Business Communication

2. GOOD NEWS AND
NEUTRAL MESSAGES

3. • Favourable reaction letters – Easy to write
• Tells readers something pleasant
• Gives useful information
• Generally organized by Direct approach
Favourable Replies (Good News)

4. The kind of Letters and Memoranda written for
the purpose are:
1. Answering Inquiries
2. Granting requests
3. Approving credit
4. Acknowledging orders
5. Granting favors & other requests
6. Job acceptance letters
7. Goodwill messages e.g. appreciation,
felicitation, condolence letters
Favourable Replies (Good News)

5. The kind of Letters and Memoranda written for
the purpose are:
 Announcements about:
o Sales & events
o Procedures, policies, & responsibilities.
o Honors & awards for people
 Transmittals (Covering letters) – for forwarding
some document of another authority.
Neutral Messages

6. Organizational Plan
• A direct approach (for good-news) plan is used for
favourable or neutral messages. The plan has three
parts:
 First Part. Best news or main idea is the
beginning part of the message.
 Middle. Necessary explanation to support the
main idea, e.g. Educational information, Sale details,
statistical data.
 Last. Positive, friendly ending, with a clear
statement of action desired, motivation to action,
willingness to render assistance.
Conti…

7. • Core items that may be used in the message,
according to its contents/ nature are:
 All necessary details.
 Educational information e.g. instructions for use
of product.
 Resale material e.g. information about reader’s
benefit.
 Sales promotion – suggestions about the product
or service.

8. Replies
• Replies to all reasonable requests continuously help
in building goodwill with clients/recipients.
• Good news always first, as desired by most people.
• Compliance to reader’s request as far as possible.
• Make the reader part of organization - show more
consideration/ concern for the reader.
• Happy ending - strengthen the existing relationship.

9. Answering Inquiries
• It is advisable (if possible) to write a recommendation
to a specific person i.e. customized answer for a
particular person than using “To whom it may
concern”. Four considerations/ responsibilities for
recommendations are:
 You should be fair to the applicants.
 You should be fair to the inquirers.
 You should be fair to your own reputation/
conscience.
 You should be fair to the civil laws & legal
statutes.

10. Granting Requests
• In case of Claim (s) by the customer:
 Give him benefit of doubt, even if he is at fault &
have positive thinking, for the greater cause.
 If possible bear the loss and retain the customer.
 Always choose neutral or positive language in
reference to a complaint.
 Use conventions carefully while writing to
foreigners.

11. • Salient considerations are:
– Tone of adjustment message.
– Organization and content, when seller is
at fault.
– Organization and content, when buyer is
at fault.
– When fault is yet undetermined.

12. • Approving Credit
When approving Credit, follow the good-news
Plan (Direct Plan):
• Good-news first.
• Include all necessary information – resale,
sales promotion, and appreciation.
• Happy ending.

13. • Acknowledging Orders
• Acknowledging (receipt of) order builds goodwill.
• Acknowledgement must be definite and complete.
• Such an order acknowledgement strengthens the
relationship with customer.
• Acknowledgement of first order:
 Sending the ordered items. New customer must
feel good image of company. Include complete
information in sending orders, with regard to 5Ws.
 Specific resale material. Products which are to
be resold to the end users need detailed

14. instructions and warranty, usually sent along with
acknowledgement.
Looking forward to future orders – Include order
blanks or information to make the desired action
easy.
• Acknowledgement of Repeated Orders:
 Provide complete information about terms and
delivery date; include appreciation.
 If needed, use personalized letter; include
appreciation, a statement of how the order is
being handled and few cordial comments.

15. • Job Acceptance Letters
(By the applicant)
The three prominent parts of Job Acceptance Letter
are:
• Accept position and express appreciation.
• Confirm details and ask questions (from the
company) – salary, starting date, timings, etc.
• Provide a pleasant closing e.g. I look forward to
join City Bank/ IBA, next month.

16. • Goodwill Messages
Goodwill messages are different from the usual
business documents in that they express feelings
rather than information or persuasion. A hand written
note is better than a printed/ form message. Some of
the types of such messages are:
• Letter of Appreciation. ‘Thank You’ notes for the
favour received, acknowledge good product /
svc.
• Letter of Congratulations. For business or
personal achievements.
• Letters of Condolence. Could be personal or
business related.

