Business Communication - Professor Gardnerprofessorgardner.com/Lecture_Notes_Set_C.pdf1 Lecture Notes Set C 1 Business Communication Writing Good News/Routine Messages Predicting the

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Lecture Notes Set C 1

Business CommunicationWriting Good News/Routine Messages

Predicting the Reader’s Reaction:

4 Reactions:

Pleased

Interested

Not pleased

Not interested

What sort of mail elicits a response from you? What is your response?

Hi and welcome back In this set, we will learn various strategies for writing effective good news messages.

From previous discussions, we learned effective communicators are able to predict the reader’s response. As your sort through the mail each day from your mailbox, what types of reactions do you encounter. Perhaps you got a letter from grandma which pleases you. Perhaps you received notice your student loan is 30 days past due. Perhaps you received a letter encouraging you to try a revolutionary new diet. In this set, we will discuss situations in which the likely perceived reaction is pleased or interested.

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When the Reader’s Reaction will be:

Pleased or Interested

Use the deductive sequence

Places the main idea of message near beginning

Expects little resistance to main idea

When the Reader’s Reaction will be:

not pleased or not interested

Use the inductive sequence

Places the main idea of message near the end

Expects resistance to main idea

This is a VERY important slide. Master the concepts here and you will do great!

Rule: When the reader’s perceived reaction will be pleased or interested, place the main idea of the message near the BEGINNING of the letter.

Rule: When the reader’s perceived reaction will be NOT pleased or Not interested, place the main idea near the END of the letter.

For example, suppose I want to announce that all employees will receive a 5% raise. Since the perceived reaction is likely positive, I would want to place the main idea near the beginning of my message. I would not want to write a memo/letter and mention the employee raise in the last sentence of the last paragraph—this would not be as effective. When we expect little resistance to the main idea, we write deductively, placing the main idea near the beginning.

On the other hand, when the idea is likely to receive a negative reaction, I would not want to place the main idea at the beginning. Suppose you were charged with informing your employee of a 5% pay decrease due to the economy. As we will see in a future chapter, one would want to provide reasons leading up to the bad news BEFORE letting the “cat out of the bag.” When we expect resistance to the idea, we write inductively, placing the main idea near the end—but not at the very end since many readers expect to find bad news there. We don’t want them finding the bad news that easily as they are less likely to read the rest of the letter to find out the reasons for the bad news.

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Good news/routine messages which

follow the deductive sequence

*Routine Request

-Response to Routine Request

*Routine Claim Letter

-Response to Routine Claim Letter(Adjustment)

*Acknowledgement Letter

*Credit request

*Thank you/Apologies

Expect little resistance

Here are the types of letters which use the deductive format. In other words, writers preparing these types of letters can expect little resistance to the main idea of the letter. We will explore some of these in more depth shortly. Proceed to the next slide when ready.

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Generic Steps in Writing a Good News/Routine Message

(1) State the pleasant idea(main idea)

(2) Provide the details or explanation

(3) Remind the reader of the good news.

End on a positive note

Provided here is a GENERIC format for writing effective good news messages. Notice step one begins with a discussion of the main idea. Remember, we expect little resistance so it goes first. Next, we follow up the main idea with supporting information. Finally, we end on a positive note-reminding the receiver of the good news. One can never be reminded of the good news too often

Please note these are only GENERIC steps. You will be provided with more detailed steps for the letters later in the lesson.

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Understanding letter parts & spacing

Writing a Business Letter

Address a letter to Alexander Bell 773 W. 42nd Street Houston, TX 76643 informing him that he has been selected as a finalist for a trip to Switzerland. Use the correct format.

Download Memo Format Guide

Key a memo to Jan Waters requesting time off for work. Be sure to list one or more valid reasons.

Complete Supplemental Activity #1C


Before proceeding, it’s important to understand the proper protocol for writing a business letter and a memo. A letter is a formal document prepared for individuals outside of the organization. A memo is a less formal document prepared for individuals inside the organization.

IMPORTANT: ALL LETTERS THIS POINT FORWARD MUST BE SUBMITTED USING RVC GOOGLE DOCS. To learn how, visit the course website www.professorgardner.com and go the Set C Supplemental Activities and review the Read this First! Document.

Pointers for writing effective business letters in Business Communication 105•All letters MUST have the following components

•Dateline: Date the letter is to be mailed. For example, use July 1, 2007 NOT 07/01/07. Begins approximately 2 inches from the top of the page. After typing the date, press ENTER 4 times.•Address: Name/address of person receiving the letter. After typing the name and address, press the ENTER key 2 times.•Salutation: Appropriate business forms include the word Dear with title and last name. For example, Dear Mr. Smith Note: Some people prefer not to dear people they don’t personally know but this trend is becoming less common. Use Dear in all instances for your assignments. After typing the salutation, press the Enter key 2 times.•Body: The body of a letter is single spaced with a double space between paragraphs. So after the first paragraph, press ENTER twice to go to the next paragraph. After the last paragraph, press the ENTER key twice to proceed to the complimentary close portion of the letter.•Complimentary Close: The word Sincerely is most appropriate. Type the word Sincerely and then press the enter key 4 times to proceed to the typewritten name portion of the letter. This space is allotted to signing the letter.•Typewritten Name: The name typewritten for verification purposes. Key the typewritten name and then press the enter key 2 times.•Typist initials: The initials of the person typing the letter in lowercase. Only include these if the author and typist are DIFFERENT individuals. If they are both the same, then NO typist initials are necessary.

