Bovée-Thill Business Communication: Supplemental Cases: Spring 2012

Bovée-Thill Business Communication
Supplemental Cases: Spring 2012
New cases to accompany
 Business Communication Essentials, Fifth Edition

 Excellence in Business Communication, Ninth Edition
 Business Communication Today, Tenth Edition
On the following pages, you will find 12 new cases to accompany Bovée-Thill business communication
texts, each with a suggested solution or solution guidelines. The cases are tagged by skill category and
appropriate chapter for each text. (Note that these cases appear in Business Communication Today,
Eleventh Edition, and Excellence in Business Communication, Tenth Edition, in case you are using either
of these newer editions.)
All content copyright © 2012 Bovée and Thill LLC

1. Media Skills: Social Networking; Online Etiquette
Business Communication Essentials, Chapter 6

Excellence in Business Communication, Chapter 7
Business Communication Today, Chapter 7
Employees who take pride in their work are a practically priceless resource for any business. However,
pride can sometimes manifest itself in negative ways when employees come under criticism—and public
criticism is a fact of life in social media. Imagine that your company has recently experienced a rash of
product quality problems, and these problems have generated some unpleasant and occasionally unfair
criticism on a variety of social media sites. Someone even set up a Facebook page specifically to give
customers a place to vent their frustrations.
You and your public relations team jumped into action, responding to complaints with offers to provide
replacement products and help customers who have been affected by the quality problems. Everything
seemed to be going as well as could be expected, when you were checking a few industry blogs one
evening and discovered that a couple of engineers in your company’s product design lab have been
responding to complaints on their own. They identified themselves as company employees and defended
their product design, blaming the company’s production department and even criticizing several
customers for lacking the skills needed to use such a sophisticated product. Within a matter of minutes,
you see their harsh comments being retweeted and reposted on multiple sites, only fueling the fire of
negative feedback against your firm. Needless to say, you are horrified.
Your task: You manage to reach the engineers by private message and tell them to stop posting
messages, but you realize you have a serious training issue on your hands. Write a post for the internal
company blog that advises employees on how to respond appropriately when they are representing the
company online. Use your imagination to make up any details you need.
Solution
Note: Controlling the urge to harshly criticize these employees is vital. Students’ posts should be positive,
informative about possible negative consequences to the company, and helpful in offering guidance.
Students should also recognize the power of social media and its sometimes delicate application in
business communications.
[Post title] Essential Business Netiquette
The Internet has revolutionized business communication. Now social media sites allow people to discuss
openly about products and services; businesses are increasingly using the Internet to interact more freely
with their customers.
However, the speed and ease of online interaction has brought with it a decline in etiquette.
‘Conversational and personalized’ communication often crosses the boundaries of professionalism. At
times, an unintentional blunder on the part of an employee could lead to confusion or even hurt the
company’s reputation.
Bovée-Thill Business Communication: Supplemental Cases: Spring 2012

We can easily avoid such lapses while representing our company online. It’s simply a matter of keeping
in mind basic business netiquette.
1. Avoid personal attacks.
The anonymous nature of online interactions often removes social inhibitions. Many people use foul
language and strike out at others on Internet platforms; something they would not do face to face.
Keeping one’s cool is the only solution to avoid such emotional outbursts.
2. Follow company policies.
PR guidelines inform employees about the official stand on important issues. We should refer to these
guidelines while speaking on behalf of our company to ensure that our communications are in line with
the company’s stand.
3. Ensure authenticity of information.
Often people confuse their personal beliefs with facts, and then support them with evidence. This tends to
happen more often on Web-logs and in online discussion groups and it dilutes the speaker’s authenticity.
4. Respect people’s virtual space.
While a person might appear online on the IM late at night, it’s presumptuous to message them about
work. When interacting online, we should imagine how we would speak if the person was in front of us
and extend the same courtesy to them in the virtual world as well.
5. Do not assume privacy.
All emails, instant messages, blog posts and tweets are stored forever. They could be seen by anyone—a
customer, a friend, co-worker, company security staff, or even one’s boss. So writing something online is
very much similar to saying it aloud in a public space!
6. Maintain email etiquette.
Even in an informal email, we should ensure the writing remains grammatically correct, relevant, and
comprehensive. All emails don’t require the “Reply-all” option, unless it’s relevant to everyone in the
mailing list. Acronyms, emoticons, and slang could be interpreted as unprofessional. These simple steps
will go a long way in developing a positive image for our community.

