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Chapter 8 Solutions to Activities
Zooming In: Applying Your Skills at Highpoint
Current date
Mr. Martin L. Pritchett
President, Pritchett Consulting
114 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Dear Mr. Pritchett:
It was a pleasure speaking with you earlier today, and I am looking forward to helping Pritchett
Consulting find the best health care coverage at a competitive rate.
Before I can provide you with a quote, however, I need some additional information.
To tailor potential health plans to your company’s needs and guide you through their intricacies, I would
Your responses by (insert date) will help me research the best options to present to you when we meet in
8.1 Short Responses to Online Comments (Objs. 1–5)
a. Pros: Immediate, personal response; reply provides contact information for follow-up.
Cons: Although the company addresses the writer personally, an additional sentence could
b. Pros: The brand assures the user that Facebook fans will be the first to hear about the release
Cons: A response time of 10 hours gave other users the opportunity to respond to the
c. Pros: Speedy personal response shows a commitment to customer service. The response
Cons: None. Maria’s post is fine except for the last sentence (subject and verb are
d. Pros: Gracious response to a tech-savvy user includes an invitation to join a community
Cons: Response from VP comes with a long delay: one full week after the user posted the
8.2 Writing Instructions (Obj. 4)
a. Five Tips for Getting and Keeping Good Credit
Get a gas store card. These are easier to get than regular credit cards, and they establish a
Don't close unused credit card accounts. Canceling a card can actually lower your score.
b. To order from our website, follow these steps:
1. Find the items you want in the catalog.
2. Add the items to your shopping cart.
c. To make a YouTube video, you should do the following:
1. Obtain a video recording device such as a cell phone, webcam, or camcorder.
d. To make double-sided copies, do the following:
1. Place Side 1 of the original facedown on the document glass.
2. Close the document cover.
8.3 Document for Analysis: Poor Direct Request (Obj. 2)
Documents for Analysis are available at the student premium website (www.cengagebrain.com).
Weaknesses
1. Begins with a wordy, indirect opening and a dangling modifier in the first sentence.
2. Positions the action request and deadline in the first paragraph instead of at the end of
Revision
To: ExEngine Manager List
From: Paula Parker <paula.parker@exengine.com>
Subject: Answering Questions to Address Excessive E-Mail
Cc:
Bcc:
Managers,
Please help us address the problem of excessive e-mail by answering the questions below. Your ideas will
assist us in developing a plan that should benefit your staff, yourself, and our organization.
1. About how many e-mail messages do you receive and answer personally each day?
2. About how many hours are your staff members spending on e-mail each day?
I look forward to your advice in controlling e-mail and improving productivity. Your written responses to
8.4 Document for Analysis: Direct Response (Obj. 2)
Documents for Analysis are available at the student premium website (www.cengagebrain.com).
Weaknesses
1. Does not organize the message logically.
2. Fails to open directly with a summary of the main idea.
3. Includes irrelevant information and is chatty (stock price of Salesforce.com; Okay,
back to Chatter and my report; Pretty nifty, isn’t it?)
Revision
Date: March 4, 2015
To: Helen Lazar, CEO
From: Gilbert S. Luce
Subject: Chatter—A Potential Alternative to Facebook and Twitter
Here is my brief report in response to your request that I research alternatives to Facebook and
Twitter. We may be able to tap into Chatter, a new social-networking service created by San
The disadvantages of conventional online social networks are obvious. They sap employees’ time
Chatter is similar to Facebook and Twitter, but it asks what people are working on, not what is on
their mind or what is happening. Salesforce.com calls Chatter a “real-time collaboration cloud,”
Additional advantages are that (a) workers can connect with colleagues in the whole company,
A company that implements Chatter can expect its e-mail traffic to drop 40 percent as employees
Salesforce.com is offering Chatter as part of its existing service. Currently, about 20,000
If you would like me to provide more detailed information, please let me know. I would be
8.5 Document for Analysis: Instructions (Obj. 2)
Documents for Analysis are available at the student premium website (www.cengagebrain.com).
