Email Assignment
Should Sales Reps for National Tools Use Company Cell Phones While Driving?
Situation
You recently saw an article that sent chills down your spine. A stockbroker for Merrill Lynch was making cold calls on his cell phone while driving. His car hit and killed a motorcyclist. Merrill Lynch was sued and accused of contributing to an accident by encouraging employees to use cell phones while driving. To avoid the risk of paying huge damages awarded by an emotional jury, the brokerage firm offered the victim’s family a $500,000 settlement.
As Sales Manager at National Tools, an industrial tool manufacturer, you begin to worry. National is considering providing its 25 regional sales representatives with cell phones to help them stay productive while they are in the field. National has no existing policy concerning the use of cell phones while driving and has never discussed the topic with its sales reps.
Questions
1. Should National sales reps be allowed to use cell phones while driving?
2. What are the Texas state laws concerning cell phone use while driving?
3. What should the sales reps do if they are driving in another state?
4. What, if anything, can/should/will National do to both protect its employees and enable business to be done out of the office?
5. Will there be penalties for non-adherence to the policy, and, if so, what will they be?
6. Specifically address the use of texting while driving in addition to using the phone for voice calls.
Task
Write an email to all National sales reps where you address the issue and explain your decision to create – or not create – a policy for cell phone use while driving. You should address each of the above questions in your email. You must use at least two sources and provide full APA citation. You may NOT use any anonymous or unattributed sources.