TO: All Franck's Pharmacy Employees
FROM: Paul W. Franck, C.E.O./Owner
DATE: April 27th, 2009
SUBJECT: Polo Horse Crisis
This memo is being written to inform all Franck's Pharmacy employees of a recent incident that took place due to a manufacturing error in the company's laboratory. On April 20th 2009, before the U.S. Open Polo Championships 21 horses were given an intravenous supplement for the vitamin Biodyle. Within 30 minutes of the injection, the horses began publicly collapsing on the field and within the stables, all eventually died. It has been determined that the error occurred because of misprinted instructions given to the lab technician, causing an incorrect amount of Selenium to be put into the vitamins and thereby making them toxic.
Thus far, we have fully cooperated with authorities and investigative officials. All of the results of their findings (listed above) have been released to The Department of Health and Board of Pharmacy. I encourage all employees to thoroughly read this memo and educate themselves on the event as, due to ongoing investigation and litigation, anyone could be potentially interviewed about it. I do ask that when questioned by the media, employees defer to executives unless given authorization to do otherwise, as we are looking to address this crisis with as much clarity and precision as possible. If you have any further questions, please ask an executive or administrative official. We plan to move forward from this incident with our integrity, as of right now business is continuing as usual.
Comment on Franck's Pharmacy Memo
1. Is the memo’s formatting correct? Does it contain a complete header and message?
The memo contains a complete header, an introduction and a conclusion. The body is the same length as the introduction and is mixed with the conclusion.
2. Read the memo’s introduction and report its stated:
a. Subject Open Polo Championships incident
b. Purpose To inform all employees of the crisis
c. Main Point Misses
d. Background Information Yes
e. Importance of the Subject Misses
3. The memo’s body is divided into what topics?
- Results of investigation
- Possibility for employees to be interviewed for legal purposes
4. Read the memo’s conclusion and report how it:
a. Thanks the reader Misses
b. Restates the main point Misses
c. Looks to the future "We plan to move forward from this incident with our integrity, as of right now business is continuing as usual"
5. What type of memo does this appear to be (Inquiry, Response, Transmittal, Claim, Adjustment, Refusal, other)? Inquiry
6. Note any places where the memo does not:
a. Use the “you” style It does
b. Create an appropriate tone It does
c. Avoid bureaucratic phrasing It does
Franck's Pharmacy Memo Response
1. Is the memo’s formatting correct? Does it contain a complete header and message?
- The intro and body are included – the body should be separated into topics; a conclusion needs to be added along with a valediction (ex. Sincerely)
2. Read the memo’s introduction and report its stated:
a. Subject
- Recent incident that took place due to a manufacturing error in the company’s laboratory
b. Purpose
- To inform employees of the crisis
c. Main Point
- To encourage all employees to thoroughly read the memo and educate themselves on the event as, due to ongoing investigation and litigation, anyone could be potentially interviewed about it. (this information needs to be moved to the introduction paragraph)
d. Background Information
- The last three sentences of the introduction paragraph give the background information.
e. Importance of the Subject
- Needs to stress the importance of the subject.
3. The memo’s body is divided into what topics?
- There is no division of topics.
4. Read the memo’s conclusion and report how it:
a. Thanks the reader
- Be sure to thank the reader.
b. Restates the main point
- Need to restate the main point
c. Looks to the future
- Need to elaborate more on the future.
5. What type of memo does this appear to be (Inquiry, Response, Transmittal, Claim, Adjustment, Refusal, other)?
- Adjustment
6. Note any places where the memo does not:
a. Use the “you” style
- The very first sentence – use “you” instead of “all Franck’s Pharmacy”; “all employees”; “anyone”; etc.
b. Create an appropriate tone
- Used appropriate tone throughout
c. Avoid bureaucratic phrasing
- Bureaucratic phrasing was avoided
Responding to Frank's Pharmacy Memo
1. Yes this memo is correctly formatted in that it has both a header and a message. The message however is not correct because with each topic they do not have a separate paragraph.
2. A. Subject: 21 Championship Polo horses given lethal injetion.
B. Purpose: to inform employees of the situation
C. Main Point: To educate employees of the event so they are well prepared to answer any questions if interviewed.
D. Background Information: Misprinted instuctions given to lab technician led to an incorrect amount of selenium in the vitamins given to the horses.
E. Importance of Subjet: Serious matter of employees being able to handle this situation in a professional manner and moving foward with integrity.
3. The memo's body is divided into two topics. The first topic addressed the situation and told employees what had happened. The second topic tells employees how the situation was and is being handled and how they should respond.
4. The memo does not have a distinct conclusion. The only part of their memo that conlcuded was how they plan to move foward with integrity and carry on with buisness as usual. The conclusion needs to be its own paragraph and include a thanks to the reader and restate the point.
5. Adjustment memo
Franck's Pharmacy comment
This is a good draft. I think one way to revise it would be to clarify the main point. What should employees take away from this document? What do you want them to do after reading it? A good memo is one that prompts action, because memos that only provide information don't seem relevant to individual employees. You always want to keep in mind that audience members are likely asking themselves "what does this have to do with me?"