CASE STUDY

QUIZ
Mr. X. is a 77 year old man who was admitted to the ICU, 12 days ago
after surgery for a perforated ulcer. Within 48 hours of surgery, he
developed some infection and remains ventilator dependent. His
surgical wound is not healing well. In the last several days, his
creatinine has been rising and urine output falling. The surgeon visits
daily before 7 AM but has not spoken directly to the family since day
one, when he reported that the surgery went well. The admitting
intensivist (now off service) spoke briefly to the family – the patient’s
wife of 60 years, and his adult son - on Day 3 of the ICU stay about
the status at that time. A nephrologist who saw the patient yesterday
told the wife that he had been consulted to provide dialysis. At today’s
ICU rounds, the current ICU attending predicted that the patient may
die in the hospital, but this was not discussed with the family. The wife
has asked several times for reassurance that her husband will
ultimately be able to return home with her. The son, who often
accompanies his mother during visiting hours, seems angry with the
physicians caring for his father. An ICU family meeting attended by
the ICU attending physician, the patient’s designated nurse, the wife
and the son, is held to discuss goals of care. The family has been
insisting that everything should be done.
1. Discuss the case from the view point of
communication. What do you think the problem
is? Examine the case in detail.

2. If you were asked to convene the meeting

with the family, what would have been your
communication strategies? What would you
have suggested to the ICU people and to the
family? Discuss in detail.
BAD NEWS
MESSAGE
 Bad – News Message
Various considerations of Bad-news messages are:

1. The Right Attitude: In negative messages, your tone will

help determine your effectiveness. During compilation of
bad-news letters/memos following points are to be kept in
mind:
 Put yourself in the reader’s place.
 Prefer using customer benefits than company policies.
 Assume that the customer wants to do right thing even
though he or she may be mistaken.
 Point out individually while praising; address in group
during criticism.
 Be courteous and shield the reader’s pride.
 Talk with, not down to, the reader.
Conti…
2. Plans for Bad-news Messages: (Indirect Vs Direct)

Indirect Plan. Most often, indirect plan is used. The

structure of indirect plan is:
 Buffer – start with reader-interest information; buffer
should be pleasant, relevant, honest & neutral in tone.
Following are the ways to begin a bad-news message:
o Agreement – must agree with your reader on something e.g.
business conditions, costs, policies etc.
o Appreciation – thank the reader for cooperation, intimation.
o Assurance – Assure reader of your full consideration.
o Compliment – Try to compliment on something good.
o Cooperation – Show a desire to be always helpful.
o Understanding – show that you understand reader’s issues.
Indirect Plan (Cont’d):

 Explanation and analysis of circumstances – explain

the factual position indicating consideration/ benefits
for the reader. Following are the useful suggestions:

o Try to convince the reader that in the long run

company is acting in your interest.
o Explain courteously all relevant facts behind the
decision.
o Show that request has been carefully considered,
keeping in view both reader’s and company’s
interest.
Indirect Plan (Cont’d):

 Decision, implied (disguised) or expressed, with

resale or helpful suggestion. In order to make the
decision clear, positive and concise, following
should be considered:

o If reasons are clearly indicating refusal of request,

you may not use them.
o If implied decision is likely to be misunderstood,
express is clearly near explanation.
o If possible, offer a constructive suggestion or
alternate course of action.
o If desirable, resell the reader on your company’s
services or policies.
 Indirect Plan (Cont’d):

 Friendly, positive close – end on a positive note, with

one or more of the following ideas:

o Offer assurances that you appreciate the reader as

a valuable customer.
o Invite future patronage, cooperation, suggestions
and compliances with the decision.
o Make clear whatever action is required, when to do
it and how to do it easily.
o Express continued interest, service and reader’s
benefit or sincere wishes for reader’s success.

Conti…
Direct Plan. In specific situation, direct plan approach
is also used, without including a buffer; some of the
situations warranting this approach are:

 When the matter/message is routine and reader is

not likely to get seriously disappointed.

 When reader is known for preferring directness.

