{"id":"life-sb-contractor-complaint-letter","audience":"small-business","category":"everyday-life","track":"life","technique":"context","title":"Write a firm letter asking a contractor to finish the job","free":false,"task":"Your bathroom remodel contractor stopped showing up with work unfinished. Write a short letter under 120 words in plain text. The first sentence asks them to finish the 2 unfinished items by Friday, November 21. Include the contract date and the amount you've paid. Stay polite, with no threats of lawsuits, reviews or withholding payment. End with \"Thank you, Martin Osei\". Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.","materialLabel":"Your contract and notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"CONTRACT: Bluestone Home Renovation (fictional) | Signed 9/8/2026\nCustomer: Martin Osei, 14 Cobb Street\nScope: bathroom remodel - new vanity, tile floor, shower tile, toilet install, paint\nPrice: $14,500. Deposit $5,000 (paid 9/8), progress payment $6,000 (paid 10/6), final $3,500 due on completion.\nEstimated completion: October 31, 2026.\n\nSTATUS (my notes, Nov 6)\nDone: vanity, toilet, floor tile, paint.\nNot done: shower tile grout (tiles up, no grout), shower glass door (never installed).\nLast time the crew came: October 24.\nTexted Ray (owner) on 10/30 and 11/3. On 11/3 he replied \"next week for sure.\" Nobody came.\n\nOTHER\n- My business partner says to threaten a bad review and a lawsuit.\n- I was charged $250 by my plumber for a leak, but that's from an old pipe and not Bluestone's fault.\n- Ray's email: ray@bluestone.example","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":120},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Burying the ask","why":"The AI opens with background, so the request and date land at the end.","fix":"Say: \"First sentence: ask them to finish the grout and glass door by Friday, November 21.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Missing the facts","why":"The AI writes a general complaint without the contract date or the amount paid.","fix":"Add: \"Include the 9/8 contract date and that I've paid $11,000 ($5,000 + $6,000).\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Picking up threats","why":"The AI follows your partner's idea and adds legal or review threats.","fix":"Add: \"Polite and firm, no threats. End with: Thank you, Martin Osei\".","checks":["r2","plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 120 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part: \"4 short sentences under 20 words each, then the sign-off.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Puts the ask first","patterns":["first sentence","open with","start with"]},{"label":"Names the deadline","patterns":["nov(ember)? 21","friday","deadline"]},{"label":"Includes the facts","patterns":["9/8","contract","\\$?11,?000","paid"]},{"label":"Rules out threats","patterns":["no threats?","don'?t threaten","polite"]},{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]}],"hint":"Firm letters work when the ask and the date come first and the facts are exact. Tell the AI the ask, the facts, the tone and the sign-off.","rubricLabels":["The first sentence asks Bluestone to finish the shower grout and the shower glass door by Friday, November 21","Mentions the 9/8/2026 contract and that $11,000 has been paid (the $5,000 deposit and $6,000 progress payment), and doesn't bring up the $250 plumber charge","Has no threats (lawsuit, review, withholding payment) and ends with \"Thank you, Martin Osei\""]}