Topics for Week 7

1
Topics for Week 7

• Assignment 4 Discussion
• Routine Letters
• Goodwill Messages
• Negative News
• Quiz
• Due Next Week Team Project Report
• Due in Two Weeks Excel, PowerPoint Assignment 5

2
Persuasive Letter Discussion

• I Domination (page 409)
• What are a deans interests?
• Focus on reader not writer
• Persuasive letter is asking a favor
• Letter versus e-mail or memo
• Mixed or open punctuation (page A-3)
• Phone number and e-mail address location
• Creative verbs and adverbs or mainly the facts
• Aggressive, forceful, I and you or third
  person

3
Persuasive Letter Discussion (2)

• Punctuation
• Numbers one through ten
• Percentage
• Oregonian
• Dates as May 8, not May 8th
• There and their
• P. O. Box

4
Persuasive Letter Discussion (3)

• General Writing Protocol
• Do not use first name when you use title and last
  name
• Can use an acronym in business letter, report,
  e-mail or memo but must spell out first, for
  example, School of Business Administration (SBA)

5
Routine Letters and Goodwill Messages
6
When to Write Goodwill Messages

• Thanks
• Recognition
• Sympathy

7
Hints for Goodwill Messages

• Send the goodwill message promptly
• Focus solely on the receiver
• Be specific
• Be sincere
• Be spontaneous
• Make it short

8
Routine Claim Letters
9
When to Write Direct Routine Messages

• Direct request for information or action
• Direct claims
• Replies to information or requests
• Adjustment letters
• Letters of recommendation

10
The Direct Pattern

• Frontload in the opening
• Explain in the body
• Be specific and courteous in the closing

11
Opening
A3

• State purpose. Immediately describe desired
  action.
• When the remedy is obvious, state it briefly.
• Please send 12 copies of Model Memos to replace
  the copies of Business Proposals sent in error.
• When the remedy is less obvious, explain your
  goal.
• Please clarify your policy regarding
  reservations and late arrivals.

12
Body
ROC

• Clarify the problem and
  justify your request.
• Provide details objectively and concisely.
• Be organized and coherent.
• Avoid becoming angry or trying to fix blame.
• Include names of individuals and dates of
  previous actions.
• Consider highlighting information.

13
Closing

• End courteously with a tone that promotes
  goodwill.
• Request specific action, including end date, if
  appropriate.
• Note Act promptly in making claims, and keep a
  copy of your message.

14
Activity

• In pairs. . . .
• Write to Kinkos about your dissatisfaction
  with their service, using the information in the
  scenario below
• Your company, Fabulous Foods Inc., has outsourced
  their printing to Kinkos for the last 6 months
  and been satisfied with the business.
• Fabulous Foods Inc. is planning a large June 1
  conference to which they have invited 50 vendors
  to attend.
• You ordered 55 brochures to be sent to you three
  days before the conference. Kevin, at Kinkos,
  took your order and confirmed the order.
• When the brochures arrived, you noticed that the
  print was smudged on ten of them and another five
  had crease marks on the back page of the brochure.

15
Granting Claims and Making Adjustments
16
Opening

• When approving a customers claim, announce the
  good news immediately.
• Avoid sounding grudging or reluctant.

17
Body

• Strive to win back the customers confidence
  consider explaining what went wrong (if you
  know).
• Concentrate on how diligently your organization
  works to avoid disappointing customers.
• Be careful about admitting responsibility check
  with your boss for legal counsel first.

18
Body

• Avoid negative language (trouble, neglect,
  fault).
• Dont blame customers, even if they are at fault.
• Dont blame individuals or departments in your
  organization.
• Dont make unrealistic promises.

19
Closing

• Show appreciation that the customer wrote.
• Extend thanks for past business.
• Refer to your desire to be of service.

