Communication Skills for Business review questions 2

A coworker must leave town for a few days, and she has asked you to attend a meeting for her. You take copious notes and collect all of the handouts. How should you summarize the following information?

The marketing campaign for new products will launch on February 2nd. Three events will promote the new products. These events will be held in Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo. Employees attending these events must submit their travel requests to the Marketing Department by January 1st. Only economy class airfare will be allowed. All travel must be booked through the new company travel agency.

• Expenses are being cut and everyone must now fly economy class.

• The company has hired a new travel agency. All travel must be booked with them

• New products are being released in Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo.

• The new product launch is February 2nd. The deadline to submit your travel is January 1st.

You are employed at a store that sells home electronics. As a courtesy, the store will transfer data from a customer's old computer to a new computer for no charge, but only within 48 hours of purchasing the new computer.

A customer comes in the store 3 months after purchasing a new computer and wants you to transfer her data from her old computer. You tell the customer that the store policy won't allow you to do it for free because it has been more than 48 hours since her purchase. The customer gets angry and leaves the store before you can seek a solution for her. She post negative comments about you and the store all over social media.

The next week, you boss calls you into his office and wants to know what this is about.

How should you summarize the verbal incident that occurred between you and the customer?

• The store should perform free data transfers for the life of the computer

• You denied the customer a courtesy data transfer onto a computer that she purchased 3 months ago. She got angry and left before you could resolve the matter.

• Customer threatened you on social media for something you didn't do.

• The store should no longer transfer data for free.

The university you attend has posted the following flyer in several locations around campus.

ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS:

Beginning March 10th, the north paring lot will be closed for resurfacing and striping. It is expected that this parking lot will be closed for approximately 2 weeks. Students are asked not to park in the residential neighborhoods north of campus. City officials have warned they will ticket all vehicles illegally parked in residential areas. Temporary student parking will be made available near the east soccer field. Please use this lot or find alternative forms of transportation during the closure. Thank you!

What are three key points of this message? (Choose Three)

• The north parking lot will be closed from March 10 for 2 weeks.

• It takes approximately 2 weeks to stripe a parking lot.

• Cars illegally parked in surrounding neighborhoods will be ticketed.

• Temporary parking is available near the east soccer field.

• The university is resurfacing all of the student parking lots.

One of your responsibilities as Administrative Assistant to the CEO of your company is to read his email and summarize each one so he can decide whether he must read the entire email. How should you summarize the following message from the Human Resources Director?

The recent flu epidemic has had an impact on employee absences. Last week, 10% of the staff called in sick. Yesterday it was 15%. So far this month, 58 employees have missed more than 3 days of work. We have posted signs in all of the restrooms and the lunch room instructing employee to wash their hands frequently and to take care to cover their face when they cough or sneeze. We have also scheduled free flu vaccinations this Monday, but the vaccine requires 2 weeks to provide effective protection.

• Signs have been posted in all of the restrooms instructing employees to wash their hands.

• The recent flu epidemic has caused some employees to miss work.

• The flu has caused 58 employee to miss work this moth, so we are holding a free vaccination clinic on Monday.

• It requires 2 weeks for a flu vaccination to take effect.

The community college you attend has posted the following flyer in several locations around campus.

ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS:

Beginning October 15th, the swimming pool will be closed for renovation. It is expected to be closed until June 1st. All college-sponsored swimming activities are suspended until the renovation is complete. City officials have offered to make the recreation center available are no charge to students who show their Student ID cards. We apologize for this inconvenience.

What are the key points of this message?

• The city has closed the college swimming pool.

• Students swim for free at the city recreation center all year. The simply must show their Student ID Card,

• The swimming pool will be closed from October 15th thru June 1st. All college-sponsored swimming activities are suspended, but students can swim for free at the city recreation center.

• The college is replacing the swimming pool with a recreation center. The campus pool will close on October 15th.

The city has sent you an email with the following message:

Effective January 1st, recycling will be available in your area. The landfill transfer center can process most recyclable material such as paper, corrugated cardboard, plastic, aluminum cans and glass bottles. We cannot accept scrap metal at this time. The city has developed this program for your benefit using various grants and donations to help make our community more green. If you would like to participate and receive a recycle can for your residence, please complete the attached form and mail it in the postage paid envelope no later than November 15th.

What are the three key points of this message?

• Recycling wil be available January 1st

• No scrap metal will be accepted

• Recycle cans are provided at no cost

• The landfill can only process paper and plastic.

• Request for a recycle can must be submitted by November 15th.

A customer calls a computer support center where you work. He is talking very fast and seems frustrated. He identifies himself as a college student and tells you he cannot upload his midterm assignment from his laptop computer. He also says he is in a hurry because he has a class starting in 10 minutes and he cannot risk failing his class. He says his computer has never worked right since he purchased it and he'll never buy another one from your company.

You want to clarify the issue so you can help the customer. How should you appropriately respond?

• Put the student on hold so you can research the issue.

• Ask if the student has Wi-Fi.

• Ask the student, "What username and password are you using"

• Paraphrase by asking, "So, you're calling to get help uploading a file?"

Answer explanation

Before you can help the customer, you must first clarify the message. What exactly does the caller want from you? To clarify the message, paraphrase it back.

Your supervisor has promoted you to be the night manager at a small retail store. He gives you a list of responsibilities that only you are to perform.

-Close out the cash registers, count the money, and lock it in the safe

-Inventory any shipment boxes that arrived that day

-Set the alarm

-Lock the store

Which response would you give to appropriately clarify this message?

• What happens if I don't have time to do all of these tasks?

• In what order shall I perform these tasks?

• Which task is the most important?

• What if there are no shipments to inventory?

Your Supervisor is giving you a new assignment. She list four different projects that she needs done. You discuss each project with her to make sure you understand how she wants each completed.

What other clarification do you need?

• Ask why you supervisor dumped these projects on you at this time.

• Find out the order and dates your supervisors wants the projects done.

• You should find out why you must do these projects instead of a coworker.

• Ask when you supervisor choose these projects and why.

When you arrive to work, your team leader immediately calls you into her office. She sounds frustrated and tells you the following:

You frequently arrive late in the morning and I have to cover your calls until you arrive, which means I don't get my work done!

You want to make sure you understand why she is frustrated. How should you respond to clarify her message?

• I can really relate to what you're saying. I hate it when you're late, too!

• Sometimes I have trouble waking up after gaming on my computer all night.

• Do you really have that much work to do?

• So you're frustrated when I'm late because you have to cover my calls?