10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-1
Part 4: Crafting Brief Messages
During the writing segment of this course, some of your students may express an instinctive dislike for
the idea of using “patterns,” feeling that they are somehow imitative or impersonal. You might lessen
their reservations by pointing out that these standardized patterns are intended to be a starting point, not a
rigid formula. There is no one-letter pattern to fit every situation that may arise in business. Each letter,
memo, or email message requires a unique and customized effort.
Part 4 organizes material by message type. Chapter 10 focuses on writing routine and positive messages
more suitable for the direct approach. Chapter 11 focuses on writing negative messages more suitable for
the indirect approach. Chapter 12 focuses on writing persuasive messages.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-2
Chapter 10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
This chapter focuses on writing routine requests and routine and positive messages, those most suitable
for the direct approach. The first half of the chapter provides a strategy for routine requests and offers
examples of three common types of requests. The second half provides a strategy for routine and positive
messages, with examples of common types of these messages.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Strategy for Routine Requests
Stating Your Request Up Front
Explaining and Justifying Your Request
Requesting Specific Action in a Courteous Close
Common Examples of Routine Requests
Asking for Information and Action
Asking for Recommendations
Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments
Strategy for Routine and Positive Messages
Starting with the Main Idea
Providing Necessary Details and Explanation
Ending with a Courteous Close
Common Examples of Routine and Positive Messages
Answering Requests for Information and Action
Granting Claims and Requests for Adjustment
Providing Recommendations and References
Sharing Routine Information
Announcing Good News
Fostering Goodwill
Sending Congratulations
Sending Messages of Appreciation
Offering Condolences
Learning Catalytics is a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom
intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real-time diagnostics. Students
can use any modern, web-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more
information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-3
LECTURE NOTES
Section 1: Strategy for Routine Requests
Learning Objective 1: Outline an effective strategy for writing routine business requests.
Much of the vital communication between a company and its customers is about routine business matters.
These messages fall into two groups:
Making requests is a routine part of business. In most cases, the audience will be prepared to comply, as
long as the request is reasonable. By applying a clear strategy and a tailored approach to each situation,
routine requests will be efficient and effective.
Like all other business messages, a routine request has three parts: an opening, a body, and a close. When
using the direct approach:
Stating Your Request Up Front
Begin routine requests by placing your initial request first; up front is where it stands out and gets the
most attention. Of course, getting right to the point should not be interpreted as license to be abrupt or
tactless. Careful presentation includes the following:
• Pay attention to tone. Even though you expect a favorable response, the tone of your initial
request is important. Soften your request with words such as please and I would appreciate.
Explaining and Justifying Your Request
The body of the message explains the request, if the circumstances require an explanation:
• Make it a smooth and logical explanation, flowing from the opening remarks.
• If appropriate, explain how the reader could benefit from taking the requested action.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-4
Requesting Specific Action in a Courteous Close
The close of a routine request should include three important elements:
• A specific request
• Contact information for possible future communication
• If action is requested, a specific date or time for compliance
Conclude messages by sincerely expressing goodwill and appreciation.
Section 2: Common Examples of Routine Requests
Learning Objective 2: Describe three common types of routine requests.
Most routine messages fall into a few main categories:
• Asking for information and action
• Asking for recommendations
• Making claims and requesting adjustments
Asking for Information and Action
When there’s a need for information or for someone to take action, the best course for the sender is to
simply ask. In essence, simple requests say:
• What you want to know or what you want the reader to do
Asking for Recommendations
In business, the need to inquire about people arises often.
From circumstances involving credit, contracts, jobs, promotions, or scholarships, companies often
ask applicants to supply recommendations from references.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-5
Because requests for recommendations and references are routine, the direct approach is appropriate:
• Open the message by clearly stating why the recommendation is needed and that a letter is
requested.
Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments
Anyone dissatisfied with a product or service has two options for seeking satisfaction:
In either case, it’s important to maintain a professional tone in all communications. A rational, clear,
and courteous approach is best for any routine request. Assume that a fair adjustment will be made
and use the direct approach:
• In the opening, provide a straightforward statement of the problem.
Section 3: Strategy for Routine and Positive Messages
Learning Objective 3: Outline an effective strategy for writing routine replies and positive messages.
When responding to routine requests and sending routine and positive messages, you have several goals:
• Communicate the information or the good news.
