Business Communications Chapters 5-8

Which of the following would be least effective in a sympathy note? Select one: a. Bethany's volunteer work in the job center endeared her to many. b. We are deeply saddened, Corbin, to learn of the death of your wife. c. If we may help you during this difficult time or lighten your load in any way, you need only call. d. I am sorry to hear your sad news; but if I may be of any help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The body of a routine request message presents Select one: a. cost-to-benefit ratio analyses. b. action responses from the receiver. c. deadlines and approvals from governmental agencies. d. details explaining the request.

Porter Grace, RN, is declining an invitation to speak about the health benefits of juice bars at the fall conference of the Health and Fitness Trainers Association (HAFTA). Which of the following is the most effective buffer? Select one: a. I must decline HAFTA's invitation to speak at its fall conference. b. I cannot speak at your annual conference. c. Because you requested only the benefits of juice bars and because I am only a registered nurse, I am not the speaker you need; perhaps you should contact a juice-bar salesperson. d. HAFTA members must be looking forward to the annual fall conference in Phoenix this year.

You must decline an employee's request to telecommute three days per week. Which of the following statements best explains why this bad news is necessary? Select one: a. Your daily presence in the office is important to ensure regular customer contact. b. Your work standards cannot be relied on unless we are able to observe you at your workstation. c. Our current company policy does not allow telecommuting. d. Unfortunately, we regret that we are unable to afford the expenses associated with telecommuting.

Which of these messages most effectively conveys empathy in a bad-news message? Select one: a. You have every right to be disappointed. I am truly sorry that our product failed to perform as expected. b. I am deeply saddened that your service failure disrupted our sale, and we will do everything in our power to improve our future performance. c. It is with great regret that we must take this step, but you have left us no choice. d. We did not intentionally delay the shipment, and we will not accept the disappointment and frustration you have expressed.

Which of the following is the best advice for writing the body of an e-mail message? Select one: a. Develop your ideas into at least three screens to demonstrate your writing ability and the seriousness of your message. b. Use numbered or bulleted lists when appropriate. c. Do not waste space on headings and subheadings. d. To help the receiver act on the subject, avoid frontloading.

Every business person will need to write a negative business message that may disappoint, irritate, or anger a receiver; these messages must be written Select one: a. using only the direct organizational strategy. b. deceitfully. c. by top-level management only. d. carefully.

In the popular block letter format, which of the following guidelines apply? Select one: a. Start the sender's address, the dateline, and the complimentary close at the midpoint; align all other letter parts at the left margin. b. Use ragged, unjustified right margins. c. Use fully justified margins on all sides and center the body of the letter on the page. d. Double-space all content to improve readability.

The final element of an e-mail message should be Select one: a. an attachment. b. a witty phrase and your name. c. the name of the business or organization only. d. your name and full contact information.

To correctly format a hard-copy interoffice memorandum, which of the following is not a guideline you should follow? Select one: a. Set 1-inch top and bottom margins and left and right margins of 1 to 1.25 inches. b. Provide a heading that includes the name of the company plus "Memo" or "Memorandum." c. Insert in bold the guide words: Date:, To:, From:, and Subject: at the left margin. d. Justify the right margin.

Emotional appeals Select one: a. focus on status, ego, and sensual feelings. b. solve workplace problems. c. focus on making or saving money. d. explain how to increase efficiency or protect resources.

Businesses have embraced podcasts for audio and video messages because podcasts Select one: a. provide up to 1,000 views per podcast, saving money over individual presentations. b. do not require a live presence, yet offer a friendly human face. c. broadcast interactive, non-repetitive information. d. can't replace costlier live teleconferences but can replace most business travel.

Tara is starting a new job that will allow her to use text messaging. What advice should she follow? Select one: a. Identify herself when texting a new contact. b. Send texts while she is having a face-to-face conversation to demonstrate her popularity. c. When she doesn't receive an immediate response from a coworker, continue to text message the coworker until he or she responds. d. Feel free to send any kind of message to her coworkers using this medium.

Which of the following is not a goal when writing adjustment messages? Select one: a. To gain the confidence of the customer b. To promote future business and goodwill c. To rectify the wrong d. To verify the honesty of the customer's claim

Which of the following is the most effective closing for a sales message? Select one: a. Complete the enclosed interest card and mail it to us at your earliest convenience. b. Making this training choice for your employees today may be the smartest business decision you'll ever make. Consider the benefits, and I am sure that you will agree. c. If your sales don't increase at least 10 percent after your salespeople complete our "Closing the Deal" training, you get a full refund. Use our toll-free number to call me by August 1 and begin training on September 1. d. Because we are confident that you will choose us for your training needs, we will visit you on Friday to finalize your contract.

