158 Unit 3: Brief Business Messages

you’re doing well and where you might beef things up a bit. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the most important bit. Speaking of our beloved CEO, Thomas is going to be our guest of honor, so to speak, at the quarterly sales meeting next week and wants an update on how petroleum prices are affecting customer behavior. Each district manager should be ready with a brief report. After I go through the commission reporting scheme, I’ll outline what you need to prepare.

7. Media Skills: Podcasting [LO-6] To access this podcast exercise, visit http://real-timeupdates.com/bce6, click on Student Assignments, and select Chapter 6, page 158, Activity 7 and listen to this podcast. Identify at least three ways in which the podcast could be improved, and draft a brief email message you could send to the podcaster with your suggestions for improvement.

Expand Your Skills

Critique the Professionals

Locate the YouTube channel page of any company you find interesting and assess its social networking presence using the criteria for effective communication discussed in this

CASES

Learn how to get started on Facebook. Visit http://real-timeupdates

.com/bce6, click on “Student Assignments” and then click on “Facebook Screencast.”

SOCIAL NETWORKING SKILLS

1. Media Skills: Social Networking; Media Skills: Microblogging [LO-2] [LO-5] Foursquare (http://foursquare

.com/) is one of the leading providers of location-based social networking services. Millions of people use Foursquare for social engagement and friendly competition, and many business owners are starting to recognize the marketing potential of having people who are on the move in local areas broadcasting their locations and sharing information about stores, restaurants, clubs, and other merchants.

Your task Review the information on Foursquare’s Merchant Platform at http://foursquare.com/business/venues. Now write four brief messages, no more than 140 characters long

(including spaces). The first should summarize the benefits to stores, restaurants, and other “brick and mortar” businesses of participating in Foursquare, and the next three messages should convey three compelling points that support that overall benefit statement. If your class is set up with private Twitter accounts, use your private account to send your messages. Otherwise, email your four messages to your instructor or post them on your class blog, as your instructor directs.

chapter and your own experience using social media. What does this company do well with its YouTube channel? How might it improve? Using whatever medium your instructor requests, write a brief analysis of the company’s YouTube presence (no more than one page), citing specific elements from the piece and support from the chapter.

Sharpen Your Career Skills Online

Bovée and Thill’s Business Communication Web Search, at http://websearch.businesscommunicationnetwork.com, is a unique research tool designed specifically for business communication research. Use the Web Search function to find a website, video, PDF document, podcast, or PowerPoint presentation that offers advice on using social media in business. Write a brief email message to your instructor or a post for your class blog, describing the item that you found and summarizing the career skills information you learned from it.

SOCIAL NETWORKING SKILLS

2. Media Skills: Social Networking; Online Etiquette [LO-2], Chapter 2 Employees who take pride in their work are a practically priceless resource for any business. However, pride can sometimes manifest itself in negative ways when employees come under criticism—and public criticism is a fact of life in social media. Imagine that your company has recently experienced a rash of product quality problems, and these problems have generated some unpleasant and occasionally unfair criticism on a variety of social media sites. Someone even set up a Facebook page specifically to give customers a place to vent their frustrations.

You and your public relations team jumped into action, responding to complaints with offers to provide replacement products and help customers who have been affected by the quality problems. Everything seemed to be going as well as could be expected, when you were checking a few industry blogs one evening and discovered that two engineers in your company’s product design lab have been responding to complaints on their own. They identified themselves as company employees and defended their product design, blaming the company’s production department and even criticizing several customers for lacking the skills needed to use such a sophisticated product. Within a matter of minutes, you see their harsh comments being retweeted and reposted on multiple sites, only fueling the fire of negative feedback against your firm. Needless to say, you are horrified.

Your task You manage to reach the engineers by private message and tell them to stop posting messages, but you realize you have a serious training issue on your hands. Write a post for the internal company blog that advises employees on

how to respond appropriately when they are representing the company online. Use your imagination to make up any details you need.

