Professional Communications,

Day 7
Communicating Bad News
 Agenda
• Communicating bad news
• Writing process
• Delivering bad news in an appropriate manner
• The Indirect Pattern
• Avoiding legal problems
• Damage Control

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 Learning Objectives
• Use professional English in all workplace communication
• Identify appropriate strategies for a specific audience
• Use appropriate style and tone
• Describe goals and strategies for conveying negative news.
• Decide whether to use direct or indirect strategy for conveying
negative news.
• Analyze components of effective negative messages

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 Communicating Bad News
Primary Goals
• Make the receiver understand and accept the bad news.
• Maintain a positive image of you and your organization.

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 Secondary Goals
Secondary Goals
• Reduce bad feelings.
• Convey fairness.
• Eliminate future correspondence.
• Avoid creating legal liability or responsibility for you or
your organization.

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 Indirect Pattern
• Buffer
– A neutral or positive opening that does not reveal the bad news
• Reasons
– An explanation of the causes for the bad news
• Bad news
– A clear but understated announcement of the bad news;
may include alternative or compromise
• Closing
– A personalized, forward-looking, pleasant statement

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 Writing Process
• Pre-writing (Analyze, Anticipate and Adapt)
• Analyze the bad news.
• Anticipate the effect of the bad news on the receiver.
• If the bad news is serious, use techniques to reduce the pain.
• If the bad news is minor, announce it directly.

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 Writing
• Writing (Research, Organize and Compose)
• Gather information and brainstorm for ideas.
• Jot down all reasons you have to explain the bad news.
• List your strongest reasons first.
• Outline the indirect pattern.

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 Revision
• Revising (Edit, Proofread, Evaluate)
• Put yourself in the receiver’s shoes.
• Is the message too blunt? Too subtle? Clear enough?
• Proofread for format, punctuation, and correctness.

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 Cause of Legal Problems
1. Abusive language:
– Defamation: Language that harms a person’s reputation
– Libel: Written defamation
– Slander: Spoken defamation

• Language becomes legally actionable if it is false, damaging to

someone’s good name, and published. Careful writers ensure
that their words communicate only what they intend.

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 Legal Problems 2
2. Careless language
• Statements that are potentially damaging or that could be
misinterpreted
Example: The factory is too hazardous for tour groups.

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 Legal Problems 3
3. The “Good-Guy” syndrome
• Dangerous statements that ease your conscience or make you look
good (I thought you were an excellent candidate, but we had to
hire…).

• As an agent of the organization, express only views of the

organization.

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 Avoid the Following
• Avoid supplying information that could be misused. Don’t admit or
imply responsibility without checking with legal counsel.

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 Direct Approach
• When the bad news is not damaging
– News not likely to upset or irate the receiver
• When the receiver may overlook the bad news
• When the organization or receiver prefers directness
• When firmness is necessary

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 Indirect Approach
• When the bad news is personally upsetting
• When the bad news will provoke a hostile reaction
• When the bad news threatens the customer relationship
• When the bad news is unexpected

• This approach encourages the reader to finish reading or hearing

the message.
• A blunt announcement may make the receiver stop reading.

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 Four-Part Strategy for Delivering Bad News
1. Buffer
– Best news
– Compliment
– Appreciation
– Agreement
– Facts
– Understanding
– Apology

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 Apologize
Apologies to customers are important if
you or your company made a mistake.
• Apologize sincerely.
• Accept responsibility.
• Use good judgment.

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 Reasons
2. Reasons
– Cautious explanation
– Reader or other benefits
– Company policy explanation
– Positive words
– Evidence that matter was
– considered fairly and seriously

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 Bad News
3. Bad News
– Embedded placement
– Passive voice
– Implied refusal
– Compromise
– Alternative

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 Closing
4. Closing
– Forward look
– Information about
– alternative
– Good wishes
– Freebies
– Resale
– Sales Promotion

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 Buffer
• Buffering the Opening
– Start with the part of the message that represents the best
news.
– Pay a compliment, show appreciation for a past action, or refer
to something mutually understood.
– Avoid raising false hopes or thanking the receiver for something
you are about to refuse.
– Consider apologizing if you or your company made an error. If
you apologize, do so sincerely and take responsibility.

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 Present
• Presenting the Reasons
– Explain clearly why the request must be denied, without
revealing the refusal.
– Show how your decision benefits the receiver or others, if
possible.
– Explain company policy without using it as an excuse.
– Choose positive words. Avoid negative words such as cannot,
claim, denied, error, failure, unwitting.
– Show that the matter was treated seriously and fairly.

