Chapter 8 Questions

1. The five main goals of delivering bad news are: 1)to convey the bad news, 2)to gain acceptance for it, 3) to maintain as much goodwill as possible with your audience, 4)to maintain a good image for your organization, 5)if appropriate, to reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter.

2. When choosing between the direct and indirect approach you should use the following questions: 1) Will the bad news come as a shock, 2)Does the reader prefer short messages that get right to the point?, 3)How important is this news to the reader?, 4) Do you need to maintain a close working relationship with the reader?, 5) Do you need to get the reader's attention?, 6)What is your organization's preferred style?.

3. The sequence of elements in a negative message organized using the indirect approach are: 1) Opening with a buffer, 2) Providing reasons and additional information, 3)Continuing with a clear statement of the bad news, 4)Closing on a positive note.

4. A buffer is a neutral, noncontroversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message. Some critics consider it unethical because they say it is manipulative and dishonest. Also, critics say it misleads the reader into thinking the message actually contains good news.

5. When using the indirect approach, the reason for presenting your reasons before explaining the decision itself is due to helping to maintain focus on the issues at hand and defuse the emotions that always accompany significantly bad news. Also, you want to guide your audiences responses through giving positive points first followed by negative ones.

Question 3

Strengths
-Document is specific to the problem at hand
-Questions are posed that are relevant to the problem
-gives information on where to go to fix the problem

Weaknesses
-Does no have a courteous close
-does not have a expression of goodwill
-tone is rash, that is it seems not to sympathize with the customer.
-Steps are not taken to resolve the relationship

I am contacting you with regard to your recent email request for technical support on your cable Internet service. Here at our company, we have a technical support staff designated at figuring out specific customer problems for fast troubleshooting so that we may have the customer up and running quickly. Part of our quick response is the online request form that helps us determine the type of computer, the operating system used, memory and other important aspects associated with fixing the problem. Upon looking at this request form sent in by yourself, we were unable to accurately diagnose the specific times your were having trouble with due to a lack of information. Also, in the request form, important pieces of information were missing. If you would, please send us your request form again, so that we may troubleshoot your computer internet service in a manner sufficient for you. Thank you for your trust and allowing our company to handle your internet service. We will work hard and insure that your service is nothing but the best.

Question 9

Flaws
-Does not have a subject line
-Does not address the person of which the letter is being written to
-Most important questions are not asked first
-tone of the sender is not what it should be- sounds angry
-does not end with a courteous close
-goodwill is not associated with this letter
-appreciation is not given

5493 Beechwood Drive
Trenton, NJ. 08608
April 12, 2009

Florida Resort Bureau
1555 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

VACATION INFORMATION

Dear Florida Resort Bureau

My family and I are planning a vacation next September with our children to your area. We are looking for information on local beaches, golf courses, social life and attractions in the area. Of particular importance, is to find an area with a public transportation system for participation in activities away from the resort.

In addition to the brochures your company has provided, I am looking to find more information on the resorts proximity to large cities, attractions, and the rates you charge during the off-season. Furthermore, I would also like to have information on the weather during this time of the year as well as local concerts during this time.

I am looking forward to vacationing in your area in September. I was made aware of your company through an article in the Smithsonian magazine is the April Issue. Thank you for fielding my questions about vacationing in Florida. If you could, will you send me information regarding this vaction in the next few weeks, so that I may be able to ask off work. Thank you again and I look forward to doing business with you in the future.

Thanks,

Frank C. Atlas

Business Communication Email

Netiquette

1. Sentence length in your emails should be kept to a minimum. Your ideas need to be clear for the audience to take away. In email messages, your message should be kept as brief as possible because readers like to read shorter messages. The longer the message, the more trouble readers have in interpreting and following the ideas presented. Also, choose your sentence length based upon your structure of ideas. Avoid the use of run on sentenctes that throw two or three ideas together.

2. Using capital letters in a email conveys to the audience that you are upset over something. All capital email message tell the audience that you are screaming at them. Your tone of voice with all caps is one of shouting, and being very stern over a topic. Be sure to never include all capital letters in your writing for the audience does not know the tone of voice you are using. You might be in a great mood, but your tone represents that you are outraged over something. Do not include flaming in your email, that is insulting someone over an email for it can be traced back to you.

3. The use of confidential, sensitive and private information over an email message is not a good practice. Information over the internet is not anonymous, and can be tracked for future ramifications. Any information that you would not be happy with your boss or family seeing should not be sent through an email. All information in an email can be directly traced back to you or can be hacked allowing anyone with compute skills to take valuable information from you. Information that is sensitive is better told in person to ensure proper management and treatment.

References
http://www.boygenius.com/support_netiquette.html
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
http://www.dtcc.edu/cs/rfc1855.html
http://www.studygs.net/netiquette.htm
http://www.sc.edu/bck2skol/fall/lesson11.html
http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ia_nq.htm

Activity 3

To: Sarah@work.net
From: Bill@work.net
cc: jim@work.net

Subject: Training Trip Help

Dear Sarah,

I need to figure out who I need to get money from for a training trip I want to go on. Do you know who to ask? Please let me know!

Thanks,

Bill

Business Communication Letter

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Memorandum

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