English 420Y - Business Writing Online

After reading the selections in The Thompson Handbook, I realized how important it is to take context into account when writing. The writer must utilize his or her knowledge and incorporate feelings for a specific purpose. The reader has certain expectations and knowledge. The writer must work to create a piece that accurately brings the information to the reader. You really need to analyze your audience and the situation in order to write a meaningful message. You need to make sure you are concise and very direct with your writing. By being concise and writing in the proper context, you will be more effective in your writing and have a greater impact on the audience.
The knowledge from The Thompson Handbook will be helpful when completing our corporate communication project. We have already researched the JetBlue crisis so we know more information about the situation and the people involved. When writing, we really need to remember those people who were affected. The passengers who had to wait in long lines, remain on airplanes, or scramble to make other plans are the target of this project. The videos really helped give insight into what the situations were like. The video posted showed some customers who were waiting. They were obviously upset about having to wait. The conditions were also undesirable; cold temperatures and large crowds were present. The two men in the video, however, kept decent attitudes. They were able to keep a sense of humor by comparing the airport to a crowded football game. Even though they could joke about the situation, they still wanted to get to their destination. A video I found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOo-tG9q2h0 also shares the story of a stranded passenger. He ended up waiting on a plane for several hours just to have his flight cancelled. He had to scramble to find hotel accommodations for him and his friends. The lines for taxis were extremely long. After standing by and having to take a connecting flight, he eventually returned home. He also mentions keeping track of the expenses incurred. He expects to be rightfully compensated for having to wait so long. The video does a good job showing the passengers’ frustrations. You can see the dismay on customer’s faces as they find out they will not return home that day.
When writing my letter, I plan on taking an apologetic tone. Knowing that these people have already been inconvenienced a lot, I do not want to become too defensive because that might anger customers. I want them to know all the information and that JetBlue is working on a Customer Bill of Rights to ensure that the situation will not happen again. I want the customers to see that JetBlue is truly sorry for what happened. I would also like them to be able to trust the company in the future after what I write.