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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Writing and Drafting for Business Audiences

Mehta Pharma's finance head sends a memo to the purchase manager asking for vendor payment data by Friday, and the memo also contains the sentence 'Kindly oblige at the earliest, if it is not too much trouble.' Which revision best fits good memo-writing practice?

The best revision is to replace the vague sentence with a precise request, such as asking for the vendor payment data by 5 pm on Friday. Good memos are brief, clear and action-oriented, so a specific deadline is needed. Extra history or a missing deadline would weaken the message.

  1. AReplace the sentence with 'Please send the vendor payment data by 5 pm on Friday.'Correct
  2. BAdd three paragraphs on the history of vendor management
  3. CConvert the memo into a formal letter with a salutation of 'Dear Sir'
  4. DDelete the deadline so the tone is softer

Explanation

Good memos are concise, specific and action-oriented, so a clear request with a stated deadline is best. The vague wording 'at the earliest' gives no date. Adding history makes the memo longer without purpose, and removing the deadline makes the request less clear.

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