Reports that represent data without analysis or recommendations are Informational reports One of the most important steps in writing an informal report is that of Gathering information A record of the proceedings of a meeting is called The minutes As chairperson of a customer service task force, you must update management on your team's progress. What kind of report will you write? progress report T/F: Most workplace messages are positive or neutral. True Which of the following is NOT a routine Business message: a. an email to a coworker that confirms the time for an upcoming meeting. b. A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit. c. an all-staff memo that outlines the new procedures for processing returned merchandise. d. An e-mail reply to a customer acknowledging that his or her order has shipped. b. A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit. Routine messages are positive, include simple requests for information or action, replies to customers, explanations to coworkers, instructions, direct claims, and complaints. Although email is successful for both internal and external communication, you should still use letters when: formality and sensitivity are essential. Others: -need for permanent record. -need confidentiality -need for a persuasive and well-organized presentation. T/F: The appearance of a business letter can send nonverbal messages about a sender to a receiver. True. When business writers request information or action that will be likely received positively, they should FRONTLOAD their messages, which requires: putting the most significant statement first. Which of the following is an effective opening for a routine request message? a. Please answer the following questions about your Web services. b. My name is Jill Aubrey, and I am the office manager for Cape Consulting Inc. c. I recently read an article about your firm in the local newspaper. d. Cape Consulting Inc. is the premier communication-consutling firm in the Cape and islands area. a. Please answer the following questions about your web services. specifies the reason that you are writing and is an appropriate, direct opening for your routine request. Which part(s) of your messages are readers likely to find most interesting and read first? Opening and closing The most emphatic positions are the openings and closings. Courtney is getting married and is trying to gather information about the banquet facilities of a potential venue in Las Vegas. She has lots of questions and decides to write a routine informational message. How should she present these questions in her message? in a bulleted or numbered list in the body of her message. The best way to present a series of questions is in a numbered or bulleted list in the body of the message. Courtney should also be certain that the list is presented in parallel structure. End dates and specific actions in a routine request message should be placed in the closing Use the final paragraph to ask for specific action to set an end date if appropriate, and to express appreciation. Readers look for action information in your closing paragraph. Which of the following would be the MOST effective closing statement in a routine action request message? a. Please send a contract for heating and ventilation work by April 1 to allow installation to begin by April 15. b. We hope you can get our work completed in a timely manner. c. Thank you in advance for sending a copy of the contract for installation of a new HVAC system by April 1. d. I would appreciate receiving a copy of the contract for your proposed installation at your earliest possible convenience. a. Please send a contract for heating and ventilation work by April 1 to allow installation to begin by April 15. Asks for specific information and provides a clear end date with a reason for the end date. A subject line in a letter: generally refers in abbreviated form to previous correspondence and/or summarizes a message. A subject line is optional. If it is used, it may refer to previous correspondence or may summarize the main idea. It does not identify the sender or the company. In addition, it should not be written as a complete sentence or end with a period. When granting a customer's claim, a business communicator should include an opening in an adjustment message that: presents the good news immediately. Because the claim is being granted, the good news should be revealed immediately. You should use sensitive language in an adjustment message in case the customer is already upset. Therefore, which of the following provides the BEST advice? a. Do not suggest your business typically pleases its customers; do apologize for failure. b. Do not be vague about improvements; do guarantee the situation will not recur. c. Don't use negative words (regret, error, failure); do use positive words (hope, achieve, strive) d. Do not blame customers; do blame individuals or departments inside your organization. c. Don't use negative words (regret, error, failure); do use positive words (hope, achieve, strive). Using sensitive language includes these don'ts: do not use negative words, do not make promises or guarantees, and do not blame customers or individuals and departments inside your organization. Customers like to receive an apology, but attorneys may advise against an apology. Taylor must send a bad-news message to a client and indicate to her that he will be unable to meet a delivery deadline. What should Taylor do FIRST? Analyze the bad news to see how it will affect his reader. First, analyze the bad news so that you can anticipate its effect on the receiver. This analysis will help choose techniques and words to reduce the pain of the bad news. There are exceptions to the organization order of messages with bad news. Which of the following bad-news messages should be organized using the direct strategy? a. an announcement of changes in business services. b. a layoff notice for a long-time employee c. A denial of benefits on an insurance claim to an angry customer. d. A notice of an unexpected plant closure to the city council and mayor. a. an announcement of changes in business services. Use the direct strategy to announce the change of business services because your audience may otherwise ignore this information. All other topics should use the indirect strategy because they are likely to provoke hostile responses or cause personal upset. Using the indirect strategy to prepare the reader in a bad-news message: helps you keep the reader's attention until you can explain the reasons for the bad news. The indirect strategy ensures that you keep the reader's attention as you explain the reasons for the bad news. The explanation is an important part of softening the blow of the bad news. The indirect strategy works best when the bad news is personally upsetting, when the news will prompt a hostile reaction, and when a. the message arrives unexpectedly. b. firmness is necessary. c. the receiver may overlook the bad news. d the bad news is not damaging. the message arrives unexpectedly. Use the indirect strategy when the bad news will arrive unexpectedly. All other answer choices typically require the direct strategy. Corbin must inform employees that overtime pay will be reduced from the current 2.0 factor to a 1.5 factor. Because he anticipates a hostile reaction, which of the following sequences should Corbin use the parts of his messages? a. bad news, explanation, reasons, and closing. b. bad news, reasons, buffer, closing c. buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing. d. buffer, explanation, reasons, and closing c. buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing. When a hostile reaction is anticipated, beginning with a buffer may keep the audience receptive enough to listen to Corbin's presentation of the reasons before he must present the bad news of the reduction in over time pay. Using the indirect strategy for a bad news message is recommended when the news is upsetting. Which of the following is the MOST important part of a negative message? a. a positive, forward-looking closing b. a neutral buffer c. an explanation of the reasons for the bad news d. the bad news itself c. an explanation of the reasons for the bad news. You must decline an employee's request to telecommunicate three days per week. Which of the following statements BEST explains why this bad news is necessary? a. Our current company policy does not allow telecommunicating. b. Unfortunately, we regret that we are unable to afford the expenses associated with telecommunicating. c. Your daily presence in the office is important to ensure regular customer contact. d. Your work standards cannot be relied on unless we are able to observe you at your workstation. c. your daily presence in the office is important to ensure regular customer contact. Would be the most effective because it is a positive statement showing how the company and customer benefit.You must announce to customers that your restaurant will no longer be open on Sundays. Which of the following uses passive-voice verbs to deliver the bad news?