Exam 9: Negative Messages

Roger's company will be raising the prices of its basic services, and Roger must write to customers to inform them of these increases. What is the most important thing he should do when writing this message? 

One way to soften negative news in a message is by suggesting a compromise or ____________________ to the receiver, such as suggesting that a loan applicant return with a cosigner to reapply.

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

One important goal in communicating bad news is to make sure your reader ____________________ and, in the best case, accepts the bad news.

You are writing a bad-news letter to the dean of your alma mater, who has asked you to speak at this year's graduation ceremony, but you have a prior commitment. You must come up with an effective buffer to begin your letter. Decide which technique you'll use, describe it, and write the actual buffer statement you would use.

When you have negative news to deliver, one of your first considerations is how the message will affect its receiver.

When organizations are involved in a crisis such as serious financial problems or public controversy, they are wise to keep the bad news from employees, customers, and stockholders for as long as possible.

Because employees act as agents of their organizations, their words, decisions, and opinions are assumed to represent those of the organization.

Peter must deny an employee's request to work from home two days a week. What is the best way to begin this bad-news message? 

To be actionable (likely to result in a lawsuit), abusive language must be false.

We again extend our sincere apologies for shipping your order late is an effective closing for a bad-news message.

Timothy is writing a bad-news message to his supervisor and is now in Phase 3 of the writing process. What should he do during this phase? 

An important goal when delivering negative-news messages is to maintain friendly relations with the receivers and to regain their confidence.

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

A good technique for de-emphasizing negative news is to place it at the end of a paragraph.

A good way to begin a negative-news letter to a faithful customer is to show appreciation for the reader's business 

What do most companies do first for damage control when a problem arises? 

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

Closing a bad-news message with a statement such as Visit our website soon for our summer concert schedule uses ____________________ information or sales promotion to encourage the customer's continued patronage.

Victoria had to write a letter to a job applicant telling him that he was not selected for a position. Because she really liked the applicant, she wrote in the rejection letter, "I thought you were our top candidate." What has Victoria done that might lead to legal difficulties?