2. Media Skills: Social Networking

Social media can be a great way to, well, socialize during your college years, but employers are
increasingly checking up on the online activities of potential hires to avoid bringing in employees who
may reflect poorly on the company.
Your task: Team up with another student and review each other’s public presence on Facebook, Twitter,
Flickr, blogs, and any other website that an employer might check during the interview and recruiting
process. Identify any photos, videos, messages, or other material that could raise a red flag when an
employee is evaluating a job candidate. Write your teammate an email message that lists any risky
material.
Solution
Note: The key challenge of this message will be in leveraging good intentions against a possibly negative
reaction. While the message is intended to guard against future embarrassment or negative employment
consequences, the receiver may see this effort as intrusive. The goal should be focused on constructive
advice. The example message below begins with complimentary comments on writing ability and then
moves swiftly into problem areas, helping the receiver be more open to the feedback.
To: [email protected]
Subject: My review of your online presence
Hi Janet,
I “Googled” you today and have finally sifted through your Facebook account, numerous blog posts,
tweets, and photographs. While evaluating your online presence I kept asking myself how I would react if
I was in the process of hiring you.
Your online writing is impressive. I liked your blog, especially the section with links to your published
and award winning work.
I suggest you reconsider the following:
 Your online résumé at LinkedIn does not have your current contact information.
 Several photographs and videos, taken during Allison’s bachelorette party and posted on
her website, show you drunk and passed out. You should contact her immediately and ask to have
the images removed.
 A few of your Facebook posts criticizing university policies appear emotionally charged
and hostile.
 You have tweeted details from drinking binges and parties. I suggest going through your
tweet history and deleting all such messages. The Library of Congress will still have

them on file, but unless you run for president someday, that shouldn’t be a problem! At
least you can get them out of immediate view of employers, and according to Twitter,
deleting them will eventually clear them from Twitter search.
Please let me know if I can answer any questions about my feedback.
Regards,
Lisa

3. Media Skills: Blogging

You work for PreVisor, one of many companies that offer employee screening and testing services.
PreVisor’s offerings include a variety of online products and consulting services, all designed to help
employers find and develop the best possible employees.
To help explain the value of its products and services, PreVisor publishes a variety of customer case
studies on its website. Each case study describes the staffing challenges a particular company faces, the
solution PreVisor was able to provide, and the results the company experienced after using PreVisor
products or services.
Your task: Select one of the customer case studies on the PreVisor website
(www.previsor.com/results/clients). Write a post that could appear on PreVisor’s blog, summarizing the
challenges, solutions, and results in no more than 100 words. Include a link to the complete case study on
the PreVisor website.
Solution
Note: Students should recognize that the intention of this post is to generate interest in the services of
PreVisor. They should be specific, yet brief, in detailing the customer’s need and how that was
successfully met.
[Post title] How NASA Validated IT Security Readiness with Objective Skills Metrics from PreVisor
When NASA discovered that it needed to measure and validate the IT security skills of its 3,000 systems
administrators, it turned to PreVisor for help. Together, they developed a pre-employment assessment and
skills certification program using Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) technology to provide an accurate
snapshot of critical employee skills. Today, PreVisor’s assessments are delivering results by providing
objective skills metrics that serve as a catalyst for continuous improvement among employees and
contractors who are crucial to the agency’s success. To know more about this case, visit
http://www.previsor.com/results/clients/nasa.