SOCIAL NETWORKING SKILLS / PRESENTATION

SKILLS

3. Media Skills: Social Networking; Media Skills: Presentations [LO-2], Chapters 16–17 Daniel Gordon, the fourthgeneration jeweler who is CEO of Samuel Gordon Jewelers in Oklahoma City, has turbocharged the century-old company with social media. During some of the roughest economic times in memory, the company’s revenues and foot traffic have grown steadily while its advertising costs have dropped by 90 percent. Gordon is an active social media user, using a variety of media tools to educate jewelry buyers, let customers know about new products, and guide customers through the process of selecting wedding rings and other significant jewelry purchases.

Your task With a team of classmates, study the company’s website (www.samuelgordons.com/) and its social media presence (you can find various social media links on the website). You can read more about the company’s social media strategy by visiting http://real-timeupdates.com/bce6, clicking on Student Assignments and selecting “Chapter 6 Case 3.” Now identify a business near your college that could benefit from a similar social media strategy. Devise a social media strategy that could help this company expand its customer base and forger stronger links with the local community. Prepare a brief class presentation that describes the business and explains your proposed strategy. (Your instructor may ask you to undertake this as a service project, in which you meet with the company owner and present your proposed social media strategy.)

SOCIAL NETWORKING SKILLS

4. Media Skills: Social Networking [LO-2] Social media can be a great way to, well, socialize during your college years, but employers are increasingly checking up on the online activities of potential hires to avoid bringing in employees who may reflect poorly on the company.

Your task Team up with another student and review each other’s public presence on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, blogs, and any other website that an employer might check during the interview and recruiting process. Identify any photos, videos, messages, or other material that could raise a red flag when an employee is evaluating a job candidate. Write your teammate an email message that lists any risky material.

INFORMATION-SHARING SKILLS

5. Media Skills: Community Q&A; Career Management: Personal Branding [LO-4], Prologue Community Q&A sites offer a great opportunity to get your name out there as a subject-matter expert.

Your task Browse the questions posted at LinkedIn Answers (www.linkedin.com/answers) and find a question that you can answer using information you already have or information

you could gather through research. Write an appropriate answer and email it to your instructor or post it on your class blog, together with the question. Keep in mind that answers posted on community Q&A sites such as this could be read by future employers, colleagues, and customers.

EMAIL SKILLS

6. Media Skills: Email; Career Management: Personal Branding [LO-4], Prologue You’ve been laboring all summer at an internship, learning how business is conducted. You’ve done work nobody else wanted to do, but that’s okay. Even the smallest tasks can make a good impression on your future résumé.

This morning, your supervisor asks you to write a description of the job you’ve been doing. “Include everything, even the filing,” she suggests, “and address it to me in an email message.” She says a future boss might assign such a task prior to a performance review. “You can practice describing your work without exaggeration—or too much modesty,” she says, smiling.

Your task Using good techniques for short messages and relying on your real-life work experience, write an email that will impress your supervisor. Make up any details you need.

EMAIL SKILLS / PORTFOLIO BUILDER

7. Media Skills: Email [LO-4] One-quarter of all motor vehicle accidents that involve children under age 12 are side-impact crashes—and these crashes result in higher rates of injuries and fatalities than those with front or rear impacts.

Your task You work in the consumer information department at Britax, a leading manufacturer of car seats. Your manager has asked you to prepare an email message that can be sent out whenever parents request information about sideimpact crashes and the safety features of Britax seats. Start by researching side-impact crashes at www.britaxusa.com (click on “Safety Center” and then “Side Impact Protection Revealed”). Write a three-paragraph message that explains the seriousness of side-impact crashes, describes how injuries and fatalities can be minimized in these crashes, and describes how Britax’s car seats are designed to help protect children in side-impact crashes.64

EMAIL SKILLS

8. Media Skills: Email [LO-4] Many companies operate on the principle that the customer is always right, even when the customer isn’t right. They take any steps necessary to ensure happy customers, lots of repeat sales, and a positive reputation among potential buyers. Overall, this is a smart and successful approach to business.