20
Common Weaknesses in Letters

• Failure to open directly by identifying the main
  idea
• Failure to group like items together
• Language is too wordy

21
Activity

• In teams of no more than 3 people. . . .
• Write an adjustment letter in response to the
  claim made in the scenario below
• You are the Customer Affairs Coordinator at
  Kinkos and have received a claim from Fabulous
  Foods, Inc. about the poor quality of their
  printed brochures. Your job is to write an
  adjustment letter to Fabulous Foods, Inc.
• The following has transpired
• Kinkos has been the vendor of choice for
  Fabulous Foods, Inc.s printed documents for the
  last 6 months.
• Fabulous Foods, Inc. just sent Kinkos a claim
  letter about poor quality printing in their
  brochures that they ordered for a conference.
  They claimed that the print was smudged on ten of
  the brochures and that there were crease marks on
  the back page of five other brochures.
• The address of Fabulous Foods is 1230 N.W. First
  Street, Portland, Oregon 97231

22
Follow-up Activity

• Pass your letter to another group and ask them to
  critique it for the following
• Reveals the good news in the opening
• Explains the adjustment in a positive way
• Regains the confidence of the customer
• Uses sensitive language
• Closes in a positive way
• Is written with concise and clear sentences
• Review the groups revisions and discuss.

23
Negative News
24
Goals in Communicating Bad News

• Maintain goodwill
• Make the reader understand and accept the bad
  news
• Promote and maintain a good image of the writer
  and the writers business/organization
• Make the message so clear that additional
  correspondence is unnecessary
• Avoid legal liability

25
Avoiding Three Causes of Legal Problems

• Abusive language
• Good-guy syndrome
• Careless language

26
Careless Language
unsafe
slippery floors

• Avoid making statements potentially damaging or
  misinterpreted
• Avoid giving too much information
• Recognize even deleted e-mails or IMs can be
  recovered and subpoenaed

faulty equipment
managers get preferential treatment
always taking a break
27
Sending Bad News to Customers
28
Direct vs. Indirect Pattern

• When is the direct pattern appropriate to use?
• When is it best to use the indirect pattern?

29
The Indirect Pattern
Buffer
Reasons
Bad News
Close
30
Buffer

• Express appreciation for the customers patronage
  or for his or her writing (e.g. compliment).
• Show agreement on some point, review the facts,
  or show understanding.

31

• Ms. Cheryl Neal
• MIKE Program
• PO Box 263
• North Plains, OR 97133
• Dear Ms. Neal
• Thank you for the information you provided in
  conjunction with your request for a contribution
  from The Standard.

32
Reasons

• Justify the bad news with objective and specific
  reasons.
• Explain company policy, but avoid blaming the
  customer or hiding behind company policy.
• Look for reader benefits, using positive
  language.

33
Bad News

• Use the passive voice
• NOT We cannot ship your complete order at this
  time. but Your order cannot be shipped at this
  time.
• Revise. . .We do not cover car rental insurance
  for large SUVs.
• Revise. . . We can no longer give tours of the
  factory.
• Emphasize the positive aspect
• Your order will be shipped May 1.

34
Bad News

• Suggest a compromise or an alternative.
• To inform customers of discontinued catalogs. . .
• Although we no longer print a complete catalog,
  we now offer all of our catalog choices at our
  Web site, which is always current.
• To inform smokers of a new regulation. . .
• Even though smoking is not allowed within 5 feet
  of a state building, the college has set aside 16
  outdoor smoking areas.
• To inform customer of need to pay before goods
  are delivered. . .
• We have your fresh fruit basket ready and will
  ship as soon as you call us with your credit card
  number.

35

• Dear Ms. Neal
• Thank you for the information you provided in
  conjunction with your request for a contribution
  from The Standard.
• A contribution to your organization cannot be
  made at this time. We continue to receive a
  growing number of requests for assistance from
  many very deserving organizations like yours.
  Requests for funding are far exceeding the limits
  of our resources. Choosing among the many
  requests we receive is always one of our most
  difficult decisions.

36
Close

• Provide a resale or sales promotion.
• Coupons
• Discount
• Upcoming sales offer
• Look forward to future business, offer best
  wishes, refer to gifts.
• Dont mention the bad news.