Important: Use block style and open punctuation for all your letters. Block style means ALL parts of your letter begin at the default left margin in Word. Hence paragraphs are NOT indented. Open punctuation means there is NO punctuation after the salutation or complimentary close. Important: Use the default margins in Google Docs.

Complete Supplemental Activity #1C Letter Format & Complete Supplemental Activity #2C Memo Format

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Routine Request

*Examine the 2 broad categories of requests

*List some examples of common routine requests

*Discuss the deductive sequence for writing a letter of request

*Review a sample letter

Here is what is coming up. We will begin by discussing 2 broad categories of requests followed by some examples of common routine requests. Then we will outline the deductive sequence for writing a letter of request supported with a sample letter.

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What are the motives of this writer and what is he really requesting?

Dear Mom & Dad,

$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and have been $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can’t think of anything I need. If you would like, you could ju$t send me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.

Love,

Your $on

First a little fun… Can you figure out what the writer of this message is really requesting. Is this a routine request in your household? If so, do you think mom and dad got the idea and how do you think they responded? Check out the next slide to see what happened.

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Dear Son,

I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy, are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.

Love,

Dad

Did he get what he requested?

As you have probably figured out, dad managed to find a creative way to respond to his son’s request for money. While we may find funny the manner in which the son asked for money, go back and review the request letter again. This time, ask yourself if the writer did a good job. Remember, we have already learned that writers should write inductively when they expect resistance. A better approach may have been to provide reasons leading up to the request for money such as, the cost of textbooks, tuition, etc. Near the end of the course, we will learn how to get what we want by writing persuasively. For now, let’s turn our attention toward learning how to write a routine letter of request-one in which we expect little to no resistance.

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2 Broad Categories of Requests

1. Persuasive Request

-Displeasure, not interested

-AIDA model-to be discussed later

2. Routine Request-No persuasion is necessary!

-Predicted reader’s reaction will be Positive

-Use the deductive sequence

-Main idea first

-State the request in the first paragraph

There are two broad categories of requests. While the previous letter was a poor example of a persuasive request, we are going to deal only with routine requests in this set. The implication of the underlined word, routine, is very important. Things which are routine happen everyday. Thus, we expect little resistance to routine requests. For example, suppose you wanted to know more about a product you saw advertised on television. You decide to write a letter or e-mail to the manufacturer with questions about the product. Should we expect the manufacturer to deny our request for information—certainly not! Thus, we will place the main idea, in this case the request itself, somewhere near the beginning of our letter. Remember, placing the main idea near the beginning is known as deductive writing.

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Types of Routine Requests

A letter of request seeks information about:

Products

Prices

People

Services

Invitations

People seek information everyday about various things. Suppose you wanted to attend college in another state. What sort of information would you like to know before enrolling at this institution. Perhaps you would like to know more about living arrangements, cost of attendance, class size etc. In this situation, you would prepare a routine letter of request using the steps on the next slide.

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Deductive Outline for a Letter of Request

1. State the major request in the first sentence

-Usually in the form of a question?

-Don’t want to sound demanding!

2. Follow with details that will make the request clear. Use bullets or numbered items for added emphasis

3. Close with a forward look to the receiver’s next step.

These are the steps one should use when writing a routine letter of request. First, state the main idea, the request, in the first sentence. Referring back to our previous example, our first sentence might read, “Would you please assist me as I make plans to further my education at Ohio State University?

Next, we would follow up with details which make the request clear. Okay, so what do you want to know about coming to OSU. This is your opportunity to make the request clear. Suppose you have 8 items which you would like addressed. While you could place them all in a paragraph, it’s likely the reader will accidentally forget to reply to at least one of the items you had a question about. To prevent this from happening, I recommend using bullets. A bullet is a symbol which brings special attention to the text which follows. To insert a bullet, click on Format-Bullets & Numbering within Word. Newer versions of Word may place Bulleting in a slightly different toolbar.

Finally, close with a forward look to the receiver’s next step. Using our example again, you might respond “Receiving this information by July 19th will guide me in making important enrollment decisions.”

NOTE: Notice how the steps have been color coded. On the next slide, we will review a sample letter. What is highlighted in red is Step 1, what is highlighted in green is Step 2 etc. When you prepare your letters, you will be required to color code them. What colors you pick is up to you (as long as they are readable) but must match the steps that you have replicated from the slides a double space below your letter. In other words, after you key your letter, you will replicate the steps exactly as presented on the slide a double space below your letter. Then you will highlight the text which represents step one and change the color accordingly.

