dear Mr. McKenna:
As per Norfolk International, Inc.’s policies, please consider this letter a formal complaint against Mr. Santi Picornell for Verbal Harassment.

On several occasions that included January 15, 2010 and May 20, 2010, scenes at the Executive Boardroom included Mr. Picornell repeatedly telling everyone present sexually-oriented jokes and using degrading words while referring to parts of the female anatomy. In both of these occasions, he would direct his comments at me. These instances of using of sexually explicit language to ridicule me were made within hearing distance of others.

Throughout this event, Mr. Picornell also repeatedly told everyone within earshot that he would have his way with me in no time at all. Mr. Thomas Albrecht and Ms. Mae Torres also witnessed this incident. The aforementioned incident has brought me mental anxiety.

It is my opinion that such behavior does not conform to Norfolk International, Inc.’s policies of appropriate workplace behavior as set out in Chapter Five of the Employee Handbook. I feel violated by Mr. Picornell’s behavior and believe that I have been harassed. I am aware that lodging a complaint against Mr. Santi Picornell will require a formal investigation and I am prepared to participate as needed.

Sincerely,

signed
Lesley Seymour

A letter of complaint intended for a subordinate can be a sensitive matter. As a superior, you may be unfairly judged. Written carefully and respectfully, though, the letter of complaint to a subordinate may produce a positive outcome. As a higher-up, you can do this by not treating the subordinate in a condescending manner.

Try not to keep alluding to your position. The subject of your letter of complaint may be the sloppy work execution, habitual tardiness or absenteeism, or misbehavior of the employee under you. In any case, you can use the letter of complaint as a clear way of effectively giving orders that can help correct the situation or spur positive change/compliance on the part of the subordinate.

Here’s a sample memorandum from a head of a Human Resources and Administration to his immediate staff member:

Sample Memorandum

MEMORANDUM

Date : June 14, 2010

From : Chris Duncan-Webb, Human Resources and Administration VP

To: James Doherty, Executive Assistant

Subject: Notice of Habitual Tardiness

This is to officially bring to your attention that you have been late for work more than four times over the last two weeks. You have been previously notified of your habitual tardiness, but you showed little interest for improvement. Instead, you have shown overall negligence of company policy on attendance.

While you may have the potential to become an excellent administrator, your disregard for company policy on attendance can be a major setback.

Because you have been constantly late, I must warn you that I have noticed the behavior and expect it to stop. It is important that you arrive on time to respond to official telephone calls by 9 a.m. and attend to project updates and other administrative functions.

Please organize your morning routine so you can arrive five minutes before the official workday begins. When you arrive, check in with me at my office. I am sure you will be able to rectify this problem with a little more effort.

Any further violations of company policy or failure to perform in accordance with company standards shall result in a six-day suspension without further warning.

Taking the minutes of a meeting requires good listening and writing skills. The minutes serves as a written record of what transpired in a meeting. It should be checked for accuracy and conciseness and disseminated to attendees before the next meeting. Well-written minutes of a meeting should not have grammatical and spelling errors.

Apart from the time, date, meeting venue and attendees, the minutes should list the key agenda, main points discussed, and the people responsible for carrying out certain actions. Because the minutes encapsulates business and operational decisions, it may be frequently referred to.

Here’s a sample minutes of a meeting:

Sample of Minutes

Minutes of Meeting

Company: Banyan Tree Holdings Limited
Date : 9 June 2010
Time : 10 AM
Venue : Executive Boardroom

Attendees:

Present : Mr. Dharmali C. Kusumadi – Chairperson
Ms. Nathalia M. Barazal
Mr. Hector G. Bal – Treasurer
Mr. John R. Battersby
Mr. Andrew S. Tan
Mr. Streisand C. Tuason

I. Introduction
The management meeting was presided by DCK, who called the meeting to order at 10 a.m. and welcomed the members.

II. Approval of minutes of the last meeting

Minutes of the last meeting were approved as an accurate record.

III. Discussion

Topic Key Points Action Item Person Responsible
1. Finance Update The treasurer presented the latest report on the Beach Club’s financial standing. Next report to be presented a succeeding meeting. HGB

2. Special Event The chairperson informed the members that there will be a special exhibit to be held at the Beach Club lobby and there will be a broker’s event that will run simultaneously at the main function room. For implementation NMB, SCT

3. Construction Matters The chairperson asked project team heads to explain the causes of delays in the construction of the Jacana condominium units For monitoring AST, SCT, JRB

4. Other Matters NMB brought up plan to bring in a consultant for well-planned and tested way finding signs for the beach & country club. NMB suggested a budget and several names of suppliers to be approached. NMB

5. Close The chairperson thanked all members for their participation and adjourned the meeting at 10:45 a.m.

Call up Christine Palafox at local 1101 if you have additions or corrections to these minutes.

