Business Correspondence: Claim Letter
Directions: Choose one of the following scenarios and write a claim letter for the scenario.
Scenario A – Crushed Cruise
You had been looking forward to getting away for some leisure time with family and friends. You eagerly booked an all-inclusive Nova Scotian cruise through Ocean Waves Cruise Lines for December 3-13, 2017. You paid $4750 for the cruise and you also purchased the additional trip cancellation insurance for $500 that was suggested by the cruise line.
Your flight out made it to the connecting airport without out issues; however, upon arrival to catch your connecting flight, you were met with a delay. The connecting flight was delayed due to a flat tire on the plane, and passengers were informed that though the flight would only be twenty minutes delayed, they would still be able to make ALL of their connecting flights. Unfortunately, the twenty-minute delay turned into two hours and as a result, you missed your connection and ultimately your cruise.
When you returned home the following day, you called the cruise line to request a refund. The representative informed you that you would not be able to receive a refund. You had purchased the lowest level trip insurance, which means you would only receive a refund if an immediate family member was hospitalized or there was a death of a family member—both of which you would have to provide proof. The representative further suggested that the best they would be able to do was offer 65% off your next cruise with Ocean Waves Cruise Line of equal value.
Task: Write a letter to company president, Jasper Franklin (595 Ocean Liner Way, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33319), requesting reimbursement for your cruise. Include relevant details to support your claim.
Reminders—All letters should:
- be one page in length.
- have visual appeal.
- include all relevant information for the user to make an informed decision.
- appeal to audience’s expectations, attitudes, and technical background.
- be delivered to class and uploaded into Blackboard by due dates.
Discussion Question
After you read Chapter 14, read Seth Reeves’ claim letter and Sea Tasty Tuna’s response to the letter on p.395 in your text. Post a thread by answering the following:
For the claim letter:
1. What are your reactions to the letter?
2. How effectively does the writer of the claim letter present his case? How does his letter align with what you have read about effective arguable claims? How does the letter measure up to the standards of an effective technical document? Use concrete examples from the letter to support.
3. How would you have rewritten the letter? Write your body paragraph (only) and respond to one other student’s post.