However, most companies eventually encounter a nightmare customer who drains so much time, energy, and profits that the only sensible option is to refuse the customer’s business. For example, the nightmare customer might be someone who constantly berates you and your employees, repeatedly makes outlandish demands for refunds and discounts, or simply requires so much help that you not only lose money on this person but also no longer have enough time to help your other customers. “Firing” a customer is an unpleasant step that

160 Unit 3: Brief Business Messages

should be taken only in the most extreme cases and only after other remedies have been attempted (such as talking with the customer about the problem), but it is sometimes necessary for the well-being of your employees and your company.

Your task If you are currently working or have held a job in the recent past, imagine that you’ve encountered just such a customer. If you don’t have job experience to call on, imagine that you work in a retail location somewhere around campus or in your neighborhood. Identify the type of behavior this imaginary customer exhibits and the reasons the behavior can no longer be accepted. Making up any details you need, write a brief email message to the customer to explain that you will no longer be able to accommodate him or her as a customer. Calmly explain why you have had to reach this difficult decision. Maintain a professional tone and keep your emotions in check.

IM SKILLS / TEAM SKILLS

9. Media Skills: IM; Collaboration: Working in Teams [LO-4] Instant messaging is frequently used in customer support situations where a customer needs help selecting, using, or troubleshooting a problem. In this activity, two two-person teams will use IM to simulate problem solving by helping classmates discuss important academic or life decisions. One team will be the “clients,” who are struggling with the decisions, and the other will be the “advisers,” who coach them toward solutions.

Your task First choose a free IM/chat system such as Google Talk, Facebook chat, or any other system on which you can communicate privately in real time. Now choose two decisionmaking scenarios from your school or personal lives, such as deciding on a major, choosing whether to work during the upcoming summer or attend class, figuring out where to live next year, or any other decision that you’re willing to have the group discuss and then later to discuss in front of the whole class. Choose decisions that are complicated enough to support an IM conversation lasting at least five minutes.

Decide which team will be the advisers and which will be the clients and move the teams to separate locations (make sure you have Internet access). In each team, one person will be the communicator first, and the other will be the observer, monitoring how well the IM conversation progresses and making note of any confusion, inefficiencies, or other issues.

When you’re set up in your separate locations, begin the IM exchange with the communicator from the client team asking the adviser for help with a decision. The adviser should ask probing questions to find out what the client really wants to gain from the decision and help him or her work through the various alternatives. Discuss the decision scenario for at least five minutes. The observers should take notes but should not be involved in the IM exchange in any way.

After working through one of the decision scenarios, swap roles inside each team so that the observer becomes the communicator and vice versa. Now work through the second decision scenario.

Afterward, meet as a full team after the role playing and compare notes about how well each conversation went, how

well the technology supported the communicators’ needs, and what you might do differently in a business context to ensure smooth communication and customer satisfaction. Be prepared to discuss your observations and conclusions with the rest of the class.

IM SKILLS

10. Media Skills: IM; Compositional Modes: Tutorials [LO-1] [LO-4] High-definition television can be a joy to watch—but, oh, what a pain to buy. The field is littered with competing technologies and arcane terminology that is meaningless to most consumers. Moreover, it’s nearly impossible to define one technical term without invoking two or three others, leaving consumers swimming in an alphanumeric soup of confusion. The manufacturers themselves can’t even agree on which of the 18 different digital TV formats truly qualify as “high definition.” As a sales support manager for Crutchfield, www.crutchfield.com, a leading online retailer of audio and video systems, you understand the frustration buyers feel; your staff is deluged daily by their questions.

Your task To help your staff respond quickly to consumers who ask questions via Crutchfield’s online IM chat service, you are developing a set of “canned” responses to common questions. When a consumer asks one of these questions, a sales adviser can simply click on the ready-made answer. Start by writing concise, consumer-friendly definitions of the following terms: resolution, HDTV, 1080p, and HDMI. Click the Research tab on the Crutchfield website to learn more about these terms (the article “TV and HDTV Glossary” will be particularly helpful). Answers.com and CNET.com are two other handy sources.65

BLOGGING SKILLS

11. Media Skills: Blogging; Compositional Modes: Tutorials [LO-1] [LO-5] Studying abroad for a semester or a year can be a rewarding experience in many ways—improving your language skills, experiencing another culture, making contacts in the international business arena, and building your self-confidence.