Let’s look at a sample letter

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Sample Letter Using the Deductive Approach

Dear Mrs. Peterson

Would you please assist me as I begin plans to transfer to the Environmental Group in Paris?Because you have been working in this overseas location for several years, you may be able to give me some ideas on the following items:

*What degree of proficiency should I have in French?

*Where are the best places to stay?

*What are the best sites to see?

As illustrated in blue, the request is made clear early in the letter because the writer of this letter expects little resistance to the receiver in complying with the request. In this example, the writer needs assistance with his transfer. The type of assistance is clarified in step two-follow with details which make the request clear. In this case, the green sentences clarify for the receiver what type of help is needed. Did you notice how the items were bulleted? This helps ensure the receiver will remember to respond to each item when replying. Thinking ahead, if you were replying to this request, wouldn’t it make sense to reply to the questions in the SAME order as listed in the bulleted list. As we will see in the response to the routine request, this is often the case.

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Sample Letter Continued

I will arrive on June 5 to begin work. Even though my transfer is six months away, my family and I wish to make our transition as smooth as possible. Receiving this information will help us achieve that goal.

Sincerely

Lance Garrett

In red, we see step three—close with a forward look toward the receiver’s next step. Here, we need to remain tactful while letting the receiver know we are relying on their reply (somewhat indicating a sense of urgency). Did the writer of this letter do a good job-I think so

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In Conclusion

If you receive a letter of request in your business, view it as a business opportunity. Customers have taken time out of their busy schedule to write you a letter for more information about your products or services.

See slide for important point.

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Response to a Routine Request

*Form Letter vs. Personal Letter

-Taking time to write personal letter show you care and are eager to complete their request.

*Not every request requires a response

-Simple compliance with the request might be O.K.

*Written responses should be sent in a timely manner

-May need to prioritize requests by importance

Now you are familiar with how to write a routine request. As the writer of such a letter, you will expect some sort of reply—known as a response to a routine request. As the writer of a response to a routine request, you must make several decisions. First, does this request warrant a personal letter or a form letter. A form letter is a letter which is pre-prepared. In the case of a form letter, only a few portions of the letter are changed such as the receiver’s name and address. Form letters allow companies to spend time being more productive on other matters instead of having to prepare a personal letter. The advantage to a personalletter is that it shows you took the time to care and are eager to complete the request. Most people can easily distinguish the difference between a form and personal letter. As the writer, you must decide—taking into account the pro’s and con’s of each.

Not every request requires a response. Simple compliance with the request may be sufficient. For example, suppose you are a manager and ordered 100 more units of a product. Delivering the units in a timely fashion, compliance, may be sufficient.

If you decide a written response is necessary, be sure to send it in a timely manner. In the case of the student needing information about attending OSU, the information must be received before July 19th. If you are overwhelmed with requests, then you must find a way to prioritize. Proceed to the next slide when ready to review the steps for writing a response to a routine request.

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Deductive Outline for a Response to

a Routine Request

1. State the positive response to receiver’s request

-Use active voice “You Attitude”

2. Continue with details or explanation

-List details in order requested

3. Close with a positive note

-avoid using clichés

Remember, the letters in this set are considered good news. In this case, we write deductively placing the good news near the beginning. The good news in a response to a routine request is that you are complying with the request. In step 1, state the positive response to the receiver’s request. In step 2, respond in detail to the questions which were raised in the request letter. Respond to requests in the same order as they were presented to you. Finally, in step 3, close with a positive note making sure to avoid CLICHES. If you have forgotten the common business clichés discussed earlier, go back and review them. NEVER end your letter with, “If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call.” I find myself spending the most time writing this portion of the letter. Take some time to think of something original—letting the writer know you care.

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Sample Letter Using

the Deductive Approach

Dear Mr. Garret

Congratulations on your transfer to the Paris office. I am glad we will be working together and am pleased to answer your questions.

•English is used most often in the office. However, becoming familiar with the French culture, customs, and economy will be beneficial. The director of International Operations at the home office can provide several guide books and a list of useful web sites.

•There are a variety of places to stay. You might choose to live in a youth hostel which is likely your cheapest

Notice how the sentence in blue directs the reader’s attention toward the good news. When writing the first paragraph of this letter, it is tempting to start out with something like, “I am writing in response to..” AVOID these clichés.

As you read through the letter, notice how the writer incorporates the “YOU” attitude. Do you see it? If not, look for the black words.. The second sentence in the first paragraph does a great job of connecting the first and second paragraphs.

In the second paragraph, notice how the writer has bulleted the items. Proper protocol is to respond to the questions in the same order as they were raised.

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alternative. Many hotels are in close vicinity to the Paris office which have affordable rates. Please see the enclosed information on rates.


Brian, please fax me your travel plans, and I will make arrangements to meet you at the airport and help you get settled in your new home.

Sincerely

Mrs. Peterson

Examine the last sentence in green. Notice it makes reference to an attachment to the letter. Should your letter indicate another sheet, flier, etc which accompanies the letter, a special type of notation must be made on the letter. Find the Letter Guide that you printed earlier and write the word Enclosure a double space below the typist initials. Please note that should you have multiple enclosures it might look like this…

Enclosures: Rate sheet

Hotel guide

The last paragraph ends on a positive note.

