Chapter 8

Negative Messages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-1

Resolving Business Problems

Call the individual involved.
Describe the problem and apologize.
Explain
Why the problem occurred
What you are doing to resolve it
How you will prevent the problem from
happening again
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-2

Resolving Business Problems

Follow up with a letter that
Documents details discussed in the phone
call
Promotes goodwill

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-3

The Indirect Strategy

1. Buffer
2. Reasons
3. Bad News

4. Closing
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-4

Possible Buffers for Opening BadNews Messages

Best news
Appreciation

Agreement
Facts
Understanding
Apology
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-5

Evaluating Buffer Statements

How effective is the following opening for
a letter that refuses to grant credit?
1. Unfortunately, your application for credit
has been reviewed negatively.
(Reveals the bad news bluntly.)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-6

Evaluating Buffer Statements

How effective is the following opening for
a letter that refuses to grant credit?
2. We are delighted to receive your
application for credit.
(Gives the wrong impression.)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-7

Evaluating Buffer Statements

How effective is the following opening for
a letter that refuses to grant credit?
3. The recent resurgence of interest in the
stock market caught many of us by
surprise.
(Is not relevant.)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-8

Evaluating Buffer Statements

How effective is the following opening for
a letter that refuses a request for a
donation?
1. Your request for a monetary contribution has
been referred to me for reply.
(Fails to engage the reader.)

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-9

Evaluating Buffer Statements

How effective is the following opening for
a letter that refuses a request for a
donation?
2. We appreciate the fine work your
organization is doing to provide early
childhood programs that meet the needs of
parents and very young children.
(Compliments the reader but doesnt imply approval.)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-10

Presenting 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e

Ch. 8-11

Techniques for Deemphasizing

Bad News
Avoid the spotlight. Put the bad news in
the middle of a paragraph halfway
through the message.
Use a long sentence. Dont put the bad
news in a short, simple sentence.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-12

Techniques for Deemphasizing

Bad News
Place the bad news in a subordinate
clause.
Although we have no position 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, 6e Ch. 8-13

Techniques for Deemphasizing

Bad News
Use the passive voice.
Instead of this:
We cannot make a
contribution at this
time.

Try this:
A contribution cannot
be made at this time.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-14

Techniques for Deemphasizing

Bad News
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 this:
Our investigation
reveals that your
employment status and
your financial position
are unstable at this
time.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-15

Techniques for Deemphasizing

Bad News
Imply the refusal.
Instead of this:
We cannot contribute
to your charity this
year.

Try this:
Although all our profits
must be reinvested in
our company this year,
we hope to be able to
support your future
fund-raising activities.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-16

Techniques for Deemphasizing

Bad News
Suggest 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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-17

Using the Passive Voice

Passive-voice verbs focus attention on
actions rather than on personalities. They
are useful in being tactful.
Active voice:
I cannot allow you to
return the DVD player
because . . . .

Passive voice:
Return of the DVD
player is not allowed
because . . . .

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-18

Using the Passive Voice

Passive-voice verbs focus attention on
actions rather than on personalities. They
are useful in being tactful.
Active voice:
Ryan checked the
report, but he missed
the error.

Passive voice:
The report was
checked, but the error
was missed.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-19

Using the Passive Voice

Notice that passive-voice verb phrases
always include helper verbs.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-20

Using the Passive Voice

Examples of helper verbs forming
passive voice:
The report was checked.
The schedule is being revised.
Invitations were sent.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-21

Try Your Skill

Convert the following statement from
active to passive voice.
I am unable to make a cash contribution this year
because of unusually high taxes.
A cash contribution cannot be made this year
because of unusally high taxes.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-22

Try Your Skill

Convert the following statement from
active to passive voice.
We cannot process your application this month.
Your application cannot be processed this
month.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-23

Try Your Skill

Convert the following statement from
active to passive voice.
I have examined your employment record and
found that you have little cost accounting
experience.
Examination of your employment record has
revealed that you have little cost accounting
experience.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-24

Try Your Skill

Convert the following statement from
active to passive voice.
Mark made a programming error that delayed our
project.
A programming error was made that delayed our
project.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-25

Closing Bad-News Messages

Avoid endings that sound canned,
insincere, inappropriate, or self-serving.
Try to personalize the closing with

An alternative to the refusal

Resale or sales promotion
A forward look
Good wishes
Freebies

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-26

Writing Plan for Refusing

Requests or Claims
Buffer
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.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-27

Writing Plan for Refusing

Requests or Claims
Reasons
Present valid reasons for the refusal, avoiding
words that create a negative tone.
Include resale or sales promotion, if appropriate.

Bad News
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-28

Writing Plan for Refusing

Requests or Claims
Closing
Renew good feelings with a positive
statement.
Look forward to continued business.
Avoid referring to the bad news.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-29

Writing Plan for Announcing Bad News

to Customers and Employees
Buffer
Open with a compliment, appreciation, facts, or
some form of good news.
Include a key idea that leads from the opening
to the reasons.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-30

Writing Plan for Announcing Bad News

to Customers and Employees
Reasons
Explain the logic behind the bad news.
Use positive words.
Try to show reader benefits, if possible.

Bad News
Position the bad news so that it does not stand
out. Consider implying the bad news.
Suggest a compromise or substitute, if
possible.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-31

Writing Plan for Announcing Bad News

to Customers and Employees
Closing
Look forward positively.
Provide information about an alternative, if
appropriate.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-32

End

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-33