the municipal secretary desktop reference manual - Southwestern ...

(3) Improving quality. Almost any improvement in the quality of outgoing
correspondence will produce surprisingly good results. There will be:
Fewer inquiries, replies, transmittals and copies.
More satisfied correspondents, useful and valuable records, and executive
time for non-paperwork activities.
Less money, time and people devoted to correspondence.
Best documentation, reference material, classification.
(a)
The secret of improved quality is nothing more than writing PLAIN
LETTERS. (And other documents.)
These are the four essentials (4-s Formula) Short, Simple,
Strong, Sincere.
B. Forms Control.
There is a magic in forms.
Forms provide a way to give or obtain and process complete, uniform information in a
convenient, logical and orderly arrangement.
Forms are time-saving substitutes for the narrative style when the same kind of information
is required repeatedly.
(1) Elimination of Forms.
(a)
Unnecessary form, copies and items.
i
ii
iii
Discontinued or changed procedures.
Insufficient volume.
Duplications.
(2) Consolidation of Forms.
(a) Whenever nearly all of the items appearing on two or more forms are the
same or similar, it may be practical to combine them into one form for more
general use.
(3) Prevention of unnecessary new forms and revisions.
(4) Design and Size.
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