Because readers will generally be interested in a positive message, use the direct approach with a routine
reply or positive message:
• Place the main idea (the positive reply or the good news) in the opening.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-6
Starting with the Main Idea
Open with the main idea or good news so the audience is prepared for the details that follow.
Providing Necessary Details and Explanation
Use the body of the message to explain points completely and concisely so the audience won’t be
confused or doubtful about the meaning.
When providing details, maintain the supportive tone established in the opening.
If the routine message may elicit mixed reactions:
When communicating with customers, you can use the body to subtly remind the reader of the smart
choice it was to buy your products.
Ending with a Courteous Close
A routine or positive message is more likely to succeed if readers are left feeling that their best
interests are being kept in mind:
• Highlight a benefit to the reader.
Section 4: Common Examples of Routine and Positive Messages
Learning Objective 4: Describe six common types of routine replies and positive messages.
Most routine and positive messages fall into six main categories:
• Answers to requests for information and action
• Grants of claims and requests for adjustment
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-7
Answering Requests for Information and Action
Treat all requests with respect; a prompt and gracious response reflects well on you and your
organization.
Occasionally, requests include the opportunity for improving business relations. When answering
requests and a potential sale is involved, there are three main goals:
• Respond to the inquiry and answer all questions.
Granting Claims and Requests for Adjustment
Mistakes are unfortunate but are a turning point in the relationship between the company and the
customer:
• If the situation is handled well, the customer is likely to be even more loyal than before; they
now have reason to believe the company is serious about customer satisfaction.
Any response to a customer complaint depends on the company’s policies for resolving such issues
and an assessment of whether the company, the customer, or some third party is at fault.
In general, take the following steps:
• Acknowledge receipt of the customer’s claim or complaint.
• Sympathize with the customer’s inconvenience or frustration.
Providing Recommendations and References
Recommendation letters typically include:
• The candidate’s full name
• The opportunity he or she is pursuing
Recommendation letters have become a complex legal matter in recent years so be sure to check
company policies before writing a recommendation.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-8
Some companies (as well as some individual professionals) refuse to provide anything more than
confirmation of dates of employment.
Sharing Routine Information
Many messages involve sharing routine information, such as project updates and order status
notifications.
Announcing Good News
To develop and maintain good relationships, smart companies recognize that it’s good business to
spread the word about positive developments.
Because good news is generally welcome, use the direct approach.
Good-news announcements about company successes are often communicated in a news release (also
known as a press release):
Traditional news releases aren’t written for the ultimate audience (such as the readers of a
newspaper); they’re trying to interest an editor or a reporter who will then write the material that is
eventually read by the larger audience.
Fostering Goodwill
All business messages should be written with an eye toward fostering goodwill among business
contacts, but some messages are written specifically for that purpose.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10-9
Sending Congratulations
One prime opportunity for sending goodwill messages is to congratulate individuals or companies for
significant business achievements.
Sending Messages of Appreciation
Sending messages of appreciation is often an important managerial responsibility and requires the
ability to recognize the contributions of employees, colleagues, suppliers, and other associates:
Class discussion question: Is there a danger of goodwill messages becoming self-serving? If so, what
cautions should writers take to avoid crossing over an ethical line?
Offering Condolences
Messages of condolence are brief personal messages written to comfort someone after the death of a
loved one.
These messages can feel intimidating to write, but they don’t need to be. Follow these three
principles: short, simple, and sincere.
Timing and media choice are important considerations with condolence letters:
Open a condolence message with a simple expression of sympathy, such as “I am deeply sorry to hear
of your loss” or “I am sorry for your loss.”
How you continue from there depends on the circumstances and your relationships with the deceased
and the person to whom you are writing. Two examples:
Conclude with a simple statement, such as “My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.”
Offer assistance if appropriate for the situation, but make sure you can really deliver it if asked.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10–10
Other points to keep in mind:
• Personalize the message as appropriate, but don’t make the message about you and your
emotions.
• Don’t offer life advice or repeat trite sayings. Knowing that you care enough to write is the
most important idea the recipient wants to get from your message.
HIGHLIGHT BOX: ETHICS DETECTIVE
Solving the Case of the Imaginary Good News
Your partner’s summary clearly does not accurately present the findings. The fact that 80 percent of
employees believe the economy is too slow to support a productive job search does not mean that only 20
percent of the workforce is even considering other options. Moreover, “we could reasonably expect that
only a fraction of that group will leave anytime soon” is groundless speculation.
