Chapter 9

BAD-NEWS MESSAGES
 THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
 In negative message, your tone will help to determine your
effectiveness.
 To write bad news messages, consider following:

1. Put yourself in reader’s place and try to convince the reader

that your decision is fair, reasonable and for his/her
advantage in long run.
2. Avoid using company rules and procedures with no further
explanation as it is against the company policy.
3. Assume that customer wants to do right thing even he/she is
mistaken.
4. Single people out when you praise them, put them in group
when criticize them.
PLANS FOR BAD NEWS MESSAGES
 PLANS FOR BAD NEWS MESSAGES
Direct plan
◦ A direct plan can be used when message is routine, reader is
known for referring directness, message is urgent.
1. Bad news (with or without buffer)
2. Explanation
3. Appropriate, courteous ending
Indirect plan
◦ Most often you will use indirect plan for bad news message.
1. Buffer
2. Explanation and analysis of circumstances
3. Decision, implied or expressed, with resale or helpful
suggestions
4. Friendly, positive close
 DIRECT PLAN

This approach is effective if:

1. A routine message on which the reader is not likely
to be disappointed or emotionally involved.
2. A reader who is known to prefer reading the bad
news in first paragraph.
3. An urgent message that can call the reader’s
attention forcefully.
4. It contains same pattern as direct good news plan.
1. Bad news (with or without buffer)
2. Explanation
3. Appropriate, courteous ending
 INDIRECT PLAN

1. Buffer
◦ Buffers should be neutral, pleasant, relevant, honest in
tone, avoid misleading the reader into thinking the news
is good.
◦ Some approaches for the Buffer:
• Agreement (agree with reader on something i.e. conditions,
costs)
• Appreciation (thank the reader for check, information, request)
• Assurance (assure reader of your careful consideration and
explanation about problem)
• Compliment (compliment the reader on something good
his/her past record, request i.e. sincerity)
• Cooperation (show a desire to be as helpful as possible)
• Good News (if you can grant any part of request, begin with a
good news)
• Neutral courtesy (keep your first paragraph ambiguous. For price
increase use word “change”)
• Understanding (show you understand reader's problem)
 INDIRECT PLAN
2. Explanation and analysis of circumstances
 Explanation is important to the effectiveness of a
negative message.
 For routine message, explanation is unnecessary.
 Explanation can be placed before a decision and after
negative message.
 Consider following suggestions:
1. Try to convince the reader that you are acting in
his/her best interest.
2. Explain all relevant facts. First favorable then
unfavorable.
3. Show that request has been carefully considered.
 INDIRECT PLAN

Decision, implied or expressed, with resale or helpful

3.
suggestions
To make the decision clear, positive, and concise,
consider following:
Make the bad news decision clear with the suggestion
what can be done.
Be careful not to mislead or otherwise cause uncertainty
regarding your decision.
Give helpful counterproposals, plans, alternatives if you
cannot do something.
Resell the reader on your company’s service or policies.
 INDIRECT PLAN

Friendly, positive close

4.
Offer assurance that you appreciate the reader as
a customer.
Invite future support, cooperation, or
compliance with the decision.
Make clear what action is required. i.e. when to
do it and how to do it.
Express continued interest, service, reader's
benefit. Do not repeat bad news.
 NEGATIVE REPLIES TO REQUESTS
Answering non sales related inquiries when
information is undesirable
Honesty, tactfulness and caution are required
when responding to a request for a
recommendation for a person about whom you
have unfavorable information.
You also have these alternatives
1. Call the inquirer on phone and discuss the
matter.
2. Write a brief refusal note.
3. Write an appropriate, honest, frank letter
using bad news plan (see examples on page
218-219).
 NEGATIVE REPLIES TO REQUESTS
Refusing adjustments on claims and complaints
 When you refuse a request to adjustment, include
buffer, explanation, resale, constructive suggestions,
and sales promotion.
You may right refusals on unnecessary customer
claims.
1. Customer is at fault regarding a product
2. Customer is mistaken in a complaint about an
account or service.
 NEGATIVE REPLIES TO REQUESTS
Customer is at fault regarding a product
When customer is at fault, special skill must be used in
rejecting a request.
You can write refusal letters when:
1. Customer misuses a product.
 In this case you need to call attention to customer’s
mistake indirectly and protect the reader’s pride.
 You should not say you violated the instructions,
instead message should include a logical explanation,
an implied but clear refusal, and constructive
suggestion (see example on page 220).
Customer is at fault regarding a product

