Transcript BC2 Unit 1--Goodwill and Audience Focus

ICBC 202: Business
Communication 2
Unit 1—Building
Goodwill and Staying
Customer-Focused
What is the cost of poor
communication?
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Wasted time
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Harder to understand.
“ping-pong” effect
May need to be redone
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Wasted efforts
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Lost goodwill
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Every instance of communication serves to either
build or undermine a person’s/organization’s image.
What are the criteria for effective
communication?

Effective messages are.…
Clear
 Concise
 Correct
 Customer-focused
 Positive
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What are the benefits of effective
communication?
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Saves time (everyone’s)
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Builds goodwill
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Makes you look professional
What should be considered when
communicating?
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What’s at stake—to whom?
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Should you send a message?
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What channel should you use?
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What should you say?
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How should you say it?
Business Communication 2—
Building Goodwill.
Building Goodwill
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Customer-focused
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Positive
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Complete and concise
Staying Customer-Focused. (1)
Talk about the reader, not about
yourself
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X
Mahidol has negotiated an agreement with Siam
Paragon that gives you a discount on purchases
over 3,000 baht.
☺ As a Mahidol student, you can now get a 10%
discount when you buy goods worth 3,000 baht
or more at Siam Paragon.
Complete and Concise. (2)

Refer to the reader’s request or order
specifically
X We are shipping your order No. 007 of
September 21 this afternoon.
☺ The five Sony 3D TVs (model TV27) you
ordered will be shipped this afternoon and
should reach you by Friday June 30.
Staying Customer-Focused. (4)

In positive situations, use ‘you’ more
often than ‘I’. Use ‘we’ when it
includes the reader.
X We provide health insurance to all employees.
☺ You receive health insurance as a Procter &
Gamble employee.
Staying Customer-Focused. (5a)

In negative situations, avoid the word
‘you’. It accuses the reader.
X You must get approval from the director
before you publish any articles or memoirs
based on your work in the agency.
☺ Agency personnel must get approval
from the director to publish any articles or
memoirs based on their work at the agency.
Staying Customer-Focused. (5b)

In negative situations, avoid the word
‘you’. Protect their ego.
X You made no allowance for inflation in
your estimate.
☺ No allowance for inflation has been made in this
estimate.
☺ The estimate makes no allowance for
inflation.
Emphasize the Positive. (1a)

Avoid negative words and words with negative
connotations.
Emphasize the positive. (1b)
X We have failed to finish taking inventory.
☺ We will be finished taking inventory Friday.
X If you can’t understand this explanation, feel
free to call me.
☺ You can call at any time should you have any
questions.
Emphasize the positive. (1c)

Beware of hidden negatives
X I hope this is the information you wanted.
(Implication: I’m not sure)
☺ Enclosed is a brochure about road repairs
scheduled for 2011-12.
Emphasize the positive. (1d)

Beware of hidden negatives
X Please be patient as we switch to the
automated system. (Implication: you can
expect problems.)
☺ You’ll be able to get information instantly
about any house on the market when the
automated system is in place. If you have any
questions during the transition, you can call
Melissa Morgan.
Emphasize the positive. (2)

Focus on what the reader can do
rather than on limitations.
X You will not qualify for the student
membership rate of $25 a year unless you are a
full-time student.
☺ You will get the benefits of membership for only
$25 if you’re a full-time student.
Emphasize the positive. (3)

Justify negative information
(reason/benefit).
X We cannot sell laptops in lots of less than 10.
☺ To keep down packaging costs and to
help you save on shipping and handling
costs, we sell laptops in lots of ten or more.
Emphasize the positive. (4)

If the negative is truly unimportant,
omit it.
X A one-year subscription to PC Magazine is
1,299 baht. That is not as low as the rates
charged for some similar magazines.
☺ A one-year subscription to PC Magazine is
1,299 baht.
☺☺A one-year subscription to PC Magazine is
1,299 baht. You save 49% off the newsstand
price of 2,547 baht.
Emphasize the positive. (5)

When you must convey negative
information…

Put it in the middle

Only mention it once

Do not list it vertically
Business Communication 2—
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Email heading: KMD Training Contract Clarification
(1)
Dear Miss Peerawan
Let’s clear up the situation regarding the KMD Training contract.
(2)
Rollins will receive a cheque for 100,000 baht for completion of the 12
modules of the Programme (no later than April 21, 2011)
(3)
In addition, please submit the final needs analysis and feedback
spreadsheet, as discussed at our meeting on 5 July, in order to facilitate
the final payment.
(4)
As regards the scheduling for the fast-track advanced course. This could
begin either in November or in January of next year (2012)
Let me know which works best for you.
(5)
I look forward to hearing from you
Bobby Moore
Business Communication 2—
Making Your Writing Easy
to Read.
Three techniques to make your writing easier
to read.

Use words that are accurate,
appropriate, and familiar.
Positive word

Assume

Cautious

Flexible
Negative word
guess
fearful
wishy-washy
Formal and stuffy Short and simple
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Ameliorate
improve

Commence
begin

Enumerate
list
Three techniques to make your writing easier
to read. (continued)

Revise sentences using parallel
structure.
X
Equipment can be reserved by calling the
equipment office at (05) 345-8091 or send an email to [email protected].
☺ Equipment can be reserved by calling the main
office at (05) 345-8091 or by sending an e-mail to
[email protected].
☺ Equipment can be reserved by…
1) calling the equipment office at (05) 345
8091.
2) sending an e-mail to
[email protected].
Three techniques to make your writing easier
to read. (continued)
Put your readers in your sentences.

Funds in a participating employee’s account at the
end of each six months will automatically be used
to buy more stock unless a “Notice of Election Not
to Exercise Purchase Rights” form is received from
the employee.
☺ Once you begin to participate, funds in your
account at the end of each six months will
automatically be used to buy more stock unless
you turn in a “Notice of Election Not to Exercise
Purchase Rights” form.
X