5-1 Case Studies
Communication Situation: You are the program coordinator for the computer lab at Weston Scientific Research (2250 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207-2250; office telephone: 214.555.0115; fax 214.555.0119; web site: http://www.westonscientific.com). Cristina Hancock, the technical support person for Computer Tech Max for the north Texas area, donated over 40 hours to help you organize the annual computer workshop for high school business technology teachers in the Dallas area. Ms. Hancock provided printed and electronic materials to be distributed at the workshop; she also attended to answer participants’ questions. As a result, attendance at the workshop increased 50 percent over last year. More than half of the participants reported on their workshop evaluations that they had increased their computer knowledge base and would be able to use the information in their classrooms. From Ms. Hancock’s business card, you know that she has a master’s degree in computer science; she is a certified computer tech support professional with Computer Tech Max (293 Lee Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206-2930).
Task A: Plan a thank-you message to Ms. Hancock. Use the good news strategy for the thank-you message and apply the CBO step, Plan a Message. Provide additional details to complete the message.
Determine the Objective: State the objective of the message.
Visualize the Audience: Consider the following criteria and list information you should consider in visualizing your audience. . Age:
. Profession:
. Education:
. Cultural or language differences:
. Other:
List Supporting Information: Generate ideas, words, and phrases using brainstorming, nonstop writing, or bubble writing.
Organize the Information: a. Identify the strategy you will use for this message.
b. Organize the information in an outline, using either the traditional or the indented outline format.
Task B: Review your completed outline. Compose a draft of your thank-you letter.
Task C: Complete the message. Date your message March 1. Your final letter should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format. 5-2 Case Studies
Communication Situation: The following message content was drafted as a congratulatory message to Eileen Wells; the message was submitted for your approval. You have maintained an outstanding record of academic achievment and service contributions. The judges made positive comments about you serving as the student representative to the greater Minneapolis chamber of Commerce. I want to congratulate you. You has earned the prestigious Campus Leader Award in the School of Business. You will receive the award during Honors Day on May 27 at 3:30 p.m. in Radford Hall. Eileen, now is the time to please encourage your family members and friends to attend the assembly and to join you at the reception that immediately follows the program.
Task: Use proofreader marks (see Chapter 3, page 88) to indicate changes that should be made in the message. Key the revised document. Verify that the message follows the good news strategy adapted for congratulatory messages, page 151, and the Checklist for Preparing a Good News or Neutral News Message, page 150.
5-3 Case Studies
Communication Situation: You visited the web sites of your largest competitors and discovered that they provide hats, mugs, and clipboards as sales incentives to their sales staff. According to their web sites, they purchase these materials from A-1 Promotions, 1137 Grand Boulevard, Wilmington, DE 19803-1137. The telephone number is 302.555.0174; the fax number is 302.555.0184; the e-mail address is [email protected]. Ms. Michi Saga is the marketing manager for A-1 Promotions. You are the general manager of Pete’s Auto Parts Plus (2201 State Street, Dover, DE 19901-2200; telephone 302.555.0133; fax 302.555.0138; e-mail: [email protected]). You are interested in providing sales incentives for the 36 staff members in the Pete’s Auto Parts Plus branches located in Delaware and Maryland. You need to know the types of items, the cost of each item, and the delivery schedule offered by A-1 Promotions. Add other relevant information needed for your inquiry.
Task: Plan, compose, and complete an inquiry message to Ms. Michi Saga. Apply the CBO approach and the appropriate good news strategy. Date the message November 2. Your final letter should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-4 Case Studies
Communication Situation: Review Case Study 5-3. Ms. Saga assigned you, the assistant marketing manager, the task of writing a form message that can be mailed to potential buyers. . Include these facts in the form message: . A print catalog is enclosed. The items may be viewed online at http://www.aonepromotions.com. . Prices range from $2.50 for a mug to $18.25 for a sweatshirt. . Bulk prices are available when 25 or more of the same item are purchased. . The cost includes shipping by Northeastern Ground Shippers. . Orders are delivered within 14 business days inside an 850-mile radius of Wilmington, Delaware.
Task: Plan, compose, and complete a reply message. Apply the CBO approach and the appropriate good news strategy. Provide details you consider helpful or necessary to complete the message. Date the letter November 9. Use brackets to indicate the sections that the writer should personalize when each individual message is prepared. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-5 Case Studies
Communication Situation: As the student president of the Laurel Garden Club at Northeast Indiana University, you will coordinate an area meeting for the Federated Garden Clubs. The meeting is planned for March 15 in the Bondaurant Auditorium. Dr. Dan Phillips, a botany professor and a hazardous materials consultant, has agreed to be the guest speaker. You want to prepare flyers that will be distributed to people who attend the meeting. You specifically want to include points about hazardous materials in homes and gardens.
