Exam 9: Negative Messages

Michelle must write a bad-news message to her staff telling them that their hours next month will be reduced.She has just completed Phase 1 of the prewriting process and is beginning Phase 2.What should she do first?

Which is the most effective statement in a letter to a customer denying a claim?

Goals in communicating negative news should include helping the receiver understand the news,showing your desire to continue pleasant relations with the receiver,and ________.

Cassandra will be writing a bad-news letter to a customer and wants to follow the four-part indirect plan.In what order should she organize her letter?

Giving unhappy customers a chance to cool down is important,so companies should wait at least 72 hours to respond to a complaint.

Without a sound explanation of the __________ for denying a request,refusing a claim,or revealing other bad news,a message will fail,no matter how cleverly it is organized or written.

A ________ is a neutral or positive opening that reduces shock or pain and does not reveal the negative news.

The key to ethical communication lies in ________.

What is the most accurate statement about keeping the indirect strategy ethical?

When organizations are involved in a crisis such as serious financial problems or public controversy,they should share the news with the public before informing employees.

The following statement represents the most effective approach in offering an alternative: Although we do have a one-bedroom apartment available,we don't have the two-bedroom apartment that you requested.

Several techniques can be used to close a bad-news message positively.List four of these techniques and give an original example of each.

To avoid charges of discrimination or wrongful actions,legal advisors urge organizations to keep employment rejection letters general,simple,and ________.

One useful technique for reducing the pain associated with a negative-news message is to place the refusal in a(n)________ clause.

The most important part of a negative-news message is the section that explains the reasons for the bad news.

Following up on bad news in writing is important to _________.

________ is the ability to understand and enter into the feelings of another and is important to convey in negative messages.

The ________ and Equal Credit Opportunity Act state that consumers who are denied loans must receive a notice of "adverse action" from the business explaining the decision.

Which of the following sentences most effectively implies the refusal?

A company must deliver bad news to hundreds of employees and wants to use digital media to do so.Which communication tool is acceptable?