《商务写作案例教学》.doc

SUPPLEMENTAL CASES CASE 1: MAJOR APPLIANCE SERVICE Fresh out of college, you have landed a job as Customer Service Representative with Major Appliance Service, a nationwide appliance repair company. As part of your training for the position, you learned to quote customers the basic price of $39.95 for a home visit by a service person. If the service person performed service work on the appliance, additional charges would be added for labor and parts. If the appliance was unrepairable or too expensive to repair, no additional charge would be added. Or so you thought. After arranging several $39.95 visits, you began receiving complaint calls from customers. It seems that service personnel were automatically adding $15 to the $39.95 for an appliance evaluation. They were telling the customers that the base amount of $39.95 was simply for drive time. You asked your supervisor if you misunderstood what you should be telling customers. No, your supervisor told you, youre quoting the rate correctly. We have to stick to that rate because thats what the competition charges. You keep telling them $39.95, and if the service people can get an extra $15, so much the better. You dislike this advice for several reasons. First, you dont want to lie to customers. They blame you, after all, for not telling them how much a basic service call without labor will cost. Second, you think the company will hurt its own reputation by such deceptive practices. But what to do? Writing Exercises 1. Write a memo to file in which you record the details of several customer complaints about the $39.95 and of your meeting with your supervisor on the issue. 2. Write a memo to your supervisor in which you repeat your personal objections to the deceptive practice of quoting one price and charging another. Try to be tactful and persuasive in your memo, not confrontational. 3. Assume your supervisor flatly rejects your arguments expressed in #2 above and tells you to get on with your job. Write a memo