Unit Unit Eleven :Complaints Eleven :Complaints

and Arbitrationand Arbitration

Unit Unit Eleven :Complaints Eleven :Complaints

and Arbitrationand Arbitration

• No matter how efficient a business firm tries to be, errors do sometimes occur. The best step we take to correct the wrongs is to make complaints or claims.

Question:

Under what conditions should customers make a complaint or a claim against the supplier?

• Complaints or claims arise from the situations as follows:

1 ） The wrong goods may have been delivered;

2 ） The quality may have been found unsatisfactory;

3 ） The shipment may have been found damaged, short, missing or late;

4 ） The prices charged may be excessive or not as agreed.

Points for attention:

When making a claim , plan your letter as follows:

1. Begin by regretting the need to complain directly..

2. You should state the problem with as much information as possible. Mention the date of the order, the date of delivery and the goods complained about.

3. State your reasons for being dissatisfied and ask for an explanation

4. Refer to the inconvenience caused.

5. Suggest how the matter should be put right.

Suppose you were the seller, the following rules are to be noted when dealing with a claim.

1. The first thing that has to be decided is whether the claim is justified. If so , then you have to admit it readily; express your regret and promise to put matters right.

2. If the claim is not justified, point this out politely and in an agreeable manner. It would be a wrong policy to refuse the claim offhand.

3. If you cannot deal with a claim promptly, acknowledge it at once. Explain that you are looking into it and that you will send a full reply later.

4. All claim should be treated as serious matters and thoroughly investigated.

There is no need for the sellers to go into a long story of how the mistake was made and a short explanation may be useful.

1. Claim 后的介词搭配表示索赔的原因 , 接 for claim for damage

表示索赔的金额 , 接 for claim for US$1000

表示对某批货物索赔 , 接 on claim on the goods

表示向某人索赔 , 接 against claim against the underwriter.

Claims—useful expressions

• Phrases for “ 提出索赔”• Lodge a claim

• Raise a claim

• File a claim

• Make a claim

• Put in a claim

• Register a claim

• Bring up a claim

Claims—useful expressions

• Other phrases concerned with “ 索赔”• Accept a claim 接受索赔• Admit a claim 同意索赔• Entertain a claim 受理索赔• Dismiss a claim 驳回索赔• Reject a claim 拒绝索赔• Settle a claim 解决索赔• Withdraw a claim 撤回索赔• waive a claim 放弃索赔（要求）

• claims assessor 估损人 • claims settling agent 理赔代理人 • claims surveying agent 理赔检验代理人 • claiming administration 索赔局 • claims department (commission board) 索赔委员会 • claim letter 索赔书 • claims documents 索赔证件 • claim report 索赔报告 • claims statement 索赔清单 • claims settlement 理赔 • claims settling fee 理赔代理费 • claim indemnity 索赔 • insurance claim 保险索赔

Letter 11.Captioned goods 标题商品2.Upon examination 经检查3. be attributed to improper packing 归因于不当包装

Letter 21.Due to 由于2.Furtherinvestigation 进一步检查3. Be divided by two of us be borne by two of us

Letter 31. take delivery 提货2. cabinet n. 柜3. intact adj. 未受损的， 完整的4. inspect v. 检验

Questions after reading: • What commodity is involved in the letter?• What's wrong with the goods shipped?• What action needs to be taken next?• Could you guess what might be the cause(s) of th

e damage to the goods?Key to questions:• Bathroom cabinets• A certain number of the items were damaged.• The contents of the boxes need to be inspected.• (open-ended)

Letter 4Questions after reading: • What was the previous letter complaining about?• What was the cause of the mistake according to

the writer?• Who is responsible for the damage?• What is the compensation?Key to questions:• The wooden spring bed frames that we sent to

our customer by train became unfastened during transport and consequently arrived broken.

• The mistake was caused by the carelessness of a new packer.

• The writer• Replacement of the articles sent together with

the next shipment.

Writing Write a letter in proper form according to the following situation Suppose you are an American buyer (American Zhongnong Trading

Co. Ltd.) who has ordered 500 tins of green tea from China Zhenyuan Trade Co. Ltd. Upon arrival at New York port 50 tins were found completely wet. You write a letter lodging a claim against this.

Commodity: Longjing Green Tea Price: CNY38/tin FOB New York Quantity: 1200 tins Packing: Export Standard Specification: First Class Address of buyer: P.O. Box 58090 Santa Clara California USA 95052-8090 Address of seller: No.13 Zhen An Road Guangzhou Guangdong China.

Sample letter American Zhong Nong Trading Co. Ltd.

P.O. Box 58090 Santa Clara, California, USA 95052-8090July 6,2005

China Zhenyuan Trade Co., LtdNo. 13 Zhen An Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Dear Mr. XX, We have duly received the shipment of our 1200 tins of Longjin Green Tea ordered at CNY 38/tin FOB New York but regret to find them in unsatisfactory condition. We cannot but lodge a claim against you. After carefully examining, it was found that nearly 50 tins are completely wet, obviously attributed to improper packing. We stressed in our last letter the importance of packaging strictly according to your Export Standard, but we found some of them are not packed in water-proof materials before put in the tin with a result that the materials become inferior in quality. We expect compensation from you for this and should like to take this opportunity to suggest that special care be taken in your future deliveries. Sincerely

American Zhong Nong Trading Co. LtdTouis Tomas

Manager

55. Translate the following letter in. Translate the following letter into English:to English:

——先生 : 有关上周发运的第 343 号定单的来信收悉。 对于货物在运送途中破损的事宜，本公司感到遗憾。本公司一向特别小心包装货物，然而不当的运输方法亦会引致损坏。 本公司将按照贵公司开列的破损货物清单更换新货，不日将运抵贵处。已就有关损失向保险公司索偿，烦请保留破损货物供保险公司检查。 不便之处，敬希见谅。 谨上

Dear Sirs: Thank you for your letter regarding your order No.343, delivered last week. We are sorry to hear of the breakages which occurred in transit. We pack our shipments with great care but there are occasions when the merchandise is mishandled along the way. We have your inventory of the broken items. We shall make up a consignment of replacements which should reach you shortly. We have lodged a claim with our insurer for the loss. Our apologies for the inconvenience. Yours faithfully,