{"id":"lead-late-delivery-apology-email-no-blame","audience":"small-business","category":"leadership-work","track":"leadership","level":"intermediate","technique":"tone","title":"Apologize to a customer for a late order without blaming anyone","free":false,"task":"Write a customer email about a late order. Plain text, under 110 words. Line 1 exactly: Subject: Your order #4471 is late. Sentence 1 apologizes once and states the new delivery date. Sentence 2 says what happened in one factual clause. Sentence 3 states the remedy from the notes. Last line: Reply to this email or call 555-0188. Do not blame a supplier by name, promise a date that is not confirmed, or use the word unfortunately.","materialLabel":"Order notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Order #4471 - Meadow Home Furnishings (fictional)\n\n- Customer: Mr. Karim Aziz. Ordered a dining table on Oct 2; promised delivery Oct 25.\n- What happened: the table's finish failed our quality check on Oct 20 and was redone; our own workshop did the rework.\n- New delivery date: confirmed Nov 8 (the driver's slot is booked).\n- Remedy approved by the owner: free delivery ($85 value) plus 10% off his next order, valid until Jan 31.\n- Supplier of the finish: Lumo Coatings (don't name).\n- First note said new date was Nov 5; it's Nov 8.\n- Phone: 555-0188. Don't promise anything else.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":110},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Old date","why":"The AI says Nov 5.","fix":"Say: \"New delivery date is Nov 8.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Naming the supplier","why":"The AI blames Lumo Coatings.","fix":"Say: \"Don't name the supplier.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Extra promises","why":"The AI adds a refund.","fix":"Say: \"Only the approved remedy.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Wrong ending","why":"The AI ends with 'Sincerely'.","fix":"Say: \"Last line exactly: Reply to this email or call 555-0188.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Markdown","why":"The AI bolds.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text.\"","checks":["plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each sentence: \"each under 22 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each part instead, for example: \"each line under 12 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Exact subject","patterns":["subject","exactly"]},{"label":"Apologize once","patterns":["once","apolog"]},{"label":"Remedy","patterns":["remedy","free delivery","10%"]},{"label":"Exact last line","patterns":["last line","exactly"]},{"label":"No blame","patterns":["don'?t blame","supplier"]}],"hint":"Give the exact subject and last line, each sentence's job, and what not to say.","rubricLabels":["Line 1 is exactly \"Subject: Your order #4471 is late\" and the first sentence apologizes once and gives the confirmed new delivery date Nov 8 (not Nov 5)","The second sentence says the table's finish failed a quality check and was redone, without naming a supplier, and the third states free delivery and 10% off the next order valid until Jan 31","The last line is exactly \"Reply to this email or call 555-0188\" and the email does not use the word unfortunately"]}