 When message is urgent and any delay can cause

more harm to the reader or the organization.
 Examples of Indirect and Direct Plan
Indirect Plan
We appreciate you for informing
us about the defects detected in
the fire pump. We really value
our customers who help us
improve our product and service.
Thank you for giving us the
opportunity to consider your
loan application for financing
your home purchase.
Direct Plan
Mentioning defects about our
product is quite baseless. We
can’t expect our items with such
defects. There has to an element
of mishandling at your end.
We are extremely sorry to inform
you that your request for a loan
has been rejected, being
unjustified.
3. Negative Replies to Requests:
 Answering non-sales related inquiries when
information is undesirable. Honesty, tactfulness, &
caution are necessary when responding to a request
for a recommendation for a person about whom you
have unfavorable information.
 Refusing adjustments on claims/complaints. When
customer is at fault, special tact must be used in
rejecting requests:
 Customer is at fault regarding a product.
 Customer is mistaken about an account/ service.
 Refusing credit – reader’s goodwill must be kept.

Conti…
  Acknowledging orders that can’t be filled. If you
have good news, state that first, before
communicating the bad-news. Bad new
acknowledgement could be incomplete or vague
orders, back order and substitution orders.

 Declining invitations and requests for favor. The

bad news plan is usually the most appropriate for
declining invitations and requests for favor. Some
of the requests could be business-related and
others could be personal/ non business-related.

4. Unfavorable, Unsolicited Messages: If bad new is a

 Announcing bad news about prices, services etc. For
increase in prices or cut in services, a buffer opening
followed by reasons, including fairness to customers,
employee benefits, before stating the negative decision
will help break the news gently.

 Penalizing for non conformity to rules/procedures.

Messages involving announcements about penalties
for deviating from required procedures or disregarding
previous notices often begin with bad news. Similarly,
if the message is urgent or of great importance, Direct
Plan is usually used.

 Conveying other bad news. When a mistake has been

made, it is often best to admit it in the beginning i.e.
Direct Plan is appropriate.
Neutral and Positive Messages: Letter That Asks a Question:

Marks & Spenser

25, Quen’s Road
Karachi
October 28, 2011

Mr. Ali Hassan

Regional Director of Development
212 Main Building, University Road
Karachi

Dear Ali:

Mr. Jameel, an old friend of ours from Hyderabad City, has asked me if I might be
able to get him a Sports shirt autographed by Waseem Akram. Jameel is a past
president of the Gymkhana club, Hyderabad and his organization is planning a fund-
raising auction that would sell the sports shirts for charity purpose.
Would it be possible to have Waseem Akram sign his name boldly and to have this
sent to me? I will, of course, pay for the shirt.
Sincerely,

M Yousuf Ali
Manager Marketing
Persuasive Message: A Letter of Invitation:
ABC TRADERS
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
SUITE 400, TARIQ ROAD KARACHI
September 11, 2011

Mrs. Mariam,
20, Bromehead Road
Karachi

Dear Mariam,

I would like to invite you to a small, private dinner on Wednesday, October 7, that I am
hosting for Dr. Ahmed, director of the National Institutes for Mental Health. He is a
recognized leader in psychiatric education, research, and men­tal health care
administration.
Dr. Ahmed will be in town for a two-day seminar on mental health issues conducted at
the city Clinic, October 8 and 9. Since he will arrive on the 7, I would be pleased and
honored if you would join us that evening.
Cocktails will be served at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:00 p.m., October 7, in the
President's Room of the Southern Hills Country Club.
Sincerely,

M Asad
Director Public Relations
Bad News / Negative Letters: Declining a Request for a Favor:
The Sea Sports Corporation
West Wharf Road,
Karachi – 2
November 20, 2011

Mr. Anwar Ali,

President, Sea Sports Corporation
W. W Road, Karachi

Dear Mr. Anwar:

Thank you for your recent invitation to become a board member of the Karachi Sports Foundation.
I appreciate your considering me for this opportunity. Your work in promoting amateur athletics in
the country is an important and worthwhile cause and I support and applaud your work.

Unfortunately, I find that my desire to become involved with your foundation is exceeded by a
growing aware­ness of my limited time. Currently, I serve on more than a dozen boards and
committees, in addition to many other civic responsibilities; I feel that I would not be able to give
the Country Sports Foundation the time and attention it deserves.

Please accept my support in spirit, along with my best wishes for success in achieving the
foundation's goals.

Very truly yours,

Faisal Ali
Manager Sports
for Sea Sports Corporation
Declining an Invitation:
ANCHOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL
25 North Rocky Point Drive-Suite
Kualam Lampur
July 1, 2011

Dr. Usman Hassan

Admiral, Malaysian Navy (Retired)
The Secretary of Energy
Kuala Lumpur

Dear Admiral Usman:

I regret that I will be unable to accept your kind invitation to attend the Oak
Ridge briefing because of being preoccupied and schedule conflict. The
issues you plan to discuss are especially important to me, however, please
keep my name on your list for future briefings.
Thanks very much for the invitation. I wish you the best of luck with this
event.

