80. A response to a neutral message should be organized in this order:
a.
(1) apology, (2) good news, (3) explanation, (4) courteous closing.
b.
(1) explanation, (2) questions answered, (3) good news, (4) courteous closing.
c.
(1) explanation, (2) good news, (3) clichéd closing.
d.
(1) good news, (2) questions answered, (3) subtle company promotion, if appropriate, (4)
courteous closing.
e.
(1) good news, (2) questions answered, (3) explanation, (4) good news reiterated in the
closing.
81. Research shows that customers expect a response within
a.
24 hours.
b.
ten minutes.
c.
only when the situation is urgent.
d.
five days.
e.
one hour.
82. Which of the following is an appropriate response to a request for information?
a.
Because your satisfaction is important to us, we will send you the information you expect.
b.
Our service technician carefully examined the list of questions you submitted.
c.
Reading the owner’s manual or checking our easy-to-use website will provide the answers
you seek.
d.
We are pleased to provide the information you requested.
e.
We have decided to provide the information you seek, due to your long association with
our organization.
83. Recognition notes
a.
point the blame at a particular individual in your company.
b.
will make others feel jealous.
c.
specify what the person did and how it benefited the organization.
d.
are worthwhile additions to the sender’s career portfolio.
e.
should always be handwritten for the greatest impact.
84. Which of the following would not be an appropriate reason to send a thank-you note?
a.
A friend sends you a gift.
b.
You complete a job interview.
c.
A former supervisor writes you a recommendation letter.
d.
You receive an A grade on an exam.
e.
You receive a scholarship.
85. Which of the following statements about online customer communication is not correct?
a.
It includes public comments on review sites, blogs, and social networks.
b.
It allows companies to win customers online.
c.
It carries higher stakes than most paper communication.
d.
It allows companies to respond to, but not anticipate, customer concerns.
e.
It may allow companies to build a positive reputation online.
86. Which of the following should you not do in a goodwill message?
a.
Write out of a sense of kindness or friendship.
b.
Write promptly so the event is still fresh in the reader’s mind.
c.
Use a direct organizational plan.
d.
Mention a business objective.
e.
State your main idea early in the message.
87. Which of the following is a goodwill message?
a.
a note of congratulations
b.
a direct request for product information
c.
a persuasive request for an adjustment when the customer is at fault
d.
a complaint message that includes positive comments about the company
e.
a sales promotion letter
88. When writing a goodwill message, you should
a.
type the note so that it is easier to read.
b.
discuss resale in the closing.
c.
use a sincere tone.
d.
use the indirect organizational approach.
e.
use a form letter for efficiency.
89. A goodwill message is especially effective when it
a.
discusses the reader’s situation in detail.
b.
mentions a specific incident or anecdote.
c.
uses strong, flowery language.
d.
focuses on the writer’s thoughts and feelings.
e.
omits a subject line on the email form.
90. The reader will appreciate a thank-you note even more when it
a.
is typed rather than handwritten.
b.
arrives unexpectedly.
c.
contains subtle resale.
d.
mentions a business objective.
e.
is handwritten.
91. A sympathy note to a colleague whose spouse has just died should
a.
mention specific memories or a specific quality of the deceased.
b.
come to the point in the middle or final paragraph.
c.
emphasize the reader’s emotional state.
d.
avoid discussing the deceased in any way.
e.
use emotional language to show concern.
92. ____ scan the web for comments about the company.
a.
Search Engines
b.
Scanners
c.
Interns
d.
Aggregators
e.
Dementors
93. When responding to customer comments online, a company should
a.
reply with witty sarcasm to belittling comments or posts.
b.
reply with factual information to unhappy customers.
c.
not reply to neutral posts or comments.
d.
reply to every positive customer statement.
e.
reply with emotional language to show concern.
94. What is an appropriate company response to a degrading post that leaves the writer with little or no
credibility?
a.
Reply with factual information.
b.
Reply to fix the problem and restore the relationship.
c.
Reach out to engage with the writer.
d.
No response.
e.
No response, but monitor for activity.
95. Which of the following is not an appropriate way to create an authentic informal response to positive
online feedback?
a.
Re-post the feedback to the company intranet.
b.
Mention the writer’s name and thank him or her by name.
c.
Provide a photo and your own name.
d.
Offer solutions or other ways to keep in touch.
e.
Address specific comments from the post.
96. Sites such as ____ may allow companies to anticipate customer needs online.
a.
Craigslist
b.
Hotmail
c.
Twitter
d.
Amazon
e.
Wynn
97. When sending an instant message, you should
a.
mention the current time and date.
b.
get to the point quickly.
c.
emphasize any common goals.
d.
use many emoticons.
e.
avoid asking “Is this a good time?”
98. Which of the following is not good advice for writing effective goodwill messages?
a.
Be direct: state the main idea in the first sentence or two.
b.
Be enthusiastic: use strong words to demonstrate your sincerity.
c.
Be prompt: send a goodwill message while the reason is still fresh in the reader’s mind.
d.
Be specific: mention a specific incident or anecdote.
e.
Be brief: use a short note for most circumstances.
99. A goodwill message
a.
should always mention the underlying business purpose.
b.
has the same emphasis in all cultures.
c.
may be more meaningful as a written note than as a phone call.
d.
conveys sympathy, rejection, or appreciation.
e.
uses emotional language to show concern.
100. To which of the following type of social media posts would a “no response” reaction be most
appropriate?
a.
Misguided
b.
Unhappy
c.
Physically threatening
d.
Neutral
e.
Highly positive
101. ____ is often overused in organizations.
a.
Text messaging
b.
The telephone
c.
Face to face conversation
d.
Email
e.
Instant messaging
102. A message is neutral if
a.
you anticipate that the reader will do as you ask without having to be persuaded.
b.
the reader will comply if you mention the benefits to him or her that will follow a positive
response.
c.
you can ask politely and have a 50-50 chance of success.
d.
you are requesting a small discount off a full-price item.
e.
you expect that the reader will not question your credibility.
103. At Nordstrom, sales associates sometimes send handwritten notes to reflect their special relationship
with customers. These notes are examples of
a.
bad-news messages.
b.
technologically backward communication.
c.
over-the-top flattery.
d.
effective positive messages.
e.
effective multitasking.
SHORT ANSWER
104. Describe the difference between the direct and indirect organizational plans. Provide examples of
when to use each plan.
105. What is the difference between a neutral or positive message and a persuasive or bad-news message?
Provide an example of each type of message.
106. Describe at least four guidelines to remember when asking questions in a routine request.
107. List and briefly describe the three major sections of a routine request letter.
108. Why is promptness one of the most important considerations when writing a routine reply?
109. Why do people send goodwill messages?
110. Describe the guidelines to follow in handling a routine reply.
111. What are the risks and potential benefits of online customer communication?
112. What should smart companies do about the constant stream of social media posts?
113. Discuss appropriate responses for common types of social media posts.
114. When is it appropriate to use instant messaging in the workplace?
115. How important is it to avoid abbreviations and use correct punctuation and capitalization when using
IM?
116. How should you choose your IM screen name?
117. What are some of the drawbacks or dangers of using IM at work?
118. What are customer expectations with regard to how quickly you respond to customer requests for
information and neutral customer feedback?
119. What are the types of goodwill messages?
120. What are the five general guidelines for writing goodwill messages?
121. What are some examples of neutral and positive messages?
122. What are some common mistakes people make when writing routine requests?
123. What are typical elements of an appropriate sympathy note after someone has passed away?
124. When are congratulatory notes appropriate?
