Message Strategies: Making Negative Announcements

[LO-4] Your company, PolicyPlan Insurance Services, is a 120-employee insurance claims processor based in Milwaukee.

PolicyPlan has engaged Midwest Sparkleen for interior and exterior cleaning for the past five years. Midwest Sparkleen did exemplary work for the first four years, but after a change of ownership last year, the level of service has plummeted. Offices are no longer cleaned thoroughly, you’ve had to call the company at least six times to remind them to take care of spills and other messes they’re supposed to address routinely, and they’ve left toxic cleaning chemicals in a public hallway on several occasions.

You have spoken with the owner about your concerns twice in the past three months, but his assurances that service would improve have not resulted in any noticeable improvements. When the evening cleaning crew forgot to lock the lobby door last Thursday—

leaving your entire facility vulnerable to theft from midnight until 8 a.m. Friday morning—you decided it was time for a change.

Your task: Write a letter to Jason Allred, owner of Midwest Sparkleen, 4000 South Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207, telling him that PolicyPlan will not be renewing its annual cleaning contract with Midwest Sparkleen when the current contract expires at the end of this month. Cite the examples identified previously, and keep the tone of your letter professional.