Chapter 7—Negative Messages

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Every business person will need to write a negative business message that may disappoint, irritate, or
anger the receiver; these messages must be written
a. thoughtfully.
b. by top-level management only.
c. by any department with legal department final approval.
d. deceitfully.
ANS: A
Because bad news disappoints, irritates, and sometimes angers the receiver, such messages must be
written thoughtfully. Top management may write some, and some may require legal advice. However,
none should be deceitful.

2. One of your goals in sending messages is to project a professional and positive image. Techniques to
do this include
a. responding briefly without providing clear details.
b. employing an irate tone.
c. using forceful or aggressive language.
d. controlling your emotions.
ANS: D
To project a professional and positive image for you and your organization, use polite language,
control your emotions, and respond with clear explanations of why a negative message was necessary.

3. Using the indirect strategy to prepare the reader in a bad-news message

a. shows insensitivity to your reader.
b. allows you to confuse or distract the reader.
c. helps you keep the reader's attention until you can explain the reasons for the bad news.
d. demonstrates your ability to vary your strategies.
ANS: C
The indirect strategy ensures that you keep the reader's attention as you explain the reasons for the bad
news. The explanation is an important part of softening the blow of the bad news.

4. Which of the following is the most important part of a negative message?

a. A positive, forward-looking closing
b. A neutral buffer
c. An explanation of the reasons for the bad news
d. The bad news itself
ANS: C
The most important part of a negative message is the explanation of the reasons for the bad news.

5. Which of the following bad-news letters is best suited to a direct strategy?

a. An announcement of changes in business services
b. A layoff notice for a long-time employee
c. A denial of benefits on an insurance claim to an angry customer
d. A notice of an unexpected plant closure to the city council and mayor

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 ANS: A
Use the direct strategy to announce the change of business services because your audience may
otherwise ignore this information. All other topics should use the indirect strategy since they are likely
to provoke hostile responses or cause personal upset.

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

7. The indirect strategy works best when the bad news is personally upsetting, the news will prompt a
hostile reaction, and
a. the message arrives unexpectedly.
b. firmness is necessary.
c. the receiver may overlook the bad news.
d. the bad news is not damaging.
ANS: A
Use the indirect strategy when the bad news will arrive unexpectedly. All other answer choices
typically require the direct strategy.

8. The direct pattern, with the bad news first, would be appropriate when you are
a. cancelling your weekly sales meeting.
b. informing employees of a major increase in their health insurance premiums.
c. turning down a request for a charitable contribution.
d. denying a customer's request for a credit increase but wanting to continue business with
the customer.
ANS: A
When the bad news is not damaging, such as cancelling a regularly scheduled meeting, the news
should be delivered directly.

9. The buffer in a bad-news message is a

a. hint that good news will follow to prompt the receiver to read further.
b. statement completely unrelated to the bad news so that receivers will not know that bad
news is coming.
c. A statement that reduces shock or pain and encourages the receiver to continue reading.
d. denial of the requested action.
ANS: C
A well-written buffer is a neutral but meaningful statement that reduces shock or pain and encourages
continued reading. It should provide a natural transition to the explanation that follows.

10. Which of the following is not a helpful tip for apologizing in a negative-news message?
a. Be sincere and explain what you will do to prevent recurrence.
b. Accept responsibility.
c. Focus on your regret.
d. Use good judgment, and do not admit blame if it might prompt a lawsuit.
ANS: C

Guffey, Du-Babcock, and Loewy | Essentials of Business Communication, 3rd Asia Edition
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 Helpful tips for effective apologies include being sincere, accepting responsibility, and using good
judgment. Focusing on your regret will not convey sincerity or improve your message.

11. Which of the following would best refuse a customer claim?

a. We are sorry that we cannot give you a full refund for your DVD player.
b. Because you damaged the DVD player by trying to repair it yourself, we are unable to
give you a full refund.
c. 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.
d. Although a full refund cannot be issued, we would be happy to repair your DVD player
for a nominal fee.
ANS: D
"Although a full refund cannot be issued, we would be happy to repair your DVD player for a nominal
fee" is effective because it uses the passive voice, puts the bad news in a subordinate clause, restates
the refusal, and offers a reasonable alternative.

