- The scenario texts are deliberately disorganized and poorly written. Scenario texts contain unnecessary, irrelevant, and/or “unprofessional” information; the details are disorganized and generally out of order; and the texts are poorly written. This is on purpose—to force you to make choices about what information you’ll include, in what order, using what tone, etc.
- In other words, be selective about the information you include in your correspondence—omit unnecessary or irrelevant information (information that doesn’t help you to achieve your purpose/s)—organize content logically and effectively, use a rhetorical approach, etc. to to meet the needs of your audience.
- You may make up information/details (such as an end date for action, if one is not provided) to add to your correspondence if you feel it is necessary. However, any additional information/details must not significantly change the context/scenario and must be noted in your document plan(s).
- If you are writing as the representative of a company, you do not need to create/provide letterhead. However, be sure to indicate your position and organization in the signature block.
- All of your correspondence should be formatted according to the conventions of their genres—in other words, letters should look like letters, memos should look like memos, etc.
- For emails, remember to include all of the necessary fields (To Address, From Address, Subject [and, if needed, CC, BCC, Attachments]).
As Glades Industries’ Parking Coordinator, you must remind both office employees and warehouse employees of the company’s parking guidelines. Office employees must park in Lots A and B in their assigned spaces. If they have not registered their cars and received their white stickers, the cars will be ticketed. Office employees are forbidden to park at the curb. Warehouse employees may park at the curb before 2:30 p.m. Moreover, after 2:30 p.m., warehouse employees may park in any empty space — except those marked Handicapped, Van Pool, Car Pool, EV, or Management. Office employees may loan their spaces to other (warehouse) employees if they know they will not be using them.The biggest problem is that employees aren’t registering their cars (as evidenced by a lack of white registration stickers in the parking lot). Registration is handled by Human Resources, and they’re going to start cracking down on employees who haven’t registered—any car without a sticker will be ticketed, and in the case of repeated violations, cars will be towed.
To encourage registration, Human Resources Relations will be in the cafeteria March 4 and 5 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm to take applications and issue white parking stickers. They’ll also be available in the cafeteria on the 5th from 2 pm to 5:30 pm.
As manager of Pompano Beach Gym & Fitness Center, you must refuse the application of Anne DeLuca for an Extended Membership. This is strictly a business decision. You liked Anne very much when she stopped into the Fitness Center and applied. You and Anne talked for nearly 30 minutes! (She left after realizing she was almost late to pick up her 5 month old from daycare.) After talking with her, you’re sure Anne is genuinely interested in fitness and a healthful lifestyle. However, your Extended Membership plan qualifies the member for all your testing, exercise, recreation, yoga, and aerobics programs. This multi-service program is expensive for the club to maintain because of the huge staff required. Applicants must have a solid credit rating to join. To your disappointment, you learned that Anne’s credit rating is decidedly negative. Her credit report indicates that she is delinquent in payments to four businesses, including the Coral Springs Athletic Club, your principal competitor. You do have other programs, including your Drop In and Work Out plan, which offers the use of available facilities on a cash basis. This plan enables a member to reserve space on the racquetball and handball courts. The member can also sign up for yoga and exercise classes, space permitting. Because Anne is far in debt, you would feel guilty allowing her to plunge in any more deeply.
As Assistant to the Regional Manager of the Scranton Branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, you and two members of the sales staff—Stanley Hudson and Phyllis Lapin-Vance—attended a conference in Philadelphia, PA. You stayed at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown because your company recommends that employees use this hotel chain. Generally, your employees have liked their accommodations, and the rates have been within your company’s budget. The hotel’s service has been excellent. Now, however, you’re unhappy with the charges you see on your company’s credit statement from Marriott. When your department’s administrative assistant made the reservations, she was assured that you would receive the weekend rates and that a hot breakfast—in the hotel restaurant—the Courtyard Kitchen—would be included in the rate. You hate those cold sweet rolls and instant coffee “continental” breakfasts, especially when you have to leave early and won’t get another meal until afternoon. So you and the other two employees went to the restaurant and ordered a hot meal from the menu.
When you received the credit statement, though, you see a charge for $81 for three champagne buffet breakfasts at the Courtyard Kitchen. You hit the ceiling! For one thing, you didn’t have a buffet breakfast and certainly didn’t have champagne. The three of you got there so early that no buffet had been set up. You ordered pancakes and sausage, and for this you were billed $25 each. You’re outraged! What’s worse, your company may charge you personally for exceeding the expected rates.
In looking back at this event, you remembered that other guests on your floor were having a “continental” breakfast in a lounge on your floor. Perhaps that’s where the hotel expected all guests on the weekend rate to eat. However, your receptionist—Pam Beesly—specifically asked about this matter when she made the reservations, and she was told that you could order breakfast from the menu at the hotel’s restaurant.