Task: Plan, compose, and complete a request that can be transmitted as an e-mail message. Apply the CBO approach and the appropriate good news strategy. Provide additional details to complete the message. Direct your request for hazardous material information to Dr. Dan Phillips; his e-mail address is [email protected]. Date the message February 1. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-6 Case Studies
Communication Situation: Assume you are the administrative office assistant for Dr. Dan Phillips, botany professor and hazardous materials consultant at Northeast Indiana University. Dr. Phillips asked you to read his files from Dr. Nobuaki Sito, a representative from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. He also recommended that you conduct an online search for updated information that could be used as you prepare a response to the request in Case Study 5-5.
Task: Review Case Study 5-5. Plan, compose, and complete an e-mail message that responds to the request for hazardous material information. Your message should contain information that can be included in a flyer. Apply the CBO approach and the appropriate good news strategy. Provide details that you consider helpful or necessary to complete this message. Date the message February 5. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format. 5-7 Case Studies
Communication Situation: Members of the Allied Health Club want to sell SUPRA Food Supplement packages as a fundraising activity. The packages are listed in a brochure of fundraising products from Community Fitness Center in Mobile, Alabama. You are the treasurer of the Allied Health Club. You have been asked to fax an order for 200 packages at $6 each (includes the cost of shipping) to the Community Fitness Center, 111 North Water Drive, Mobile, AL 36602-1110. The fax number is 251-555-0151. The brochure offers two methods of shipping for the same cost: Coast Trucking or United States Postal Service. Task: Plan, compose, and complete an order message. Apply the CBO approach and the appropriate good news strategy. Date the message April 20. Indicate that the Allied Health Club’s tax-exemption number is H-19-714; because the club is tax exempt, no sales tax should be charged. Request that the Community Fitness Center ship the packages by Coast Trucking to you at the Allied Health Club, Marietta College, Building 17, 200 Woodmere Drive, Marietta, GA 30067-2017. The telephone number for the Allied Health Club is 770-555-0124; the fax number is 770-555-0125, and the e-mail address is [email protected]. Also prepare a fax cover sheet to the Community Fitness Center. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-8 Case Studies
Communication Situation: Assume you are the sales manager for fundraising products at Community Fitness Center in Mobile, Alabama. Task: Plan, compose, and complete an acknowledgment of the order from the Allied Health Club. Apply the CBO approach and the appropriate good news strategy. Provide details you consider helpful or necessary to complete this message. Review Case Study 5-7 for the addresses you need to complete your message. Date the message April 24. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-9 Case Studies
Communication Situation: Assume you are Regina Butler. You live at 9076 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224-9065. Your e-mail address is [email protected]. On September 29, you order the Slim Away the Pounds weight loss program that was advertised on television. The advertisement was sponsored by the AAA Weight Loss Clinic (330 South 13th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508-8500; telephone: 402.555.0168; fax: 402.555.0178). You ordered the weight loss program because your high school reunion is scheduled in three months and you have 25 pounds to lose. You placed a telephone order with Deborah McIntire, the sales representative. You gave your Visa credit card number to pay $24.95 for the program. Deborah McIntire shipped you the videotape, a 20-page diet instructional manual, and a sample AAA Weight Loss chocolate and nut snack bar. On October 10, you received your shipment. When you tried to view the videotape, you discovered that the tape was blank. Task: Plan, compose, and complete a claim message. Apply the CBO approach and the good news strategy. Date your message October 10. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-10 Case Studies
Communication Situation: Assume you are Deborah McIntire, sales representative for the AAA Weight Loss Clinic (330 South 13th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508-8500; telephone 402.555.0168; fax 402.555.0178; e-mail: [email protected]. On October 10, Regina Butler (9076 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224-9065; e-mail address: [email protected]) mailed you a claim message stating that she received a blank videotape.
Task: Plan, compose, and complete an adjustment message. Apply the CBO approach and the good news strategy. Date your message October 15. Your final message should reflect the six Cs of effective messages and acceptable message format.
5-11 Case Studies Ethics in Action—Discussion Generator
Directions: Read this case. Use the space provided to write your responses to the “Questions for Thought and Discussion.” For assistance in resolving ethical problems, refer to the “Framework for Making Ethical Decisions” available online at http://www.thomsonedu.com/bcomm/brantley.
Case: Corporations across the country have implemented policies and programs that support local charities and nonprofit organizations. During your department meeting, Mr. Odgen, the chair of your department at Widgets Inc., explained the Adopt a Child program. At the end of his explanation he said: Ladies and gentlemen, this program is very important for our company’s image in the community. Everyone should participate in the Adopt a Child program. The company will compile a list of participants, and their names will appear in our monthly newsletter. Participation by every department employee demonstrates that we are team players who support the larger goals of Widgets Inc. I consider $10 donations per pay period the minimum contribution. I look forward to seeing your names in the newsletter. QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION 1. What ethical issues or questions do you see in this case?
2. What are your options? What could you do to try to resolve the situation?
3. What should you do? Why?