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 Bad-
News 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 doesn’t 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 De-emphasizing
Bad News

• Avoid the spotlight. Put the bad news in

the middle of a paragraph halfway
through the message.
• Use a long sentence. Don’t put the bad
news in a short, simple sentence.

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

 Techniques for De-emphasizing
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 De-emphasizing
Bad News

• Use the passive voice.

Instead of this: Try this:

We cannot make a A contribution cannot
contribution at this be made at this time.
time.

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

 Techniques for De-emphasizing
Bad News
• Be clear but not overly graphic.
Instead of this: Try this:
Our investigation Our investigation
reveals that you owe reveals that your
three creditors large employment status and
sums and that you your financial position
were fired from your are unstable at this
last job. time.

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

 Techniques for De-emphasizing
Bad News
• Imply the refusal.
Instead of this:
We cannot contribute
to your charity this
year.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-16
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.
 Techniques for De-emphasizing
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: Passive voice:
I cannot allow you to Return of the DVD player
return the DVD player is not allowed
because . . . . 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: Passive voice:
Ryan checked the The report was
report, but he missed checked, but the error
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 unusually 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

 As circulation manager of a magazine
“Contemporary Living” you have received
several complaints in the past month about
improper billing. The cause of the problem is a
new computer system; it had been
malfunctioning, but the situation has now been
corrected.
You are required to write a response to a
subscriber who has complained about incorrect
billing. The letter should be sent to Zeeshan
Akram, 133- F block, EME Housing Society,
Lahore.

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

• Table 9.1
• Choosing the best approach
• Direct approach
• Indirect approach

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-34

 Examples of Negative Messages

• Negative messages on routine business

matters
• Refusing routine requests
• Handling bad news about transactions
• Refusing claims and requests for
adjustment

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-35

 Negative organizational News

• Communicating under normal

circumstances
• Communicating in a crisis

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-36

 Negative employment messages

• Refusing requests for recommendation

letters
• Rejecting job applications
• Giving negative performance reviews
• Terminating employment

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 8-37