BCOM TEST 3
Which statement of refusal is most likely to be successful
"we can grant full refunds only when the product is found to be defective"
Which of the following should immediately follow the bad news in a negative announcement?
possible solution to reader problems
Which of the following are true of formal operational messages?
they may include numbered steps or topics, they should follow an order that enables quick understanding, they should be understood by employees with a range of verbal skills
True or False: the primary purpose of a refuse request message is to keep customers happy.
True: the primary goal is creating refused request messages is to present the bad news of the refusal
indirect messages rely on logic and
courtesy
Depending on the audience and context, claims may be written..
directly or indirectly
Where foes explanatory material typically belong in a routine inquiry?
After the direct request
Which of the following should you consider when you anticipate your audiences reaction to a claim might be negative?
Having an in person conversation, filling an indirect claim, making a phone call
True or false: a message refusing an adjustment should always include an alternative
false
True or False: most negative announcements follow the general direct plan
false : most negative announcements follow the general indirect plan
The main objective of a routine inquiry is to
get a question or questions answered
When you are offering a positive response to an inquiry, your goal is to
give readers the information they want
which of the following does a negative announcement often require
helping readers solve the problem the bad news creates
which closing strategy for a request refusal will encourage goodwill
making a forward-looking statement
At large firms, information on potential customers is typically gathered by
marketing departments or agencies
Which of the following are examples of internal-operational communications
memorandums, internal emails, documents posted on bulletin boards
Compared to routine messages, moderately formal operational messages require
more care in construction
in a successful indirect refusal, the opening words are relevant and
neutral
Which of the following are good ways of calling attention to the questions in a message?
ordering or ranking your questions, giving each question a separate paragraph, placing a bullet next to each question
Which of the following are sources of consumer information available to small firms or individuals with limited budgets
other companies email lists and market research reports
One risk of opening a negative announcement with a blunt statement is that it might cause
panic
sales emails that customers sign up for based on their interests or past purchases are called
permission based emails
Presenting your reasons for refusing a request depends mostly on
persuasion
presenting your reasons for refusing a request depends mostly on
persuasion
Which of the following outcomes in associated with the direct method of refusing a request
readers have an immediately negative impression
why is a blunt direct message likely to cause panic
readers will not be prepared for the news
the closing of a request refusal message should be positive
relevant
In making your case in an adjustment refusal message, it is customary to rely on
relevant company policies
a postscript can be used in a sales message to
request that readers pass information to others, urge the reader to act, make note of attachments or other secondary materials
citing an expert opinion is a strategy for
setting up negative news
Which of the following is a common way to transition from the buffer to an explanation of why a consumers request must be refused?
state a point of common agreement
Which of the following characteristics are typical of the tone of casual operational messages
straightforward and honest
which of the following are common features of sales writing?
conversational tone, sentence fragments and fast pace
Which of the following should be covered in formal internal-operational communications?
corporate procedures, organizational directives and company policies
in adjustment refusal messages, it is often necessary to demonstrate that the refused claim is
unreasonable
Which of the following words should be avoided in a bad news message
upset
If your negative announcement is likely to surprise or upset readers, it is generally best to
use an indirect presentation
Which of the following suggestions should be followed when developing the appeal in a persuasive request
use concise language, project an appealing language, use logical, engaging details
The statement "we can only grant discounts when..." is an example of
using a positive policy statement as a refusal
which of the following can help make a direct refusal of an adjustment less blunt
using the you-point as much as possible
You should only ask a yes or no question if you
want a yes or no answer
when setting up a buffer, think about
what will prepare your audience for bad news
the conclusion of a refusal message should never leave readers feeling that
you have treated them professionally
Which of the following should you attempt to demonstrate in an indirect claim message
your reasonableness, objectivity, your readers reasonableness
Management receives a message from an unhappy customer who wants a newer model of their product. The company can't do that but they can offer them a discount on the newer model. How should the refusal message be set up?
They should follow the indirect model, focusing on the discount that they can offer rather than the exchange they must refuse.
