[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : Replying Negatively

Replying Negatively to Suggestions

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

• Repeat enough details of the suggestion so the reader knows you have given it proper attention.
• If you cannot use the suggestion, explain under what conditions you might reconsider.
• Should we have need of an outside legal firm, I’ll keep the name of your acquaintance on file in my office.
• If the situation seems to be changing in the next few months, I’ll get in touch with you for more details about your idea.
• If our budget does call for an increase a couple of years down the line, I’d like you to bring this to my attention again then.
• If we do decide to eliminate the Ohio division, this idea would make perfect sense at that point. Keep it in the back of your mind for that occasion.
• If sales should pick up in the next year, however, we would want to reconsider these value-added suggestions. They do have merit.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1: Replying negatively to suggestion

[Subordinate has suggested that closing meetings be eliminated.]

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Monthly Closing Meetings

Bill, I received your note about the last closing meeting. Although the meeting you attended may not have been as productive as we all would have liked, we are all attempting to identify and resolve problems associated with this area of responsibility. To do this, we need the insight and cooperation of MIS and of all the accounting units; therefore, I feel to eliminate completely the closing meetings would be premature at this time.

Let me assure you we are trying to make the format as productive as possible. And as encouragement for the future, let me emphasize that when all the closing structure falls into place, we likely will have no further need for these meetings.

I appreciate your interest in the closing project, and please continue to advise me of any other concerns about our progress.
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Reply negatively to a suggestion

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Fitzroberts:

Thank you for your nice letter of March 2, suggesting how to avert the coming economic depression in the oil and gas industry.

We sincerely hope, as I’m sure you do, such a downturn will not materialize. I’ve given your conclusions serious thought; however, I believe we have spent as much time and money as we can justify in following these public-work projects.

Thank you for thinking about our welfare.

Yours truly,
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Samples of replying positively to suggestion letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Jordan:

Thank you for your letter concerning the use of actual customers in our advertising commercials.

Dreyton has not recently used non-actors in our television ads. We attempted this several years ago when actual Dreyton service station dealers were used to play the role of dealers.

I will forward your letter to our advertising department to make our representatives aware of your availability should they use “real customers” in future commercials.

Thank you for your interest in our company and your kind remarks.

Very truly yours,
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Negative response to suggestion letter

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Expansion Of Employee Library

Nick, I received your suggestions concerning the expansion of our employee library. Your point concerning the increase in idea generation we could experience was a valid one, and I agree with it.

Unfortunately, the funds for such an expansion are not available at the present time. I will, however, take your request to the budget planning committee. It is possible that they may be able to allocate funds from next year’s budget for library expansion.
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Reply letter

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Ms. DeBeers:

I have received your suggestions for a new voice mail system, and value the initiative you took in researching alternative systems and reviewing them for us.

Our current voice mail system, though, is part of our overall phone services package, which includes our fax machine and networked phone system. In order to change our voice mail, our company would have to go with a completely different service for all of our needs.

I’m sure you can understand our reluctance to change such a large system because of one component. I have instead registered our complaints concerning the voice mail system to the phone company, and they have scheduled a service technician to repair it tomorrow morning. Please let me know if you continue to experience problems.

Regards,
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[tab name=’Example 6′]

Example 6: Suggestion reply letters

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Increase In Vacation Leave Length

Kara, I appreciate the points you made concerning most firms’ current policies of granting a full two weeks vacation to all employees. I must tell you there are no plans to change the policy at this time.

Let me explain the rationale behind the policy. As you know, we are required to grant full pay to all employees while they are on vacation. Because of this, we have instituted an increase in the number of days an employee is granted for vacation time based on the amount of time the employee has worked for our firm. While this may seem unfair or constraining at first, let me point out that after a certain point in your career with us, you can receive up to four weeks paid vacation, whereas other firms will still allow you only two.

We feel those employees who remain with us through the years are deserving of such increases; they should not be limited to only two weeks vacation time when you consider the amount of time they have devoted to us. I’m sure you will agree that long-time employees’ loyalty is worthy of such recognition.
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[tab name=’Example 7′]

Example 7: Decline suggestion letter

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Todd:

I have reviewed your suggestions concerning our payment plan and value the time you took preparing your suggestion for my review. While I agree that our payment system may seem inflexible, there are certain problems with the floater payment plan you outlined in your memo. These problems are not due to flaws in the system itself, but rather to the design of several of our other departments.

For example, instituting a floating payment plan would be almost impossible for our accounting staff with our current method of bookkeeping. They are required to have all accounts fully up-to-date at the end of each month for review; with floating payments they would no longer be able to do so.

Floating payments would also cause problems for our collections department. With the floater payments, they would not have a firm due date for past due account evaluation.

I realize that as a salesperson, you will sometimes be in a situation where the only way you can get the sale is through an alternate payment plan. Please call me if you are in such a situation. I can from time to time authorize alternate payment plans, particularly for long-time clients.

Regards,
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[tab name=’Example 8′]

Example 8: Replying Negatively

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr. Case:

Thank you for your candid letter stating your apprehension about the quality of water since the Bio-Gen Plant opened last year.

Please be assured that Bio-Gen is as concerned about the environment we live in as you are. After all, our families and children live here also.

In order to ensure that we are not polluting the town’s water source, we are participating in a government funded program, whereby we are subjected two one to three random tests of the water by our plant. Enclosed is a record of all the tests that have been conducted since our opening, as well as monthly tests done by the county at our request the year before we began our operations. Bio-Gen is proud to say that we have in no way contaminated the water. In fact, you will discover that we even helped rid the lake of an organic toxin through the use of natural methods prior to the opening of our plant. This toxin was discovered during the county’s testing.

If you have further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Cordially,
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[tab name=’Example 9′]

Example 9: Decline suggestion samples

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Change In Employee Uniform

April:

We received your letter proposing a new employee dress code. Your point that the uniforms are difficult to maintain, out-dated in appearance, and downright uncomfortable met with much sympathy from the management, almost all of whom have had to wear the same uniform at one time or another.

Unfortunately, we cannot change the dress code. Only the Corporate Headquarters has that authority.

Since you felt so strongly about the issue, we faxed your letter to Corporate Headquarters, along with letters from the entire management team supporting your position. We would like you to encourage your fellow employees to write also; Ms. DeVeirs would be happy to fax any letters that are brought to her desk. Perhaps we can get the Head office to change their dress code to something that is more practical.
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