Note: The next three assignments will focus on an established non-profit organization called Engineers Without Borders. This organization’s website can be found here: http://www.ewb- usa.org/. Its Principles of Development are found here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ewbgeneral/EWB-USA_Principles-of-Development.pdf. This information will be necessary to complete Projects 7, 8, and 9.
Collaborative Project 7: Claim Letter (300-500 words) Write a one-page claim letter according to the specifications in Chapter 17, pp. 391-94 (Chapter 16, pp. 468-70 in the13th edition). Below is the background information for your claim letter. The non-profit organization for which you and your team work, Engineers Without Borders (EWB), has received an erroneous bill from a longstanding business client, and you have been trying to solve the problem for the last month. You are writing one last letter in an attempt to solve this problem. Necessary Facts: Engineers Without Borders held its semi-annual meeting in downtown Houston to discuss its future water purification system projects in Guatemala. For the organization to successfully complete its objectives, brochures must be printed and distributed. The Brown and Salier Printing Company agreed in writing to print 2,000 four-page brochures for a total of $1,000 to distribute to key contributors and vendors during a stakeholder meeting. The brochures usually cost more to other clients, but the owners of the printing company “donate” a part of the cost of materials and labor to the organization. When EWB received a bill of $3,000 without notifying them ahead of time regarding the price increase, EWB could not understand the price increase. Since EWB works on a limited budget, such a price increase would put a serious financial strain on administrative costs and could prevent them from using the company in the future. As an employee of EWB, you communicated with Bryan Alanis, accounts payable manager for Brown and Salier, and, after getting no satisfactory resolution of the matter, to his superior, Benjin Hawass. In this letter, you are contacting Mr. Hawass, Bryan Alanis’s superior—the last person who could possibly help you with this issue. Instructions:
Write a claim letter in correct business letter format. For specific information on this, review the chapter about letters.
When completing this assignment, make up an address for the recipient, Benjin Hawass, of the Brown and Salier Printing Company.
Research the internet and find the address of Engineers Without Borders (the Texas office may not be in Houston).
Sign only one name in the group, but put group members’ names in the HEADER area in Word. The person signing is the manager for procuring supplies (give yourself an appropriate title).
Define the purpose of the letter by deciding what you want the reader to do when he or she has finished reading the letter. Write an appropriate action statement for use in the letter.
Because your request is an arguable claim, organize the letter using an indirect pattern (as defined in the chapter about letters).
Provide logical reasoning, explanations, and details when needed.
Tell your readers which enclosures you would send with this letter (as explained in the chapter). Determine if anybody else would need a copy of the letter and make necessary notations if so.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ewbgeneral/EWB-USA_Principles-of-Development.pdf
A successful Claim Letter will:
Conform to business letter format, including addresses for writer and reader, correct date format, correct line spacing, and correct margin justification.
Display professional tone and content.
Illustrate an awareness of target audience.
Organize its content into logical paragraphs.
Provide persuasive reasons, explanations, and details when needed.
Call for specific action.
Display correct grammar and mechanics.
Present material with concision, clarity, and fluency.