TASK ;Students will compose a one-page single-spaced indirect bad-news/indirect letter. Students should be able to compose and format this letter using standard business letter format with standard punctuation and font as well as syntax and grammar. The students should use appropriate business tone and consider the best rhetorical strategy to employ to maintain a positive relationship with the receiver of the letter.

Topic 1: Refusing Claim

As a manager of human resources, you must refuse a request for reimbursement for additional moving expenses from Roger Laramie, the new assistant manager of Information Systems. When Roger transferred divisions last month from Montreal to Calgary, he was promised the standard relocation allowance of $5,000 to cover cartage and insurance costs for a long-distance move, based on estimates for the contents of a three-bedroom home. As soon as Roger received news of his transfer, he was informed that out-of-province moves for your company are handled by Express Movers, a corporate moving specialist offering discounted rates. Despite the existing agreement with Express Movers, Roger instead signed a contract with Elite Movers, a company whose rates are substantially higher because of their experience in shipping fragile short-wave radio equipment such as his. As a result, the claim for moving expenses he submitted exceeded $9,000. Write to Roger explaining your reasons for the refusal while attempting to retain his goodwill.

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Topic #2: Refusing Claim

AS owner of Cedar Country Decks and Fences, you must refuse the following claim. Josh Starowicz, president of Animatronix Computer Animation, has asked you to repair his offices rooftop deck, which you installed eight years ago when the century-old building was owned by Caption Advertising. On completion of the carpentry, you applied a generous coat Thompsons Water Seal and advised Gord McNamara, Captions president, that the sealant should be reapplied regularly. To help him maintain the deck cheaply, you even offered him a low-cost annual maintenance contract, which he refused. When Animatronix purchased the property and moved n a year ago, staff members were alarmed at the condition of the deck boards were warped and rotten, sections of the security railing were missing, and stair treads were loose. Apparently, Mr. McNamaras cousin, a general contractor, had been called in to do repairs but had ceased work after sanding away the remaining sealant, hastening the decks deterioration. Although you normally guarantee your work, you do not feel justified in repairing it at no cost, according to MR. Starowiczs request. The damage clearly resulted from poor maintenance and shoddy workmanship by other contractors. In addition, the cost of materials alone for such a job would exceed $5,000, an expense your small business simple cant absorb. Although you firmly believe that fault does not rest with you, you would like to retain the goodwill of the buildings new owner, in part because neighboring businesses have recently been accepting bids for deck projects. Write to Mr. Starowicz refusing his claim but offering a solution, perhaps in the form of a free inspection or a discount on repairs.