Your task Write a post for your class blog that describes your college’s study-abroad program and summarizes the steps involved in applying for international study. If your school doesn’t offer study-abroad opportunities, base your post on the program offered at another institution in your state.

MICROBLOGGING SKILLS

12. Media Skills: Microblogging; Compositional Modes: Teasers [LO-1] [LO-5] Twitter updates are a great way to alert people to helpful articles, videos, and other online resources.

Your task Find an online resource (it can be a website quiz, a YouTube video, a PowerPoint presentation, a newspaper article, or anything else appropriate) that offers some great tips to help college students prepare for job interviews. Write a teaser of no more than 120 characters that hints at the benefits other students can get from this resource. If your class is set up with private Twitter accounts, use your private account to send

your message. Otherwise, email it to your instructor. Be sure to include the URL; if you’re using a Twitter account, the system should shorten it to 20 characters to keep you within the 140-character limit.

MICROBLOGGING SKILLS

13. Media Skills: Microblogging [LO-5] JetBlue is known for its innovations in customer service and customer communication, including its pioneering use of the Twitter microblogging system. Well over 100,000 JetBlue fans and customers follow the company on Twitter to get updates on flight status during weather disruptions, facility upgrades, announcements of JetBlue Tweetups (in-person gatherings, or “meetups” organized on Twitter), and other news.66

Your task Write the text for a Twitter update that announces a JetBlue Tweetup at 8:30 this evening in Terminal C at Boston’s Logan International Airport. This first tweet in a series will be a bit of a teaser, because you’ll indicate that a special surprise guest will be attending—an actor from a current hit TV show or movie. Choose any actor you like and drop hints about his or her identity without giving a name. Include the hashtag #JetBlueTweetup, which will consume 15 of the 140 characters you are permitted. Email the text to your instructor or post it on your class blog. (Do not send this as a real tweet!)

PODCASTING SKILLS / PORTFOLIO BUILDER

14. Media Skills: Podcasting [LO-7] What product do you own (or use regularly) that you can’t live without? It could be something as seemingly minor as a favorite pen or something as significant as a medical device that you literally can’t live without. Now imagine you’re a salesperson for this product; think about how you would sell it to potential buyers. How would you describe it, and how would you explain the benefits of owning it? After you’ve thought about how you would present the product to others, imagine that you’ve been promoted to a sales manager position, and it is your job to train other people to sell the product.

Your task Write the script for a brief podcast (200 to 300 words) that summarizes for your sales staff the most important points to convey about the product. Imagine that they’ll listen to your podcast while driving to a customer’s location or preparing for the day’s activity in a retail store (depending on the nature of the product). Be sure to give your staffers a concise overview message about the product and several key support points. If your instructor asks you to do so, record the podcast and submit the file electronically.

PODCASTING SKILLS / PORTFOLIO BUILDER

15. Media Skills: Podcasting [LO-6] While writing the many letters and electronic messages that are part of the job search process, you find yourself wishing you could just talk to some of these companies so your personality could shine through. Well, you’ve just gotten that opportunity. One of the companies you’ve applied to has e-mailed you back, asking you to submit a two-minute podcast introducing yourself and explaining why you would be a good person to hire.

Your task Identify a company you’d like to work for after graduation and select a job that would be a good match for your skills and interests. Write a script for a two-minute podcast (two minutes represents roughly 250 words for most speakers). Introduce yourself and the position you’re applying for, describe your background, and explain why you think you’re a good candidate for the job. Make up any details you need. If your instructor asks you to do so, record the podcast and submit the file electronically.

Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics,

and Usage

You can download the text of this assignment from http:// real-timeupdates.com/bce6; click on Student Assignments and then click on Chapter 6. Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage.

Level 1: Self-Assessment—Prepositions

and Conjunctions

Review Sections 1.6.1 and 1.6.2 in the Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage and then complete the following 15 items.

Rewrite items 1–5, deleting unnecessary words and prepositions and adding required prepositions:

1.Where was your argument leading to?

2.I wish he would get off of the phone.

3.This is a project into which you can sink your teeth.

4.U.S. Mercantile must become aware and sensitive to its customers’ concerns.