Writing a loan approval letter must include important details (what particular loan was approved, the amount approved, and payment terms). The letter opens with a confirmation of the approval.

It must also restate dates that must be noted, like when the first monthly amortization must be settled, and include the next steps that the borrower must take.

The loan approval letter serves as primary instrument or evidence that the consumer has received approval for a loan and it may be released upon submission of final requirements.

Here is a sample loan approval letter that requests for proof of identity and current residential address documents as part of the final phase of the loan processing.

Sample Letter

18 June 2010

Ms. Jessica Smith
Executive Office
TPG-AXON Capital
57/F, Two International Finance Centre
8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong

Account number: 000-0000
Reference number: 0000000

Dear Ms. Smith,

Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation is delighted to confirm that your application for a personal loan of $5,000 has been approved subject to the completion of formalities. In brief, the first payment of $154 is due 30 days after disbursement of the principal. The term of the loan is three years. Our 10.9% interest rate is good for the entire term of the loan. Please drop by our main office located at the HSBC International Banking Centre, L6, 1 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong anytime during banking hours, within 21 days with the following documents:

* Original copy of pay slips for one month, photocopy of which was faxed to the bank
* Your last 2 months credit card or bank statements, showing your current address.
* Two pieces of valid identification cards (company ID, passport or other government-issued ID with photo and signature)

Subject to everything being in order, the check for your loan will be issued to you.

If you have any questions please contact Direct Loan Customer Services at telephone number (02) 89-100 from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday. We look forward to the completion of your loan.

Yours sincerely,

(Signed)
Martha Moffatt
Consumer Loans Head

Letters introducing a new product or service are among the most essential pieces of correspondence a company can issue, since they can spell the difference between the success and failure of the new product. They can be sent to retail outlets or directly to individual prospective users of the product or service. These letters usually begin by introducing the product or service and identifying the features that make it distinct from similar products in the marketplace. It can also offer a promotional rate to users who will immediately avail of the service or a discount to early buyers of the product.

The essential features of the letter are the name of the product or service and its distinguishing features, as well as any promotions attached to launch of the product. If sent to individual clients, it may come with a sample of the product and enumerate retail outlets where the product is available or how they can avail of the service. It may also come with contact information if the client is interested in learning more about the product and service and if they want to immediately subscribe to the service.

Below is a sample of a letter introducing a product or service.

Sample Letter

August 31, 2010

Cablecast Services
Los Angeles, California
email@server.com
www.address.com

Harry Cliff
25 Wilson Avenue
Los Angeles, California

Dear Mr. Cliff,

Greetings!

As one of the pioneers in cable TV, we strive to give our clients the most innovative range of services available in the market. In line with our mission to offer only the most up-to-date services to our subscribers, we are very pleased to inform you that we are now offering digital video recording through your cable box. This feature allows you to record multiple programs airing at the same time, ensuring that you never have to miss a show that you want to watch. You can also program the recorder to record even when you’re not at home, as well as setting it to record for as long as two weeks in advance.

Best of all, the service is available to old subscribers for just an additional $5 per month on your current cable bill. New subscribers are entitled to try the service for the first two months for free. If you would like to avail of this service, or learn more about it, please call John Smith at 090-823-7263 or visit our website www.cabletv.com.

Thank you for your continued patronage and we hope to hear from you soon.

Respectfully yours,

Gordon Larson
President, Cablecast Services

Writing a letter informing an employee that they have received a raise and/or a promotion is one duty a company officer can performs with a big smile on their face, since they are basically rewarding the employee for the outstanding performance of their duties. Copies of the letter are usually sent to the staff member concerned, their immediate supervisor and the human resources department. If necessary, a copy of the letter may also be posted on the company bulletin board to inform other staff members of the promotion.

This type of letter usually begins with the writer informing the recipient of their promotion or raise. If the recipient has received a raise, the letter informs them of the amount of their new salary as well as any other benefits that go with it and the date when it will become effective. If they have received a promotion, the letter will inform them of their new position and what additional duties and responsibilities are expected of them, as well as the additional compensation they will be receiving. The letter can end with congratulations and the hope that the employee would continue performing at the same high level as they have been demonstrating.

