Unit 4.3: Business messages

Customer replies, offers and posts in English and Sinhala, from one reusable "house style" request.

A small business owner might write twenty messages a day: replies on WhatsApp, posts on Facebook, offers, apologies, payment reminders. Writing a full five-part request every time is too slow. The answer is to write the stable parts once.

Write your house style once

A house style for Kamala's Kitchen

ContextWe are Kamala's Kitchen, a home kitchen in Kottawa selling ready-to-cook curry packs. Our customers are working families in Colombo's suburbs. We deliver within 5 km, Tuesday to Saturday.
TaskHelp me write customer messages and Facebook posts.
ConstraintsWarm, simple and honest. Never promise a delivery time we haven't confirmed. Never offer discounts unless I say so. Prices in rupees, like Rs. 450.
FormatPlain text with no symbols for WhatsApp. For Facebook, under 80 words and up to two emojis. English first, then the same in everyday spoken Sinhala.
ExampleA post we liked: "Fresh polos curry packs are back! Cleaned, cut and spiced, ready in 20 minutes. Rs. 450. Order by Thursday for Saturday delivery."

Keep this in your phone's notes. Paste it at the start of a new chat, or save it in your AI app: most apps now let you save standing instructions, or create a project with them.

Then each day:

Clear

Using our house style: reply to this customer, who says her order came without the coconut milk sachet: (paste message)

Two languages, done well

AI tools write Sinhala, but often in a stiff, written style that no one uses in a message. Ask for the register you want, and read the Sinhala before you post it.

Ask for	You get
in Sinhala	often formal, written Sinhala
in everyday spoken Sinhala, as a shop owner would write on WhatsApp	closer to how people really write
in Sinhala, keeping English words people use, like delivery, order, pack	natural mixed Sinhala

If a Sinhala sentence sounds strange, fix it yourself or ask: Make the Sinhala sound more natural and less formal. You are the native speaker here, not the AI.

Messages that need care

Hard messages, clear requests

Using our house style: apologise for the late delivery once, explain it was the rain, and offer to deliver free next time. Don't blame the customer.complaint
Using our house style: remind this customer politely but firmly that Rs. 3,200 has been unpaid since 2 May. Ask her to pay by Friday.payment
Using our house style: tell customers our packs go up by Rs. 50 from 1 July because of ingredient prices. Thank them for staying with us.price rise
Using our house style: reply publicly to this 3-star review. Thank them, answer the point about portion size, invite them back.review

Before and after

In your world

Unclear

write post for our class tuition

Clear

I run weekend A/L chemistry classes in Matara. Write a house style for my class posts: who I teach, my tone (encouraging, not pushy), my rules (no exam guarantees), and my format (English, then everyday Sinhala, under 70 words).

Quick check

Tap an answer. Nothing is saved.

You write 20 messages a day. What saves time?
Which request gets more natural Sinhala for WhatsApp?
Who decides what to offer an unhappy customer?

Your turn

Saved on this device only.

Write a house style for a real or imagined business: your family's shop, your class, your freelancing. Use all five parts of the frame.

Your prompt

Score it: 0, 1 or 2 for each.

Clarity
AI එකට කරන්න ඕන දේ පැහැදිලිද?
Completeness
අවශ්‍ය විස්තර ඔක්කොම තියෙනවද?
Structure
කොටස් හරි පිළිවෙළටද?
Internationally clear
ලංකාවෙන් පිට කෙනෙක්ටත් තේරෙනවද?

Total: 0 / 8

Next: Unit 4.4: AI to AI (optional)

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