7.1 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Chapter 7 Writing Routine, Good-News, and Goodwill Messages

7.2 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Chapter 7 Objectives  Apply the three-step writing process to routine positive messages.  Illustrate the strategy for writing effective routine requests.  Discuss the differences between four types of routine requests.

7.3 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Chapter 7 Objectives  Explain the main differences in messages granting a claim.  Understand the implications of writing a recommendation letter that refers to a candidate’s shortcomings.  Clarify the importance of goodwill messages. continued

7.4 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Routine Messages  Most of a typical employee’s communications are about routine matters:  Orders  Information  Claims  Credit  Employees  Products  Operations

7.5 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall The Three-Step Writing Process for Routine Messages Step 3: Complete messages Step 1: Plan messages Step 2: Write messages

7.6 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Step 1. Planning  Begin planning by analyzing your purpose to make sure that it  Is specific  Should indeed be sent  Should be written (rather than using an oral channel)  Continue planning by investigating to learn exactly what your audience needs to know:  Do you have all the relevant information?  Do you need to take a little time to gather more?

7.7 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Step 1. Planning  Finish planning by adapting your message to your readers:  Select the medium most appropriate for your readers.  Establish a good relationship with your readers.

7.8 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Step 2. Writing  Organize routine messages simply:  The main idea is probably already pretty well defined.  Stick to your main point by limiting the scope of your messages.  As you cover relevant points, group them in the most logical fashion.  The direct approach will probably be most appropriate for routine messages (but be sure to verify the customs of readers in different cultures).

7.9 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Step 3. Competing  Complete routine messages by  Revising  Producing  Proofreading

7.10 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Making Routine Requests  You are making a request whenever you ask for something:  Information  Action  Products  Adjustments  References

7.11 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Making Routine Requests  A request is routine when  It’s part of the normal course of business  You anticipate that your audience will want to comply  Routine requests have three parts:  Opening (where you place your main request)  Body (where you explain details and justify your request)  Close (where you request specific action and conclude cordially)

7.12 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Making Routine Requests State your request at the beginning. Explain and justify your request. Courteously request action.

7.13 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Routine Messages  Many routine messages fall into major categories, such as  Placing orders  Requesting information and action  Making claims and requesting adjustments  Requesting recommendations and references

7.14 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Order Letters  If you need to draft an order letter, follow the same format as you would on an order blank:  Open with the general request.  Include in the body specific information about the items you want (in column form, double- spaced, with totals at the end).  Close by specifying your delivery address, how the merchandise is to be shipped, and how the amount was calculated.

7.15 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Requesting Information or Action  When requesting information or action, follow the direct approach:  Open with a clear statement of your reason for writing.  Provide in the body whatever explanation is needed to justify your request.  Close with a specific account of what you expect, including a deadline if appropriate.

7.16 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Claims and Adjustments  A claim is a formal complaint you make when you’re dissatisfied with a product or service.  An adjustment is a claim settlement, another way of requesting satisfaction.  Claim letters are better than phone calls or visits because they document your dissatisfaction.

7.17 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Claims and Adjustments  When making claims and requesting adjustments, assume that a fair adjustment will be made (especially in your first letter) and follow the plan for direct requests:  Open with a straightforward statement of the problem.  In the body, give a complete, specific explanation of the details, providing any information an adjuster might need to verify your complaint.  In the close, politely request specific action or convey a sincere desire to find a solution, and suggest that the business relationship will continue if the problem is solved satisfactorily.

7.18 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Claims and Adjustments  Because companies usually accept the customer’s explanation of what’s wrong, it’s important to  Be entirely honest and ethical when filing claims  Back up your claim with any copies of invoices, sales receipts, canceled checks, dated correspondence, catalog descriptions, and any other relevant documents.

7.19 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Recommendations and References  Companies often have a legitimate need to inquire about people.  Before you use someone’s name as a reference, ask that person’s permission.  Assume that your reader will honor your request.  If you haven’t had recent contact, you may need to talk to the person ahead of time to refresh the acquaintance.

