Travel Expenses Reimbursement

Written Message 4 will test your ability to organize and deliver a negative news message containing professional criticism effectively and positively.

Scenario: You are the travel coordinator for Jones-Anderson, a consulting agency that employs 150 people. Travel is an important part of your company's success; clients often tout the in-person support they receive as one of the main reasons for their loyalty to Jones-Anderson.

Employees who've been with the company under a year pay for travel expenses out of pocket and are reimbursed after they email you their receipts and a request form. You've just received such an email from Shelby Turner, a recently-hired employee. She spent $3500 on a trip last week. Her flight cost twice what a flight to that destination normally does since she made the reservation only a week ahead of time, she stayed at a luxury hotel, and she reserved an expensive, high-end rental car, among other travel expenses. Jones-Anderson limits travel reimbursements -- $4000 a month -- so her expenses will be covered, but her email indicates that she's about to book a second trip with similar arrangements to the same destination in two weeks and wants to make sure those expenses will be covered as well.

Clearly there's been a misunderstanding. You need to remind Shelby about the $4000 monthly limit positively as well as suggest ways she can minimize her travel expenses/maximize her travel budget. You also need to let her know how she will benefit professionally from making the most of her monthly travel budget. In other words, you can't use "saving the company money" as a reason since the company sets a limit on reimbursements. If anyone's expenses exceed the limit, even those who've been with the company for years, the employee pays for them or just doesn't travel as much.

Note: Though you are using the indirect method, write imperative statements when giving Shelby suggestions. For example, instead of writing You should choose flights..., write Choose flights that... Imperative statements are good for encouraging action, are usually more concise, and often have good you-attitude when worded positively.

Written message instructions: In a Microsoft Word or Google document, write an email using indirect-style criticism to address the scenario described above. Use standard email writing conventions. Your message should begin with the subject line and continue from there to the signature. The To, From, and Date lines are not necessary. See Written Message 4 Hints below for tips on doing your best work, and be sure you've completed Daily Grade 7: Negative News Practice and reviewed your feedback on it.