12. Letters saying no to emotionally involved receivers is a challenging communication task. Which of
the following is the best advice for this task?
a. Use the refusal-before-reason pattern to present the information artfully.
b. Place blame where blame is due, including on the customer if he or she is responsible.
c. Avoid offering resale information because it may weaken customer confidence.
d. Use neutral, objective language to explain the reason the claim is refused.
ANS: D
When saying "no" to upset receivers, follow these tips: use neutral, objective language; adopt the
proper tone; don't blame customers, even if they are at fault; avoid "you" statements that sound
preachy; and consider offering resale information to rebuild the customer's confidence in your products
or organization.

13. All businesses deal with unhappy customers at some point, and they typically follow this pattern: call
the customer, describe the problem and apologize, offer an explanation and resolution, and
a. follow up with a message that documents the phone call and promotes goodwill.
b. suggest a face-to-face meeting to resolve any remaining issues.
c. come to an agreement on a refund or compensation.
d. provide resale information or promote products and services.
ANS: A
The phone call typically concludes with the discussion of the explanation or reasons and the resolution
of the customer's claim or complaint. After the phone call, the business will follow up with a message
documenting the phone call and promoting goodwill.

14. In deciding to share bad news within an organization, what question should you consider first?
a. Will I profit personally (promotion, bonus pay, or honors)?
b. Was the act criminal or hostile behavior or just a one-time mistake?
c. How should I time the information delivery (before or after a meeting)?
d. How can I avoid being identified as the tattle tale by other employees?
ANS: B
Your first consideration when deciding to share bad news is whether the behavior is noncriminal and
trivial. A one-time offense that did not cause any significant harm is often better unreported.
Guffey, Du-Babcock, and Loewy | Essentials of Business Communication, 3rd Asia Edition
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15. Personally delivering bad news is sometimes recommended, but written messages are important to
establish a record of the incident, to formally confirm follow-up procedures, and
a. to promote good relations.
b. to denote your leadership rank.
c. to persuade the receiver to follow your recommendations.
d. to allow you to identify your organization and position.
ANS: A
A written message allows the sender to promote good relations such as stressing previous positive
interactions, mentioning current transactions, or suggesting future activities. This message isn't used to
persuade or to merely identify the sender's rank or position in an organization.

16. A bad-news message, whether delivered in person or in writing, is usually better received when you
a. give the reasons before the bad news.
b. immediately share the bad news.
c. provide the reasons and explanations but conceal the bad news.
d. combine the buffer and bad news.
ANS: A
When sharing bad news, present the reasons first, and your message will be better received.

17. When bad news involves only one person or a small group, you should usually
a. send an anonymous letter.
b. address the issue in a department meeting.
c. deliver the message in person.
d. give the information to a supervisor who can deliver it formally.
ANS: C
When bad news involves one person or a small group, you should generally deliver the news in person.
Delivering bad news to a coworker or supervisor is a reality for most businesspeople, and everyone
must learn to deliver these messages professionally.

18. All of the following are helpful tips to deliver a bad-news message personally in the workplace except
a. consider taking a partner if you fear a "shoot the messenger" reaction.
b. focus on the future and avoid discussing the past or the present.
c. think about timing and do not deliver bad news on a Friday afternoon.
d. prepare and rehearse; outline what you plan to say.
ANS: B
When delivering a bad-news message personally in the workplace, you should discuss the past, the
present, and the future to provide a complete picture of the situation. It is also appropriate to be well
prepared, to take a partner if a hostile reaction is likely, and to avoid a Friday afternoon.

19. Although businesses prefer to deliver bad news to employees personally, when bad news must be
given to large groups of employees, businesses are most likely to use which of the following?
a. Newspaper advertisements
b. Traditional interoffice memos
c. Tweets (Twitter messages)
d. Blog
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 ANS: B
Although businesses now use a variety of digital media to communicate messages to large groups of
employees, companies typically use interoffice memos to convey bad news.

20. The primary difference between ethical and unethical communicators is that unethical
communicators
a. intend to deceive.
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. omit the buffer from their bad-news messages.
ANS: A
Unethical communicators are purposefully deceptive. Their communication goal is to deceive their
readers, regardless of the message, audience, purpose, or pattern.

Guffey, Du-Babcock, and Loewy | Essentials of Business Communication, 3rd Asia Edition
© 2016 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved
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