5.We are responsible for aircraft safety in the air, the hangars, and the runways.

In items 6–10, provide the missing preposition:

6.Dr. Namaguchi will be talking the marketing class, but she has no time for questions.

7.Matters like this are decided after thorough discussion all seven department managers.

8.We can’t wait their decision much longer.

9.Their computer is similar ours.

10.This model is different the one we ordered.

In items 11–15, rewrite the sentences to make phrases parallel.

11.She is active in not only a civic group but also in an athletic organization.

12.That is either a mistake or was an intentional omission.

13.The question is whether to set up a booth at the convention or be hosting a hospitality suite.

14.We are doing better in both overall sales and in profits.

15.She had neither the preferred educational background, nor did she have suitable experience.

Level 2: Workplace Applications

The following items may contain errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation, abbreviation, number style, word division, and vocabulary. Rewrite each sentence, correcting all

162 Unit 3: Brief Business Messages

errors. If a sentence has no errors, write “Correct” for that number.

1.Peabody Energys commitment to environmental excellence is driven by the companies’ mission statement which states that when mining is complete, the company will leave the land in a condition equal or better than it was before mining.

2.In 1998, Blockbuster opened a state of the art distribution center in McKinney, Texas, just North of the company’s Dallas Headquarters.

3.Miss Tucci was responsible for developing Terraspring’s business plan, establishing the brand, and for launching the company.

4.The principle goals of the new venture will be to offer tailored financial products and meeting the needs of the community.

5.Nestle Waters North America are the number one bottled water company in the U.S. and Canada.

6.The reason egg prices dropped sharply is because of a Post Easter reduction in demand.

7.Joining bank officials during the announcement of the program were U.S. congressman Luis V. Guitierrez, Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, General Consul of Mexico in the Midwest, and “Don Francisco”, the leading hispanic entertainment figure in the United States and Latin America.

8.The summer advertising campaign is the most unique in 7-Eleven’s history.

9.Upon introducing it’s new Quadruple Fudge flavor, consumers are expected to flock to Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlors.

10.The signing of a Trade Pact between the european union and Chile, is being delayed by european negotiators who insist the deal includes an agreement requiring Chile to stop using the names Cognac, Champagne, and Burgundy.

11.Federal Trade commissioner, Mrs. Sheila F. Anthony called on the dietary supplement industry to institute better self regulation, and called on the media to refuse ads containing claims that are obviously false.

12.Founded in 1971, GSD&M has grown to become a na- tionally-acclaimed advertising agency with more than 500 employees and having billings of over $1 billion dollars.

13.Although marketing may seem to be the easier place to cut costs during a downturn its actually the last place you should look to make strategic cuts.

14.After closing their plant in Mecosta county, Green Mountain will have less than 200 employees.

15.The purchasing needs of professional’s differ from blue collar workers.

Level 3: Document Critique

The following document may contain errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation, abbreviation, number style, word division, and vocabulary. As your instructor indicates, photocopy this page and correct all errors using standard proofreading marks (see Appendix C) or download the document and make the corrections in your word processing software.

TO: George Kimball <g.kimball@sprenco.com>

SUBJECT: My trip back East

Dear George:

I went back to New York for apresentation the 15th of this month and I found it very informative. The sponsor of my visat was Vern Grouper. Vern is the Manager of IS at headquarters; that is, their centralized information systems operation. They’ve got quite a bit of power out there. And they do encourage us to utilize their capibilities, there services, and experiences to whatever extent will be beneficial to us. However, you could say it would be my observation that although they have a tremendous amount of computing capability that capability is directed toward a business dimension very different than ours and unlike anything we have. However, their are certain services that might be performed in our behalf by headquarters. For example, we could utilize people such as Vern to come and address our IS advisory group since I am planning on convening that group on a monthly basis.

By the way, I need to talk to you about the IS advicory group when you get a chance. I have 1 or 2 thoughts about some new approaches we can take with it I’d like to run by you if you don’t mind. Its not too complicated just some simple ideas.

Let me know what you think of this idea about Vern coming here. If you like it than I will go ahead and set things in motion with Vern.

Sincerely,

John