Note, you may need additional information that isn’t provided in the scenario. You may invent needed information, but it must be pertinent and realistic. You cannot change the facts in the case. As you write the letter, consider carefully what forms you attitude, positive emphasis, and constructive writing will take in the message. Likewise, consider carefully how you will reject the reader’s request while maintaining goodwill.
You are a customer service manager at Kodak. Today you receive a letter from Richard Coppe, a 28 year old resident of Orlando who wants Kodak to foot the bill for a round-the-world trip because his Kodak FunSaver cameras malfunctioned and none of the pictures could be developed. Mr. Coppe requests that Kodak refund the cost of his trip ($15,000) because he lost memories. Kodak FunSaver cameras are single use cameras loaded with film that cost about $15. Mr. Coppe mentions that he had purchased 12 for his trip.
As soon as you read the letter, you know what went wrong and why he lost the film. Of the 5 million FUNSAVER cameras sold last year, 20,000 malfunctioned. One of the suppliers of the cameras squirted too much oil into the shutter mechanism during manufacturing. The cameras from the lot were recalled. In fact, Kodak spent a great deal of money to remove the cameras from store shelves ($250,000), and notices of the recall were displayed in stores that carried the camera that provided directions to customers who had already purchased the camera. Mr. Coppe missed these notices.
Kodak has since redesigned the FUNSAVER camera so that it will work even with excess oil.
Although you are sorry, Kodak’s policy is to never assume responsibility beyond replacing a camera or film. In fact, your supervisor thinks the request is preposterous. She agrees, though, that this customer has suffered more than a routine loss of snapshots. While you cannot refund the cost of his trip (or any part of it), you can give Mr. Coppe a new digital camera, KODAK PIXPRO AZ252 Astro Zoom Digital Camera, worth $250.
Write a letter to Mr. Coppe that refuses his demand for the $15,000 but retains the customer’s goodwill. (In the letter, use your name in the signature line.)
Tip: In many communication situations, you will have more information than you need or more information than you need to provide to the reader. To put it another way, one of the writer’s most difficult jobs is to discern what information can or should be relayed to the reader. For this situation, you’ll have to judge the situation thoughtfully, consider your reader’s needs carefully, and then determine what information to include, what information to leave out, and how to deliver the news.
