on the file
ACCY 375: Email Assignment Carefully read the following hypothetical scenario and determine how best to respond. Write ALL of the emails necessary to fully address and mitigate the situation you have accidentally created. You are Mohammed Smith, an associate at Uppe, Alle & Knight, CPAs. For the past two weeks, you have been putting in long hours, sometimes as much as 14 hours in a day. Needless to say, your energy is waning and you are finding it increasingly difficult to focus on your work. One evening, you receive the following email from a client: Date: April 12, 2018 Time: 8:45pm To: Mohammed Smith From: Lucia Marquez Subject: Bulletproof Streets, Inc.’s 2015 Tax Return Dear Mr. Smith: Could you please send me another electronic copy of the 2015 tax return your firm prepared for us? Our server was recently compromised, and I am trying to replace what was lost. Regards, Lucia Marquez Owner and Founder Bulletproof Streets, Inc. “Our mission is to keep guns and gangs off our streets.” After you finally finish what you were working on, you decide to respond to Ms. Marquez before you leave – one less thing to remember tomorrow. You dig around but can’t seem to find the file she requested. You forward Ms. Marquez’s email to Sam Holz, another team member (and good friend of yours), to see if she can help you: Date: April 12, 2018 Time: 9:55pm To: Samantha Holz From: Mohammed Smith Subject: Fwd: Bulletproof Streets, Inc’s 2015 Tax Return Hey Sam – do you still have access to this file? I can’t seem to find it. BTW, you coming to Buffalo’s with Jane and George? It’s $1 a pint tonight – time to get crazy… --Mo Mohammed Smith, CPA Associate Uppe, All & Knight, CPAs “We put the ‘pro’ in professional.” Sam is also working late, so she responds quickly: Date: April 12, 2018 Time: 10:00pm To: Mohammed Smith From: Samantha Holz Subject: RE: Fwd: Bulletproof Streets, Inc.’s 2015 Tax Return Hey Mo – see attached. Samantha Holz, CPA Associate Uppe, Alle & Knight, CPAs “We put the ‘pro’ in professional.” Can’t do Buffalo’s tonight -- still working on the Hinsdale file. But checkout this YouTube video – someone recorded a gang shoot-out in Chicago…WTF?! www.youtube.com/badassgangstawarzoneChi-rac You are so tired and ready to get out of there, you stop reading after “Hey Mo – see attached.” You forget all about the drinking invitation and completely miss Sam’s YouTube link after her automatic signature block (why is it there?!). You also don’t realize that there isn’t actually a file attached to Sam’s email. Instead of taking the time to check the file and then attach it to a fresh reply Ms. Marquez, you simply forward Sam’s email without really thinking about it. OOPS! The next morning, you arrive late to work at 9am (too much fun at $1-pint-night…) and find the following email waiting for you: Date: April 13, 2018 Time: 7:30am To: Mohammed Smith Cc: Linnea Knight From: Lucia Marquez Subject: RE: Fwd: RE: Fwd: Bulletproof Streets, Inc.’s 2015 Tax Return Mr. Smith: I do not appreciate your unprofessional response to my email. First, the file was not properly attached. It appears that you forwarded an email from Ms. Holz that says the file is attached, but the attachment doesn’t open because it is corrupted. I am also offended by the exchange between yourself and Ms Holz. As you are aware, our organization’s mission is to prevent kids from joining gangs, and one of the biggest problems we face is the glorification of such groups through social media. It is disappointing that young professionals like you would find this entertaining. In the future, I suggest you uphold your firm’s motto and act like a professional. Lucia Marquez Owner and Founder http://www.youtube.com/badassgangstawarzoneChi-rac Bulletproof Streets, Inc. “Our mission is to keep guns and gangs off our streets.” You are now feeling sick to your stomach. Not only have you upset and offended a client, but she also cc’d Linnea Knight, the managing partner and one of the founders of the firm. You have never personally met Ms. Knight, but you do remember that during one of your orientation sessions, she spoke at length about the importance of always treating clients with the utmost respect and working to maintain a professional image and workplace. Well, in this situation, you have done neither of those things…. As you are re-reading Ms. Marquez’s email and contemplating your fate (maybe Chuck E. Cheese is still hiring?), another email comes through. It’s from Oguz Matic, your team’s supervising partner, who out of town at a conference: Date: April 13, 2018 Time: 8:08am To: Mohammed Smith From: Oguz Matic Subject: Lucia Marquez Mo -- What the heck is going on?! I just got a call from Linnea Knight. She forwarded me an email from Lucia Marquez about some YouTube video you sent her. What were you thinking?! You need to do some damage control. Reply to Lucia, and for goodness sake don’t forget to attach the file this time! You should also follow-up with Linnea. I told her I will address it with you and Sam, but I think it would be a good idea for you to apologize directly (and quickly) or she may call you into her office. She is actually acquaintances with Lucia through their volunteer work, so she’s pretty upset by your unprofessional and embarrassing behavior. I’m in and out of meetings all day, but I’ll be checking email and will call you around 4pm. Tell Sam to be there. She’s on the hook for this, too. And remind the rest of the team that this sort of thing is unacceptable. I realize it’s a common practice, but everyone needs to stop using firm email accounts for personal messages and unprofessional content. You have phones for that! --Oguz Oguz Matic, CPA Partner Uppe, Alle & Knight, CPAs “We put the ‘pro’ in professional.”