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Routine Claim Letter

*Also known as a “Request for an Adjustment Letter”

-Example: Missing bolts for table

*Understand difference between routine & persuasive claim

-Something under warranty vs. 2 years over warranty

*Routines claims should be granted quickly!

*Assumes little resistance to fulfilling claim-Use deductive sequence(main idea first)-Main idea=Please send two # 7 bolts that were missing from order 223R7?

The next type of business letter we will examine is called a routine claim letter. In this case, the writer of the letter has a claim. Suppose you took an individual to court. Early in the trial, the judge would need to understand your claim. In other words, a claim is something you want--be it money, a replacement etc. As we have previously learned, the word routine indicates the writer of this letter believes the claim is valid and expects little resistance to the receiver in fulfilling the claim. Suppose for the moment you had ordered a table which requires assembly. After unpacking the components from the box, you discover that a bolt is missing. Should we expect the store to give us a difficult time? As you probably guessed, the store would most likely comply with our request for a bolt. Logically, this letter is also called a request for an adjustment.

It is important to understand there is a difference between a routine claim and a persuasive claim. Suppose an individual attempts to return a 12 year old T.V. which is broken and wants it repaired for free. In this case, the T.V. is likely not under warranty. This would not be considered a routine claim and resistance should be expected. In order to get the T.V. repaired for free, the individual would have to do a really good job of persuading the store manager. In this case, the individual would need to use the steps in writing a persuasive claim which will be illustrated later.

For now, we will assume the claim is routine. From a business perspective, it is important to take care of these types of claims. Remember, I want to eat breakfast on that new table I bought and don’t want to wait several weeks for the part

Examine the last bulleted item on the slide. Using the example of the table and missing bolt, the first paragraph of my letter would read something like, “Could you please send two #7 bolts that were missing from order 223R7?” Then, I would follow it up with some explanation. See the next slide for the steps in writing a successful routine claim letter

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Deductive Outline for

a Routine Claim

(1)Request action(refund, replacement, free repair, credit on your account, etc.)

(2)Explain the details supporting the request

-Be careful not to place blame

(3) Remind of action requested with an expression of appreciation for taking the action.

In the first paragraph, we can state our claim because we expect little resistance from the receiver in fulfilling our claim. Common claims include a refund, replacement, free repair, credit on an account etc.

While your claim may seem very routine, you will still need to provide some information supporting the claim in the second paragraph. Be very careful here not to place blame. While I am likely somewhat upset that I haven’t gotten to eat on my new kitchen table, I would not want to say something like, “You stupid guys down there at XYZ need to pay more attention.” While I may indeed feel this way, remember you should write empathetically, recognizing the needs of the receiver. How would the receiver feel if you wrote your letter this way and how do you think he/she would respond. I bet they would be awful slow in getting me the necessary bolt!

In the last paragraph, remind the receiver of the action requested in a friendly manner. Receiving the #7 bolts by July 21st will allow me to surprise my granddaughter with a surprise birthday party.

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Sample Letter Using


Dear Mrs. Johnson

Please provide the in-program documentation with the marketing analysis software you developed for ChemiCo, our engineering subsidiary.

Our data processing personnel modify application programs on a regular basis to meet the constantly changing needs of our business. Thus, the application programmers will need the in-program documentation to understand how the program code relates to the system documentation you have provided to us.

After reading the first paragraph, can you identify the claim? In this letter, the writer is requesting the in-program documentation, user manual, for some software which was purchased. Have you ever purchased something only to discover that a component was missing. In this case, the user manual is needed to fully understand the ins and outs of the software. Because it was probably a simple packaging error, the writer of this letter rightfully assumes little resistance.

Paragraph two, the green sentences, help the receiver understand the nature of the claim. Here the writer has indicated why the manual is needed. Notice how the writer of this letter was careful not to place blame on those responsible for packaging the manuals. The writer recognizes placing such blame will alienate the reader.

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Systems training for the sales staff is scheduled for next month’s meeting. We are eager to receive system documentation that is as thorough and clear as the user and operator documentation you have already provided.

Sincerely

Carl Brown

Step three requires the writer to remind of the action requested with an expression of appreciation for taking such action. Here, the writer lets the receiver know the manuals will be needed in time for the next staff meeting.

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Applied Practice

Homework: Download Routine Claim Letter from the Supplemental Activities page.


Okay, now it’s your turn to prepare a Routine Claim letter. To simulate real-life situations, you will be given a scenario for several of the letter we discuss. Here are some key points to remember when completing assignments.

1. Be creative! Please note the letters provided on the slides are usually much shorter than the letters you will prepare. Letters which appear to be well thought out will receive high marks.

2. Duplicate the steps—After you have keyed your letter, duplicate the steps for writing your letter a double space below your letter.

3. Color code the steps—Remember to color key your sentences to match with your steps. While all sentences may not be colored, most will likely be colored. You may change the color of your font by clicking on Format-Font-Color

4. Use the Letter Assessment Tool—When peer reviewing, use the letter assessment tool. For example, in your comments you may note error #11 followed by a brief explanation. When I review your letters, I will also be using the letter assessment tool as well.

