PREWRITING:
Write a letter to several clients regarding a delay in widget production.
Transmission Method: Letter, to be mailed and possibly to be emailed
Analyze Sender and Receiver: Sender is the company, General Manager will be signatory
Consider Tone and Style: Tone needs to be professional, style is typical business block style
List Facts and topics:
Fact: Widget production will be delayed
Topics: Your business is valuable to us
Production will be delayed XXXX weeks
Expect to resume production XXXX
Apologize for delay
Reason for widget production delay
Determine Organization:
Thank for business
Give bad news (e.g., widget production delay)
Why will widget production be delayed?
Apologize for delay
Give concrete information – when will production resume?
Write Outline
- Salutation
- Thank you for your business
- Widget Production will be Delayed
- Why the delay
- How long
- When will production resume
- When will customer receive widgets
- Apologize for delay
- Thank them again
- Contact information regarding letter
- Complimentary Close
- Signature
Plan Support:
Letter to be drafted by me. Deliver to GM's secretary for final typing (email). GM's secretary will mail and/or email, as necessary and relevant.
Plan Schedule:
Draft to be completed by Monday, April 06, 2009
Obtain GM signature by Tuesday, April 7, 2009
GM Secretary mail letter to customers April 7, 2009
Dear XXXXX,
We at Sunshine Widget Company appreciate your business. As you know, we are committed to provide you with the highest quality widgets possible. We know you appreciate our quality standards and Six Sigma practices and rely on that accuracy and quality level in the production of your goods and services, and I am writing to you for that reason today.
Yesterday, during our daily inspection process, one of our inspectors detected an error of 1/32" in the widgets under production. We immediately ceased production to determine the cause and fix the problem. Upon investigation, we traced the source of the problem to one of our stamping machines. The machine, although new, is now out of the range of acceptable tolerance levels.
At the same time we were investigating the machine discrepancy, we examined widgets that had been produced for the past week on that assembly line. I am pleased to report that there was no evidence of any widgets out of acceptable tolerance levels. This was good news.
The bad news is that the replacement part to repair the widget production machine is manufactured by Widget Machine Production Company in St. Paul, Minnesota. A blizzard has made transportation in and out of St. Paul an impossible task in the short tem. I spoke personally with the manager of the plant, who assured me that the repair part will be produced in three days. Weather reports are predicting the weather to clear within the next day, and the roads will be cleared shortly thereafter.
Once we receive the part, it will take us a day to install and test the equipment to make sure it is working properly. Once we make that determination, we will resume production. Our plan is to notify you immediately upon successful installation of the part and give you a firm shipping and delivery date for your order.
Again, please accept my sincere apologies for this delay. If we can be of assistance to you in the interim period, please let us know. As you know, our aim is to delight our customers. Our commitment to you and to the production of quality widgets remains high.
Our Production Manager, Tom Sapp, is the point of contact for this matter. Tom and his staff will be pleased to assist you with any of your questions or concerns regarding this delay. Tom can be contacted at +1-XXX-XXX-XXX, or via e-mail at .
Thank you for your patience and continuing faith in our company.
Best regards,
Timothy Baldwin
POST WRITING
Edit
Dear XXXXX,
We at Sunshine Widget Company appreciate your business. As you know, we are committed to provide you with the highest quality widgets possible. We know you appreciate our quality standards and Six Sigma practices and rely on that accuracy and quality level in the production of your goods and services, and I am writing to you for that reason today.
Yesterday, during our daily inspection process, one of our inspectors detected an error of 1/32" in the widgets under production. We immediately ceased production to determine the cause and fix the problem. Upon investigation, we traced the source of the problem to one of our stamping machines. The machine, although new, is now out of the range of acceptable tolerance levels.
At the same time we were investigating the machine discrepancy, we examined widgets that had been produced for the past week on that assembly line. I am pleased to report that there was no evidence of any widgets out of acceptable tolerance levels. This was good news.
The bad news is that the replacement part to repair the widget production machine is manufactured by Widget Machine Production Company in St. Paul, Minnesota. A blizzard has made transportation in and out of St. Paul an impossible task in the short temterm. I spoke personally with the manager of the plant, who assured me that the repair part will be produced in three days. Weather reports are predicting the weather to clear within the next day, and the roads will be cleared shortly thereafter.
Once we receive the part, it will take us a day to install and test the equipment to make sure it is working properly. Once we make that determination, we will resume production. Our plan is to notify you immediately upon successful installation of the part and give you a firm shipping and delivery date for your order.
Again, please accept my sincere apologies for this delay. If we can be of assistance to you in the interim period, please let us know. As you know, our aim is to delight our customers. Our commitment to you and to the production of quality widgets remains high.
Our Production Manager, Tom Sapp, is the point of contact for this matter. Tom and his staff will be pleased to assist you with any of your questions or concerns regarding this delay. Tom can be contacted at +1-XXX-XXX-XXX, or via e-mail at .
Thank you for your patience and continuing faith in our company.
Best regards,
Timothy Baldwin
Recheck Elements
Thoroughness
Critique Organization
Evaluate Language
Vary Sentences
Repair Grammar
Correct Mechanics
Incorporate Supports