Below is a model of a letter to an employee informing them that they have received a promotion or a raise.

Sample Letter

May 30, 2010
Agri-Foods Ltd.
Nashville, Tennessee
email@server.com
www.website.com

Waylon Cash
Accounting Department

Dear Mr. Cash,

Greetings!
We are pleased to inform you that due to your exemplary performance, you have been promoted to the rank of Senior Supervisor in your department. This means that you will now be supervising staff members working in one of the department’s sub-divisions, and will be reporting directly to the head of the department. You have also been promoted two additional salary tiers and will now be receiving a salary of $52,492 a month, as well as other benefits commensurate with your new position.

Please consult with your immediate supervisor regarding the turnover of your duties to other staff and schedule a meeting with the department head before the end of the week regarding your new responsibilities.

Congratulations on your new position and we hope that you will continue performing at the same exemplary level that you have demonstrated in the past.

Sincerely yours,

Christopher Jennings,
Head, Human Resources Department

A letter from a company officer giving advice to a staff member is usually written when the officer sees that a particular employee needs more guidance from their superiors in the performance of their duties. It can either offer corrective advice to staff members doing a certain task or give suggestions on how a particular job can be performed in a better manner. The most important thing to remember about this type of letter is that its ultimate intention is to help the employee improve their work performance, not to scold them or take them to task for perceived shortcomings.

The essential elements of this type of letter are the identification of the particular duty or task that needs improvement and the advice being given by the letter writer. It can begin with the writer assuring the employee that they are generally satisfied with their performance, and then continue by saying that however, they have noticed the following areas that could use some improvement. The rest of the letter then gives their advice on how to effect the improvements. The tone of the letter should be professional but not too formal, as the writer does not want to make the employee feel bad.

Below is a sample of a letter in which a supervisor gives advice to an employee.

Sample Letter

April 10, 2010

Nelson and Sons
Washington, D.C.
email@server.org
www.address.org

Janet Andrews
Logistics Department

Dear Ms. Andrews,

Greetings!
To begin, we would like to stress that in general we are satisfied with your performance in fulfilling your duties in the workplace. However, in the interest of making workflow in the office more efficient, we would like to offer to you the following advice.

We have noticed that when you are working, you place your pens and pencils too far to the right of your desk, such that you have to move your chair whenever you have to get a writing instrument. Perhaps you could save some time and work more efficiently by rearranging your desk such that the things you need at hand will be easier to reach.

We hope that you understand that this letter does not represent a reprimand in any way, nor is it a criticism of you, but is merely offered both for your benefit and that of the office.

Respectfully yours,

Randolph Stafford
Personnel Manager, Nelson and Sons

One of the more pleasant duties of a company manager or officer is writing a letter approving an employee’s request for a leave of absence or a vacation. Such requests can be taken for a variety of reasons, ranging from the necessity to consume accumulated leave to unexpected family emergencies that require the staff member to take some time off to deal with them. Most organizations require the employee to make a formal request that they are taking a leave. Once management has approved the request, a letter is written formalizing that approval. Copies of the letter are usually sent to the employee concerned, their immediate supervisor and the human resources department of the company.

The essential aspects of the letter are the statement of the approval, the start and end dates of the leave and any conditions attached it, such as the requirement to coordinate with their immediate superior as to who will take over their regular duties and the disposition of any urgent and pending tasks. The tone of the letter is formal but congratulatory, as the writer is delivering good news. However, if the leave is being taken for unhappy reasons, such as a death or illness in the family, the writer may also express their condolences or their hopes for a speedy recovery of the family member.

Below is a model letter approving a vacation leave that the writer can adopt to fit their own particular needs.

Sample Letter

March 10, 2010

Fisher Associates
Dallas, Texas
Email@server.net
www.company.net

Michael Goldsborough
Legal Department

Dear Mr. Goldsborough,

Greetings!
We have considered your request for a leave of absence to deal with certain personal matters, and we are pleased to inform you that it has been approved. Your leave is set to begin on March 15 and you are expected to return to the office by April 1. During the period in question, you will continue to receive your regular salary through direct deposit and be covered by the company health plan, subject to the terms and conditions set forth by our provider.

Please coordinate with your immediate supervisor regarding any pending work which has yet to be completed, as well as the handling of your regular responsibilities.
Best wishes for the speedy resolution of your family problems.

Sincerely yours,

Robert McNeill
Personnel Manager, Fisher Associates