Review the scenario below. Then complete the step-by-step instructions.

Scenario:

Plant Pals recently shipped test batches of plants to customers in advance of the formal service launch. To gauge customer satisfaction with the product and the service, your team surveyed 50 customers over a period of four weeks. After two weeks, the survey revealed three major issues concerning product quality, delivery timelines, and customer support. This feedback helped you make improvements to later test shipments.

Once you completed the survey, you presented the most important data points to your core team and outlining possible next steps. Your insights included:

• On-time deliveries rose from 80% to 90% by the end of the survey—a solid improvement, but still short of our 95% target.
• Customers overwhelmingly prefer deliveries before normal business hours and early in the day.
• Satisfaction with support increased once we fixed the customer service software problem, but there is still room for improvement.
• Many respondents found the guides and tutorials helpful. A number of customers volunteered that a live chat option would further improve customer support.

You’ve decided to schedule a meeting with your team to discuss these insights, solicit feedback, and discuss your proposed next steps.

Step-By-Step Assignment Instructions

Part 1 – Plan a meeting agenda

Step 1: List the attendees

List anyone who can add to the discussion or who will be directly affected by the meeting’s topics. For this meeting, you will need your whole core team, including:

• Financial Analyst
• Fulfillment Director
• Human Resources Specialist
• Quality Assurance Tester
• Customer Service Manager
• IT Specialist
• Inventory Manager
• Training Manager

Step 2: State the purpose and expectations

Next, briefly summarize the purpose of the meeting and what you hope to achieve. Be sure to think about your audience, the kind of meeting you’re holding, and the topics you need to address. Setting a clear purpose and expectations helps everyone understand why they need to be there.

Note: You may want to revise this summary after you set the agenda.

Step 3: Plan the meeting agenda

Now review the scenario to identify at least three topics or next steps you want to address. List them next to Topic #1, Topic #2, and Topic #3. 

Next, consider how you want to approach each topic. For example, you might want to give a short update, organize a brainstorming session, or have an informal discussion. Add the approach you will use for each topic.

Finally, make note of which team members are most important for each topic and how you want them to participate.

For example, if you know that one of the topics is, “Investigate additional causes for late deliveries,” you may want to approach the topic by having a brainstorming session with specific team members about how to fix the problem.

Note: You can leave the Notes and Action Items sections blank for now. Be sure to make space for them, so you can record topics discussed, decisions made, and actions to be taken. 

Part 2 – Write an invitation email for the meeting

Step 1: Address your email

Enter your attendees’ email addresses in the To: field. For this exercise, enter “[email protected].”

Step 2: Add a subject line

Give the email a descriptive subject that explains what the message is about.

Step 3: Compose your email

The email should describe the meeting’s purpose and expectations and give context for the agenda items. Try to keep it brief—this should be a general overview, not a detailed breakdown.

• Opening: Begin with a salutation that’s appropriate for your audience. The opening is often a good place to acknowledge the team’s work or something that’s going particularly well.
• Body: Summarize why you’re sending this email and what the recipients need to know. Then propose a meeting time to work through any issues. Try to maintain a blameless tone, especially when describing things that may have gone wrong.
• Closing: End your email by stating what the attendees should do to prepare for the meeting. Don’t forget to thank them for their time and include an appropriate closing.