37
Dear Ms. Neal Thank you for the information you
provided in conjunction with your request for a
contribution from The Standard. A contribution
to your organization cannot be made at this time.
We continue to receive a growing number of
requests for assistance from many very deserving
organizations like yours. Requests for funding
are far exceeding the limits of our resources.
Choosing among the many requests we receive is
always one of our most difficult decisions. The
Standard salutes your efforts in our community
and we send our best wishes for your
organization's continued success. Sincerely, Ann
Allen Community Relations Specialist
38
Common Weaknesses in Negative Messages

• Failure to open with a buffer statement before
  communicating the bad news
• Opening statement sounds insincere (We would love
  to be able to. . .)
• Little effort is made to retain goodwill of
  customer
• Failure to present alternatives in a way that
  promotes goodwill and future business

39
Ineffective Customer Refusal
40
Dear Mr. Waters Unfortunately, we cannot allow
you to apply the lease payments youve been
making for the past ten months toward the
purchase of your Sako 600 copier. Company policy
does not allow such conversion. Have you ever
wondered why we can offer such low leasing and
purchase prices? Obviously, we couldnt stay in
business long if we agreed to proposals such as
yours. Youve had the Sako 600 copier for ten
months now, Mr. Waters, and you say you like its
versatility and reliability. Perhaps we could
interest you in another Sako model one thats
more within your price range. Do give us a
call. Sincerely,
41
Critical Thinking Questions

• 1. What is the purpose of the letter? What goals
  should the sender have?
• 2. What prevents this letter from achieving those
  goals?
• 3. What pattern of development would work best
  for this letter? Has it been followed?
• 4. What idea could be used as a buffer to open an
  improved version of this letter? Write a buffer.
• 5. How could the bad news be subordinated? Write
  a statement that subordinates the bad news.
• 6. What friendly news could be used in the
  closing? Write a closing statement.

42
Improved Customer Refusal
43
Dear Mr. Waters Were happy to learn that you
are enjoying the use of the Sako copier youve
been leasing for the past ten months. Like our
many other customers, you have discovered that
Sako copiers offer remarkable versatility and
reliability. One of the reasons were able to
offer these outstanding copiers at such low
leasing rates and equally low purchase prices is
that we maintain a slim profit margin. If our
program included a provision for applying lease
payments toward the purchase price, our overall
prices would have to be higher. Although lease
payments cannot be credited toward purchase
price, we can offer you other Sako models that
are within your price range. The Sako 400
delivers the same reliability with nearly as many
features as the Sako 600. Please let us
demonstrate the Sako 400 to your staff in your
office, Mr. Waters. Our representative, Tracy
Wilson, will call you soon to arrange a
time. Sincerely,
44
Activity Part 1

• In groups of 3. . .
• Write a buffer for one of the following
  scenarios
• Exercise 8.4 in page 227 of in your textbook
• Dell's recall of 4.1 million Sony-made laptop
  batteries sold between April 2004 and July 2006.
  The company plans to ship free battery
  replacements to customers but
  they will have to wait 20 business
  days for the delivery

45
Activity Part 2

• Pass your document to another group.
• Read the other groups buffer and check for the
  following
• Does it express appreciation for the customers
  patronage?
• Does it show agreement on some point, review the
  facts, or show understanding?
• Is it well written??
• Make recommendations for corrections and return
  to the writers of the buffer.
• Collect recommendations on your buffer and make
  necessary revisions.

46
Activity Part 3

• In the same groups of 3. . .
• Write a reason and bad news for the same
  scenario.
• Pass to another group.
• Read the groups reason and bad news and check
  for the following
• Does it justify the bad news with objective
  reasons?
• Does it avoid blaming the customer or hiding
  behind company policy?
• Does it state reader benefits?
• Does it state the bad news objectively?
• Is it well written?
• Make recommendations for corrections and return
  to the writers.
• Collect recommendations on your reason and bad
  news and make necessary revisions.

47
Activity Part 3

• In the same groups of 3. . .
• Write a close for the same scenario.
• Read the groups close and check for the
  following
• Does it suggest an action or an alternative.
• Does it look forward to future business, offer
  best wishes, refer to gifts.
• Is it well written?
• Revise your close.
• Sign your group letter.
• Read the letter to the class.
• Turn in your signed assignment with names of your
  group on it.

48
Topics for Week 7

• Assignment 4 Discussion
• Routine Letters
• Goodwill Messages
• Negative News
• Quiz
• Due Next Week
• Read Chapter 11 and Pages 355-360
• Submit Team Project Report
• Due in Two Weeks Excel, PowerPoint Assignment 5