Communicating Effectively At Work (chapter 3)

Writing faxes
The word ‘facsimile’ means ‘exact copy’. Fax is a short word for facsimile. Faxes are a common way of sending written messages and information to people outside an organisation.

Drafting a fax message
Faxes can be sent quickly. You write a message, place the paper in a fax machine, dial the correct fax number, press the ‘Send’ button and a copy of the message comes out on the fax machine of the person you are sending the message to.

Most organisations have a special cover sheet for sending out faxes. Because the fax is sent to people outside the organisation, the cover sheet has the organisation’s address, phone and fax number and email address.

Sometimes, the message will be written on the cover sheet and that is all you send.
Sometimes, you might send some additional information with the fax cover sheet. You would write a brief message on the fax cover sheet telling them what you are sending. For example, ‘Here is the information you asked for’, or ‘Here is the order form. Please check it and let me know if there is anything you need’.

After you have completed the details and written the message, check your work to make sure there are no errors. Your supervisor will also read it.

Writing letters
Most organisations use letterhead paper that has their name, address, telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, and logo already printed on it to send letters.

Most organisations also have a standard layout for letters. This means that the information is organised on the page in exactly the same way each time a letter is written. The standard layout might be on a template on your computer. Generally, you will be given the information that you have to type. It is your job to make sure you use the organisation’s template (if there is one) or set out the letter as you are instructed. If you are unsure about what to do, always ask your supervisor.

Parts of a letter
A letter is made up of different parts. These are labelled in the example on page 63.

1. Date
In Australia, the date is written in the following order—day, month, year, for example 24 June 2003.

2.Receiver’s name and address
The title, name and address of the person you are sending the letter to is written below the date.

3.Greeting
The greeting consists of ‘Dear’ followed by the name of the person you are writing to. Usually you will need to include the person’s title and last name, for example Dear Mr Norris.

4.Subject heading
Sometimes, you may have to include a heading to show what the letter is about. The reader will then be able to know the subject of the letter before they read it.

5.Body of the letter
This is the information you are sending.

6.Close
This is how you finish the letter. There are different ways of doing this.
‘Yours sincerely’ is the most common way.

7.Signature
The person responsible for sending the letter must sign it. Underneath their signature is their position title.

8.Enclosure
If you are sending something with the letter, for example a report, this is called an ‘enclosure’. You use the letters ‘enc.’ at the bottom of the letter.

9.Layout
Find out from your supervisor what style your organisation uses for setting out letters.

If the standard layout is set up as template on your computer, all you have to do is:
■ click on New in the file menu
■ select the template you want
■ press OK.

Many business letters are set out with all the sentences starting at the left side. This is sometimes called ‘left side alignment’.

Checking the draft letter
When you have finished drafting a letter, you must check that you have typed it correctly. Check the receiver’s name and address are the same as on the copy you were given.

Read the letter to see that you haven’t left any words out. Do a spell check using the computer’s spelling function. If you have trouble spelling the word ‘sincerely’, add it to your list of words to learn. Make sure the layout is correct.

Writing email messages
Email is short for ‘electronic mail’. It refers to messages you send from your computer directly to another person. Sending email is a common way of communicating in the workplace. It is quicker than sending a letter in the mail. It is even
quicker than sending a fax or a memo. An email message is useful for sending a short communication.

Sometimes, you might need to send a report with your message. This is just like enclosing a document in the mail. With email, you have to ‘attach’ the document using a special procedure. This known as sending a document electronically.
It is important to understand the rules of writing an email message.

Drafting an email message
Emails are similar to memo and fax messages. They should be written in clear, plain English. Use short sentences. Most organisations have rules about how to write emails. You must find out what these rules are.

Some examples of rules are:
■ Use a standard font with black type. This is so the person you are sending it to can read it. If you use fancy fonts, the other person’s email software may not be able to read it.
■ Use business-like language. If you are sending an email to a friend, you can say ‘Hi’ and ‘See you later’, but this isn’t very suitable in an office.
■ The greeting you use will depend on what your organisation wants. You may have to use ‘Dear’ for the greeting or you may be able to use the receiver’s first name. If you are unsure, it’s always better to use ‘Dear’. For the ending, people often say ‘Regards’ or ‘Thank you’ and add their name.
■ Don’t use capital letters. This looks as if you are angry.
■ Always include a description of what the email is about. There is a special space for this on the email called ‘Subject’.
■ If you are sending a copy of the message to other people, put the names of these people in the space labelled ‘Cc…’
■ Check your message before you send it, or have someone check it for you. Make sure the spelling is correct.