7.20 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Sending Routine Replies and Positive Messages  When sending routine replies and positive messages, you have several goals:  To communicate the good news  To answer all questions  To provide all required details  To leave your reader with a good impression of you and your firm

7.21 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Sending Routine Replies and Positive Messages  Routine replies and positive messages  Have an opening, body, and close  Are generally of interest to readers  Usually use the direct approach

7.22 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Sending Routine Replies Main idea Courteous close Explanation and relevant details

7.23 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Types of Routine Replies Granting requests for information and action Granting claims and requests for adjustments Granting claims and requests for adjustments Providing recommendations and references Providing recommendations and references Announcing good news Sending goodwill

7.24 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Answering Requests  When you’re answering requests and a potential sale is involved, your main goals are to  Respond to the inquiry and answer all questions  Leave your reader with a good impression of you and your firm  Encourage the future sale  Claims and requests for adjustment are opportunities to build customer loyalty.

7.25 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Answering a Complaint  When you receive a complaint,  Assume that it’s an honest statement of what happened  Investigate the problem to determine what went wrong and why  Determine whether your company, your customer, or a third party is at fault  Respond promptly

7.26 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Answering a Complaint  When your company is at fault,  Protect your company’s image  Try to regain the customer’s goodwill  Avoid blaming an individual or department  Avoid lame excuses  Avoid guaranteeing that the problem will never occur again  Explain your company’s efforts to do a good job  Imply that the error was an unusual incident

7.27 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Answering a Complaint  When the customer is at fault, you have two options to choose from:  Refuse the claim and attempt to justify your refusal.  Simply do what the customer asks.  When the customer is at fault and you decide to grant the claim,  Open with the good news  In the body, tactfully make the customer understand that the merchandise was mistreated  Close on a positive note

7.28 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall When a Third Party is at Fault  Be sure you communicate to the reader only what you have authority to do.  You have three options:  Honor the claim  Honor the claim but explain you aren’t at fault  Refer the claimant to the third party

7.29 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Providing Recommendations You should indicate the following:  Candidate’s full name  Job or benefit being sought  Nature of your relationship with candidate  Whether you’re responding to a request or taking the initiative  Facts relevant to the position  Overall evaluation of candidate

7.30 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Providing Recommendations  You have an obligation to refer to any shortcoming that is serious and related to job performance.  If you must refer to a shortcoming, avoid libel by  Sticking to the facts  Avoiding value judgments  Placing your criticism in the context of a generally favorable recommendation

7.31 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Good News  When writing a letter to announce good news about company products or operations,  Open by announcing the news  Give details in the body  Close with some resale information and a confident prediction of a profitable business relationship

7.32 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Goodwill Messages  Goodwill messages are friendly, unexpected notes with no direct business purpose.  Back up any compliments with specific examples to  Appear sincere  Appear honest  Appear interested in the reader rather than in personal gain

7.33 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Goodwill Messages  Another opportunity for sending a good will message is to show your appreciation (for a job well done, for much needed support, and so forth) by recognizing the contributions of employees, colleagues, suppliers, and other associates.  Your message of appreciation  Makes the person feel good and encourages further excellence  May become an important part of someone’s personnel file  Must specifically mention the person or people you want to praise

7.34 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Condolences  When writing condolences,  Open with a brief statement of sympathy  In the body, mention the loved one’s good qualities or positive contributions, or state what the person or business meant to you  Close by offering your best wishes

7.35 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall Condolences  Remember the following general suggestions when writing condolences:  Keep reminiscences brief.  Write in your own words.  Be tactful.  Take special care to be accurate, correct, and prompt.  Write about special qualities of the deceased.  Write about special qualities of the bereaved person.

7.36 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall  Should you use the direct or indirect approach for routine messages? Why?  Where in a routine message should you state your actual request?  How does the question of fault affect what you say in a message granting a claim? Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge

7.37 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall  What is the appropriate strategy for responding to a request for a recommendation about a job candidate whose performance was poor?  When is a request routine?  What are some of the guidelines for asking a series of questions in a routine request? Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge continued

7.38 To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e, Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall  What information should be included in an order request?  How does a claim differ from an adjustment?  How can you avoid sounding insincere when writing a goodwill message?  What are some of the guidelines for writing condolence messages? Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge continued