17. Neutral Messages
Unsolicited messages, specifically Announcements
and Transmittals:
Announcements. Opening paragraph should
include 5Ws, and show appreciation to customers.
Various examples of such messages are:
 Announcing sales & events (meetings,
conferences, celebrations etc).
 Announcing procedures, policies, and
responsibilities. Important considerations are:
o Clarity – make your statements clear to
all levels of employees.
o Avoid arrogant or threatening tone.

18.  Announcing honors and activities of people.
o To inform employees & customers about
promotions, awards, honors, new
appointments, retirements etc.
o Direct/ Good-news plan is always used.
o The first paragraph begins with, “We are pleased
to announce…….” or “With great pleasure we
inform you……

19. • Transmittals. A transmittal is a letter or a memo
(covering letter) that simply contains a document for
the reader. Transmittals range from a 5 – 10 lines
notes to lengthy letters that explain the enclosure (s).
In general they follow Good-news Plan.
• Form letters/ memos can also be used with varying
formats and contents keeping in view the nature of
enclosure.
• Transmittals accompanying official documents, bids,
proposals, applications or formal reports should be
carefully worded letters.

20. Examples – Good News
Letter of Thanks/Appreciation: (Full Block)
Muslim Commercial Bank
Regional Head Office, Hyderabad
January 8, 2016
Mr. Ali Akbar
President MCB, Head office
Karachi
Dear Ali:
Thanks again for including me in your dinner meeting last week. I feel honored to
have been invited and hope I was able to come up to your expectations and
contributed positively.
Yours Sincerely,
Ahmed Jan
Manager HR

21. Examples – Good News
Letter of Congratulations: (Full Block Modified)
Muslim Commercial Bank
Regional Head Office, Hyderabad
January 14, 2015
Miss. Naila Asghar
President MCB, Head office
Karachi
Dear Naila:
Congratulations on your appointment as Director HR at the Head office. This all
can be attributed to the commitment, hard work and enthusiasm that you have
been showing at the your work place. I pray for even greater successes in your
future pursuits.
Yours Sincerely,
Ahmed Jan
Manager HR

22. Examples – Good News
Letter of Job Acceptance: (Full Block Indented)
Muslim Commercial Bank
Regional Head Office, Hyderabad
October 14, 2015
Mr. Naeem Qazi
Manager HR, MCB
Karachi
With pleasure I accept your offer to join MCB, Tariq Road branch as
Branch Manager with effect from 20 October 2008. I had a desire to be
appointment as a manager of the large branch which I have been able to get. I
pledge to come up to the expectations of the top management.
I shall be joining on the due date, relieving my predecessor Mr. Pasha
Yours Sincerely,
Ahmed Jan
Manager HR

23. Examples - Neutral
Letter of Announcement: Usually a processed form letter is used, without inside
address.
United Bank Limited
Regional Head Office, Lahore
October 14, 2015
Dear Customer, (Such a salutation is used)
You will be pleased to know that Golden Electronics is planning to hold a marketing
campaign in your area. All valuable customers are invited to act as our host in their
respective areas. Being our long term potential customer, you have been chosen as
our host for the duration of campaign. You will be provided company transport and
paid for the engaged period.
Please confirm your availability as soon as you receive this letter. We pledge to
maintain even better relations in future.
Yours Sincerely,
Khurram shiek
Manager Marketing

24. Examples
Letter of Condolence:
United Bank Limited
Regional Head Office, Nawab Shah
October 14, 2015
Mr. Akbar Khan
President UBL, Head office
Karachi
Dear Ali,
I am aggrieved at the sudden demise of your father, which is a great loss. I met him
only once during a meeting at the Head Office about four years ago. He was an
exceptional and he exuded a warmth and compassion for the colleagues.
May Allah grant the departed soul a high status in paradise and enable you and your
family to bear this unprecedented loss.
With Best Regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Saleem Ahmed
Manager Marketing

25. Thank You

26. ASSIGNMENT - 3
Your are working as director sales in your
company. The annual audit report has revealed
that company has made good profit this year.
The BoG has decided to give few extra benefits
to the workers therefore you have been tasked
to inform the workers about this good news.
Please draft a good quality letter on behalf of
MD in this regard. Use 7Cs as guiding principle.
Note: Please avoid plagiarism