Yours truly,
Ahmed Khalid
Chairman of the Board, President, and
Chief Executive Officer
 General Guidelines for
Planning Bad New Messages
 Planning The Message
Establish Your Purpose
Choose a Medium and Channel
Consider Legal and Ethical Issues
Carefully Deal with Claims
Carefully Deal with Credit and Collections
Analyze Your Audience
 Establish Your Purpose
To refuse an unreasonable request
To get a customer to pay an overdue bill
To tell job applicants that the position has
been filled by someone else
To refuse an employee’s request for a pay
raise or promotion
To announce that an order cannot be
delivered on time
Establish Your Purpose (Cont’d)
To deny a customer’s request for a discount
To tell employees that some of their benefits
have been canceled
To deny a request for special services and
treatment
 Choose a Medium and Channel
Oral:

1. Direct Communication (One to One without using

any tool or aid)
2. Telephone
3. Addressing a meeting
4. Using Electronic media

Written:

5. Letters
6. Memos
7. Formal or Informal Reports
8. Using Electronic media
Consider Legal and Ethical Issues
These Issues are very sensitive in nature,
respondents are in the state of emotion,
which may predispose them to take offensive
action against the company.

Words such as dehiring, downsizing, and

negative employee retention are deliberate
distortions that obscure the true meaning----
people are being fired.
 How to Deal With Claims
As a business communicator one
should be aware that a letter refusing
to honor a claim---no matter how
reasonable---always runs the risk of
unleashing considerable hostility;
Dissatisfied customers cannot always
be satisfied.
 How to Deal with Credit and
Collections
Laws related to Credit and Collections are
among the most important areas of concern
for people writing indirect massages. Before
you compose letters or notices pertaining to
people’s credit, you should become well
versed in relevant laws/ regulations
 Analyze Your Audience
Remember that your respondent is not like you
and probably will not share your view point.
Anticipate all possible objections, and prepare
counter arguments.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be used to

determine how to explain the bad news in a way
that meets respondents needs.

– Refusing a request for a discount. Granting

such a discount to every one would force a
rise in prices. (Safety Needs)
Analyze Your Audience (Cont’d)
Refusing a request to change an employee’s
vacation date. If too many employees are sent at
the same time, the remaining employees would be
forced to work overtime to get the work done
(Belonging Needs).
Refusing a credit order because the company is
over its credit limits. Credit limits are established
for all customers according to a formula intended
to ensure that customers do not over extended
themselves and are able to conduct their business
without undue financial stress. (Safety, Belonging
Needs)
 Organizing Your Message
Free write Major Points:

Before you free write, write your purpose at the

top of the page. Then, off the top of your head,
write down phrases that represent every thing
you want to say in the massage. Don’t concern
yourself with whether your notes are
appropriate; just write anything and every thing
related to the massage that comes to mind.
 Organizing Your Message

Chose an Organizational Strategy:

Once you have free written the major points,
consider the probable reaction of your reader to
the massage and choose the organizational
strategy that meets the reader’s needs.
Bad News Sandwich

Buffer

Reasons

Bad News

Alternatives
Final Paragraph
 Compose Your Message

Adopt “You” Attitude

Avoid playing the part of the Executioner.

“Company Policies" is a phrase that inflames.

Do not be overly apologetic or apologize
when you have not done anything wrong.
Evaluate your Message for its suitability.
 Indirect Collection Letters
(Over due bills/ non-payment)

For unjustified claims, explanation for the misunder-

standing becomes important in order to maintain
goodwill. Different course of action (sequential
approach) needs to be adopted for collection of bills:

Informal Reminder:

A new invoice showing a past due amount or a

photo copy of the original invoice with an attention
getting device emphasizing the past due amount.
Indirect Collection Letters (Cont’d)
Formal Reminder:
A friendly, indirect letter or informal note (which may
include detailed payment information) attached to an
other invoice.
Discussion:
A friendly, concerned letter urging the reader to tell
you why he or she has not paid the invoice. An
indirect strategy is most appropriate, although a
persuasive strategy can also be effective. A copy of
the invoice should be included unless the payment
and account information are provided in the letter.
Indirect Collection Letters (Cont’d)

Presentation:

A persuasive letter urging final payment

before stronger measures are taken.

Action:

A direct letter announcing the account has

been turned over to an attorney or collection
agency.