5. Use proper spacing—Refer to the letter/memo guide for the parts of a business letter and the space between parts.

6. Post your letters in a timely fashion—those which are posted just before the deadline will appear to have been a rushed job.

7. Be respectful—Peer review allows another’s input on your work.

8. Read the chapter—I am assuming you have read the corresponding chapters

9. Invent—If you are given a scenario and you believe some information such as name or address is missing, invent it

Complete Supplemental Activity #3C Routine Claim

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*Should start with the good news

-the claim is granted=use deductive sequence

-the main idea=“Your missing bolts will be shipped overnight mail via Federal Express.”

Response to a Routine Claim

*Also known as an adjustment letter

*Should include resale

-Refers to the discussion of goods/services already bought. Reconfirms customer made right purchase decision.

*Might include sales promo material-Complementary goods

Individuals who prepare routine claim letters expect some response. A response to a claim letter is known as an adjustment.

As the writer of the routine claim letter suspected, the claim is adjusted. In an adjustment letter, the good news should be stated first. In this case, the good news is that some adjustment has been made. In the example of the table and missing bolts, our first sentence might read, “Your missing bolts for order ### will be shipped overnight mail via Federal Express with the following tracking number #######. I recommend placing tracking information along with the good news allowing the individual to track the status him/herself—saving you a million calls from the customer wondering when the bolts will arrive.

In the developing paragraphs, you will need to include resale information. What the heck is resale info? Let’s think about it this way. You sold a table to me a week ago. When I got home, some parts were missing. At this point, I am beginning to wonder if I made the right purchase decision. As a business person, you don’t want your customers wondering if they made the right purchase decision. So, you include resale information confirming they made the right choice. In my example about the table, I might make mention the table will serve breakfast for many years into the future. This way, the customer feels comfortable coming back to my business for other items.

In addition to resale information, I should include some sales promo material. So I just bought a table from you. What else do you think I might need to go along with the table? Some chairs? As a business person, I should offer my customer some complementary goods. In this sense, complementary doesn’t mean free, it means goes along with. Think about it this way. If I decided to send you a sales letter encouraging you to buy some chairs you might just discard it—thinking it was junk mail. It’s a better bet to include the sales promo in the adjustment letter because the likelihood of the customer reading the entire letter is much greater.

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an Adjustment Letter

(2) Explain circumstances without placing blame

-Let customer know why bolts were inadvertently left out.

-Use resale to re-confirm purchase decision

-Use sales promo material

(1)Approve the customer’s claim in the first sentence.

-A one sentence paragraph is acceptable!

(3) Close on a pleasant note-Avoid clichés!

In the first paragraph, state the good news. The good news in an adjustment letter is that you have approved the customer’s claim. If you do a great job, a one sentence paragraph might be okay for the first step.

While it may be tempting to try to defend why the bolts were missing, Sammy and Sosa came to work late, this is not necessary. You should instead accept accountability and spend more time on resale and sales promo material. See previous slide for info on these concepts.

The last paragraph should end on a positive note avoiding clichés.

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Sample Letter Using


Dear Mr. Brown

The revised source code with the proper in-program documentation will be shipped to you within 2 business days.

Thank you for bringing this situation to our attention so quickly while the programmers are still able to remember the program logic and write the documentation easily. Although your program was subjected to our normal operating quality control review, a separate review of program documentation was omitted inadvertently.

The good news as stated in the blue sentence is that the user manual will be shipped and should arrive in 2 business days.

Notice how in the next paragraph, accountability is accepted yet specific details of the accident are omitted.

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Our programmers enjoy the opportunity of sharing new coding techniques with other computer professionals. May I recommend “Marketing Pro” a revolutionary new software package designed to meet the needs of leading edge companies as yourself.(sales promo) Please see the enclosed materials for more information.

If you would like to spend a few hours touring our facilities and talk with our programmers, please call us at 1-800-555-3321.

Sincerely

Mrs. Johnson

Did you identify Marketing Pro as the sales promo line? Did you notice how the writer compliments the receiver, “..leading edge companies such as yourself.” Did you notice reference to enclosed material? The word enclosure should appear a double space (DS) below the typist initials. To save room on the slide, spacing and parts may be omitted—always refer to the Letter Guide for specifics on spacing and letter parts. Perhaps the resale line, which appears to be missing, could have been a bit stronger—what do you think?

Notice how the last paragraph has a warm tone ending on a positive note. You might be wondering why “..don’t hesitate to call…” is acceptable here. Here, this expression has been personalized to the needs of the receiver.

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Applied Practice

Homework: Download the Adjustment Letter from the Supplemental Activities page.


Complete Supplemental Activity #4C Adjustment Letter

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Acknowledgement Letter

*Sent when: (1) an order will be delayed

(2) new customer places order

(3) order is unusually large/expensive

*Provides peace of mind for customer

*May be a form letter, better if personally written

-consider in terms of cost effectiveness

Businesses are sometimes swamped with business. While this is generally a good thing, it might cause some orders to be delayed. In this case, the business person should send an acknowledgement letter. An acknowledgment letter is a letter acknowledging that the order has been placed and is being processed.

