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CHAPTER 7CHAPTER 7
Negative Negative MessagesMessages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 3
Goals in Communicating Goals in Communicating Bad NewsBad News
Acceptance—strive to help receiver understand and accept the bad news.
Positive image—promote good image of yourself and your organization. Strive to reduce bad feelings. Convey fairness.
Message clarity—make the message so clear that no further correspondence is necessary.
Protection—avoid creating legal liability.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 4
Preventing Legal ProblemsPreventing Legal Problems
Defamation—false published statement that harms an individual's reputation
Libel—written defamation Slander—spoken defamation
Examples: deadbeat, crook, quack
Avoid abusive language.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 5
Preventing Legal ProblemsPreventing Legal Problems
Avoid potentially damaging or easily misinterpreted statements.
Example: The factory floor is too dangerous for visitors on field trips.
Avoid careless language.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 6
Your business messages must represent the views of the organization.
Be careful about revealing company information, even in a personal blog.
Remember that you represent your organization.
Preventing Legal ProblemsPreventing Legal Problems
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 7
Disappointment Irritation Anger
Common Reactions to Common Reactions to Negative InformationNegative Information
Goods cannot be delivered as promised
Product failure Credit refusal Billing error
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 8
You Can Usually Diminish You Can Usually Diminish Negative Feelings ifNegative Feelings if
The reader knows the reasons for the rejection
The bad news is revealed with sensitivity
Disappointment Irritation Anger
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 9
Buffer Reasons BadNews Closing
The Indirect StrategyThe Indirect Strategy
Using the indirect strategy to communicate bad news appeals torelationship-oriented writers who care about how a message will affect its receiver.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 10
Buffer Reasons Bad News Closing
The Indirect StrategyThe Indirect Strategy
The indirect strategyallows you to prepare the reader before delivering the bad news, thus softening the impact of the bad news.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 11
Possible Buffers for OpeningPossible Buffers for OpeningBad-News MessagesBad-News Messages
Facts Understanding Apology
Reasons Bad News Closing
Best news Compliment Appreciation Agreement
Buffer
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 12
Quick Check
How effective are the following openings for a letter that refuses to grant credit?
Reveals the bad news bluntly.
Sounds phony and canned.
Unfortunately, your application for credit has been reviewed negatively.
We sincerely regret that we must deny your credit application.
Evaluating Buffer StatementsEvaluating Buffer Statements
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 13
Gives the wrong impression.
We are delighted to receive your application for credit.
The recent resurgence of interest in the stock market caught many of us by surprise.
Is not relevant.
How effective are the following openings for a letter that refuses to grant credit?
Evaluating Buffer StatementsEvaluating Buffer Statements
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 14
How effective are the following openings for a letter that refuses a request for a donation?
Fails to engage the reader.
Compliments reader and implies approval.
Your request for a monetary contribution has been referred to me for reply.We appreciate the fine work your organization is doing to provide early childhood programs that meet the needs of parents and very young children.
Evaluating Buffer StatementsEvaluating Buffer Statements
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 15
Presenting the ReasonsPresenting the Reasons
Be cautious in explaining. Cite reader benefits, if possible. Explain company policy, if relevant. Choose positive words. Show that the matter was treated
seriously and fairly.
Buffer BadNews ClosingReasons
Chapter 7, Slide 16Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
To reveal the bad news with sensitivity, apply the following techniques for
Cushioning Bad News:
Buffer Reasons ClosingBadNews
Chapter 7, Slide 17Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Use thepassivevoice.
Suggesta compromise
or an alternative.
Implythe
refusal.
Be clearbut not
overly graphic.
Place thebad news
in a subordinateclause.
Use along
sentence.
Avoidthe
spotlight.
Techniques forTechniques forCushioningCushioningBad NewsBad News
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 18
Use a long sentence. Don’t put the bad news in a short, simple sentence.
Avoid the spotlight. Put the bad news in the middle of a paragraph halfway through the message.
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 19
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Place the bad news in a subordinate clause.Although we have no opening for an individual with your qualifications at this time, we are pleased that you thought of us when you started your job search.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 20
Be clear but not overly graphic.
Instead of this
Our investigation reveals that you owe three creditors large sums and that you were fired from your last job.
Try thisOur investigation reveals that your employment status and your financial position are unstable at this time.
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 21
Imply the refusal.
Instead of thisWe cannot contribute to your charity this year.
Try thisAlthough all our profits must be reinvested in our company this year, we hope to be able to support your future fund-raising activities.
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 22
Suggest a compromise or an alternative.
Although the cashmere sweater cannot be sold at the erroneously listed price of $18, we can allow you to purchase this $218 item for only $118.
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 23
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Consider using passive voice verbs.
Instead of this We cannot make a contribution at this time.
Try this A contribution cannot be made at this time.
Passive-voice verbs focus attention on actions rather than on personalities. They are useful in being tactful.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 24
Active voiceI cannot allow you to return the DVD player because . . . .