4. Message Strategies: Granting Claims

Your company sells flower arrangements and gift baskets. Holidays are always a rush, and the
overworked staff makes the occasional mistake. Last week, somebody made a big one. As a furious email
message from a customer named Anders Ellison explains, he ordered a Valentine’s Day bouquet for his
wife, but the company sent a bereavement arrangement instead.
Your task: Respond to Ellison’s email message, apologizing for the error, promising to refund all costs
that Ellison incurred, informing him that the correct arrangement will arrive tomorrow (and he won’t be
charged anything for it), and offering Ellison his choice of any floral arrangement or gift basket for free
on his wife’s birthday.
Solution
Note: Students should focus on the end goal of this exercise: keeping the customer. This message should
be sincere, professional, and factual. By making an apology and providing specific details on how the
situation will be rectified will give the customer confidence in the business. Also, offering a token of
gratitude for the customer’s patronage will leave the customer with a positive reaction to a situation that
could have been disastrous. This is an opportunity to turn the relationship around in a positive manner.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Complaint Regarding Wrong Delivery
Dear Mr. Ellison:
Please accept my deepest apologies for the distress caused to you by the incorrect delivery of a
bereavement bouquet to your wife on Valentine’s Day. Going forward, we will review our order
processing procedures during peak seasons to prevent such mistakes in the future.
I have initiated a full refund on the credit card you used to place your order; that amount should show up
on your next statement. The Valentine’s Day bouquet you ordered will be sent to your wife tomorrow free
of charge. In addition, when your wife’s birthday approaches, please place an order for any floral
arrangement or gift basket of your choice, and we will send that free of charge as well.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact me. I value your relationship
with Flowers for All Occasions, and your input will be invaluable in helping us to serve you better.
Sincerely,
Andy Jandl
Partner, Flowers for All Occasions

5. Message Strategies: Granting Claims

Like many of the staff at Razer ( www.razerzone.com), you are an avid game player. You can therefore
sympathize with a customer who got so excited during a hotly contested game that he slammed his Razer
Anansi keyboard against his chair in celebration. Razer products are built for serious action, but no
keyboard can withstand a blow like that. However, in the interest of building goodwill among the online
gaming community, your manager has approved a free replacement. This sort of damage is rare enough
that the company isn’t worried about unleashing a flood of similar requests.
Your task: Respond to Louis Hapsberg’s email request for a replacement, in which he admitted to
inflicting some abuse on this keyboard. Explain, tongue in cheek, that the company is “rewarding” him
with a free keyboard in honor of his massive gaming win, but gently remind him that even the most
robust electronic equipment needs to be used with care.
Solution
Note: This is an opportunity for students to see that a little humor and goodwill can go a long way to
retaining customers and even improving their perception of the company. Students should resist the urge
to negatively highlight the customer’s over-zealous behavior; no point would be served. Instead, the
message should be used as a chance to professionally remind the customer of proper use, without being
offensive or condescending.
Subject: Re: Request for replacement of Razer Anansi keyboard
Dear Mr. Hapsberg,
Thanks for writing to us about the damage to your Razer Anansi keyboard. We are passionate about
gaming at Razer and in honor of your massive win, we would like to “reward” you with a free keyboard
to replace the one you broke.
Razer products are built for serious action, but our keyboards are sensitive machines that are designed to
recognize and respond to your every move. We recommend that users handle them with care and use
them only for the purpose they are intended for.
We love hearing from our gamers, so please keep writing in. Everyone at Razer wishes you good times
and many more gaming wins. Perhaps a hearty fist pump would be a more appropriate victory celebration
next time!
Sincerely,
Rufus Thomas
Customer Service Representative

