bad news structure

8/10/2019 Bad News Structure

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Audience Analysis

Bad news Message structure


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Types of messages

Three types:

Positive or neutral

Negative

Persuasive


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Positive

Use direct approach:

Beginning: good news/main idea

Middle: explanation/details

Ending: goodwill or positive statement

Tell the reader what he / she wants to hear.

easiest, most pleasant approach.

basic rule in the direct approach: start with good

news


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Bad News Messages unable to give information

unable to give quotation

cannot deliver requested goods

cannot deliver goods on agreed date

cannot give requested discounts, concession,

favours


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cannot grant credit

cannot grant customers claim

cannot accept delivered goods

application for admission rejected

not selected for job after interview


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Warning memo to an erring employee

Termination of service or contract

Layoff

Complaint

Unfavourable reply to credit enquiry


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Techniques

Get all details correct

Much needed qualities

courtesy,

consideration,

creativity constructiveness.

Creativity = offering constructive solutions, and

offering to cooperate.

Appropriate tone is cooperative: stay with the reader


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Be clear about your purpose

What do you want reader to feel on reading

your letter?

rejected? reassured?

Are you treating reader with respect thoughnot giving what reader wanted?


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Take positive attitude and use positive

language; Emphasise what is rather than what is not

what we cando rather than what we cant

Express negatives in positive terms:

not we close at 5.30 p.m., but we are open till

5.30 p.m.

Avoid unpleasant words:

negligence, carelessness, failure.


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Plan for and manage response

Place negative in positions of low emphasis

Give it a buffer before and after

Apologise for inconvenience / trouble/ problem

Saying, we are sorryor we regretdoes not imply

apology for our fault; it only expressessympathy


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Think carefully of the reason for refusal

Reasons outside your control are emotionally moreacceptable

Reasons based on personal opinion/ judgementmust be explained

Reasons based on business policy must be

carefully justified

A negative reply should never appear wilful orarbitrary


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Offer a substitute

Or make counter offer to reduce

inconvenience

Or help to solve the problem.

And offer to cooperate.


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Organise to make the bad news more

acceptable and build up a positiverelationship.

Do not tell bad news in first paragraph

Use passive voice instead of active voice to

speak of any faults of the reader in order toavoid an unkind, "finger-pointing" tone.


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Bad news letters can be organised in three

parts:

buffer which attempts to state common ground

reasons/justifications (why) and the bad news

(what)

goodwill ending


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Write a posi t ive, fr iendly close

State what will happen next, or what must be

done next.

Appreciation: Thank you for sharing your

concerns with us.

Invitation to future action: We will be happy toreconsider your request for credit when the

economic situation improves.

Alternative: It may be useful to check if anydepartmental or divisional funds are

available.


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Writers action: We shall repair the compressor and

put it into excellent working condition again. Only

the cost of the material will be charged to you.

Readers action: Please send your approval of this

proposal to enable us to begin the repair work.

Willingness to help: We would be happy to work

with you to reduce your liabilities.

Reader benefit: Please consider this proposal and

let us know if it will suit your needs.


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A sample letter refusing request for credit

Para 1- starts with a favourable observation

Para 2objective observations on sound business practices

that influence company credit policy. See how tactfully the

refusal is phrased in the last sentence here. There is no use

of a negative term in the whole para though the request for

credit is not accepted.

Para 3action proposed

Para 4courteous close

Whats next?


18/18

Subject: Credit request

Dear Mr Bedi,

Your October 20 order for Persian paints and supplies suggests that your

company is continuing to make good progress.

To assure yourself of continued progress, we feel certain that you will wantto follow the soundest business practices possible. As you may know, mostfinancial experts say that maintaining a reasonable indebtedness is a mustfor sound growth. About 2:1 ratio of current assets to liabilities is a goodminimum, they say. In the belief that this minimum ratio is best for allconcerned, we extend credit only when it is met. As soon as you reach thisratio, we would like to review your application again.

Meanwhile, we will strive to meet your needs on a cash basis.

We appreciate your interest in Persian paints and look forward to servingyou.

Pratik Tiwari

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