TOYOTA
19001 South Western Ave. Dept. WC11
Torrance, CA 90501
DATE: November 25, 2009
TO: All Toyota Employees
FROM: Ichiro Toyota, CEO
SUBJECT: Floor mat malfunction and recall
As you all know, it has recently been brought to our attention that the floor mats on some of our models were poorly designed, leading to some serious problems. The more extreme cases involve the floor mat getting stuck on the gas pedal, resulting in the unfortunate death of some of our customers.
We plan to deal with this problem internally in a number of ways. First, beginning in early 2010, we are recalling cars that use this faulty design. This includes our top selling Camry, Tacoma, and Prius models. These automobiles will then be outfitted with our redesigned safe floor mats, already in the planning and testing stages as we speak. The modifications will be standard on all Toyota automobiles starting in 2010.
In the mean time, we will be criticized by our loyal customers and the media for our fatal and unfortunate mistake. Toyota has a great safety record, and this error could potentially hurt our reputation. Employees are reminded to be patient with disgruntled customers and express our deep regret, reminding them that safety is our top priority and that we are working to fix this problem. We also strongly advise against speaking to any members of the media until the situation is eradicated. We are confident that we will rise above this predicament and remain one of the top car companies in the world. All questions should be directed to Toyota Corporate Headquarters at 1-800-331-4331.
NBC Group on the Toyota group's memo
1.Is the memo’s formatting correct? Does it contain a complete header and message?
It has a complete header with contact information and a subject line.
2.Read the memo’s introduction and report its stated:
a.Subject
b.Purpose
c.Main Point
d.Background Information
e.Importance of the Subject
A. Floormat malfunction and recall.
B. Handling customers and dealing with the problem internally
C. The modifications to the floormats are underway already, and the main problem now is handling the customers
D. The memo provides some detail on the severity of the problem, stating that some people have died as a result of the floormat malfunction
E. The subject is handled in a serious tone, fitting due to the severity of the issue.
3. The memo’s body is divided into what topics?
It first talks about what Toyota is doing to fix the issue internally, with fixing the mats in new models. Then, it discusses how to handle angry or disgruntled customers.
4.Read the memo’s conclusion and report how it:
a.Thanks the reader
b.Restates the main point
c.Looks to the future
A. Our group does not see a thank-you to the reader in the conclusion
B. The issue of the faulty floormats is not revisited in the conclusion.
C. The memo does look to the future. “We are confident that we will rise above this predicament and remain one of the top car companies in the world.”
5. What type of memo does this appear to be (Inquiry, Response, Transmittal, Claim, Adjustment, Refusal, other)?
Response
6.Note any places where the memo does not:
a.Use the “you” style
b.Create an appropriate tone
c.Avoid bureaucratic phrasing
A. The memo does not use the “you” style
B. The memo creates a tone of curt importance, appropriate for the gravity of the situation.
C. The memo avoids bureaucratic phrasing
Memo repsonse.
1. Yes
2.
a. Floor mat malfunction
b. Highlight the issue.
c. Floor mat recall.
d. Floor mat getting stuck on gas pedal.
e. Very important due to deaths.
3.
- Recall
- Car models
- floor mat modification testing.
- Start year, 2010
- Criticism by customers and media.
4.
a. No thanking of the reader.
b. Doesnt restate the main point
c. Confident about remaining top car company in the future.
5. Type - Response
6.
a. Not much use of "you" style.
b. Appropriate tone is used.
c. bureaucratic pharsing used.
Toyota comment
This memo has good material, but I think you could revise the introduction and conclusion. TCT should help with this. Pages 457-60 point out that you want to put the crucial information right at the beginning, because the audience is likely to scan this document rather than read it thoroughly. Although your introduction does reveal its subject and some background information, it doesn't state its purpose, the main point that readers should take away, nor the importance of this issue. Also, it would probably be effective to add a conclusion that does three things: thanks the reader, restates the main point, looks to the future. TCT breaks these moves down on pages 460-61.