Touchstone 4: Plan and Communicate a Time-Based Task
SCENARIO: On Monday morning, you arrive at work and discover you have an email from your manager, Sara, about a customer service issue. She is worried because one of the company’s most important clients did not receive their shipment. While she acknowledges it isn’t your fault, she needs you to work quickly to resolve the issue. Her email outlines some tasks that must be completed in order to address the problem and fast track the solution:
- So last Friday, our client didn’t receive their shipment, and now it’s Monday, making it three days late. We need this problem fixed soon. I need you to email Renee Colon, the client, right away. Apologize for the delay and let her know we’re fixing this issue, but don’t overdo it. Make sure they know we appreciate their business. Then, contact Accounts Receivable. Have them issue a full refund on the customer’s delivery costs and send confirmation of the refund to them as well. Make sure the client is not charged for the new delivery either. And have Shipping expedite the new shipment and send tracking info to the customer. If you contact both departments by the end of today, Accounts Receivable should be done by Tuesday at the latest, and Shipping should have the package out the door with tracking by Wednesday.
The table below lists the relevant tasks and deadlines that need to be done to accomplish the stated goals.
| Goal | Task | Due Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inform customer | Email Renee Colon | Monday | To do |
| Inform relevant departments | Contact Accounts Receivable (AR) | Monday (end of day) | To do |
| Contact Shipping | Monday (end of day) | To do | |
| Refund customer | AR issues refund to customer | Tuesday | To do |
| AR does not charge for replacement | Tuesday | To do | |
| AR sends confirmation to customer | Tuesday | To do | |
| Ship replacement package | Package is expedited | Wednesday | To do |
| Tracking info sent to customer | Wednesday | To do |
ASSIGNMENT: This assignment has two parts. The first part is to prepare a clear and concise email communication (no more than two paragraphs in the body of the email) to the customer that will inform them about the new delivery date and the refund to compensate for the inconvenience.
The second part is to communicate an internal plan regarding the refunding and redelivery of the shipment. You will draft a message to your colleagues in the Accounts Receivable and Shipping departments about the time frame of each task that clearly identifies who has which task and by what time it needs to be completed. You will need to select an appropriate tool to communicate this message to your colleagues and explain why this would be an effective tool for this purpose.
For this assignment, you will:
- Demonstrate your ability to craft messages for the appropriate purpose, tone, structure, and audience.
- Be sure to include all the important information you need to communicate.
- Select an appropriate tool for workplace communication.
- Edit your messages for organization and style, ensuring professionalism with respect to formatting, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Download the template below, which further breaks down the steps involved in this assignment. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.
Touchstone 4 Template
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Directions
Step 1: Download Template
Download the Touchstone 4 Template.
Step 2: Complete Each Part
Complete each part of the template using the scenario from above.
Part 1: Customer Email
Review the scenario and email message from your manager. Then write an email message to the customer (no more than two body paragraphs) that informs them about the new delivery date and the refund to compensate for the inconvenience. Your message should be limited to no more than 12 sentences or 200 words.
Review your message to ensure that:
- It includes information relevant for the customer, including the purpose of the email and how the errors will be addressed.
- It emphasizes important points using style mechanics common in professional writing.
- It uses professional language and tone appropriate for a response to an important customer.
Part 2: Communicate a Time-Based Task
Review the scenario and email message from your manager. Also, review the to-do items that need to be completed and their deadlines in the chart above.
Based on this information, you will need to communicate an internal plan regarding the refund and redelivery of the shipment by drafting a message to your colleagues in the Accounts Receivable and Shipping Departments. Your message should clearly identify who has what task and the time frame for completion.
Select an appropriate tool from the following list to communicate this message to your colleagues. Explain why this would be an effective tool for this purpose.
- Chat message (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams)
- Email (e.g., Microsoft Outlook)
- Video Message (e.g., Webex, Zoom)
- Text message (e.g., Android of iOS text messaging)
- Voicemail (e.g., Conference phone, cell phones / smartphones, Google Voice)
Then, construct your message. Format it appropriately for the tool you have selected. If you selected a video message or voicemail tool, provide a written transcript of your message below. Your message should be limited to no more than 12 sentences or 200 words.
Review your message and make edits to ensure that:
- It clearly identifies who has what to-do item and by what time it needs to be completed.
- It emphasizes important points.
- It uses professional language and tone appropriate for internal communication with coworkers.
Step 3: Review Checklist and Requirements
Review the checklist and requirements to ensure that your Touchstone is complete.
Step 4: Submit
Upload your template using the blue button at the top of this page.
Refer to the list below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
1. Email to the Customer
- ❒ Have you communicated all essential information to the customer regarding the actions you will take?
- ❒ Have you chosen the appropriate language and tone for this audience?
2. Message to Your Team
- ❒ Have you communicated all essential information to your team regarding the tasks and timeline?
- ❒ Have you clearly designated roles and responsibilities relating to the tasks?
- ❒ Have you identified the tool from the list provided on the template that you will use to deliver your message?
- ❒ Have you explained your reasons for choosing this tool?
- ❒ Have you structured your message with this specific tool in mind?
3. Formatting and Conventions
- ❒ Have you formatted both messages using the Touchstone template provided?
- ❒ Have you revised, edited, and proofread your messages to ensure they are clear and error-free?
B. Rubric
| Advanced (100%) | Proficient (85%) | Acceptable (75%) | Needs Improvement (50%) | Non-Performance (0%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Customer Email: Tone and LanguageCompose a professional email to the customer that uses appropriate tone and language for the audience. (20%)
|
Tone and language are app |