2. Unsalability of a return product

Some products cannot be accepted for return
after they have left the store.
Sometimes customer returns damaged product
that store cannot resell, in this case explanation
is easy (see example on page 221).
Include buffer, reader’s benefits, findings in this
case, implied decision, helpful suggestions, easy
action.
NEGATIVE REPLIES TO
REQUESTS
Customer is mistaken about an account or service
 When claims are unjustified, explanation for
misunderstanding becomes necessary to maintain goodwill
and companies handle it on telephone.
1. Unwarranted claims about account balance
 When customer thinks you made error but you find records
are correct. In this case you tell customer that that you
have rechecked the records and problem can be due to
additional charges that were added later on.
2. Unjustified claims about company services
 Careful and tactful explanation is necessary to establish
your company’s accuracy and to resell the reader on its
high quality services.
Refusing credit
 Most refusals use bad news organizational plan. When you
are refusing a credit application, you should try to keep the
reader’s goodwill.
1. Retail credit refusal
 A customer who has credit must be told that further credit
purchases will be stopped until credit balance is reduced or
paid in full.
 Opening paragraph includes buffer referring to
appreciation and carful consideration.
 Explanation includes no reason, insufficient information
reason, usual reasons, specific reasons.
 Decision, resale, suggestions. Use positive language when
you state unfavorable decision.
 Positive ending
 Refusing credit

2. Mercantile credit refusals

 Preferred pattern for these refusals is bad news
plan including:
 Buffer referring to appreciation and carful
consideration.
 Explanation with specific reasons, and facts
 Suggestions for inexperienced persons in
business include inventory reduction, sales
increase, cash purchases,.
 Positive ending
Acknowledging orders you cannot fulfill
now or at all
If you have good news state it before bad news.
When you cannot fulfill the order it is bad news for customer.
1. Incomplete or vague orders
 When customer omits necessary information.
 If you cannot fulfill the order start with buffer including
resale, on vaguely described items, shipment details and
appreciation.
 Explanation with reason for requesting missing information.
 Decision
 Positive close
 Acknowledging orders you cannot fulfill
now or at all
2. Order for out of stock items to be back ordered
 If stock of an ordered item is unavailable and you expect a
new shipment within a reasonable time, you can usually
back-order and assume the customer would wait rather
than cancelling the order.
 For this start with a buffer including resale on ordered
item to reinforce customer’s confidence in his/her choice
and appreciation.
 Explanation focuses on positive aspects of the date goods
will reach. Omit negatives such as “cannot send”. Include
reason for short stock.
 Suggestions and positive close (see example on page 229).
 Acknowledging orders you cannot fulfill
now or at all
3. Order for out of stock items for which you suggest
substitute
 When you cannot supply a product, you suggest
substitute.
 It starts with buffer
 Explanation for offering substitute
 Decision with resale suggestions
 Positive close (see example on page 230).
Declining invitations and requests for
favors
Bad news plan is appropriate for declining
invitations and requests for favors.
These can be business related including changing
requirements or payment due dates, borrowing
company’s equipment etc.
Requests concerning non business activities include
donation of your time, money, property.
Include buffer, explanation, decision and positive
close (see example on page 231).
UNFAVORABLE UNSOLICITED
MESSAGES
 If bad news is routine, you can use the direct
organizational plan, however if reader will be
disappointed or angered by the news, use direct
plan.
 Unfavorable unsolicited messages include
unfavorable news about prices and services,
rules and procedures, other bad news.
 UNFAVORABLE UNSOLICITED
MESSAGES
Unfavorable news about prices and services
When a firm finds it necessary to increase prices or
cut services to customers, a buffer opening followed
by reasons before stating negative decision.
A direct approach can also be used to give bad news
to customer.
If you have made some changes in your product
prices or services and you are offering some
alternate, then convey this news to customer in a
good way (see example on pp. 233-235).
 UNFAVORABLE UNSOLICITED
MESSAGES
Penalizing for nonconformity to rules and
procedures
News about penalty for deviating from required
procedures or disregarding previous notices often
begin with bad news. The direct plan should be
used when situation is urgent or when the writer
wants the reader to be sure to read the main idea.
(see example on pp. 235-236).
 UNFAVORABLE UNSOLICITED
MESSAGES
Conveying other bad news
Most of the other bad news can be handled by bad
news plan.
When you have made a mistake, it is often best to
admit your error in the beginning of your message.
E.g. announcement of error in billing.
Letter of resignation is another bad news. It should
include reason for resign, appreciation and good
comments about people you are leaving. Date of
resignation, pleasant ending. Both direct and indirect
plans can be used for resignation.
End of Chapter 9