economy

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COMM 2002: TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT – NEGATIVE NEWS (15%) Due: Week 4

You’re one of the owners of a small human resources temp agency: A-1 Accounting Personnel. You and a fellow graduate of BCIT (a human resources specialist) started the business yourselves, and it has grown to include over 100 regular clients. One of your newest clients is Lee’s Accounting. You were glad to add this client—it looked like they’d be hiring your employees for temp work fairly regularly. Furthermore, Lee would need a variety of employees, from accounting clerks to full-service accountants, which would be excellent for your business.

However, today you received an email from Jason Lee, the ownder of Lee Accounting, complaining that the accounting clerk (Gwen Naidoo) you sent isn’t meeting his expectations. He’s requesting a new worker and no charge for the four days that Gwen has already worked for his company. In his email, he complains that Gwen made errors in some client tax forms he asked her to fill in. When you talk to Gwen (who has worked for your agency for over a year, with no previous complaints), she confirms that after three days of doing routine accounting clerk tasks she was asked to actually help complete client tax returns—something she has no experience with and has never been asked to do before as an accounting clerk. She says she was nervous about it, but the company was clearly so overloaded in the busy tax season that she was willing to help. She confirms that her lack of experience led to errors in the forms. Like many agencies, you offer a guarantee to clients: if they are dissatisfied with one of your employees, they may request another and not be charged for the first one. Obviously, such a guarantee comes with limits, so that companies can’t just get free workers at your expense. These limits are clearly explained in the information package given to all new clients, and they’re part of the contract the clients sign. One limit to the guarantee involves the description of the job that clients provide. All clients must fill in a detailed description of the job’s duties before you’ll send them a worker, so you can make sure there’s a great match between the client’s needs and the employee’s skills/experience. Obviously, if the client then asks your employee to do duties not listed in the detailed description, the client then has no right to complain and get the employee for free, since you didn’t have the information you needed to send the client the best employee for the job. You make it clear in the info package and contract that clients should call or email if they want to add anything to the job description. You check the detailed job description Lee Accounting provided, and it only lists basic accounting clerk duties like payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and other clerical duties—no mention of tax returns. Furthermore, Jason’s complaint is too late to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee—your rules (as stated in the information package and contract) state that once one of your employees starts work, the employer must report any dissatisfaction and request a replacement worker before the employee has completed 24 hours of work. Gwen had completed 32 hours of work for Lee Accounting before Jason sent his email. You have this time limit so that, in the (very rare) cases where a client isn’t happy, you can ensure s/he gets a better match right away. For these reasons, Jason can’t get exactly what he wants (i.e. a new employee and no charge for the four days Gwen worked). However, you’d like to keep Lee Accounting as a client and therefore need to keep Jason happy. Therefore, you won’t charge for the day Gwen spent on the tax forms (her fourth day of work). You have tons of employees who are great at tax preparation, and you’ll send one to Jason tomorrow.

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Your Task: Use the checklist provided and the Negative News chapter, as well as my PowerPoint, to write an effective negative news email based on the case above. You can add information to improve your answer, as long as it doesn’t contradict the facts in the case. Email Jason Lee ([email protected]) your reply. Be extremely tactful with him—you want to keep his company as a client. Avoid blame/criticism and explain the reasons using wording that focuses on benefits to the client, rather than protection for your business. In addition, avoid criticizing or blaming Gwen. Make sure your assignment is typed and printed, and make sure you include a copy of the message checklist with your assignment. Full details on late assignments etc. are on the full course outline in your files folder.

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COMM 2002: NEGATIVE NEWS MESSAGE (indirect pattern) CHECKLIST

Content & Organization

___ Message effectively follows four-part indirect pattern (buffer, reasons, bad news, closing)

and does not hint at or state bad news until after buffer and reasons sections

___ Buffer opens message neutrally but relevantly and effectively (e.g. best news, compliment,

appreciation, agreement, facts, understanding, apology only if legally appropriate)

___ Reasons clearly, cautiously, fully, and positively explain and prepare reader for bad news

by focusing on benefits (if possible) and showing issue was seriously considered

___ Bad news is stated or implied in an effectively cushioned manner (e.g. embedded,

subordinated, passive voice, positive emphasis, compromise/alternative, not repeated)

___ Closing is pleasant/forward-focused and leaves reader as happy as possible (e.g. alternative,

good wishes, freebies, resale/sales promotion)—does NOT mention bad news again

___ Message avoids legal problems (libel, careless language)

___ Message achieves bad news goals (acceptance, positive image, clear message, legal

protection)

___ Message does not copy phrasing from case or from samples

___ Message adds details to improve effectiveness if appropriate

___ Paragraphs are effectively unified, coherent, and developed

Format & Presentation

___ Message uses appropriate format (e.g. memo or letter)

___ Format is complete and correct (no subject line required unless memo)

___ If subject line included, it’s neutral

___ Paragraphs are mostly short (e.g. approx. 6-8 lines)

___ White space is used effectively

Style, Tone & Mechanics

___ Wording is clear, cautious, concise, and uses passive voice appropriately

___ Tone is positive, tactful, and sincere—shows empathy for reader’s concerns/situation and

does not blame reader or company

___ Message avoids errors in grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, names, and numbers