Negative Message is good strategies for influencing your writing messages more effectively.

1. Paññāsāstra University of
Cambodia
Professor: Lim Pak
Subject: Technical Writing for Business
Chapter 7: Negative Messages
GROUP MEMBER
Sarin Samnang 0114473
Von Vanny 0095726
Taing Haingkhoung 0120798

2. Contents
7.1 Achieve Your Goal in Communicating Negative News
7.2 Analyzing Negative News Strategies
7.3 Composing Effective Negative Message
7.4 Refusing Typical Request and Claims
7.5 Managing Bad News Within Organization

3. 7-1 Communicating Negative News Effectively
◦Know reason for the rejection
◦The News was revealed sensitively
◦Believe that the matter was treated fairly and seriously

4. 7-1 a. How to Achieve Your Goals in Communicating Negative News
Explain clearly and completely while projecting a professional Image
Convey Empathy and Sensitivity and be Fair
Maintain Friendly Relation

5. 7-2. Analyzing Negative News Strategies
When to use direct Strategy
The bad news is not damaging
The receivers may overlook the bad news
The organization or receiver prefer directness
Firmness in necessary

6. 7-2. Analyzing Strategies Negative News
When to use the indirect strategy
 personally upsetting
 will provoke a hostile reaction
 threatens the costumers relationship
 unexpected

7. 7-2a. Keeping the Indirect Strategy Ethical

8. 7.3 Composing of effective negative messages
7.3a Opening Indirect Messages with a Buffer
 Compliment: show appreciation for a past action, or refer to something mutually
understood.
Appreciation: to convey thanks for expressing feelings, for sending something
Agreement: make statement that both of you agree.
Facts: provide info that introduce bad news.
Understanding: show that you care about the reader.

9. 7.3b Apologizing
Apologize promptly and sincerely
Accept responsibility
Use good judgment
7.3c Showing Empathy
In writing to an unhappy customer
In laying off employees
In responding to a complaint
In showing genuine feelings

10. 7.3d Presenting the Reasons
Explaining Clearly
Citing Reader or other benefits if Plausible
Explaining Company Policy: do not state the policy
Choosing Positive words: cannot, denied, impossible, rejected…etc.
Showing Fairness and Serious Intent

11. 7.3e Cushioning the Bad News
used to reduce the impact of bad news
 Positioning the Bad News Strategically
Using the Passive Voice
Highlighting the Positive
Ex: we can’t ship your order until next week
Your order will ship next week.
Implying the Refusal
Suggesting a Compromise or an Alternative

12. 7.3f Closing Pleasantly
Alternative Follow-up
Ex: I will be happy to give you a free inspection and consultation.
Freebies: Offer good wishes, compliments, or freebies (coupons,
samples, gifts).
Good Wishes: Express sincere feeling
Forward look: future relationship
Resale or Sale Promotion

13. 7.4. Refusing Typical Requests and Claims
7.4.a. Rejecting Requests for Favors, Money, Information,
and Action
Writing for refusing typical requests and claims
• Buffer: start with a neutral
• Reasons: present valid reasons for the refusal
• Bad news: de-emphasize the bad news by using
passive voice, accentuating the positive or
implying a refusal.
• Closing: renew good feeling with a positive
statement.

14. 7.4.b. Dealing with Disappointed Customers in Print
Business professionals deal with the issue in the following manner:
 Call or e-mail the individual immediately
 Describe the problem and apologize
 Explain why the problem occurred, How to overcome it and how to prevent it
 Promote goodwill by following up with a print message that documents the phone
call

15. Written messages are important to:
 Communicate when personal contact is
impossible
 Establish a record of the incident
 Formally confirm follow-up procedure
 Promote good relations

16. 7.4.c. Responding to Negative Posts and Reviews Online
The process for responding to negative posts and reviews online:
 Verify the situation
 Respond quickly and constructively
 Consider freebies
 Learn how to improve
 Accept the inevitable

17. 7.4.d. Denying Claims
Use the reason before refusal plan
Don’t blame customers
Use neutral objective language to explain why the
claim must be refused
Consider offering resale information to rebuild
customer’s confidence on our company or our
products

18. 7.5. Managing Bad News Within Organizations
7.5.a. Delivering Bad News in Person
 Gather all the information
 Prepare and rehearse
 Explain: past, present, and future
 Consider taking a partner
 Thinking about timing
 Be patient with the reaction

19. 7.5.b. Refusing Workplace Requests
Manager can refuse workplace requests by following the tips such as buffer,
transition, reasons, bad news, and closing.
7.5.c. Announcing Bad News to Employees and the Public
Writing plan announcing bad news to employees and the public
 Buffer
 Reasons
 Bad news
 Closing

20. When the manager announcing bad news to employees and the public, they need
to:
 Keeping communication open and honest
 Choosing the best communication channel
 Draft of intranet post
 Revision of intranet post

21. Thank for pay attention!