Scenario
You are the purchasing manager for the Cincinnati Fire Department. Four months ago, you purchased 20 turnout coats (the overcoats firefighters wear) from ACME Corporation. ACME’s SKU number (their product number) for these specific turnout coats is #43210. The cost of the 20 coats was $1,380.00. The coats are guaranteed under warranty to avoid significant wear and tear for 24 months. However, after only three months of use, 11 of the coats are showing significant wear. Specifically, the stitching where the arm joins the body panel of the coat is unraveling. In addition, three other coats have started to show the same wear, though to a lesser degree. The fire station that had been using the equipment has supplied you with several photos as proof.
Assignment
Write a direct claim in the form of an email (like assignment 1) to your contact at ACME Corporation, Dan Coates. Follow the plan as described in the text for a three-paragraph direct claim, but first you will need to decide how many turnout coats to claim, which could range from 11 to all 20. You will need to include slightly different information, depending on how many turnout coats you are claiming. The numbered items below refer to what should go into each of the three paragraphs. You will also need to include a well-chosen and specific subject line.
State what you would like done first, followed by a brief and general statement about the problem. Do not go into specific details yet. Identify the turnout coats by name and SKU number.
“Make your case” for this claim. Your “case” should involve a physical description of the problem, citing the warranty, and alluding to the photos you are attaching to the email. Also ask what ACME would like to have done with the turnout coats you are claiming, as they will likely want to inspect them as part of their quality control process.
Provide a goodwill close. All other experiences with ACME have been positive, and considering they are likely to be cooperative, remember to be friendly. However, also remember to be firm in that you need this claim to be dealt with immediately. This is about safety equipment, after all.
As always, do not model my specific wording in the scenario too closely when writing your claim. Please rewrite the details using somewhat different wording where possible.