6. Message Strategies: Rejecting Suggestions and Proposals

Walter Joss is one of the best employees in your department, a smart and hard worker with a keen mind
for business. His upbeat attitude has helped the entire department get through some rough times recently,
and on a personal level, his wise counsel helped you grow into a leadership role when you were promoted
to marketing manager several years ago.
You generally welcome Joss’s input on the department’s operations, and you have implemented several
of his ideas to improve the company’s marketing efforts. However, the proposal he emailed you yesterday
was not his best work, to put it mildly. He proposed that the company dump the advertising agency it has
used for a decade and replace it with some new agency you’ve never heard of. The only reasons he
offered were that the agency “had become unresponsive” and that a “smaller agency could meet our needs
better.” He failed to address any of the other criteria that are used to select advertising agencies, such as
costs, creative skills, technical abilities, geographic reach, research capabilities, and media experience.
This is the first you’ve heard any criticism of the agency, and in fact, their work was helped your
company increase sales every year.
Your task: Draft an email message to Joss, rejecting his proposal. (Note that in a real-life setting, you
would want to discuss this with Joss in person, rather than through email, but use email for the purposes
of this exercise.)
Solution
Note: This message needs to be handled with some tact to maintain a positive working relationship with
the employee. However, the proposal was not solicited, so the manager doesn’t have to explain why he or
she rejected something that was asked for. A brief buffer is sufficient, followed by the reasons for
rejecting the proposal.
Subject: Your agency proposal
Hi Walter,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on our agency partnership. Your insights have been
helpful on many occasions in the past. However, I’m not following your logic in suggesting that we
terminate our contract with Meyers & Partners.
Without evidence to back up the assertion that Meyers & Partners has become unresponsive or that it is
too big to meet our needs, I won’t be able to take action on this matter. Moreover, the agency you
suggested as a replacement is relatively unknown. Important questions such as costs, creative skills,

technical abilities, geographic reach, research capabilities, and media experience would need to be
clarified.
If you would like to submit a revised proposal, I would welcome your thoughts and reasoning.
Michael

7. Message Strategies: Responding to Rumors and Public Criticism

The consumer reviews on Yelp ( www.yelp.com) can be a promotional boon to any local business—
provided the reviews are positive, of course. Negative reviews, fair or not, can affect a company’s
reputation and drive away potential customers. Fortunately for business owners, sites like Yelp give them
the means to respond to reviews, whether they want to apologize for poor service, offer some form of
compensation, or correct misinformation in a review.
Your task: Search Yelp for a negative review (one or two stars) on any business in any city. Find a
review that has some substance to it, not just a simple, angry rant. Now imagine that you are the owner of
that business, and write a reply that could be posted via the “Add Owner Comment” feature. Use
information you can find on Yelp about the company and fill in any details by using your imagination.
Remember that your comment will be visible to everyone who visits Yelp.
Solution
Note: This message provides an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. By being proactive, the
owner should meet the poor review head on by acknowledging the complaint, apologizing, and closing on
a positive note by offering the customer an unexpected benefit. If prepared correctly, this message will
convert a one-time customer into one who is appreciative and, therefore, loyal.
[www.yelp.com/biz/macrina-bakery-and-cafe-seattle-3]
[customer review; from website]

Anna F.,
Portland, OR.
I have to say, after reading the review I’m utterly under whelmed. We ordered two egg bialys, an orange
juice and a small iced latte for $20. The egg sandwich was really soggy from an over abundance of giant
chunks of onions and peppers and fell apart and lacked any seasoning. I ordered a non fat latte and upon
retrieval it didn’t look like skim. When I asked if it was skim I was told, “no, that’s not what it said”. I
told her that I had ordered skim and she stared at me flatly and repeated, “that’s not what it said”, turned
on her heel and went to make another. There was no sorry, comment, a “here you go”, nothing.. just
handed me a new one and I walked away. There you have it... My one and only trip to Macrina - never
again.
[possible owner response]
Thank you, Anna, for coming to Macrina. I’m very sorry to hear the sandwiches you ordered were not up
to the mark and that you were served regular latte, instead of the non-fat latte you had ordered. It
distresses me even more to hear of the indifferent treatment you received.