To convey empathy and sensitivity when delivering bad news, you should Select one: a. accept blame and apologize when appropriate. b. avoid explaining the reasons for the bad news. c. show that you are human by using strong, forceful language. d. always cite company policy.

The ability to understand and enter into the feelings of another is called Select one: a. buffering. b. empathy. c. sympathy. d. audience demographics.

The buffer in a bad-news message is a Select one: a. statement completely unrelated to the bad news so that receivers will not know that bad news is coming. b. hint that good news will follow. c. denial of the requested action. d. statement that reduces shock or pain and encourages the receiver to continue reading.

Which of the following is most accurate about the use of persuasion in business? Select one: a. The key to persuasion is proving the weakness of the receiver's position. b. Some puffery and skillful misrepresentation make persuasive messages more effective. c. Honesty is not just the best policy; it's the only policy. d. The goal is to manipulate employees into accepting a message.

Purposes of e-mail marketing include attracting new customers, keeping existing customers, encouraging future sales, cross-selling, and Select one: a. importing products from international businesses. b. lobbying local legislators. c. cutting costs. d. seeking new employees.

The closing of a bad-news message may include all of the following except Select one: a. include coupons, samples, or gifts. b. a restatement of the bad news. c. anticipate future relations or business. d. reference resale or promotional information.

Mikhail's claim has been denied once. Now, he is writing a second persuasive claim message to his digital media services company asking for a promised rebate package. Because he expects resistance, what should he do? Select one: a. Address the message to a department or "To Whom It May Concern." b. Begin by presenting his resolution to the problem. c. Show specifically how the receiver or the receiver's company caused the problem. d. Appeal to the receiver's sense of responsibility and pride in the company's good name.

Which of the following statements about texting in the workplace is most accurate? Select one: a. Text messaging is replacing e-mail for short internal communication. b. Texting enables two or more individuals to use the Internet or an intranet to "chat" in real time by exchanging brief messages. c. All companies allow employees to use texting to communicate with coworkers and customers. d. Texting is a relatively high-cost substitute for voice calls.

The closing of a persuasive request should Select one: a. meet governmental regulations. b. describe the problem. c. establish your credibility and demonstrate your competence. d. motivate action.

The biggest advantage of business blogs is that they Select one: a. can safeguard against hackers and rival companies. b. have the potential to reach a vast, far-flung audience. c. provide anytime access to digital audio and video files containing corporate training, marketing, and informational messages. d. are the primary method of internal business communications.

Which of these statements regarding the use of e-mail for goodwill messages is most accurate? Select one: a. Because a handwritten note is most impressive, any goodwill message sent by e-mail must always be followed by a more formal handwritten goodwill message. b. E-mail should never be used for sending any type of goodwill message. c. E-mail can be used for all types of goodwill messages except death condolences, for which a ready-made card is required. d. If you frequently communicate via e-mail with the intended receiver and are certain this e-mail will be received, you may send a goodwill message via e-mail.

The bad feelings associated with disappointing news can be reduced if the receiver feels that the news was revealed sensitively, believes that the matter was treated seriously and fairly, and Select one: a. understands the legal implications of the bad news. b. receives the bad news via certified mail. c. knows the reasons for the rejection clearly. d. learns of the bad news directly.

Business e-mail users must learn that e-mail can be dangerous because messages travel long distances, are difficult to erase, and Select one: a. are informal, allowing a few spelling and punctuation mistakes. b. can't be used to transmit official documents. c. are challenging to type using only two fingers. d. may become evidence in court.

Persuasion in today's businesses focuses on Select one: a. distorting the facts to bolster sales. b. writing direct messages. c. generating and sending messages using only electronic media. d. influencing others.

The primary difference between ethical and unethical communicators is that unethical communicators Select one: a. omit the buffer from their bad-news messages. b. use only the indirect strategy regardless of the audience, purpose, or topic. c. use only the direct strategy regardless of the audience, purpose, or topic. d. intend to deceive.

When you must deliver bad news to one person or a small group, you should usually Select one: a. deliver the message in person. b. send an anonymous letter. c. address the issue in a department meeting. d. wait at least one week so that you can formulate your thoughts.

Persuasive claim messages are also called Select one: a. complaint messages. b. adjustment messages. c. sales messages d. inquiries.

