Here’s the situation: You are the manager at Sunset Place’s movie theater. Recently you received this letter:

I want my money back! I paid $50 (4 people x $12.50 to see The Monster’s Bride and because the screen was so dark, we could hardly see anything at all. Half the time, the screen was almost pitch black! Besides that, the movie was total garbage and nothing like the advertising suggested. And why did we have to sit through half an hour of trailers before the movie? You should pay me for wasting my time. You guys are a bunch of crooks! I want my money back!Sincerely,Glen Quagmire

You do not offer refunds to moviegoers who don’t like a movie, and trailers before films have long been standard.

Your theater, however, did just move to using “reduced power” bulbs that cut your electric cost, prolong the life of the bulbs, and enhance Hi-Def movies. For most movies, the difference is negligible, but for some dark cinematography, like horror movies, some scenes are difficult to see, so he may have a point; however, this technical information could be seen as your excuses, if you do not present your reasoning delicately. You want to protect your theater’s image, have the reader understand your reason for refusal, and attempt to maintain the relationship in the future.

Write a complete company letter of response, refusing the request. You may offer him 20% off his next visit and some free snacks, but you MUST REFUSE the requested full refund. Politely. Diplomatically. Using effective strategies.

 PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL RECEIVE 100% COMPLETION CREDIT FOR THIS DRAFT FOR SIMPLY COMPLETING THE ASSIGNMENT TO THE BASIC SPECIFICATIONS of full letter format and attempt at customer service strategies. YOUR FINAL SUBMISSION GRADE AFTER REVISIONS WILL RECEIVE A SEPARATE GRADE BASED ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR COMMUNICATION.

Helpful Chapter 17: Negative Messages (Here’s the section on Delivering Negative News (Links to an external site.))

Delivering negative messages is one of the most difficult tasks of the professional world. Think deeply about what you say and how you say it. Protect your personal image, your corporate image, and your relationship with the reader.