[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : Declining

Declining Appointments

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

• Decline the appointment up front in a firm but courteous tone, giving reasons, if possible, for the refusal. Point out why the appointment would not be beneficial to the reader or in the best interest of others.
• Thank you for considering our company in your marketing efforts, but we find we have no need for a new copier at this time. Therefore, I would not want you to waste your time with the demonstration you offered in your December 1 letter.
• The May 2 appointment you suggested will not be convenient for our staff because of a major restructuring we have recently undertaken in our division. We have had to pour all our resources and productive time on just sorting out who does what, where, when, and why.
• Jack, I will be out of the country for an extended time during the winter months. Therefore, the February 10 appointment will not be feasible.
• I don’t think an appointment would be the appropriate way to handle this matter.
• I’m afraid no matter how hard I try, I’m not going to be able to find a free hour for a meeting on the Boyton project. We are gearing up here for our exhibit for a major convention in two weeks, and every moment is precious.
• I’m pleased to say we’ve already selected a vendor that we think can meet our computer needs, and therefore, any further meetings to analyze our tasks would be a waste of your valuable time.
• Since you phoned several weeks ago, our management has changed priorities for the upcoming few months. I’m going to have to postpone my opportunity to learn more about your company until I can focus more time on the subject of retail displays.
• Suggest alternatives to the meeting, if you’re so inclined. Can you handle the situation or issue with a phone call, with a letter, or by referral to another individual or group?
• I’m enclosing a list of the appropriate purchasing agents whom you may wish to contact to discuss your service more fully.
• I suggest perhaps you send me some written information so I can present it to my colleagues. If there’s an interest, then we’ll get back to you later.
• Perhaps Meryl Stanton could tell you more about the situation than I could.
• If you’ll simply send me your information, I’ll be happy to add it to my reading stack and make my way down to it as soon as possible. If you haven’t already given up on me and my inefficiencies of time by that date, I’ll phone you if I have some further interest at that point.
• Have you thought of contacting nonprofit organizations about these services? They would probably have more inclination to attend these forums than those in organizations such as ours.
• Would you leave me on your mailing list, however, to receive further information? If my situation changes, I’ll let you know immediately.
• I’m attaching a list of our Atlanta offices you may find useful in gathering such information. You may use my name and let them know I suggested your call to them.
• Mention your openness to other issues of discussion. Be positive about what you can do, and state any condition under which you will reconsider scheduling an appointment.
• If the budget picture changes, I’ll be in contact with you at that time.
• If we do begin to notice a decline in the performance of our present equipment, we’ll give you a call and see if you can arrange to come by and talk with us further then.
• I’ll keep your name on file in case I hear of others in the organization who might have an interest in your PR ideas.
• If our budget allocations change next year, I’ll be much more receptive to the Carter idea and will give you a call for more information at that time.
• If your vice president is agreeable to discussing a mutual sharing of technology in this area, then, of course, that would be another matter. Let me know if that is the case.
• Should we decide to add staff in the Atlanta office, further discussion might be advantageous to both of us. When and if that’s the case, I’ll be sure to phone you to arrange a time to review your plans and interests then.
• Should the political outlook change, I’ll be in touch.
• If the economic crisis subsides, there may be more interest in your services, especially in our Denver area. Could you phone me again in about six months for an update on where we stand?
• Be courteous, rather than arrogant or punitive, in your refusal. You never know when the situation may change and you’ll need to build on this rapport or contact.
• Thank you for making me aware of your services. It’s always advantageous to stay abreast of new technology.
• Good luck in your ongoing marketing efforts.
• Thank you for writing us about the project.
• We appreciate your letting us know of the opportunity.
• I appreciate your calling the situation to my attention.
• Please feel free to call or write again with other projects that may interest us.
• Thank you for thinking of me.
• I appreciate your bringing this opportunity to my attention.
• You never know from one month to the next what twists and turns the market holds. Let’s both hang on through this industry crisis.
• I wish I could be more positive in my response. I’m sorry we can’t find some mutual project to work on together.
• I wish I had more authority in this area, but I simply can’t make decisions of that magnitude without conferring with others.
• Thanks for your patience and many efforts in contacting me about this venture.
• Best wishes in finding a suitable replacement.
• I wish you every success in finding those organizations and individuals that can use your service. You have an innovative idea.
• I appreciate your effort in phoning, writing, and sending literature on this product line for us to consider.
• Keep us in mind for other projects.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1 : Sample letter for Declining

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Garcia:

Has there been some mistake? I received your letter to confirm our appointment but have no recollection of talking with you about meeting to discuss our financial investments. As a matter of fact, I’m quite pleased with our account executive at Merrill Lynch and have no plans to change brokerage firms.

Thank you, however, for thinking of us in your marketing efforts.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Example of Declining Letter

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Whitherton:

I received your letter confirming an appointment with me in my office September 5. There must have been some misunderstanding when we spoke on the telephone last week because all appointments regarding the Hitton litigation must be approved by our Senior Vice President, Sarah Marshall.

I understand that Ms. Marshall has been in touch with you about the matter, and I suggest any appointments be made directly with her in the future. Thank you for understanding our position in this situation.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Sample Letter for Declining appointment

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Wayne:

My assistant passed on the message you would be in the city the week of July 10, but I’m afraid a meeting during the summer months would be much too early to be fruitful for either of us. As of yet, we still have not completely staffed our new offices in Kuala Lumpur or Tokyo, and any discussion of training needs there would only be a guess at this point.

After all of our new managers have been hired and have spent six months on the job, they, and we, will have a much better understanding of our needs.

I’ll take the liberty of calling you at that time if we identify deficiencies you can help us remedy. Best wishes in the meantime.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Sample Letter of Declining

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Stone:

I’m afraid I’m not the appropriate person for you to see about our on-line information retrieval services. For the past eight months I have been involved in an altogether different area and would have no say-so in the matter of selecting or changing vendors.

Perhaps you’d like to contact Fred Wyatt in our Dallas office (214-444-3232) to see if he has any need of your services.

Best wishes for your continued success with the new database retrieval services.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Letter of Declining

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Requested Appointment about Zinc Oxides

In response to your request to meet and discuss new suppliers for our zinc oxides, I want to let you know Bob Ageet is now handling our purchases of this product. Frankly, I haven’t been involved with actual vendor decisions in the past nine months; therefore I can’t intelligently respond to the price questions and delays you mentioned in your June 2 memo.

Please do feel free, however, to contact Bob about your concerns, and perhaps you and he can clear up any problems and consider new guidelines or controls. If, after your discussions with Bob, there is still some problem with the suppliers, please ask Bob to get in touch with me again.

Thank you for your attention to details such as this.
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[tab name=’Example 6′]

Example 6 : Declining Letter

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Jahns:

Mr. Nettles will be out of town the week of July 30; therefore, after receiving your recent letter to confirm an appointment during that week, I realized there must be some mistake.

I do recall speaking with you by phone a few days ago, and as we discussed then, all appointments are subject to final confirmation by Mr. Nettles himself.

I understand Dianna Flores has been in contact with you about the purchase and suggest that it might be more beneficial to you to set any appointment with her in the future. Perhaps you and she can work out the issues mentioned in your letter to the satisfaction of both our companies.

Sincerely,
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