Business Communications Chapters 5

Which of the following is the most appropriate beginning for a typical routine inquiry message?

A brief statement to orient the reader

Which of the following should be included in the body of a direct claim?

A paragraph of explanation to help your reader understand your requirements

Which of the following is the most effective method of making questions stand out in a routine message?

Structuring questions in true question form

Even though an adjustment grant is good news to a customer, some negative thoughts may remain.

True

In responding to an inquiry with two or more questions, you should answer the questions in the order your reader used in asking them.

True

One of the special considerations when writing an adjustment grant message pertains to overcoming the reader's negative impressions of the company.

True

The opening of a routine inquiry should focus on the main objective.

True

When a message is likely to elicit a positive or neutral response from a reader, the direct approach is preferable.

True

When is it best to use the indirect approach in creating a message?

When the message is likely to evoke a negative response from the reader

The direct order of writing a message _____.

allows the writer to begin with the key point and get to the objective right away without delay

If you are seeking only one piece of information in a routine inquiry message, you should _____.

begin the message with a specific question

In giving proper emphasis to the bad news in a favorable response, you should _____.

place the bad news in secondary positions

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when answering two or more questions in a favorable response message?

Arrange the answers in the same order as the questions in the inquiry message.

Which of these concluding sentences is most likely to build goodwill in a routine inquiry message?

As we must begin production on February 1, I'd appreciate your response by that date.

Which of the following is a good practice in framing questions for routine inquiry messages?

Avoiding simple yes or no questions unless required

Internal-operational messages are those emails and hard-copy messages written by the employees of a company to suppliers and service organizations outside the company.

False

Messages that contain good news should be written in the indirect order.

False

When ending routine inquiry messages, one should avoid mentioning deadlines and the reasons for them.

False

When writing a general favorable response, you should avoid adding comments, questions, suggestions, or additional information even if such material is relevant to the reader's original request.

False

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when writing a message carrying good-news?

If parts of the objective require explanation, the explanations must be included in the message.

In which of the following situations should one use the direct order in writing a message?

In writing a message that is likely to evoke a neutral response from the reader

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when writing order acknowledgement messages?

Include information about new products, services, or opportunities for the reader.

Which of the following concluding sentences is most likely to build goodwill in a routine inquiry message?

Your prompt reply to our proposal by the 31st of December will allow us to start our work on time.

Which of the following is an ideal opening for a direct claim?

Please adjust invoice 3459 to show that we ordered six office chairs, not seven.

Which of the following claim messages presents its content in the most appropriate manner?

Please replace the broken product by tomorrow.

Which of the following sentences is appropriate to be used in a claim message?

Please send us a replacement by January 1.

Which of the following illustrates the most positive way of explaining a shipping delay?

Production of EZ staplers resumes on June 1; your order of 65 EZ staplers will arrive on June 12.

You are most likely to build goodwill with your readers by using _____.

a closing that is tailored to your message

Depending on the situation, claim messages can either be written using the direct order or the indirect order.

True

Which of the following is true of acknowledgements?

Acknowledgements let people who order goods know the status of their orders.

Which of the following should you do when responding favorably to questions in a routine inquiry message?

Answer the most important question first.

In the context of writing order acknowledgements, when delays are routine and expected and do not pose a serious problem, you should use the indirect approach.

False

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when writing an order acknowledgement message?

Begin with the news of the goods being shipped.

In writing a favorable response to an inquiry, it is considered inappropriate to begin the message by stating that you are complying with the reader's request.

False

Internal-operational communications are highly casual exchanges between employees of the same company.

False

A message granting an adjustment should be written in the indirect order.

False

A routine inquiry should not open with a question or request.

False

Ending a message with phrases such as "as soon as possible" or "at your convenience" helps in building goodwill.

False

For the sake of conciseness and clarity, the questions in a routine inquiry should be combined into a single sentence.

False

If your response to an inquiry includes some bad news along with the good news, you should place the bad news at the beginning and ending of the message as a whole.

False

In a message granting an adjustment, you should make repeated references to the problem being corrected.

False

An order acknowledgment message begins with good news and ends on a goodwill note.

True

What is the advantage of closing a message with a tailored ending?

It helps in building more goodwill.

In the context of order acknowledgements, which of the following illustrates the most positive way of handling a vague order?

Once you let us know which of the two models you would like, we will send it to you immediately.

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when responding favorably to questions in a routine inquiry message?

Order your answers logically or arrange them in paragraphs.

Which of the following is true about internal-operational messages?

The formality of such communication ranges from casual to moderately formal to formal.

Which of the following is true about a routine inquiry that seeks only one piece of information?

The message can be concluded immediately after asking for the information.

Which of the following guidelines will help create an effective good-news message?

The message should be concluded with an appropriate friendly comment.

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when writing an effective message carrying good-news?

The prefatory remarks in the message should be kept brief with focus on the real message.

What is the advantage of providing background information or orienting statements in a routine inquiry?

They help reduce any startling effect that a direct question might have on the reader.

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when granting an adjustment?

You should avoid language that makes the customer's complaint the focus of your message.

Which of the following should be followed when granting an adjustment?

You should explain what is being done to correct the situation.

Which of the following guidelines should be followed when granting an adjustment?

You should try to regain any confidence that the reader may have lost from the experience.

Which of the following sentences is most likely to build goodwill in a routine inquiry message?

Your preparation of estimates by June 13 will enable us to choose a contractor by the end of the month.

When composing good-news and neutral messages, one may _____.

begin the message with a brief orienting clause

Most claim messages are written using the indirect approach because they _____.

involve unhappy news

Combining two or more questions in a sentence _____.

de-emphasizes each question

The _____ is the best approach to use when a message is likely to evoke a positive response from the reader.

direct approach

A good place for general explanatory material in a routine inquiry with multiple questions is _____.

in the body of the message along with the questions