I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you at our bakery. At Macrina, we take great care to ensure
that our customers are given premium quality food and good services. I will personally take steps to
ensure that these are no further lapses in our services.
To make up for your bad experience, I would like to offer you a free coupon for our specialty, lemon tart.
I really hope you come back to our café, and give us another opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
Leslie Mackie
Owner of Macrina Bakery & Cafe

8. Message Strategies: Persuasive Business Messages

You’ve been trying for months to convince your boss, company CEO Will Florence, to start using
Twitter. You’ve told him that top executives in numerous industries now use Twitter as a way to connect
with customers and other stakeholders without going through the filters and barriers of formal corporate
communications, but he doesn’t see the value.
Your task: You come up with the brilliant plan to demonstrate Twitter’s usefulness using Twitter itself.
First, find three executives from three companies who are on Twitter (choose any companies and
executive you find interesting). Second, study their tweets to get a feel for the type of information they
share. Third, if you don’t already have a Twitter account set up for this class, set one up for the purposes
of this exercise (you can deactivate later). Fourth, write four tweets to demonstrate the value of executive
microblogging: one that summarizes the value of having a company CEO use Twitter and three support
tweets, each one summarizing how your three real-life executive role models use Twitter.
Solution
Note: Here are three high-profile executives who use Twitter to reach their stakeholders.
Twitter lets top CEOs connect directly and personally with customers and others instantly, in 140
characters or less: http://twitter.com
Richard Branson uses Twitter to focus on Virgin’s CSR efforts and to connect on a personal level. See
http://twitter.com/richardbranson
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg uses Twitter to speak directly to consumers and to get news out in real-
time: http://twitter.com/finkd
Tony Hsieh’s frequent updates and authentic voice on http://twitter.com/zappos make even company
news feel like a chat among friends.

9. Message Strategies: Marketing and Sales Messages

The oud (rhymes with “mood”) is a popular musical instrument in many cultures from northern Africa to
southwest Asia, enjoying the same status in these countries as the guitar enjoys in Europe and the
Americas. The oud, which dates back to the seventh century, was also the ancestor of the European-style
lute that had its heyday during the Renaissance.
Many guitar players are familiar with the lute, but probably fewer with the oud. As the marketing director
for Your World Instruments ( www.yourworldinstruments.com ) you’d like to encourage guitar players
to consider the oud. Some might want to just explore another musical heritage. Others might want to
expand their sonic palettes, so to speak, giving their music a broader range of sounds.
Your task: Write a brief email message that encourages guitar players to try something new. Or
something old, more precisely. The people to whom you will be writing have heard from the company
before, many are past customers, and all have opted-in to the email list. The call to action is encouraging
these musicians to click through to the website to watch videos of expert oud players and to learn more
about these storied instruments.
Solution
Note: Chances are this message will be well received, given the audience. Students should be able, then,
to incorporate a somewhat casual tone that conveys information tailored to the audience’s needs. They
should keep in mind, however, that even though the audience has interests in musical instruments, this
particular one will most likely be unfamiliar to them. The art of persuasion should be demonstrated by
using helpful information about how the product will further enhance their appreciation of instruments.
From: peterflynn@ yourworldinstruments.com
Subject: Expand your sonic palettes with the oud
Dear (add customer’s name),
As a fellow music-lover, I’m sure you are familiar with the guitar, mandolin, and even the European-style
lute. However, the ancestor of the lute, the oud, still remains relatively unknown in the West. It is among
the oldest stringed instruments, and first appeared in Persia in the 7 th century. Today, the oud is a
centerpiece of musical styles played in many cultures, from Northern Africa to Southwest Asia.
Unlike most western stringed instruments, the oud does not have any frets, which makes it possible to
play any sound outside the western musical scale. Moreover, because of its stronger, bowl-shaped body
the oud can be made from lighter wood. This gives it a unique sonic resonance and a more delicate feel
than flat-bodied musical instruments.