Think about it this way. Have you ever ordered a CD from a television commercial? If you read carefully, you might notice it may take 10-12 weeks for the CD to be shipped. If you are like me, you might begin to wonder where your CD is after a few weeks if you haven’t received it and haven’t read the small print. As a common courtesy, the business should send an acknowledgement letter. The letter may be a form letter or a personal letter. In this scenario, a well written form letter my suffice. For example, the name of the CD and shipment date could be changed but the remainder of the letter might remain the same.

In addition to an order being shipped late, an acknowledgement might be sent when a newcustomer places an order or the order is unusually large or expensive to provide peace of mind for the customer.

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Acknowledgement Letter

*Includes resale on order placed

-Customer made correct

purchase decision

-Ensures customer commitment

*Includes sales promotional material on complementary goods/services.

Since the customer must wait to receive the product, they have more time to wonder if they made the right purchase decision. It’s important to include resale information in your letter to calm their suspicions.

In addition, this is also an opportunity to include sales promo material if appropriate.

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an Acknowledgement Letter

(1)Confirm shipment of order and verify specific items ordered.

(2)Include resale on the merchandise ordered and sales promotional material on related items to encourage future business.(Bulk of the letter)

(3)Close with a positive remark.

Notice the bulk of your letter will be in paragraph two.

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Sample Letter Using


Dear Dan

Your Majestic Fragrances starter display and first order of fragrances have been shipped and should reach you in five days. Both of these items were shipped by UPS earlier today.

Your starter display includes an attractive display unit, 12 cases of the latest 5 decorative fragrances, 4 cases of oil, and an assortment of scented candles.(verify order) Youmight want to display several different fragrances in attractive containers throughout your store. Some of our customers have indicated they enjoy the different aromas.

As you read through the letter, note the use of the “YOU” attitude. Notice how the order has been verified. This is important since the order may have been placed incorrectly. This provides the customer an opportunity to correct the order. Notice how the writer provides a suggestion on how the fragrances may sell faster. The receiver of this letter will probably appreciate this info. Did you notice how the writer plays up the order making it sound great? This provides some assurance, peace of mind (resale) to the business owner.

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Another new offering is our line of luxurious bath oils and body fragrances for both men and women. This new specialty item will be ideal for your clientele. With Valentine’s Day approaching, these new items would make excellent gifts for a special sweetheart.(sales promo) The enclosed brochure details all of our fragrances.

If you have questions after you receive your starter display, please call. I’ll be glad to assist you in selecting just the right products for your exclusive store.

Sincerely

Stan Stewart

Did you notice the use of sales promo—the bath oils? What do you think about Valentines’day approaching—wasn’t that a neat way of captivating the interest of the reader? While the author could have gone into much more detail, he/she referenced the reader to the enclosed brochure for more information. What about the last paragraph—did you catch the part about “…your exclusive store.” When we talk about writing empathetically, how do you think this makes the reader feel? I bet pretty darn good!

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Applied Practice

Homework: Download the Acknowledgment Letter from the Supplemental Activities page.


Complete Supplemental Activity #5C Acknowledgment Letter

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Consumer Credit Facts

Consumer Credit: Unique to an individual

-Credit terms= $1,200 dollar credit line

-You receive a credit score

*Scores range between 300-900 points35% payment history, 30% amount owed, 15% length of credit history, 10% pattern of credit use, 10% various

ECOA requires applicant know of decision & terms within 30 days-must write a letter

Have you ever applied for a credit card or tried to purchase a cell phone? If so, your credit history has probably been reviewed to determine your credit worthiness. As a credit applicant, you have a legal right to know within 30 days according to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of a decision and terms if credit is granted.

If you have ever wondered how you can build credit, you may have discovered it’s a catch 22 for those who are just beginning. In other words, it takes good credit to buy on credit. If you are trying to help your son or daughter or family member build credit for the first time, talk to your local bank agent to discuss some alternatives. For those of you who have a credit score, it may range from 300-900 points. The exact formula for determining a score still remains a secret today. The three companies, see slide, have kept this a closely guarded secret—after all, if the formula was known, everyone could use it to their advantage and other companies would be able to open up shop selling credit reports (which may or may not be accurate) By the way, the higher the score, the better

As a consumer, you are familiar with what we will call consumer credit. Common consumer credit terms include APR, grace period, credit limit etc. On the next slide, we are going to learn about something you may not be as familiar with unless you have had accounting or own your own business—commercial credit Before it’s all over, you will be able to write a commercial credit approval letter

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Commercial Credit Facts

Commercial Credit: Unique to a business/vendor

-Based on financial statements, reputation with suppliers, average collection period

-Orders are shipped on credit terms

-Usual credit terms= 2/10 n30

-Buying on credit can SAVE YOU MONEY

Example: $10,000 order

x .02

$200 Savings

$9800 Net Cost

Commercial credit is unique to a business/vendor. Think about it this way. When a truck pulls into Wal-Mart to unload goods for sale, the manager does not write the truck driver a check. Instead, the goods are offered on terms of credit. After verifying the number of items, received, Wal-Mart must reimburse the vendor within a certain time period, usually 30 days. This allows the store, Wal-Mart, enough time to sell the item, collect the cash, and pay off the vendors it owes.