Which of the following sentences most effectively presents promotional materials in a message responding to a customer inquiry? Select one: a. Can I interest you in anything else? b. You will find that our top-selling host gift baskets not only welcome your guests but also save you money and time compared to individually purchasing and assembling your host baskets on site. c. We offer an outstanding variety of thank-you gifts for our most valuable customers. d. If I can be of further assistance with any of our other fine products, do not hesitate to contact me.

Use an emotional appeal when the Select one: a. reader has a college education. b. product is expensive; long-lasting; or important to health, security, and financial success. c. reader is comparing similar products from other companies. d. product is inexpensive, short-lived, or nonessential.

Companies use blogs for all of the following reasons except Select one: a. recruiting. b. researching target markets and products. c. conducting job interviews. d. communicating internally with employees.

In the closing of a claim message, you should Select one: a. warn the company that failure to comply could cause legal action. b. justify and explain your request. c. reference all copies of pertinent documents enclosed. d. promote goodwill and summarize your request.

Which of the following is not one of the most frequently used communication channels in businesses today? Select one: a. Tweets b.Letters c. Memos d. E-mails

Which of these patterns is typical for bad-news messages presented in the indirect strategy? Select one: a. Explanation, bad news, buffer, and closing b. Bad news, explanation, and closing c. Buffer, bad news, and closing d. Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing

Persuasion is necessary when Select one: a. your message is especially attractive to the audience. b. your audience is skeptical about your idea. c. audience attitudes match the objectives of your plan. d. you anticipate that your audience will agree with your position.

When service is involved in a claim, you should Select one: a. cite names of individuals spoken to and dates of calls. b. avoid naming the service representatives involved or otherwise identifying responsible company employees. c. demand a full refund of the service fee and a repeat service call. d. enclose a photograph of yourself crying or suffering other severe emotional distress because of the poor service.

A wiki Select one: a.is a website with journal entries on a variety of topics. b. consists of short audio and video files that deliver repetitive information and that can be downloaded and played on numerous devices. c. is a brief message exchanged in real time using a short message service supplied by a cell phone provider or a voice over Internet protocol service. d. is a Web-based tool that uses collaborative software to allow multiple users to create, access, and modify documents.

Business communicators have many goals in conveying negative news. Which of the following is not a goal in communicating negative news? Select one: a. Demonstrating the company's superiority in the global marketplace b. Explaining clearly and completely c. Maintaining friendly relations d. Being fair

Which of the following is the most appropriate closing for an e-mail message or memo? Select one: a. Please let me know if I may be of further assistance. b. Please submit your report by August 1 so that the information can be presented at the seminar. c. It's been great talking with you. d. Thank you in advance for answering my questions.

You must write a sales message to prospective customers. What should you do in the opening of your sales message? Select one: a. Motivate your reader to take action. b. Promise an incentive for responding by a specific date. c. Convince your reader of the superiority of the product or service being sold. d. Offer something valuable, promise a benefit to the reader, or use some other technique to gain your reader's attention.

Eyasu must create a corporate blog. Which of the following should he use in his blog? Select one: a. Numbers, bullets, and subheadings b. Expressive action verbs c. Eyasu should use all these techniques in his blog. d. Conversational language

Which part(s) of your messages are readers likely to find most interesting and read first? Select one: a. Middle paragraphs of justification and explanation b. Footnote c. Salutation d. Opening and closing

Which of the following best presents the bad news in a message refusing a customer's claim? Select one: a. Because you damaged the DVD player by trying to repair it yourself, we are unable to give you a full refund. b. Although a full refund cannot be issued, we would be happy to repair your DVD player for a nominal fee. c. We are sorry that we cannot give you a full refund for your DVD player. d. The damage to your DVD player is not covered by the warranty, as explained in the enclosed copy of the warranty that came with your DVD player.

Which of the following sentences represents an appropriate end date in a claim message? Select one: a. Please replace the five Panasonic projectors we received on December 22 because the model numbers do not match the models ordered. b. Because we have enjoyed your prompt service in the past, we hope to receive the correct projectors by January 12. c. We wish to end our contract with your company if you cannot improve your service. d. Service calls were made to our Washington Street office on May 20, May 22, and May 27 without resolving the problem.

Which statement about today's organizations and their employees is most accurate? Select one: a. There have been few changes in today's organizations for employees. b. Executives today rely on persuasion to achieve buy-in from subordinates. c. Organizations are establishing more levels of management to conduct operations and to oversee employees. d. Today's information-age workers rely on managers to be their information providers.

An e-mail message or memo usually ends with action information, dates, or deadlines; a summary of the message; or a Select one: a. reference line that includes the typist's initials. b. closing thought. c. witty quotation. d. copyright notice or confidentiality statement.