MGT 321 Chapter 9

An effective apology contains which of the following components?

promising not to commit the offense again admitting that you offended someone saying you regret your actions

When drafting a routine message, you should strive for a ______ tone.

helpful reader-oriented professional

In a routine business message, how long should the primary message be?

no more than 10 words

Messages that include directions usually

offer guidelines for specific tasks.

The primary message in a routine communication should have ______ words.

10 or fewer

It should take about ______ to complete a routine business message.

5 to 15 minutes

The ______ planning process can be completed quickly for most routine messages.

AIM

A routine message should be written with which two of the following questions in mind?

How much detail does my audience expect? How would my audience want to receive this information?

Which of the following statements about routine messages called claims are correct?

Long-term relationships should be respected. The purpose is to have the other company comply with your claim.

Which of the following are true of routine business messages?

Readers are unlikely to resist them. They convey straightforward information. Readers usually respond positively to them.

If too little information is provided in your routine message, which of the following are likely to happen?

The receiver will be less apt to do what you are requesting. Your credibility will be diminished.

What question should you ask yourself before sending a routine request?

Will the recipient understand what I want done?

Which of the following are effective elements in a routine message for making a claim? (Choose every correct answer.)

a compliment a focus on the merits of the claim a polite request

What is the biggest challenge in a routine business message?

to get your readers to pay attention

The main text of a routine message should consist of

brief paragraphs with pertinent details.

When responding to inquiries, which of the following are the three best ways to set off separate questions?

bullets numbered lists special formatting

Factors that lead to personal offenses include

careless comments. different communication styles. personality clashes.

Thank-you notes for ______ should be less formal but should not feel exaggerated.

colleagues

Managers and supervisors need to ______, even if they are afraid of going beyond their authority.

communicate clear expectations

Establishing clear expectations, especially when you are the supervisor or manager, directly

cultivates interpersonal trust. improves your credibility.

When providing directions, lack of ______ is most likely to frustrate your readers.

detail

When making a claim, your message will be more effective if it balances ______ with ______.

directness; politeness

Numerous routine messages are handled daily. Therefore they need to be produced with

efficiency.

After harming someone at work, whether intentionally or not, business professionals with high ______ will quickly try to make amends.

emotional intelligence

A request does not require which of the following components?

expressing sympathy

Which of the following might you use to highlight key ideas when drafting a routine message?

external links bullets numbering

Which of the following are good techniques for an effective response to inquiries?

including links to web pages with additional information using bold to highlight each question giving each question its own section

Apologies become ineffective when they are

insincere. cliché. vague.

How much time do most readers expect it will take to grasp the main point of a routine business message?

less than 10 to 15 seconds

When you express sympathy to a professional contact over a death, you should

make the note personal. handwrite the expression on a nice card. keep the expression brief.

Your response to inquiries will be more effective if you ______ so that readers can easily identify your answers.

mark each question with a bullet or number

Which of the following techniques should not be used when responding to an inquiry?

mixing responses in a single paragraph

Thank-you notes for customers and clients ______, whereas thank-you notes for colleagues ______.

require more formality and respect; should be more casual but not excessive in showing appreciation

Proofreading and requests for feedback should take place during the ______ stage of routine message development.

reviewing

By a large margin, most business messages are

routine messages.

Routine messages that include directions are much like those that

set expectations.

The most important element of any expression of sympathy is that it be

sincere.

When providing directions in a routine message, you should give ______ instructions.

step-by-step

All routine business messages should contain which of the following components? (Choose every correct answer.)

the primary message within the first two sentences the primary message in the subject line details

When you justify a routine request, you should provide

the rationale for the request in your message.

When drafting a business message that includes instructions, when should you have other people read your directions to make sure they are clear enough?

when the directions describe a complicated procedure when the directions describe a technical procedure

When making a claim to a company, the explanation that you lay out should be

professional. reasonable. logical.

Which of the following take place during the reviewing stage of a routine message?

getting feedback for a group message rereading the message proofreading the message

When employees explain their reasons in the text of routine requests, the company is better able to maintain ______ by keeping written records that show why decisions were made.

transparency