By now you may be wondering how companies are determined to be a good credit risk. In other words, how should the vendor know whether or not the store, Wal-Mart in this case, will be able to pay back what it owes. Vendors usually examine the stores financial statements comparing how many assets (things of value) to liabilities (things the store owes). In general, vendors like to see a 2:1 ratio meaning the store has twice as many assets as liabilities. In addition to the financial statements, the vendor may contact other vendors who have done business with the store for a recommendation. Finally, they may examine the average collection period which analyzes how long it takes the store to sell the item and pay off what they owe.

Should a vendor (supplier) decide to extend credit to a business, the credit terms must be expressed. Usually, they are expressed as 2/10 n 30. This is read, two ten net 30. This means that the balance is due in full in 30 days but if the balances is received in full within ten days, the store will realize a 2 percent savings. In other words, if the store pays what it owes in 10 days, they can save 2 percent of the purchase price. While this may not seem much, examine the example on the slide. On a 10,000 dollar order, two percent equals 200 savings. Why would the vendor want to offer such an incentive? This way, they get paid earlier and have more cash on hand. Why would the store want to save two percent-that’s pretty obvious

Now that you are familiar with commercial credit, let’s examine how to write a letter informing the receiver a line of credit has been extended.

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a Commercial Credit Approval

(1)Begin by saying credit terms have been arranged. If an order has been placed, say the order has been shipped, implying credit has been extended

(2)Indicate the foundation upon which the credit decision was made.

(3)Present and explain the credit policies(credit terms, discounts, payment due dates etc.)

(4)Include resale and sales promotional material

Remember, these letters are written deductively because they are letters of good news. Thus, we will begin with the good news and inform the reader that credit has been extended. Please note that if products were ordered and shipped on credit terms, say the order has been shipped implying credit has been extended. Include shipping and tracking information if possible.

Once informed of the good news, indicate the foundation upon which the credit decision was made. This lets the receiver know why credit was issued, (ex: good financial statements) and protects the sender from being accused of extending credit unfairly to some and not others.

Make sure to inform the receiver of the credit policies. Remember, commercial credit terms are a bit different than consumer credit. The credit terms will likely be stated as 2/10 n 30.

Finally, make sure to include resale and sales promo material. Now that credit has been extended, sales promo becomes especially important because now the individual has buying power. Now for a sample letter—see next slide.

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Sample Letter Using


Dear Mr. Thurston

Ten VISIONZ video cameras were shipped by UPS and should arrive in time for your Winter Fest.

Because of your favorable credit rating, we are sending the shipment subject to the usual credit terms, 2/10 n30.(credit terms) By paying this invoice within 10 days, you save $150(illustrates savings to dealer) Other aspects of your credit privilege are discussed in the Credit Customer Welcome packet that you will receive shortly.

Notice how the first paragraph implies credit has been extended. Remember, the small business owner, Mr. Thurston, has requested some video cameras for his retail store. Because the cameras were requested and no payment was initially sent, Mr. Thurston can imply because they are now being sent that some credit terms must have been arranged. Mr. Thurston reads on to learn more.

Notice the green portion indicates that a credit decision was based on his favorable credit rating-most likely a review of his financial statements. This sentence may have been improved slightly by informing the reader of the source for such information. Notice how the credit terms are disclosed. I was especially impressed by how the writer illustrated the savings to the small business owner.

The sentence “…are discussed in the credit customer welcome packet…” informs the reader that more specifics about the credit term will be mailed shortly. Please note it’s not possible to disclose ALL of the credit terms such as penalties for late payments etc in the letter. By informing the receiver a letter of terms will be sent soon is sufficient in this case.

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The VISIONZ camera is known for its StableView image technology, a 440X digital zoom lens and .4 lux light sensitivity.(Resale) These superior features will allow your customers to take high-quality pictures with a minimum amount of light.


Because many of your customers may be interested in the available wireless transmitter system, we recommend that at least one of your display models be paired with a TV and VCR to display the transmitted image. Please refer to the enclosed folder for information explaining this innovative enhancement.(sales promotional material)

Sincerely Glen Smith

The first paragraph uses resale by talking about the product which has already been purchased. This will be especially useful to the receiver since this is information he may pass on to the end consumer.

Notice in the second paragraph the use of sales promo. While great detail is left to the attached document, the writer points out other complementary items for the camera.

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Applied Practice

Homework: Download the Commercial Credit Approval assignment from the Supplemental Activities page.


Complete Supplemental Activity #6C Commercial Credit Approval

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Thank You Letter

*Are not often sent

*May be handwritten, sent electronically

-usually typed if in a business situation

*Are typically short

*Answers the following questions:

WHAT you are thankful for?

