READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

Read the case study, read each question carefully! - make sure you answer everything the assignment asks for; some short answer questions have multiple parts. - Ensure you provide a complete answer with complete justification, elaboration, and explanation to receive a full mark.

This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying it to a specific situation. The news release offers no details, but raises many questions about whether Office-To-Go will remain competitive with other suppliers. For the past year, Miguel Ramirez has worked for his father's insurance agency, Ramirez \& Associates Insurance. The small company has only five employees: Miguel and his father, Carlos; Melinda and Reggie, Analyzing Tasks and Choosing both senior associates; and Theresa, the office manager. the Best Medium On a Friday morning, Miguel opens the office and checks the company's voice mail. The first message is from his father, saying he Because Miguel is alone, he decides to spend the day following up on won't be in today because he decided to leave for vacation one day early. business leads, answering the phone, and responding to emails and letThe second message is from Reggie, reminding everyone that he will ters. As a first step, Miguel uses the first phase of the ACE process to be out calling on clients. The third message from Melinda says that analyze his communication tasks using three criteria: Do others need the insurance supplier she planned to visit next weck requested that the information quickly? Will the task be easy for me to do, or should she come today instead, so she will be out of the office all day. The last someone else handle it later? is it in the business's best interest for me message is from Theresa, the office manager, who says she has the flu to answer quickly? and will not be in today. This leaves Miguel in charge. TASK 1: Review the 11 messages and prioritize each item by putMiguel sits down at Theresa's computer and opens the central ting a 1 next to those that must be handled today, a 2 next to items email for the office. He also glances at the stack of regular mail on that should be handled today if there is time, and a 3 next to items Theresa's desk. Here is a summary of the 11 messages he finds. that can wait. Then, for each item, do a quick analysis. Identify the purpose of Miguel's communication, the audience, and the best In the Email: medium option: letter, memo, emai, IM, telephone, meeting, and so forth. Be prepared to explain your choices. 1. A notice from one of the insurance companies whose products Ramirez \& Associates sells. The company has adjusted auto insur- Composing Good NeWS ance rates and coverage for all customers in the state based on in Response to a Claim claims and costs from the previous year. These changes will affect almost all customers. Migucl has good news to deliver to his client, Kristina Ivanska. He 2. A notice from another company that it will not renew the received an email from her insurer saying that the company will pay insurance for a customer who filed three claims during the past 100 percent of the replacement/repair cost for her roof, which was seyear. verely damaged in a wind storm, minus the $250 deductible. 3. Two requests for insurance quotes from new customers. Ms. Ivanska will get her payment in two installments. She will im- 4. A request from a summer intern for a job recommendation. mediately receive a check for $7,242, which is the value of her seven- 5. A request from a corporate client asling that Ramirez \& Associ- year-old roof. Then when she has the roof repaired, the company will ates confirm the details of an insurance policy covering itsoci- pay the difference between what it has already paid and the actual repair cost minus the $250 insurance deductible. She doesn't need to rush 6. A notice that a customer's co have the roof repaired because she has up to 180 days to submit the will be completely covered by the insuring company, minus the bill for the repairs. $250 deductible. he decides to call her. He begins the conversation with good news: 7. An email from Melinda asking someone in the office to place an "Ms. Ivanska, I wanted to let you know that Bill Baker, the insurorder of office supplies with Office-To-Go. She left the list of sup- ance adjuster, will be stopping by your house next week with a check plies on her desk, and she needs them by Monday. for $7,242 to cover yokr roof damage." Much to Miguel's surprise, Ms. Ivanska was very upset. She said: "But I just got an estimate from In the Regular Mail: the roofing company for $9,850 to replace the roof. I thought my insur8. Three insurance policies that need to be mailed to customers. ance covered 'replacement value.' There's a $2,500 diffcrencel How can These policies are complex, and the customers will not under- I pay for that?" stand the details without a clear summary. Miguel immediately realizes that he had organized his message 9. An invitation addressed to Miguel's father, Carlos, asking him to the wrong way. He tries to calm Ms. Ivanska: "Don't worry. The insurspeak at a college career night next month. The school requests a ance will cover the full cast except for your $250 deductible. I m just exreply within 10 days, and Miguel's father is not going to be back in plaining it wrong. Let me write you a letter, and I'I drop it by your house the office for two weeks. 10. A letter from the National Association of Insurance and Financial TASK 2: Write the good-news letter for Miguel. Be sure that it acAdvisors indicating that Carlos Ramirez has been nominated for complishes the following goals: the prestigious John Newton Russell Memorial Award, the indus- Delivers the good news in a way that Ms. Ivanska will under try's highest honor. stand and that calms her concerns 11. A news release from Office-To-Go, ane of the major office equip- - Explains what the insurance company will do and what she ment suppliers in the area. The company has been purchased by a need's to do larger corporation, which may affect pricing and delivery policies. - Reestablishes her confidence in Ramirez \& Associates as an insurance broker