Weaknesses
1. Fails to establish a context for the message leaving receivers to wonder why it was
written.
Revision
To: Faculty and Staff
From: Michael Love <mlove@valleyviewpd.gov>
Subject: Tips to Prevent Card Skimming at ATM Machines
Cc:
Bcc:
Faculty and Staff,
Card skimming occurs at ATM machines when small imaging devices capture your card number
Use ATMs that are in familiar locations.
Gas pumps are also susceptible to skimming, but the skimmer is inside and cannot be seen.
Please be cautious when using ATM machines and alert the police if you notice anything
suspicious.
8.6 Document for Analysis: Direct Claim (Obj. 3)
Documents for Analysis are available at the student premium website (www.cengagebrain.com).
Weaknesses
1. Fails to address the receiver appropriately and misspells John Lear’s name.
2. Opens with an angry statement instead of summarizing a desired action.
Revision
Current date
Mr. John Lear
Regional General Manager
Dear Mr. Lear:
We are asking you to help us retrieve $60 from your Colorado Springs Airport location. This
On August 15 a colleague and I received a free navigation device with our car rental because we
Much to our surprise, the rental car bill later showed the full charge of $180, plus tax. Over the
next three weeks we had trouble contacting the manager to issue the refund. We spoke to various
When we checked our account statement, we noticed that the manager had forgotten to add $60
Enclosed are copies of the signed rental agreement lisng the complimentary GPS and the bill
We are a new business customer and, despite this experience, would like to use your agency for
8.7 Responding to Posts Online (Obj. 2)
a. Yes, Sky Horizon Wireless responded because companies must react promptly to customers
The pros: A social media expert praised the brand’s response for offering several options to
Students could be asked to revise Amber’s overly casual message that features the
ampersand for and as well as grammatical mistakes (run-on sentences) and spelling errors
(maintenced; didnt; alot for a lot; cant for can’t). A possible revised post: Hi, I just bought
b. The company responded very promptly: Hi Jamie, unfortunately you ordered an item that
needs to be shipped ground. We are terribly sorry that you were not notified in advance. The
c. Yes, the company did respond to this positive message to demonstrate that it is listening to
consumers and to reinforce the positive feelings of this devoted customer: That’s a great story,
Mr. McGee. It’s hard for us to imagine that you’ve been shopping at Brooks for only 6 years.
d. Did Geico take this tempting opportunity and fire a cheap shot at the competition? No.
The insurer replied graciously about two hours after Anita’s message was posted: While
e. Requests must be answered and preferably quickly. Monte Carlo Resort & Casino –—Las
Vegas wrote back two hours later: Our lagoon pool and hot tubs are open year round…
8.8 Direct Request: Searching for a Social Media Specialist (Obj. 2)
To: Rick Trumka <rick.trumka@mediaresources.com>
From: [Your name]
Subject: Searching for Advice and Information About Social Media Experts
Cc:
Bcc:
Dear Mr. Trumka:
You have been recommended by HomeCenter CEO David Seldenberg as a trusted source of
Our company wonders whether it would benefit from hiring a social media specialist who could
How could a social media specialist benefit HomeCenter?
What salary range is appropriate for such a specialist?
I’m sure many other questions could be asked, but I’d like to start with these. A written response
Sincerely,
8.9 Direct Request: Planning a Winter Retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (Obj. 2)
To: Denise O’Handley <dohandley@fourseasonsresort.com
From: [Your Name]
Subject: Requesting Information About Potential Conference and Facilities for 85 Guests
Cc:
Bcc:
Dear Ms. O’Handley:
Can Four Seasons Resort provide 50 rooms accommodating about 85 guests for either December
15-19, 2015 or January 12-16, 2016?
My company will be hosting a four-day combination sales conference/vacation/retreat for 55 of
Do you have two conference rooms available that would hold 25 people? We would need
Do you have facilities for us to host a banquet for 85 people one evening?
What skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports options are available to groups?
Your answers to these questions before September 1 will help me make a complete presentation
Sincerely,
