There are many types of follow-up letters, and each type has its own contents, purpose, and the specific ideal time to wait before you send it. I have listed a few follow-up letter types along with their key points and the time when you should send that follow-up letter. To be more informative, you can read more about how to format a follow-up email and key points to consider when writing a follow-up letter.
Following are the six main types of follow-up letters:
Job application follow-up letter
This type of follow-up letter is intended to be sent a week or two after initially sending your job application. The purpose of this letter is to remind your employer that you sent your application and should highlight essential skills and reasons why the company should hire you.
Important things to take note of are:
- Be polite: Do not accuse the employer of deliberately forgetting your application.
- Be concise: Your employer probably has many things to do, and keeping your message short yet concise would greatly help ease his/her workload.
- Strengthen your skills: Remember that you should keep your letter short, hence reinforcing only your strongest skills and what makes you stand out among all the applicants. You could also cite why you will be an asset to the company.
- Be error-free: Always proofread your letter to make it free of typos and common business letter mistakes
Sample 01
Dear Michael Paul
Three weeks ago, I applied for the position of sales and marketing consultant at ABC Corporation. I would like to ask if you could share with me your decision timeline.
I am very excited about the opportunity to join the team at ABC Corp, leveraging my six years of sales and marketing to help you grown the company.
I have attached the needed application materials for your convenience. Kindly don’t think twice to contact me if you have questions or would like further clarification. I am looking forward to speaking with you.
Regards,
Jane Wits
Sample 02
Mr. Michael,
I hope all is well. I know and understand how busy you are, but I recently applied for the senior management position and wanted to follow-up to check on your decision timeline.
I am thrilled about the chance to join your organization and bring five years of experience managing product design projects and seven years of experience as a lead product designer. I would like the opportunity to talk more about how my experience would allow me to help your organization.
I have attached the required application package for your convenience and can provide any additional information if needed. You can reach me at 234-2652-27627 or by replying to this email.
Thank you again for your consideration
Sincerely,
Paul Stephens
Sample 03
Hi Mrs. Irene
I recently applied for the Human Resource Manager position at Silver Stone Ltd and am following up to check in on your decision timeline. I am blissful for the opportunity to join your team and bring with me over ten years of experience as a Human Resource Manager.
I have attached the required application materials for your convenience. Kindly let me know if you would like any additional information or clarification to move to the next stage of the hiring process.
Best Regards,
Kevin Smith
Job interview follow-up letter
This type of follow-up letter is used after you have been interviewed by the individual and should be sent no later than 48 hours after the interview. The purpose of this letter is to thank the interviewer for his/her time in getting to know you as well as considering you as a possible fit for the position. Take this opportunity to re-affirm strengths that you have which were discussed previously, make known your interest in the position applied for and in the company, and personally respond to any concerns raised during the interview.
By doing so, you are able to remind the interviewer of the characteristics you have which makes you a fit for the company as well as allow you to have another personal conversation which would then lead you in better being remembered for the vacancy.
Sample 01
Short interview
Dear Mary,
Thank you for dedicating your time to talk with me yesterday. I love getting to hear about your amazing skills and experiences and was especially impressed by your ability to communicate fluently and handle tough situations. Our conversation reinforced my thrill to join your organization and help you all as a Human Resource Manager.
Best Regards,
Brian Walker
Sample 02
Dear Mary,
I hope that you are doing well. I wanted to follow up on the Human Resource Manager position. I enjoyed meeting with you and the team yesterday, and I am very interested in the opportunity. For more information and clarification, please feel free to reply to this message.
Thank you,
Brian Walker.
Periodic service follow-up letter
This type of follow-up letter is used to inform the reader that the particular service that they have availed will continually be expected and done onto them. Periodic service letters inform the customer that they have availed of such a service, what the service entails and how long the service will be conducted. By creating and sending this type of letter, you inform them of when the service started, what is to be expected, and for how long the program will last.
Sample 01
Service Reminder Follow-Up Email Format
Subject: Your vehicle has unresolved services.
Dear Paul,
Our team would like to bring to your attention a few essential items that were not addressed at your recent service visit; they include:
• Oil change
• Tire pressure
• Brake Pad change
• Spring change
I understand that you are busy, and we would like to take care of your vehicle as easy as possible. Please don’t falter to contact us on our number or respond to this email if you have any questions or concerns about these items or anything else not included in the list.
If you are ready to schedule a follow-up service visit, you can do so by contacting any of the numbers you were provided with.
Thank You
Kelvin
Marketing Director
Sample 02
Subject: Contact us for complementary intermediate vehicle service
Hello Mitchel, it has been a while since we serviced your vehicle, and we would like to reach out to you and see if perhaps we could stop by for a quick check.
We believe that more than seven months is a long time to drive your vehicle without having anything looked at.
Kindly reach out to us and schedule your intermediate service.
Our team would like to offer all our esteemed customers an inspection about halfway through the standard service interval to ensure your safety. We will check the tire pressure, fluid levels, brakes, tires, and take a look under the hood, and if time allows, we will raise the vehicle on the rack and inspect the suspension, check for leaks, and the exhaust.
We will be able to do all this while you wait. It is always best to schedule the inspection, but please, feel free to call ahead if you would like anything checked over before you head to town.
