Write Three Responses About An Unpleasant Experience ✓ Solved

Write three responses about an unpleasant experience at the

Write three responses about an unpleasant experience at the campus bookstore and a reflection. Part 1: Write to the university president expressing dissatisfaction with how the bookstore is run. Part 2: Write an anonymous internet review (e.g., Yelp, Reddit) airing frustrations with the bookstore. Part 3: Write to a friend who manages the bookstore, reporting complaints you've heard and observations that might drive away customers. Part 4: Write a reflection explaining your rationale behind each response, addressing: motivation; how audience influenced rhetoric/approach; why you adopted the tone; why you chose the medium; what you hoped to attain/prove; what was at stake; and considerations you took into account when writing each response. You may adapt the scenario if not relatable. Consider medium, context, audience, motive, and rhetoric.

Paper For Above Instructions

Part 1 — Formal Letter to the University President

Dear President [Name],

I am a second‑semester student at [University Name] writing to express concern about recurring operational problems at the campus bookstore that are affecting students’ ability to obtain required course materials. During multiple visits I observed confusing signage that causes students to queue at the information desk while books remain on another floor, incomplete shelving by course category, frequent out‑of‑stock statuses for common course texts, and slow or untrained staff responses at peak times. These issues create delays, increase student stress, and may reduce timely access to mandatory course content.

To improve the student experience I respectfully propose three practical changes: (1) clearer directional signage and a simplified flow for payment and pickup; (2) consolidated shelving by course with an interactive inventory display or map; and (3) targeted staff training and scheduling adjustments during registration and the first two weeks of classes. Implementation of these changes could reduce lines, improve inventory accuracy, and enhance staff confidence in assisting students (Bitner, Booms, & Tetreault, 1990; Gremler & Gwinner, 2000).

I appreciate the university's support for student success and welcome an opportunity to discuss these suggestions further. Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] — Student, [Program] — [Email]

Part 2 — Anonymous Internet Review (Yelp/Reddit style)

Title: Frustrating bookstore experience — confusing layout & out of stock

Visited the campus bookstore twice this week looking for required texts and had a seriously annoying experience. Signs don't explain where to pay or pick up books, so students are constantly lining up at the wrong desk. Several course sections seem scattered across the store, not where the aisle labels indicate. Staff seemed confused, took ages to search, and the book we needed was “out of stock” twice without clear timing for restock. If you need a text in the first weeks, check other sellers or order early. The store could really benefit from better signage, consolidated course displays, and staff training — until then, avoid peak times if you can. (Hennig‑Thurau et al., 2004; BrightLocal, 2023)

Part 3 — Email to a Friend Who Manages the Bookstore

Subject: Quick notes from students — ideas that might help reduce lines

Hey [Friend's Name],

Hope you're doing well. As a frequent customer, I wanted to share some recurring complaints I’ve heard and observed that might be actionable: (1) directional confusion about payment versus pickup — people often grab a book downstairs and then queue at the info desk; (2) shelving by course is inconsistent — some class lists are split across sections; (3) long waits at peak times despite spare staff on the floor. I know running the store is tough, so these are offered as constructive feedback: a simple floor map near entrances, bundling all materials for each course together, and cross‑training staff for rush hours should reduce friction (Tax, Brown, & Chandrashekaran, 1998).

If you'd like, I can help draft student‑facing signage or run a short student survey to identify the most confusing elements. I want the store to thrive — better service = happier students = repeat business. Let me know a good time to chat.

Best,

[Your Name]

Part 4 — Reflection on Rhetoric, Medium, Audience, and Strategy

Motivation: My goal varied by response. To the president the motive was institutional improvement and remediation of a service problem; the online review aimed to inform peers and warn them about potential delays; and the note to my friend sought collaborative, practical improvements while preserving the relationship. Differentiated aims required different rhetorical strategies (Cialdini, 2006).

Audience influence on rhetoric/approach: Writing to the university president required formal register, evidence of recurring incidents, and concrete solutions to increase credibility and facilitate administrative action (Purdue OWL, 2020). The anonymous review used a conversational, cautionary tone that emphasizes immediacy and experience to influence peer decisions and reach a wider audience through electronic word‑of‑mouth (Hennig‑Thurau et al., 2004; Chevalier & Mayzlin, 2006). To my friend I used a collegial, problem‑solving tone to maintain trust while offering help — consistent with service recovery literature that stresses rapport and cooperative problem solving (Gremler & Gwinner, 2000; Tax et al., 1998).

Tone selection: Formal, direct, and solution‑oriented for the president to show respect and prompt action; candid and slightly emotional for the online review to reflect authentic frustration and to persuade peers; supportive and collaborative for the friend to preserve social capital and encourage voluntary change (Bitner et al., 1990; Amy Gallo, HBR, 2014).

Choice of medium: A formal letter/email to the president is appropriate for institutional matters and creates a traceable record (Purdue OWL, 2020). An anonymous online review leverages platform visibility and peer trust to inform decisions and apply social pressure (Hennig‑Thurau et al., 2004; BrightLocal, 2023). A direct personal email to the manager preserves confidentiality and makes targeted suggestions where the recipient has operational control (Gremler & Gwinner, 2000).

Desired outcomes and stakes: With the president I hoped for policy-level fixes that would benefit many students; on Yelp/Reddit I aimed to prevent others' frustration and encourage market alternatives; with my friend I wanted practical on-the-ground fixes to improve customer service and sales. The stakes included student learning access and the bookstore's reputation and revenue (Chevalier & Mayzlin, 2006; Kotler & Keller, 2016).

Considerations: I balanced honesty with professionalism, avoided naming individuals publicly to prevent undue harm, and proposed constructive solutions rather than mere complaints (Tax et al., 1998; Amy Gallo, 2014). I considered timing (early semester peaks), modes of accountability (institutional vs. peer pressure), and verifiability of claims (noting repeated incidents) to maximize impact.

Overall, selecting tone, medium, and content according to audience and motive increases the likelihood that complaints become catalysts for improvement rather than simply expressions of frustration (Bitner et al., 1990; Hennig‑Thurau et al., 2004).

References

• Bitner, M. J., Booms, B. H., & Tetreault, M. S. (1990). The service encounter: diagnosing favorable and unfavorable incidents. Journal of Marketing, 54(1), 71–84.
• Gremler, D. D., & Gwinner, K. P. (2000). Customer‑employee rapport in service relationships. Journal of Service Research, 3(1), 82–104.
• Hennig‑Thurau, T., Gwinner, K. P., Walsh, G., & Gremler, D. D. (2004). Electronic word‑of‑mouth via consumer‑opinion platforms: What motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the Internet? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18(1), 38–52.
• Chevalier, J. A., & Mayzlin, D. (2006). The effect of word of mouth on sales: Online book reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(3), 345–354.
• Tax, S. S., Brown, S. W., & Chandrashekaran, M. (1998). Customer evaluations of service complaint experiences: Implications for relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 62(2), 60–76.
• Cialdini, R. B. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Rev. ed.). Harper Business.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). (2020). Business letters and email etiquette. Purdue University. https://owl.purdue.edu/
• Amy Gallo. (2014). How to apologize to your customers. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/
• BrightLocal. (2023). Local Consumer Review Survey 2023. BrightLocal Research. https://www.brightlocal.com/
• Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management (15th ed.). Pearson Education.