Org. Com. Chapter 9

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

Will the recipient understand what I want done?

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

cultivates interpersonal trust. improves your credibility.

A request does not require which of the following components?

expressing sympathy

Routine messages that include directions are much like those that

set expectations.

When a professional contact encounters a personal loss, it is ______ to extend sincere sympathies.

appropriate

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

5 to 15 minutes

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

10 or fewer

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

AIM

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

colleagues

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

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

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

To be an effective routine message, a claim should do which of the following?

Specify what the claim is. Explain why the claim is being made. Make a call to action.

Why is it not advisable to compose a business message that includes step-by-step instructions written in narrative form within a paragraph?

The narrative format for instructions is more difficult to follow.

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

communicate clear expectations

Which components should be included in an effective message of appreciation?

a brief rationale. an expression of thanks. a statement of goodwill.

A company writes to one of its suppliers, requesting an adjustment to the invoice for a recent shipment because some of the merchandise was missing. This type of business message is known as ______.

a claim

Which of the following would be considered a business announcement?

a mass email informing customers that the company is moving to a new location a statement that the company is changing its dress code a notice that the office Christmas party will be held in the conference room

An effective apology contains which of the following components?

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

When delivering an appreciation message, an exaggerated display of gratitude may

appear unprofessional. seem insincere.

Factors that lead to personal offenses include

careless comments. personality clashes. different communication styles.

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

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

All routine business messages should contain which of the following components?

details a restatement of the key message a primary message

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

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

helpful reader-oriented professional

A person reading a well-crafted announcement should grasp all of its important information

in 10 to 15 seconds.

Handling a routine message typically requires ______ other types of business correspondence.

less time than

Sending thank-you notes can accomplish which of the following?

maintain strong working relationships boost repeat business

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

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

no more than 10 words

In business correspondence that includes procedures and directions, ______ the steps to differentiate them from each other.

number

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

numbered lists special formatting bullets

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

numbering bullets external links

Messages that include directions usually

offer guidelines for specific tasks.

An announcement is what type of communication?

one-to-many

An appreciation message should be which of the following?

personal simple genuine

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

professional. reasonable. logical.

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

In response to a routine business request, the reader is likely to express little or no ______ to what the message is saying.

resistance

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

reviewing

Routine business messages should be constructed like other good writing, through use of

reviewing. planning. drafting.

By a large margin, most business messages are

routine messages.

The most effective thank-you notes are

sincere. written by hand. sent promptly.

In an email announcement business message, the ______ must be specific and must pique the interest of the reader so that the message will not be overlooked.

subject line

The ______ of a routine request should be clear and specific.

subject lines.

When you justify a routine request, you should provide

the rationale for the request in your message.

What is the most important goal of a routine business message?

to capture the reader's attention

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

Apologies become ineffective when they are

vague. cliché. insincere.

It is appropriate to extend sympathies to a professional contact

when a loved one becomes seriously ill. when a loved one passes away.