The fact that roughly half the employees (48 percent) do not believe they will finish their careers at the
company suggests that many are just biding their time and waiting for the economy to pick up before they
leave. Overall, the 80 percent figure is the only point of the research that is not clearly negative, so giving
the CEO a positive sound bite today is both misleading and a recipe for a very unpleasant meeting
tomorrow when the full results are revealed.
HIGHLIGHT BOX: THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICATION
Communication Bots
Students should encounter lots of interesting questions about the potential of automated bots, from
carrying on routine tasks to carrying on live conversations.
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10–11
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
Individual Challenge
Students can tackle this challenge by first getting an approximate word count of the article so they know
how much it needs to be compressed. This is easy enough to do by simply highlighting and copying it,
then pasting it into a word processor that can do automated word counts. If an original is 1,000 words, for
instance, you know you need to reduce it by 70–75 percent to get it down to 250–300 words. This is a
helpful ratio to know, because it frames the challenge. If you needed to trim by only 20 or 25 percent, you
might be able to achieve this by revising to make the writing more concise. But a reduction of 70–75
percent is major surgery, so you know you need to find major chunks of material that you can chop out
entirely.
Next, identify the structure of the article—reverse engineer it, essentially, to extract a rough outline. This
is fairly straightforward with a well-organized article that features clear headings and subheadings, but it
can take some work to find the structure in a rambling discourse.
Team Challenge
Students are likely to find that summarizing a meaty article in a few compelling tweets can be a tough
task. As with the individual challenge, remember that the tweets don’t need to convey all the material that
supports and enhance the main points—it’s only the main points themselves we’re after here.
Also, remind students that these tweets are meant to be teasers that encourage people to read the full
article, rather than summaries meant to stand on their own.
For example, rather than writing this tweet:
The expectation of rapid responses is one of the ways email has become a major source of
workplace interruptions.
Write it in a way that makes people want to read more:
10: Writing Routine and Positive Messages 10–12
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
10.1. When asking a series of questions in a request, the writer should (1) ask the most important
10.3. Requests for a recommendation should use the direct approach and include the reason for the
10.4. A claim is a formal complaint regarding a product or service. An adjustment is the settlement of
10.5. Resale information is positive content in a message (benefits for the reader, complimentary
10.6. When responding to a request for a recommendation about a job candidate whose performance was
10.7. When writing a goodwill message, you sound more sincere if you avoid exaggeration and back up
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
10.9. A well-thought-out and well-written request for adjustment serves both your needs and the needs
of your supplier, whose job it is to satisfy you, a valued customer. So even if you don’t have the
10.10. Since you do not know the executives, these congratulatory letters would probably be viewed as
self-serving. A more honest and effective approach would be to use the information in a letter of
Copyright © 2018 Bovée and Thill LLC
The acoustic piano sounds are based on 9’ and 6’ Yamaha grands, with multiple options for shaping
the sound of each (3/4)
The many electric pianos faithfully reproduce a wide spectrum of classic Wurly and Rhodes models
(with no broken tines or reeds!) (4/4)
10.29. Student responses will vary depending on the situation they choose. If they offer praise for a job
well done or for the completion of a difficult task, they should personalize the message by
mentioning something specific about the job or the person. If students are sending this to a
CASE SOLUTIONS
Here are sample solutions for this chapter’s cases.
10.30. Message Strategies: Requesting Information
Note: This message asks people to devote some time and divulge information about themselves, so it
should have a strong emphasis on the benefits readers can enjoy by participating in the project.
[post title] Here’s A Chance to Get Your Collaboration Experiences Published
I am writing a book titled Working in Virtual Collaboration Systems—An Evaluative Study, as those of
Copyright © 2018 Bovée and Thill LLC
10.31. Message Strategies: Routine Requests
Note: Asking people to change their behavior, particularly when you are not in a position of management
authority, is a tricky proposition. The message below takes an indirect path by proposing to start a
conversation about the situation, which could lead to meaningful change.
Hello everyone,
One of the things that attracted me to working here is the relaxed, non-corporate vibe of the place and the
down-to–earth attitude of the people who work here. This is a special and unusual place with great
colleagues.
I am about to make a public confession, however: I’m not getting much work done here. I still get a lot of
work done, to be sure, but I do it at home—nearly every night and every weekend, in fact. I try every day
to be productive here in the office, I really do, but it’s time to admit that I simply can’t be productive here
with all the noise and distractions.