WHY you are thankful for it?

*Bad Example: Thanks for everything. It was much appreciated.

A letter of good news which is usually never sent is a thank you letter. In the business world, this is one of the few letters you may send which does not have to be typed but most times it is typed out of convenience.

Of all the letters you write, this letter will likely be the shortest. In fact, the longer thank you letters become the less believable they appear. When writing a thank you letter, you should answer two questions. What is it you are thankful for and why you are thankful for it. If you are like me, it’s not hard to figure out what you are thankful for. For example, “Thank you for the 100 dollars grandma.” That seems easy enough. For the hard part, you must describe why you are thankful for it. This has more meaning to the receiver. You might inform grandma that you are going to buy some new clothes for school or put it away for college.

When writing a thank you letter, most people struggle when trying to describe why they are thankful. What they come up with is something like, “Thanks for everything. It was much appreciated.” This has very little meaning to the receiver and is probably a waste of postage. Instead, take the time and think about this letter. Just because it is shorter, doesn’t mean it will be easier to write

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Deductive Outline for a

Thank You Letter

(1)Begin with WHAT you are thankful for.

(2) Include specific comments about WHY you are thankful. How has the event/act helped you?

(3) Close with a warm statement.

See slides for steps.

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Sample Letter Using


Dear Natalie

The team of marketing consultants sent to assist us in increasing market share in the Northeast sales region did an excellent job.

The consultants listened intently as our managers explained the details of the Northeast market. All members of the team functioned like professionals, asked probing questions and quietly observed our methods. The courteous and helpful manner created an open line of communication that led to a successful two weeks of work. They left us with an accurate

In the first paragraph, we learn we are thankful for the consultants who assisted us in increasing market share—this is WHAT we are thankful for.

In the second paragraph we learn WHY the marketing consultants were of value.

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knowledge of our strengths and weaknesses and several new strategies for promoting our products.

After incorporating these new strategies, the Rockford office should be able to meet its sales quotas during the coming fiscal period. Thank you for sending this capable team.

Sincerely

Paul Meeker


What do you think—did the writer do a good job? I think so

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Apologies

*Uses the deductive sequence to immediately bring to light that you want to apologize.

-”Please accept my apology for…”

*Don’t condemn yourself too harshly

*Don’t “relive” the bad thing by repeating it

*Be sincere

*Provide explanation of what is being done to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.

For the last letter, we will examine apologies. You might be wondering why apologies are discussed in the good news chapters. After all, it seems logical they should be presented in the bad news chapter. Not so!!!

By now, you realize the main idea in good news letters goes near the beginning. The main idea of an apology letter is to apologize. Those who beat around the bush are taken as insincere. Thus, we use the deductive sequence to immediately bring to light that we want to apologize. The first sentence may begin as, “Please accept my apology for…”

When apologizing, be careful not to condemn yourself too harshly. Also be careful not to “relive” the bad situation by mentioning specifics about the bad incident in your letter. This will only remind the receiver of the terrible thing which happened.

Most of all, be sincere. It’s very easy to determine if you were forced to write this letter or if you truly are apologetic. Spend more time discussing what you will do to ensure this never happens again. Suppose you forget to prepare the employee paychecks for Friday. While the employees may be upset, they are most likely going to be interested in what you are doing to ensure this doesn’t happen again

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Deductive Outline for an

Apology Letter

(1)State the apology briefly and sincerely. Don’t condemn yourself. Avoid reliving the bad memory.

(2)Include measures taken to avoid the error from occurring again, if possible.

(3)End on a positive note, without restating the apology.

In step one, remember to state the apology briefly

Spend more time discussing steps to remedy the situation.

NEVER apologize again in the last paragraph. This takes the light off of all you have tried to achieve in the second paragraph. Besides, it’s the equivalent of someone saying I am sorry 20 times. It doesn’t seem to make a difference how many times you say it. The lastparagraph should redirect the receiver’s attention away from the bad toward something positive.

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Sample Letter Using


Dear Mr. England:

Please accept my apology for the manner in which our security officer spoke to you this morning. He had been instructed to keep certain parking spaces open for company officers, but he should have remembered his obligation to be courteous and helpful.

The chief of security has already assigned the officer to restudy the security manual and to attend the human relations seminars now required of all newly hired employees. When you call our office again, you can expect courtesy and efficiency which have been our goals for the past ten years.

Notice how the first sentence reminds the reader of the bad news but in a very general way. It would not have been wise to say, I am sorry my security officer called you a stupid, no good for nothing criminal.

In an apology, you are accepting blame. Don’t try to shift the blame on someone or something else. Notice the green sentences discuss what’s being done to ensure this doesn’t happen again in the future. The red sentence ends on a positive note, shifting the focus away from the bad toward something positive.

Well…that wraps up this section on good news messages. Be sure to submit your assigned letters to your partner by the deadline for peer review.

Documents

Business Communication - Professor Gardnerprofessorgardner.com/Lecture_Notes_Set_C.pdf1 Lecture Notes Set C 1 Business Communication Writing Good News/Routine Messages Predicting the