Writing routine messages and positive messages

When writing routine messages, you

• Can assume that your readers will be interested or neutral

• Should open with an “attention getter”

• Should use the indirect approach with most audiences

• Need not allow much time for revision, production, or

  proofreading

When writing a routine request, the best approach is to begin

• With a personal introduction, such as “My name is Lee

  Marrs, and I am . . .”

• With a vague reference to what you are writing about,

  such as “I have something to ask you.”

• With a strong demand for action

• By politely stating your request

Which of the following would be an inappropriate goal for a

routine, simple request?

• Explaining what you want to know or what you want

  the reader to do

• Explaining why you’re making the request

• Explaining how you can use your position in the

  company to force the reader to comply

• Explaining why it may be in your reader’s interest to help you

If a message has both positive and negative elements, you

should

• Always start with the bad news to get it out of the way first

• Write two separate messages; never mix good and bad

  news

• Put the bad news in a postscript (p.s.) at the bottom of

  the letter

• Try to put the negative news in a positive context

Which of the following is not among the recommended elements to include in your message if you are responding to a claim or complaint when your company is at fault?

• An acknowledgement that you received the customer’s

  claim or complaint

• An expression of sympathy for the inconvenience or loss

  the customer has experienced

• An explanation of how you will resolve the situation

• Complete contact information for your corporate legal

  staff

The purpose of goodwill messages is to

• Generate sales

• Impress others

• Make yourself feel better

• Enhance relationships with customers, colleagues, and

  other businesspeople

Which of the following should you do when closing a routine request?

• Be sure to thank the reader “in advance” for complying

  with the request.

• Ask the reader to respond by a specific and appropriate

  time.

• Ask any remaining questions you have.

• Do all of the above.

A courteous close contains

• A specific request

• Information about how you can be reached (if it isn’t

  obvious)

• An expression of appreciation or goodwill

• All of the above

If a customer who is clearly at fault requests an adjustment,

you should

• Ignore the request; the customer is clearly wasting your

  time

• Carefully weigh the cost of complying with the request

  against the cost of denying it and then decide how to

  respond based on the overall impact on your company

• Always agree to such requests because unhappy customers

  spread bad publicity about a company

• Suggest in a firm but professional tone that the customer

  take his or her business elsewhere in the future

What should you do when asking questions in a routine

request?

• Begin with the least important question and work your

  way up to the most important question.

• Include all possible questions about the topic, even if the

  list gets long.

• Deal with only one topic per question.

• Do all of the above.