Business Communication

Course Coordinator: Ayyaz Qadeer

The Seven C’s of Effective Communication

1. Completeness

2. Conciseness

3. Consideration

4. Concreteness

5. Clarity

6. Courtesy

7. Correctness

1. Completeness

1. Remember the five W’s & One HWho? What? When? Where?Why? and

How?

2. Answer all questions:1. A. Stated questions from questioner.

2. B. Implied questions from questioner.

3. Give extra information, when desirable.

1. Completeness

Example: Incomplete letter to a new saving depositorAll our facilities are at your disposal, and anytime we can be of service, please

call on us. Our appreciation is best expressed by our being of service to you.

Revised, complete letter to the new saving depositor.Thank you for the confidence you have shown in First Federal by the

savings account you recently opened. Our goal is to make all our services to you both pleasant and helpful.

Among the conveniences and services available to you at First Federal, you may be especially interested in these: ……………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………….

You are most welcome to come in whenever we can assist you. Please consider this association your financial headquarters for your savings and borrowing needs.

2. Conciseness

1. Use one word in place of phrases; one sentence in place of two Read out loud to ‘listen’ for wordiness.

2. Omit outdated trite expression.

3. Ask yourself: What material is really relevant?

4. Look for unnecessary repetition: Does the same word or idea appear too often?

2. Conciseness (Eliminate Wordy Expression)

1. At this time2. Due to the fact that3. Please be advised that

your admission statement was received.

4. It was known by Mr.. Smith that we must reduce inventory.

5. The total balance due will be found on page 2 of this report.

1. Now

2. Because

3. Your admission statement has been received.

4. Mr. Smith knew we must reduce inventory.

5. The balance due is on page 2 of this report.

2. Conciseness (Include only relevant)

1. We hereby wish to let you know that our company is pleased with the confidence you have reposed in us.

1. We appreciate your confidence.

2. Conciseness (Avoid unnecessary repetition)

1. COMSATS Institute of Information Technology

2. Will you ship us sometime, anytime during the month of October would be fine, or even November if you are rushed (November would suit us just as well, in fact a little bit better) 300 of the regular 3-by 15 inch blue felt armbands with white sewn letters in the center. Thank you in advance for sending these along to us by parcel post, and not express, as express is too expensive.

1. CIIT

2. Please ship parcel post, before the end of November, 300 regular 3 by 15 inch blue felt armbands with white sewn letters in the center.

3. Consideration

1. See your material from your reader’s point of view.

2. ‘You’ is more desirable than ‘I’ or ‘We’ in most instances.

3. Readers like to see benefits. Be sure benefits are a prominent part of the message.

4. Consciously use positive words; readers will react more favorably.

3. Consideration (Focus on ‘You’ instead of ‘I’ and ‘we’)

We-attitude I am delighted to

announce that we will be extending our hours to make shopping more convenient.

You failed to enclose your check in the envelope.

You-attitude1. You will be able to

shop evenings with the extended hours.

2. The check was not enclosed.

3. Consideration (Show audience benefit or interest in the receiver, pleasant facts)

Negative - Unpleasant It is impossible to

open an account for you today.

We don’t refund if the returned item is soiled and unsalable.

Positive – Pleasant

1. As soon as your signature card reaches us, we will gladly open an account.

2. We refund when the returned item is clean and resalable.

3. Consideration (Emphasize pleasant words)

People want to hear Favourably Cordially Benefit Happy Help Generous Loyal Pleasure Thanks Considerable Many more

People don’t want to hear1. Blame2. Complaint3. Failed4. Fault5. Negligence6. Regret7. Reject8. Trouble9. Unfair10. Mistake11. Many more

4. Concreteness

1. Were you precise in using facts and figure wherever possible?

2. Did you use the active voice more than the passive?

3. Is there action in verbs rather than in nouns or infinitives?

4. Did you try to occasionally use vivid, image-building words? But in business writing, use them sparingly.

4. Concreteness (Use specific facts and figures)

Vague, General, Indefinite Student GMAT scores

are higher.

Eastern Europe is making progress in obtaining investments.

Concrete, Precise

1. In 2007 the GMAT scores averaged 600; by 2008 they had risen to 610.

2. In 2000 investments in Eastern Europe were about US $ 30 millions; today that figure has increased by 10%.

4. Concreteness (Put actions into your verbs)

Active Tests were

administered by the professors.

Professor A. will give consideration to the report.

Passive

1. Professors administered the tests.

2. Prof. A. will consider the report.

Be Specific, personal , concise and emphatic

5. Clarity

1. Choose as precise or as concrete a word as possible.

2. Select words that have a high sense of appropriateness for the reader.

3. Opt for the familiar word, the one that is not pretentious.

4. Limit average sentence length to 17 to 25 words.

5. Insert no more than one main idea into a sentence.

6. Arrange words so that the main idea occurs early in a sentence.

5. Clarity (choose precise, concrete, and familiar words)

Unfamiliar After our perusal of

pertinent data, the conclusion is that a lucrative market exists for the subject property.

Familiar

1. The data we studied show that your property is profitable and in high demand.

5. Clarity (Construct effective sentences and paragraphs)

Length

Unity

Coherence

Emphasis (put main ideas up front)

6. Courtesy

1. Ask yourself: Does the communication have a sincere you-attitude?

2. Have someone else look at your statement if you have doubts about whether it is tactful. Another opinion may cause you to reconsider making a statement.

3. Be cautious in using humour in communication. Here too it pays to have someone else review your words.

4. Be careful in using discriminatory language; this means being aware of gender, race, age, colour, creed, sexual preferences, or ethnic origins.

6. Courtesy (be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative)

Tactless, blunt, Irritating

Stupid letter; I can’t understand any of it.

You are delinquent You did not tell us Your complaint

Your stubborn silence

Tactful, Courteous

1. It’s my understanding.

2. Contrary to you inference

3. I’m sure you must realize

4. We find it difficult to believe that

5. Why have you ignored

6. Courtesy (Choose nondiscriminatory expression)

Avoid

Manpower Man-made The best man for

the position

More desirable

1. First-year students

2. Workers, employees

3. The best person/ candidate

7. Correctness

1. Select the right level of language for your communication: either formal or informal

2. Realize that informal language is also used in business communication.

3. Check –often by letting another person read your material – for correct figures, facts, and words.

4. Apply the principles of accepted mechanics to your writing.

Recapitulation

1. …………………………………….

2. …………………………………….

3. ……………………………………..

4. …………………………………….

5. …………………………………….

6. …………………………………….

7. ……………………………………..