Mastering Routine Business Communication

2. Chapter 8 Writing Routine and Positive Messages

3. Learning Objectives • Outline an effective strategy for writing routine business requests • Describe three common types of routine requests • Outline an effective strategy for writing routine replies and positive messages • Describe six common types of routine replies and positive messages

4. New Media Concepts for Age-Old Problems

5. Strategy for Routine Requests

6. Common Examples of Routine Requests • Asking for information and action • Asking for recommendations • Making claims and requesting adjustments

7. Asking for Information and Action

8. Asking for Recommendations

9. Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments When writing a claim or requesting an adjustment: ● Explain the problem and give details ● Provide backup information ● Request specific action Be prepared to document any claims you make with a company. Send copies and keep the original documents.

10. Strategy for Routine and Positive Requests Start with the Main Idea

11. Strategy for Routine and Positive Requests Provide Necessary Details and Explanation

12. Strategy for Routine and Positive Requests Turn a Negative in to a Positive

13. Strategy for Routine and Positive Requests End with a Courteous Close

14. Common Examples of Routine and Positive Messages • Answering requests for information and action • Granting claims and requests for adjustments • Providing recommendations and references • Sharing routine information • Announcing good news • Fostering goodwill

15. Answering Requests for Information and Action Here is the brochure “Entertainment Unlimited” that you requested. This booklet describes the vast array of entertainment options available to you with an Ocean Satellite Device (OSD). (Response to inquiry, questions) On page 12 you’ll find a list of the 338 channels that the OSD brings into your home. You’ll have access to movie, sports, and music channels; 24-hour news channels; local channels; and all the major television networks. OSD gives you a clearer picture and more precise sound than those old-fashioned dishes that took up most of your yard—and OSD uses only a small dish that mounts easily on your roof. More music, more cartoons, more experts, more news, and more sports are available to you with OSD than with any other cable or satellite connection in this region. It’s all there, right at your fingertips. (Leave reader with a good impression of your firm) Just call us at 1-800-786-4331, and an OSD representative will come to your home to answer your questions. You’ll love the programming and the low monthly cost. Call today! (Encourage future sale)

16. Granting Claims and Requests for Adjustments

17. Responding to a Claim When Your Company Is At Fault • Acknowledge receipt of complaint • Sympathize with customer’s frustration • Take or assign personal responsibility for setting matters straight • Explain your plan of action • Work to repair the relationship • Follow up on your response

18. Refuse the Claim Grant the Claim Cost of Adjustment Discourage Future Claims Cost of Lost Business Avoid Being Condescending Responding to a Claim When the Customer Is At Fault

19. Claim Reply: Customer at Fault The writer opens by thanking the customer and then delivers the good news. The second paragraph explains the cause of the problem and gently suggests that the customer could have prevented it, but does so without insulting or accusing. The third paragraph offers a specific suggestion for the customer’s next purchase and does so in a positive way.

20. Responding to a Claim When a Third Party is at Fault Evaluate the situation and review your company’s policies before responding. Avoid placing blame; focus on the solution. Regardless of who is responsible for resolving the situation, let the customer know what will happen to resolve the problem.

21. Providing Recommendations and References • A successful recommendation letter contains a number of relevant details: • The candidate’s full name • The position or other objective the candidate is seeking • The nature of your relationship with the candidate • Facts and evidence relevant to the candidate and the opportunity

22. Sharing Routine Information Message Type Content Organization • Project Updates • Order Status • Policies • Department Announcements • Reminder Notices • Open - Purpose, Brief Overview of Information • Body - Details • Close - Courteous

23. Sharing Routine Information on Facebook The one-sentence opening paragraph summarizes information about a company-sponsored contest. A link provides full detail about the contest. The post makes good use of graphics and text to provide additional details. The final text element shares entry restrictions to help consumers know whether they are eligible to enter.

24. Announcing Good News Through a Social Media News Release The full narrative on the left is “bulletized” here on the right, which helps bloggers and others create their own story. Each bullet also has a Twitter button, which lets readers send the bullet point as an individual tweet. Related links take readers to the company’s main website or the specific product webpage.

25. Fostering Goodwill

26. Sending Messages of Appreciation Thank you and everyone on your team for the heroic efforts you took to bring our servers back up after last Friday’s flood. We were able to restore business right on schedule first thing Monday morning. You went far beyond the level of contractual service in restoring our data center within 16 hours. I would especially like to highlight the contribution of networking specialist Julienne Marks, who worked for 12 straight hours to reconnect our Internet service. If I can serve as a reference in your future sales activities, please do not hesitate to ask.

27. Summary of Objectives