Business Communication Chapter 7

Bernice was waiting for a letter of support from Alice Delany PhD with the United Way Foundation in Fort Worth Texas.

Bernice was waiting for a letter of support from Alice Delany, PhD, with the United Way Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas.

Occasionally, companies disappoint their customers. Whenever possible, these problems should be addressed immediately. Choose the best answer for the following question about handling customer problems. What is the first step you should take when a problem arises?

Call the individual customer.

Determine what strategy should be used in the following situation. You are going to deliver your product 24 hours late this month.

Direct

What buffering technique are you using if you provide objective information in your opening?

Facts

True or False: When refusing an internal request, it is not a good idea to provide an alternative.

False

You are the manager of two employees who have repeatedly displayed hostility toward a new employee. You decide to confront these individuals personally. What can you do to make the conversation effective? Check all that apply.

Gather all the information. Be patient with the reaction.

Your coworker needs to communicate with the cleaning crew that there is no need for them to come in during the holiday break. He is having trouble ending the letter and asks for your advice. What tips can you offer him? Check all that apply.

Anticipate future relations and business. Avoid endings that sound canned.

You are the account manager for an Internet service provider. A customer contacts you and complains that her recent billing statement was incorrect. After looking over the statement, you determine that the customer is in error. What should you do before writing your message? Check all that apply.

Anticipate the effect on the receiver. Analyze how you are going to deliver the bad news.

Your pharmaceutical company delivered the wrong shipment of medication to a chain of pharmacies. You need to draft an apology letter and rectify the situation. What tips should you remember when writing the letter? Check all that apply.

Apologize sincerely. Use good judgement to avoid litigation.

What are your goals when writing a letter denying credit? Check all that apply.

Avoiding language that causes hard feelings Avoiding disclosures that could cause a lawsuit

You are sending an email that announces company layoffs. If you put the announcement in the last paragraph of the email you

show compassion for the reader

Use the indirect approach when you want to

soften the blow and ensure that your reasoning will be heard

Why would the following sentence result in resentment from your reader? "Company policy restricts us from accepting two coupons for one item."

Readers resent blanket policy statements prohibiting something.

(blank) introduces the message with a neutral statement that makes the reader continue reading.

The buffer

The young project manager lacked communication skills but he was intelligent well-spoken and precise.

The young project manager lacked communication skills, but he was intelligent, well-spoken, and precise.

You own a specialty candle manufacturing company that supplies candles for restaurants and other businesses. Your wax supplier recently went out of business, and the new supplier charges more for shipping and handling. Because of this, you need to raise your prices. Customers need to be informed of this price increase. What are your goals when responding to the previous scenario? Check all that apply.

To reduce bad feelings To convey fairness To maintain a positive image of you and your organization

When refusing typical requests:

Transition with the repetition of key ideas

There has been a recall on one of the products your company manufactures. The company fears that if it has to replace too many of the recalled units, it will have to cancel executive bonuses this holiday season. The message sent to distributors informing them of the recall uses an indirect approach. Is the sender using an indirect approach in an ethical or unethical manner?

Unethical

Which of the following is the best technique for cushioning the bad news?

Use the passive voice.

When the board of directors asked that the company stop underwriting the PGA event the CEO knew that the decision which he made with the company's best interest in mind lacked foresight.

When the board of directors asked that the company stop underwriting the PGA event, the CEO knew that the decision, which he made with the company's best interest in mind, lacked foresight.

Which of the following sentences are correctly punctuated? Check all that apply.

When you accept the award this evening, speak with confidence, enthusiasm, and appreciation in your voice. Speaking well is important, yet it is not everything.

When a company is unable to honor a written request for a contribution to charity, what is the best way to refuse the request?

With an indirect refusal that focuses on the charity's good work

You should (blank) when personally delivering bad news within organizations.

consider taking a partner

When you can show that the decision was (blank) , receivers are far more likely to accept the negative news.

Impartial

Which of the following indicates your desire to continue to have pleasant interactions with the receiver?

Maintain friendly relations