Indirect bad news organizational refund refusal

As manager of promotions and advertising, Five Flags Lake Point Park, you must respond to a recent letter. Nataleigh Haggard complained that she was “taken” by Five Flags and wants a cash refund of $150 (two tickets at $75 each).

Your “Summertime Slam” concert series had scheduled two high-energy rock bands—Wounded Buffalo and Pygmy Circus—to perform on July 4. An independent promoter planned the concert, and your only obligation was to provide the theater facility and advertising. Three days before the event, the promoter left town, taking with him all advance payments from financial backers. As it turned out, many of the artists he had promised to deliver were not even planning to attend.

Left with a messy situation, you decided two days before the concert to go ahead with a modified version of the event since you had been advertising it and people would arrive expecting some kind of talent. You changed your radio advertising to say that for reasons beyond your control, the Wounded Buffalo and Pygmy Circus bands would not appear. You described two new bands that would play at the concert and posted large signs at the entrance and in the parking lot announcing the change.

Ms. Haggard claims that she heard a radio advertisement on the day of the concert that said Wounded Buffalo and Pygmy Circus would appear. You know she is mistaken and that you changed your radio ads to tell listeners of the change. In addition, she must have somehow missed your signs at the entrance. You feel you made a genuine effort to communicate the changed program. In your opinion, most people who attended the concert thought that Five Flags had done everything possible to salvage an unfortunate situation.

Five Flags has a no-money-back policy on concerts after the event takes place, and the signs at the entrance stated the policy. If Ms. Haggard had come to the box office before the event started, you could have returned her money; however, she stayed to see the concert. She claims that she didn’t know anything about the talent change until after the event was well underway. This sounds unlikely, but you don’t quarrel with customers. Nevertheless, you can’t give her cash back. You already took a loss on this event. The best you can do is give her two complimentary passes to Five Flags Point Park.

Write Nataleigh Haggard a refusal letter. Her address is

3012 Saint James Drive

Peru, IL 61354

Requirements for completing the message:

Use the indirect organizational plan to write the negative message. (Start with a buffer, set up the negative news by giving your reasons (without telling her the bad news), present the bad news positively, offer an alternative solution, and end on a positive note.)

Use the Full Block letter format

Create a very simple letterhead for Five Flags Lake Point Park, P.O. Box 8005, Sandusky, Ohio, 44870. The phone number is 419-223-3126, and the website is www.fiveflags.com.   

Do not include a subject line.

Make up information if necessary, but don’t change the information presented here.

Use your own words; don't use the exact words from any examples in the textbook.

Present a good you-viewpoint; the first word(s) of your message should not be “I,” “My,” “We,” “Our,” or “Five Flags Lake Point Park.”

Deemphasize the bad news, focus on positive words and on what you can do,

You do not need to add your signature; you would sign the hard copy before mailing.