LETS TALK BUSINESS Bruce Ray, President, Ray Products

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LETS TALK BUSINESSBruce Ray, President, Ray
Products

• A clear and concise writing style is essential to
  convey our expectations for delivery, quality and
  service, and to avoid possible misunderstandings
  that could cost additional time and money at both
  ends of the project.
• E-mail communication has become a valuable
  alternative to formal business letters because of
  the speed with which messages can be sent,
  received, and processed. Care must still be given
  to ensure accuracy and proper business etiquette.
  Grammar, spelling, and sentence structure should
  not be compromised because of the perceived
  informality.
• Keep in mind the fact that e-mail messages are
  easily forwarded to unknown recipients with whom
  we have not established a business relationship.
  Poor communication in any form could jeopardize
  my companys reputation and our future
  associations.

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Proposal Elements

• 1. Cover Letter or Memo
• 2. Title Page or Cover
• 3. Reference to Authorization
• 4. Table of Contents
• 5. List of Illustrations
• 6. Proposal Summary
• 7. Purpose
• 8. Problem or Need
• 9. Background
• 10. Benefits of the Proposal
• 11. Description of the Solution
• 12. Evaluation Plan
• 13. Qualifications of Personnel
• 14. Time Schedule
• 15. Cost
• 16. Glossary
• 17. Appendixes
• 18. Reference List

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Poor Short Proposal

• LEVCO Interoffice Memo
• To David M. Pedersen, Director
• Environmental Health and Safety
• From Michelle Howe
• Rideshare Coordinator
• Date April 25, 199-
• Subject Shuttle Service
• We are now incurring unnecessary expenses on our
  Metrolink rider reimbursement program. We have
  been reimbursing riders 60 of their monthly
  ticket expense plus we have been giving them free
  transportation from campus to the Metrolink
  station. This transportation is not cost
  effective in that two shuttles are in service,
  but ridership is below capacity. Foothill
  Transit now offers the same shuttle service free
  to Metrolink ticket holders. We are, therefore,
  spending money on a shuttle service that is
  underutilized and for which an acceptable
  alternative is available at no expense. We need
  to curtail our shuttle service or reduce the
  monthly ticket reimbursement to save money and
  will poll the users to get their opinion.
• I hope you will consider this situation when you
  prepare the Rideshare budget for the next year.
  We can save a significant amount of
  money--between 10,500 and 12,000 annually--by
  taking one of these steps. We can offer each
  rider either a 60 ticket reimbursement with no
  shuttle service or a 10 ticket reimbursement
  with shuttle service. Either way we will save
  over 10,000. Clearly there are economic
  advantages to making these changes.

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Good Short Proposal

• LEVCO Interoffice Memo
• To David M. Pedersen, Director
• Environmental Health and Safety
• From Michelle Howe
• Rideshare Coordinator
• Date April 25, 199-
• Subject Proposed Change in Metrolink
  Reimbursements
• The Purpose
• The purpose of this proposal is to seek to reduce
  the costs of funding the Metrolink shuttle
  service by implementing a two-tier method of
  reimbursement. Those employees who use the
  Metrolink shuttle would be reimbursed 10 of the
  cost of their Metrolink ticket. Those employees
  who do not use the shuttle will continue to be
  reimbursed 60 of the cost of their Metrolink
  ticket.
• The Metrolink Shuttle Problem
• The cost for providing a shuttle service is 50
  per day or approximately 1,000 per month (based
  on a 20-day month). If we are to provide two
  shuttles, the cost is 70 per day or
  approximately 1,400 per month. Each shuttle can
  hold 15 passengers and at this point, the
  ridership does not justify the use of two
  shuttles.
• When we started the shuttle service in 1993,
  there was no public transportation available to
  take our employees from the train station to
  campus. Within the last few months, Foothill
  Transit has established a new bus route, which
  conveniently services the Claremont and North
  Pomona Metrolink station. Buses are running
  approximately every 30 minutes throughout the
  day. There is no cost to ride these buses for
  Metrolink riders. They only have to show their
  Metrolink pass and the bus ride is free.
• Metrolink riders are reimbursed up to 60 per
  month for the purchase of a train ticket. During
  the last three months, we have averaged 23 riders
  per month with a monthly reimbursement cost of
  1,105.

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Good Short ProposalPage 2

• The Benefits of Implementing the Proposal
• At this point, we are spending 12,000 a year to
  provide what is in essence, a parallel
  transportation service. We are also reimbursing
  employees up to 60 a month to ride the train. If
  we estimate the average monthly reimbursement for
  23 employees to be 1,105, then we are spending
  13,260 per year for reimbursements. The
  estimated total costs for both the shuttle
  service and Metrolink ticket reimbursements are
  25,260.
• 1) If we were to discontinue the shuttle service
  and continue paying the 60 per month
  reimbursement, the annual expense would be
  approximately 13,260. Compared to our current
  costs, this is a 12,000 saving.
• 2) If we drop the reimbursement to 10 per month
  for those who use the Metrolink shuttle (23
  passengers), then our monthly costs would be 230
  for the reimbursement and 1,000 for the shuttle.
  The estimated annual costs would be 14,760.
  Compared to our current costs, this is a 10,500
  savings.
• The price difference between Option 1 and 2 is
  1,500.
• Recommended Action
• I propose we let the Metrolink riders choose
  which option they want for the 99/00 budget year.
  Those who want to continue riding the shuttle
  will receive a 10 monthly reimbursement. Those
  who want to continue receiving the 60 monthly
  reimbursement would take the bus or arrange their
  own transportation to campus. We could easily
  implement the two-tier system because we receive
  a daily sheet from the shuttle service listing
  all the riders by name and department.
• A questionnaire will be sent to Metrolink riders
  listing Options 1 and 2. We will also ask for
  their comments regarding this situation. Based
  on the information they send us, we can decide
  what option or options would be best.

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Business Plan Elements

• Executive Summary
• Ownership/Management/Staffing
• Product/Service/Market Identification
• Administration/Production Factors
• Growth and Development Potential and Plans
• Financial Information
• Appendixes

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Types of Special Reports

• MINUTES
• Serve as Official Record of Meeting
• Should Be Brief
• Include Important Information Presented in
  Meeting
• Include Various Parts Depending on Meeting
• POLICIES
• Serve as Guidelines for Employees to Follow
• Should Be Written in Third Person
• Written Broadly for Managerial Personnel
• Written Directly for Non-managerial Personnel

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Types of Special Reports(cont.)

• NEWS RELEASES
• Communicate Newsworthy Items
• Written Accurately, Timely, Concisely, and
  Positively
• Should Be Written in Inverted Pyramid Format
• Begin with Summary Lead
• Present Details in Descending Order of Importance
• Do Not Include Conclusion
• Use -More- at Bottom of Continuation Pages
• Use -30- or -- at Bottom of Final Page
• PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
• Report evaluations of job performance
• Help workers improve and to identify leadership
  potential
• Are basis for human resource decisions
• Organized directly or indirectly depending on
  content
• Are brief and factual