Whether you want to explore world music, experience another musical heritage, or are looking for new
sounds to add to your band, the oud might be a perfect choice. The oud comes in many sizes and types—
the large, ornate Arabic ouds, the mellow-sounding Turkish ouds, and even electric ouds for bands.
To learn more about the different types of ouds and their musical properties, and to watch the videos of
expert oud players, visit our website at www.yourworldinstruments.com.
An entire musical heritage is just a click away!
Sincerely,
Peter Flynn
Marketing Director
Your World Instruments

10. Message Strategies: Marketing and Sales Messages; Media Skills: Social Networking

Curves is a fitness center franchise that caters to women who may not feel at home in traditional gyms.
With its customer-focused and research-based approach, Curves has become a significant force in the
fitness industry and one of the most successful franchise operations in history.
Your task: Read the Overview and History sections at www.curves.com/about-curves. Imagine that you
are adapting this material for the Info tab on the company’s Facebook page. Write a “Company
Overview” (95–100 words) and a “Mission” statement (45–50 words).
Solution
Note: These messages should be clear, concise, and informative. This isn’t the place for intense
marketing or sales tactics. Students should focus on providing reliable and relevant information that sets
a solid foundation for additional information the public may seek from other sources.
Company Overview
Curves has been helping women achieve their fitness goals in a supportive and comfortable environment
since 1992. We take the pressure out of exercising with our unofficial motto “no makeup, no men, and no
mirrors.” Our 30-minute workout and revolutionary diet programs have made exercise accessible to
millions of women through nearly 10,000 locations in over 70 countries. This makes us the largest fitness
franchise in the world. And because a Curves membership is good at any location worldwide, that’s
saying a lot. Curves members can also access an exclusive community online and get additional support
24/7 at mycurves.com.
Mission
Curves is about strengthening women. Our mission is to help women reach their fitness goals in a
supportive, comfortable environment through our unofficial motto “no makeup, no men, and no mirrors,”
our innovative exercise and diet programs, and a global community of Curves members.

11. Message Strategies: Online Content

As you probably experienced, trying to keep all the different schools straight in one’s mind while
researching and applying for colleges can be rather difficult. Applicants and their families would no doubt
appreciate a handy summary of your college or university’s key points as they relate to the selection and
application process.
Your task: Adapt content from your college or university’s website to create a one-page “Quick Facts”
sheet about your school. Choose the information that you think prospective students and their families
would find most useful. (Note that adapting existing content would be acceptable in a real-life scenario
like this, because you would be re-using content on behalf of the content owner. Doing so would
definitely not be acceptable if you were using the content for yourself or for someone other than the
original owner.)
Solution Notes
Students will select varying topics to highlight based on their personal experience in selecting a college.
This exercise should provide interesting insight into what different students find of value to them
personally. Therefore, this is an opportunity to reinforce the concept of determining audience needs
before writing a message.

12. Message Strategies: Analytical Reports

After several false starts over the past few years, tablet computers seem to have finally caught on among
business users. In addition to Apple’s popular iPad, seemingly every computer company on the planet is
looking to get a share of this market. Will they be a passing fad? A cool toy or a serious business tool?
Your task: Prepare a short analytical report that compares the advantages and disadvantages of tablet
computers for traveling salespeople.
Solution Notes
Sales and service professionals have found a variety of ways to use the iPad and other tablet computers
in their work, so students can explore these areas for examples. One clever way to find ideas would be to
search the Apps store on iTunes to find business-oriented apps for the iPad (look in the Business,
Productivity, Reference, and even Travel sections).

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Supplemental Cases: Spring 2012

New cases to accompany

 Business Communication Essentials, Fifth Edition

All content copyright © 2012 Bovée and Thill LLC

Business Communication Essentials, Chapter 6

[Post title] Essential Business Netiquette