Which of the following is appropriate to include in the conclusion of a negative announcement
a commitment to the readers
Which of the following should be included in an order acknowledgement
a concluding note of goodwill, a mention that the goods have been shipped and details about the shipment of the goods
Which of the following are appropriate formats for a business thank-you messages
a handwritten note, and email, a typed messages on company stationary
in which of the following bad news messages is an apology appropriate
a mistake at your company resulted in a charge to the customer
The body of a business thank-you message should be phrased as
a personalized comment
unsolicited proposals should resemble
a sales message
A proposal written in response to a request from another business or organization is
a solicited proposal
A buffer should leave the reader feeling
agreeable
Opening a bad-news message with the phrase "for the safety of our guests" tells a reader that
all patrons benefit from your policy
When writing a negative announcement, it is important to include
all relevant facts
which of the following is a logical buffer to an adjustment refusal message?
an acknowledgement of the claim
Which of the following can be used to identify the transaction involved in a claim message
an email subject line, the messages first sentence, the subject line of a letter
what is a buffer
an opening that tells the subject of a message without indicating that bad news is coming
A thank-you message combined with confirmation of purchase is known as
an order acknowledgement
In a business message, which of the following might you put before your objective statement in order to prevent it form sounding too blunt
an orienting sentence and brief background information
A persuasive message is defined as
any attempt to offer something to readers or listeners in exchange for some of their resources
which strategy is the best course of action for refusing a request when the reader is clearly in the wrong?
appeal to the readers sense of fair play
Which of the following are examples of extras
comments demonstrating interest in the reader, additional valuable information, suggestions for use of the information provided
A thank-you message should include a forward looking statement
at the conclusion
If you have a formal relationship with the recipient of a thank you message, you should...
avoid using the readers first name, but maintain a friendly tone
In order to achieve an object tone in a bed news message
avoid using the second person
An opening that indicates a message's subject without indicating that bad news will follow is known as a
buffer
In situations where you have no help to offer, a negative announcement should
call attention to benefits readers will still enjoy
Which of the following might be offered in a character-based appeal
celebrity endorsement, chance to associate with a trendsetting company, expert testimony
When writing an internal-operational message, one of the first things you should do is
choose an appropriate tone
After researching your product and potential customers, the next step in preparing to write a sales message is
choosing the most effective sales media
Giving the reader what he or she is asking for and answering a question immediately is considered
directness
Logical appeals are most appropriate for products that help customers do what?
do a better job, get better use from a product and save money
What format is typically the most appropriate for internal proposals
Which of the following are objectives of a good business message
encouraging the reader to take action, informing the reader about something, making the reader feel something
Which of the following ideas is behind all casual operational messages
everyone is working for a common goal
Which of the following are examples of psychographic information
exercise habits and favorite foods
In an indirect refusal, a buffer sets up the
explanation
Elements of a message that go beyond a routine response are known as
extras
When writing a favorable response to a business message, the first step should be to
identify the question being answered
in making a sales request, readers should be enticed to act
immediately
Which of the following are good places to put bad news?
in qualified phrases and in subordinate clauses
Which of the following are ways to create goodwill in the ending of a routine inquiry
include reasons for the deadlines in the ending, include important deadlines in the ending and tailor the ending to fit the messages topic
The approach to writing bad news messages that requires writers to preface bad news with an explanation is known as the
indirect approach
Which of the following should be included in an RFP
information on the approval process, clear statement of the organizations need and proposal guidelines
Which of the following should characterize the words in the body of a claim message
informative, courteous and firm
Which of the following are examples of informal internal-operational communications
instant message exchanges about work, causal memorandums, emails
Why is stating a point of common agreement a common buffer strategy?
it allows you to transition to why the case is an exception
What is the primary role of logic in an indirect message
it helps readers see that the action is warranted
Which of the following is true of a sentence that begins "will you please tell me..."
it is structured in true question form
which of the following strategies is most likely to result in a successful statement of refusal
keeping the statement short and objective
Individually written order acknowledgements can be justified for
large orders
Which of the following are useful ways to phrase your request fr a claim
leave the decision to the reader and directly state what you want
the greatest challenge with adjustment refusals is
maintaining a positive relationship with the reader
After presenting the facts that prove your claim, you should next...
make the claim logically
Which of the following should be used to determine the level of formality for a proposal
the circumstances and the readers preferences and personality
Why might a customer send a written claim to a company over email instead of calling the company directly?
the customer wants to have a written record of her or his conversation or it may be difficult to reach a live representative through the company's customer service number
Which of the following should be conveyed in the end of a message
the reason for the deadlines, wether a response is needed, important deadlines
Which of the following statements applies only to verbal bad news messages
they allow you to take advantage of verbal cues
Which of the following are reasons why sales messages are considered controversial
they rely on persuasive tactics that could be perceived as unethical and many readers do not wish to receive them
Which of the following are objectives of an unsolicited proposal
to get the readers attention, to build your credibility and to describe a need and your ability to answer it
What is the purpose of a strategic buffer?
to give readers a chance to prepare for bad news
What is the purpose of a buffer when refusing a request
to put the reader in an open frame of mind
When composing an adjustment refusal, why is it important to cite relevant company policy
to show that your conclusion is logical
