Introduction

Refusing Typical Requests

In all businesses there will occasionally be a request that has to be declined.  Depending on what you think the receiver will react to the refusal, you can use the direct or indirect pattern. If there are any doubts, use the indirect pattern. Reasons and explanations leave no doubt that a request has been refused. The danger of an implied refusal is that it is subtle and the reader misses it. Be certain to make the bad news clear, preventing the need for correspondence.