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 Cushion the Blow
• Cushioning the Bad News
– Consider positioning the bad news strategically: sandwich it between other
sentences.
– Consider subordinating the bad news (although we can’t lend our
equipment, we wish you well in…)
– Consider using the passive voice (although our equipment can’t be lent…).
– Accentuate the positive by describing what you can do, not what you can’t
do.
– Consider implying the refusal, but be sure it is clear.
– Suggest a compromise or an alternative, if available.

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 Closing…
• Closing Pleasantly
– Look forward to future relations.
– Supply more information about an alternative, if you have
presented one.
– Offer good wishes, compliments, or freebies (coupons, samples,
gifts).
– Avoid referring to the refusal.
– Use resale or sales promotion, if appropriate.

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 Types of Negative News
• Indirect pattern works well for
• Rejecting requests for favours, money, information, action
• Declining invitations
• Announcing rate increases
• Denying claims
• Direct pattern works when orders can’t be filled.

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 Damage Control:
Dealing with Disappointed Customers

1. Call the individual involved.

2. Describe the problem and apologize.
3. Explain
a. Why the problem occurred
b. What you are doing to resolve it
c. How you will prevent it from happening again
4. Follow up with a letter that documents the phone call and
promotes goodwill.

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 Credit Refusals
• Avoid language that causes hard feelings.
– Retain the customer on a cash basis.
• Prepare for possible future credit without raising false
expectations.
• Avoid disclosures that could cause a lawsuit.

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 Example: Ineffective Customer Request Refusal
Dear Ms. Trumbo:

We regret to inform you that we cannot allow you to convert the lease payments you have been
making on your Canon X1000 Colour copier toward its purchase, much as we would love to. We
understand that you have been making regular payments for the past 16 months.

Our established company policy prohibits such conversion of leasing monies. Perhaps you have
noticed that we offer extremely low leasing and purchase prices. Obviously, these low prices would
never be possible if we agreed to many proposals such as yours. Because we are striving to stay in
business, we cannot agree to your request asking us to apply all 16 months of rental payments toward
the purchase of our popular new equipment.

It is our understanding, Ms. Trumbo, that you have had the Canon X1000 Colour copier for 16
months, and you claim that it has been reliable and versatile. We would like to tell you about another
Canon model—one that is perhaps closer to your limited budget.

Sincerely,
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 Critical Thinking Questions
1. What is the purpose of the letter? What goals should the
sender have?
2. What prevents this letter from achieving those goals?
3. What pattern of development would work best for this
letter? Has it been followed?

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 Questions
4. What idea could be used as a buffer to open an improved
version of this letter? Write a buffer.
5. How could the bad news be subordinated? Write a
statement that subordinates the bad news.
6. What friendly news could be used in the closing? Write a
closing statement.

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 Example: Improved Refusal of Request
Dear Ms. Trumbo:

We’re happy to learn that you are enjoying the use of the Canon X1000 Colour copier you’ve
been leasing for the past 16 months.
Like our many other customers, Ms. Trumbo, you have discovered that Canon copiers supply
remarkable versatility and reliability. One of the reasons we’re able to offer these outstanding
copiers at such low leasing rates and equally low purchase prices is that we maintain a slim
profit margin. If our program included a provision for applying lease payments toward
purchase prices, our overall prices would have to be higher. Although lease payments cannot
be credited toward purchase price, we can offer you other Canon models that are within your
price range. The Canon 600 delivers the same reliability with nearly as many features as the
top-of-the-line Canon X1000.
Please let us demonstrate the Canon 600 to your staff in your office, Ms. Trumbo. Our
representative, Seth Simmons, will call you during the week of May 5 to arrange an
appointment.
Sincerely,

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 Managing Negative Organization News
• Buffer
– Provide some good news (if possible), praise, appreciation, agreement,
or understanding.
– Discuss facts leading to the reasons section.

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 Delivering Bad New Face-to-Face
• Gather all information.
• Prepare and rehearse.
• Explain: past, present, future.
• Consider taking a partner.
• Think about timing.
• Be patient with the reaction.

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 Bad News Face-to-Face
• Reasons
– Explain what caused the decision necessitating the bad news.
– Use objective, nonjudgmental, and nondiscriminatory language.
– Show empathy and fairness.

• Bad News
– Explain the bad news clearly, but don’t accentuate it.
– Avoid negative language.

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 Wrap Up
• Closing
– End on a positive, friendly note.
– For job refusals, extend good wishes.

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 Reference
• Guffey, L. R. (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product.
Nelson. pp.204-227

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