Passive voiceReturn of the DVD player is not allowed because . . . .
Ryan checked the report, but he missed the error.
The report was checked, but the error was missed.
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Consider using passive voice verbs.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 25
Notice that passive-voice verb phrases always include “helper” verbs, such as is, are, was, were, being, or been.
Examples of “helper” verbs forming passive voice:
The report was checked. The schedule is being revised. Invitations were sent.
Cushioning the Bad NewsCushioning the Bad News
Chapter 7, Slide 26Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick Check
Convert the following statements from active to passive voice.
A cash contribution cannot be made this year because of unusually high expenses.
I am unable to make a cash contribution this year because of unusually high expenses.
We cannot process your application this month.
Your application cannot be processed this month.
Chapter 7, Slide 27Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Our products are sold only through franchised retailers.
We sell our products only through franchised retailers.
Mark made a programming error that delayed our project.
A programming error was made that delayed our project.
Convert the following statements from active to passive voice.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 28
Closing Bad-News MessagesClosing Bad-News Messages
Avoid endings that sound canned, insincere, inappropriate, or self-serving. Try to personalize the closing with
Buffer Reasons BadNews Closing
Freebies Resale or sales
promotion
A forward look An alternative to the
refusal Good wishes
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 29
Writing Plan for Refusing Writing Plan for Refusing Routine Requests or ClaimsRoutine Requests or Claims
Start with a neutral statement on which both reader and writer can agree, such as a compliment, an expression of appreciation, a quick review of the facts, or an apology.
Try to include a key idea or word that acts as a transition to the explanation.
Reasons Bad News ClosingBuffer
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 30
Present valid reasons for the refusal, avoiding words that create a negative tone.
Include resale or sales promotion, if appropriate.
Buffer Bad News ClosingReasons
Writing Plan for Refusing Writing Plan for Refusing Routine Requests or ClaimsRoutine Requests or Claims
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 31
Soften the blow by positioning the bad news strategically, using the passive voice, accentuating the positive, or implying a refusal.
Suggest a compromise or substitute, if possible.
Buffer Reasons ClosingBadNews
Writing Plan for Refusing Writing Plan for Refusing Routine Requests or ClaimsRoutine Requests or Claims
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 32
Renew good feelings with a positive statement.
Look forward to continued business. Avoid referring to the bad news.
Buffer Reasons BadNews Closing
Writing Plan for Refusing Writing Plan for Refusing Routine Requests or ClaimsRoutine Requests or Claims
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 33
Examine This EffectiveExamine This EffectiveRefusal of Request for Cash Refund Refusal of Request for Cash Refund
Adobe Acrobat 7.0 DocumentOpen letter
by clicking icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 34
Controlling Damage With Controlling Damage With Disappointed CustomersDisappointed Customers
Call the individual involved. Describe the problem and apologize. Explain
Why the problem occurred What you are doing to resolve the
problem How you will prevent the problem from
happening again
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 35
Follow with a letter that Documents details discussed in the
phone call Promotes goodwill
Click icon to viewletter illustrating a bad-
news follow-up message.
Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Document
Controlling Damage With Controlling Damage With Disappointed CustomersDisappointed Customers
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 36
Refusing CreditRefusing Credit
Four goals in conveying credit refusals: Avoiding language that causes hard
feelings Retaining customers on a cash basis Preparing for possible future credit
without raising false expectations Avoiding disclosures that could cause a
lawsuit
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 37
Delivering Bad News PersonallyDelivering Bad News Personally
Gather all the information. Prepare and rehearse. Explain past, present, and future. Consider taking a partner. Think about timing. Be patient with the reaction.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 38
Writing Plan for Breaking Writing Plan for Breaking Bad News to EmployeesBad News to Employees
Open with a neutral or positive statement that transitions to the reasons for the bad news.
Consider mentioning the best news, a compliment, appreciation, agreement, or solid facts.
Show understanding.
Reasons BadNews ClosingBuffer
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 39
Writing Plan for Breaking Writing Plan for Breaking Bad News to EmployeesBad News to Employees
Explain the logic behind the bad news. Provide a rational explanation using positive
words and displaying empathy. Try to show reader benefits, if possible.
Buffer BadNews ClosingReasons
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 40
Writing Plan for Breaking Writing Plan for Breaking Bad News to EmployeesBad News to Employees
Position the bad news so that it does not stand out.
Be positive but don’t sugarcoat it. Use objective language.
Buffer Reasons ClosingBadNews
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 7, Slide 41
Provide information about an alternative, if one exists.
If appropriate, describe what will happen next.
Look forward positively.
Buffer Reasons Bad News Closing
Writing Plan for Breaking Writing Plan for Breaking Bad News to EmployeesBad News to Employees
Chapter 7, Slide 42Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Bad News: BuyCostumes
Click to play
The BuyCostumes video case study shows how a young business owner used a business plan as a road map to become the world’s largest online costume retailer.
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