Handling Written Enquiries and ComplaintsCommunication - Written

Introduction

This workshop is designed specifically for business professionals to master new and specific techniques that will help sharpen their writing skills. The course will help participants produce a higher standard of reply submissions, to understand that good writing is not difficult.

The course is structured such that participants will learn to adopt an appropriate style, tone and format of writing to express their points coherently. And to consistently produce sharp, focused and concise replies. They will also pick up skills to avoid common writing errors and to write convincingly to sell their ideas.

Key Takeaways

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to;

• Plan and organise their replies
• Express ideas to suit the audience and purpose
• Use specific tools as guidelines for writing
• Identify and avoid the common errors in writing
• Apply the principles in writing business correspondence
• Reply to complaint letters

Who Should Attend

• Secretaries,
• Executives; and
• Professionals

Programme Outline

Module 1: Business Writing Process

• Old Fashioned Language versus Modern Business Correspondence
• Summary versus Concise Writing Essentials
• Approaches to writing - Active and passive voice; Direct and indirect persuasive approaches
• How to make the tone of writing work for you—Positive, negative and neutral tones

Module 2: Know Your Customers

• Identifying customers through DISC profiling
• What readers really expect

Module 3: Application Tools

• How to plan your writing using the four-point plan, news triangle, four P’s and problem-cause-effect-solution in writing for e-mails, letters of complaint and enquiry
• Avoiding “reply” templates and using phrases to reply to an aggrieved customer

Module 4: Proofreading and Vetting Process

• Common errors made in customer correspondence using samples of existing office replies
• How to compliment customers without over patronising them.
• Writing replies to different readers based on case studies. (Enquiries and complaints)

Methodologies

• Lecturing
• Group Discussion/Brainstorming
• Case Studies
• Self-Analysis/Critique Session
• Learning from a Partner
• Interactive Exercises

Programme Trainer

Caroline Josephine Dawson holds a Master of Arts degree in Mass Communications from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She has more than 8 years of invaluable experience in teaching business, environmental and technical communication and 10 years in the field of journalism and publishing. Caroline has trained operational, supervisory and managerial staff from various organisations.

As an Editor of 4 publications, i.e. Executive Inc, The Hemispheres, The Hemispheres Kid and Koolkidz Magazine, Caroline is presented with opportunities to conduct all facets of written communication to not only the corporate sector but students and aspiring writers as well. Caroline has also written several articles which have all been published in established local magazines. Her dissertation “Effective Ways of Promoting Environmental Consciousness among School Children in Singapore” is kept in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and various nature organisations in Singapore as resource and reference material on environmental and persuasive communication.

In addition, her professional work experience as a Corporate Trainer has required her to market the value of her programs and persuade clients to value and understand the urgency of good communication skills in the workforce. She has also worked with the Workforce Development Agency of Singapore to develop training content for the Employability Skills System where she successfully attained industry-approved competencies in conducting, planning and designing competency-based assessments for workshops.