Best Regards
Alfa Team
After-sales follow-up letter
This type of follow-up letter is used to inform your client that the service has been accomplished promptly and effectively. Even when the job is complete, you still have the responsibility to stay connected to your customer. By creating this follow-up letter, you assure the customer that you will always be readily available to service their concern and that the door is always open for them to communicate with you regarding the issue.
The purpose of creating an after-sales follow-up letter are:
- Get feedback – by getting customer feedback, you reopen the avenues for communication by asking them on how to better improve the service you provided. By reopening the channels of communication, you leave yourself susceptible to negative or positive feedback, and it is important to take these constructively. When negative feedback is given, assure them that their comments are well received and will serve as instructions to improve the service. By receiving positive feedback, you can ask for customer testimonials which would further improve your brand.
- Promote the business – by reminding the customer that exceptional service is expected of you, you generate possible new leads brought about by referrals and repeat business transactions.
Sample 01
Hi Paul,
We are delighted that you brought our products. I wanted to tell you how grateful we are for customers like you who support our business and share a few things to help you get started with our products. If you are ready to get going right away, why not jump right in and press the red button on the right side of the product you bought to start working with it.
If you need help with the product or have some questions, don’t hesitate to ask, I’m here to assist you.
All the best,
Dan.
Sample 02
From,
Mark Tomlins
ABC Ltd.
Mumbai
September 24, 2020
To,
Mr. Abhijeet Mishra
Project Manager
ABC Ltd.
Mumbai
Subject: Thanking You
Dear Mr. Mishra
On behalf of ABC Ltd., we would like to thank you for making a purchase with us. We hope that you were content with the products.
In case you encounter any problem or challenges with the product, please feel free to contact us anytime. Our qualified team will be at your service. In critical cases, our sales team will personally pay you a visit and will resolve the problem. We are glad to assure you of the full sales support service.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mark Tomlins
ABD Ltd.
After quote follow-up letter
This type of follow-up letter is used by suppliers to assure potential clients that the company is adequately able to meet their demand and would serve as an avenue for question clarification and transaction processing. Quotation letters are typically comprised of products, prices, warranties and periods of supply. A quotation letter is a requirement before you can send a quote follow-up letter.
This type of follow-up letter is crucial in the possible creation of a business deal between you and your client because it serves as a reassurance that all demands will be met and that all possible loop-holes be resolved.
Typical format for follow-up quote letters is as follows:
- The tone should be formal
- You should include your reference, meaning you should include all relevant information based on the quotation initially sent
- Be polite
- Be brief
Sample 01
Dear Mrs. Courtney
I would like to send out a friendly reminder that all the terms and the prices included in the quotation are still going to be good for a couple of weeks. We understand that you may be considering options and shopping around to see if you will find the same item on a different price or deals than what we have quoted you.
If that is the case, then please give me a call so that we can discuss a different quote should you have found a better deal. We will happy to offer you different quotes for you at different specifications, but kindly give us a call first. This is our number (800)828-72672-2762
Sincerely,
Jane
Sample 02
Dear Mrs. Courtney
I understand that it has been a while since we last quoted you on that new computer system that you are intent on having for your business. We kindly ask that before you sign another contract with another company that will deliver a substandard computer system, you contact us at 727-227-82782 and discuss the details of the contract with us, as we are more than willing to renegotiate the terms.
Sincerely,
Jane.
Sample 03
Dear Mrs. Courtney
We’ve only a few days remaining on this once in a lifetime deal that we quoted you. If you do favor our system and you are still looking around for a better price, then kindly let us know as soon as you can as the quotation will expire in a few days. We will lock in the current standing prices, and we can proceed to roll out the deal. If, of course, you are still looking for a different computer system and it is not as described, then please give us a call.
We can’t read minds, but we would like to help you, and we want you to succeed in your business, so kindly give us a call today! If you call us today, we will extend the quote for 60 days, but that’s the absolute best we can do for you. That is our pure guarantee that you are getting the best system at the best price.
We will also be more than happy to help you with any other services like upgrades and other equipment should you purchase another system from us. We’ll always be here to assist with whatever you may need.
Sincerely,
Jane.
Complaint follow-up letter
Complaint follow-up letters are created when the initial complaint letter was met with no response. By creating this type of letter, you inform the company involved of the grievance you have and that it should be rectified.
By writing this type of follow-up letter, you open channels for the supplier and yourself to work on a solution which would benefit both parties and could possibly be a reason for further business dealings. Characteristics of a complaint follow-up letter are as follows:
- The tone should be formal so that the reader understands the urgency and the ramifications of the complaint
- Precise – no need to go around in circles, identify what has been done wrong, and ask for solutions
- Use your previously sent complaint letter as a reference and reiterate the problem encountered
- Be prepared to include further information such as goods purchased, date of purchase, and the problem with the product or service so that the responsible departments are informed and an educated solution will be formed
Sample 01
From,
Brian Paul
XYZ Company
September 23 2020
To,
Mr. Michael White
XYZ Company
New Orleans
Subject: Follow-up on the Complaint
Dear Mr. White.
I am writing to follow up on the complaint earlier sent to you. The complaint is about the cooker purchased that doesn’t auto-ignite. The customer purchased the item on September 1 2020, and we sent the first complaint letter on September 4 2020. There has not been any reply made since then. The item was purchased at our stores. The customer’s name is Mary Paul.
Your assistance in this issue will highly be appreciated. Please look into the issue and contact the customer as soon as you can to rectify the problem.
Please update me on the proceedings of the issue.
Sincerely,
Brian Paul