Lesikar's Business Communication: Connecting in a Digital World 13th Edition by Kathryn Rentz,Paula Lentz

Exercise 9

You're a regional manager for Arch Insurance, Inc., whose specialty is corporate travel and personal accident policies. Most of your company's revenue comes from selling policies to businesses and other organizations that need to cover their employees when they're at work or traveling. Just now you were "called on the carpet" by your boss for excessive expenditures for wining and dining clients. She says that the seven agents who work for you spent over $9,000 last quarter taking representatives of companies, hospitals, and other organizations out to lunch and dinner, either to thank them for their business or attract them as customers. Sure, landing even one good contract with a large organization can mean thousands of dollars for the company, and representatives of a company that caters to businesses can't afford to look "cheap." But you have to agree that things have gotten out of hand. Your boss says that many of the receipts are for the most expensive restaurants in the area and for such extravagant purchases as $150 bottles of wine. This has got to stop. There are plenty of elegant ways to say "thank you" or to appeal to a client besides spending money hand over fist.
Using your good problem-solving skills, think about how to advise your employees. Then write the negative announcement that will change their behavior but also maintain their goodwill and their drive to succeed.