Business Communications

1. chapter
five
© 2015 McGraw-Hill Education.

2. five
chapter
Writing Good-News and
Neutral Messages

3.  Understand the reader’s likely reaction.
 Learn the general plan for direct-order
messages.
 Be able to apply the general plan.
− routine inquiries
− favorable responses
− order acknowledgments and thank-you
messages
− direct claims
− adjustment grants
− operational communications
Learning Objectives

4.  Determine the probable reaction.
 Positive or neutral? Be direct.
−Ask for something.
−Comply with a request.
−Give good news.
−Acknowledge an order.
 Negative reaction? Be indirect.
−Ask for something your
reader will not grant.
−Refuse a request.
Preliminary Assessment

5.  Begin with your objective, stating
it in the first sentence or after brief
background information.
 Cover the remaining part of the
objective.
 End with goodwill.
Direct Order

6. Routine inquiries are
direct requests for
information (questions):
 Following up on an ad
 Choosing a vendor
 Checking meeting
availability with a client
Routine Inquiries

7.  Focus directly on the objective. Use
a specific question or information
request.
 Include any necessary explanation.
 With two or more questions,
distinguish with bullets, numbering,
paragraphing, and/or question form.
 End with goodwill.
Routine Inquiry Order

8. Favorable responses are
positive answers to
inquiries:
 Responding to a
customer request for
information.
 Responding to a job
candidate’s inquiry
about a position.
Favorable Responses

9.  Identify the message being
answered right away.
 Begin with the answer or state you
are complying with the request.
 Logically arrange answers.
 Skillfully handle the negatives.
 Consider including extras.
 End with goodwill.
Response Plan

10. Defined:
Acknowledging a
customer’s order and
positively addressing
any problems.
Order Acknowledgments

11.  Begin with the good news.
 Include a “thank you.”
 If there is a problem (vague order,
back order)
− Report directly regarding
delays, or
− Use a tactful approach to get
needed information.
− Emphasize the positive.
 Close with friendly words.
Order Acknowledgments

12. Direct claim is a message
letting a business know
that there’s a problem with
a product or service.
Direct Claim

13. Direct Claim Plan
 Begin with a polite but direct
statement, anticipating your request
will be granted.
 Explain the issue.
−Supply the information needed to
understand and adjust the claim.
 Provide a goodwill closing.

14. The internal communications
needed in a company’s work:
 Casual
− Quick responses to immediate
work needs
− Conversational but very direct,
frank
 Moderately formal
− More carefully constructed direct
messages
− Conversational, straightforward
but courteous
 Highly formal
− Messages about policies,
procedures, or directives
− Formally written by superiors to
subordinates
Operational Message

15.  Organize in the direct order.
 Choose the appropriate tone (casual,
moderately formal, or formal).
 Be clear and courteous.
 Order the information logically.
 Close in a way that builds goodwill.
Operational Message