mgmt
hyy362
Chapter6.pptxPositive Messages
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Today’s Agenda
Requests & Responses
Instructions
Online Complaints
Thank You Messages
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Positive Messages – Characteristics
Positive messages share the following traits:
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Are routine and
straightforward
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Help workers conduct everyday business
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Make up the bulk of workplace communication
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Require solid writing skills
Most workplace messages should be organized directly
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Today’s Agenda
Requests & Responses
Instructions
Online Complaints
Thank You Messages
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Requests
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Example Request
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Opening
Ask most important question or express a polite command.
Avoid long explanations
Writing Plan for Direct Requests
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Body
Explain request logically and courteously.
List questions in numbered or bulleted form.
Suggest reader benefits, if possible.
Writing Plan for Direct Requests
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Closing
State specifically what action is to be taken.
Mention end date, if necessary.
Make it easy for the receiver to respond.
Writing Plan for Direct Requests
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“Before” Version of a Request E-Mail
To: Caitlin Roberts
From: Patrick Banerjee
Subject: New Policy
This e-mail is to inform you that I continue to receive disturbing reports about the misuse of e-mail by employees. In the course of the past three months, I have heard of facebooking, tweeting, and gaming. Excessive use of e-mail including downloads of videos is sapping our bandwidth and slowing down the entire system.
In view of the foregoing, I am herewith instructing your office that an e-mail policy to the staff is needed. By October 1 a rough draft of a policy should be forthcoming. At the very minimum it should inform each and every employee that e-mail is for business only.
Employees must be told that we reserve the right to monitor all messages. No videos should be in the e-mail system without a valid reason. And we should not be using company Internet access for facebooking, tweeting, and gaming. No way!
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call.
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“After” Version of a Request E-Mail
To: Caitlin Roberts
From: Patrick Banerjee
Subject: Please Draft Employee E-mail Policy
Please draft a policy outlining appropriate e-mail use to employees.
We need a company e-mail policy because I have received reports of misuse including facebooking, tweeting, gaming, and video downloads. This misuse is sapping our bandwidth and slowing the system. Here are a few points that the policy should cover:
E-mail is for business only.
Internet access should not be used for facebooking, tweeting, shopping, and gaming.
Videos may be downloaded only for valid work-related purposes.
E-mail messages may be monitored.
Please submit a draft to me by October 1 because we hope to have a final policy completed by November 5. Call if you have questions.
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Exercise
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Responses
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Example Response
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Subject Line
Summarize the main information from your reply.
Use abbreviated style omitting articles (a, an, the).
Writing Plan for Replies
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Opening
Writing Plan for Replies
Directly respond to the request.
Deliver the information that the reader wants.
When announcing good news, do so promptly.
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Body
Writing Plan for E-Mail, Memo, and Letter Replies
Explain the subject logically.
Use lists, tables, headings, bold, or italics to improve readability.
Promote your products and your organization to customers.
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Writing Plan for E-Mail, Memo, and Letter Replies
Closing
Offer a concluding thought.
Avoid cliché endings.
Be cordial.
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Today’s Agenda
Requests & Responses
Instructions
Online Complaints
Thank You Messages
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Example Instruction Message
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Subject Line
Summarize content of message.
Writing Plan for Instruction Messages
Opening
Expand subject line, stating main idea concisely in full sentence.
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Body
Present instructions in orderly steps.
Arrange items vertically with numbers.
Begin each step with an action verb (sign, return, etc.).
Writing Plan for Instruction Messages
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Closing
Request specific action, summarize message, or present closing thought.
Include deadline, if appropriate.
Writing Plan for Instruction Messages
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Instruction Message
To: Staff Members
From: [email protected]
Subject: New Procedure for Submitting Travel Expenses
Effective immediately, please follow this procedure for submitting your travel expenses:
1. Retain detailed itemized receipts for expenses of $25 or more.
2. Download the new Employee Expense Report form from our intranet.
3. Prepare the report within 30 days of your trip.
4. Submit to your manager.
By following this streamlined reporting procedure, you should receive your reimbursement within 60 days of submission.
Karen Warner
Human Resources
655-340-3320
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Now, with your group, please complete Chapter Review question 22 on page 174.
Exercise
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Exercise
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Today’s Agenda
Requests & Responses
Instructions
Online Complaints
Thank You Messages
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Guidelines for Writing Online Reviews and Complaints
Check posting rules.
Establish your credibility.
Provide balanced reviews.
Consider offers for help.
Refuse payment for favorable reviews.
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Responding to Customers Online
Vocal individuals can start a firestorm of criticism or become powerful champions of products they love.
Companies must adopt strategies for responding to online comments.
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Be positive
Be transparent
Be honest
Be timely
Be helpful
Responding to Customers Online
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Today’s Agenda
Requests & Responses
Instructions
Online Complaints
Thank You Messages
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Saying Thank You
Thank-you notes are typically short hand-written messages.
Businesspeople build goodwill by thanking others graciously.
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Is E-mail Appropriate for Thank You Messages?
Sending e-mail thanks is sometimes acceptable.
E-mail may precede a phone call or a handwritten message.
Handwritten notes are most impressive.
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Today’s Agenda
Requests & Responses
Instructions
Online Complaints
Thank You Messages
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Any Questions?
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