{"id":"res-cs-helpdesk-annual-cost","audience":"customer-support","category":"research","technique":"verification","title":"Compare helpdesk tools on annual cost for your team","free":false,"task":"Your support team of 14 agents is choosing a new helpdesk tool. You want exactly 3 numbered lines, one per tool, each showing the math to an annual cost for 14 agents including required add-ons (like \"$30 x 14 x 12 + $600 = $5,640\"), then a final line \"Lowest:\". Use each vendor's latest written pricing and only those numbers, plain text, nothing else.","materialLabel":"Your notes on three helpdesk tools (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"HELPDESK PRICING - 14 agents, need live chat (required)\n\nDeskPilot\n$25 per agent per month. Live chat is a required add-on: $40/month flat for the team.\n\nSupportHive\n$35 per agent per month, live chat included.\nUpdated pricing page (Oct 2026): \"Now $32 per agent per month.\"\n\nTicketTree\n$29 per agent per month. Live chat add-on: $5 per agent per month.\nSales rep said they'd \"probably throw in chat for free\" on a call. Nothing in writing.\n\nNote: SupportHive has the nicest reporting. We currently use spreadsheets, lol.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Skipping required add-ons","why":"The AI compares base prices and forgets chat costs extra on two tools.","fix":"Say: \"Include required add-ons (live chat) in every total.\"","checks":["r0","r1"]},{"title":"Using old or verbal prices","why":"The old SupportHive price and TicketTree's verbal offer are both in your notes.","fix":"Add: \"Use the latest written pricing only.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Getting a feature review","why":"The AI weighs reporting and ease of use, which isn't what you asked.","fix":"Say: \"Output only the 3 lines and Lowest.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Not saying how many","why":"The AI decides the length itself and usually returns more lines, one per tool than you can use.","fix":"Be exact: \"exactly 3 numbered lines, one per tool.\"","checks":["numberedItems"]},{"title":"Getting markdown back","why":"AI defaults to bold labels and headings, which show up as stray symbols in a message to your manager.","fix":"Ask for \"plain text, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Asks for annual cost","patterns":["annual","per year","x\\s*12","12 months"]},{"label":"Includes add-ons","patterns":["add.on","live chat","required"]},{"label":"Uses written pricing","patterns":["written","latest","updated","in writing"]},{"label":"Says exactly how many","patterns":["\\b(3|three)\\b.{0,25}(line|tool)","exactly \\d+"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"hint":"Per-agent prices hide add-ons and updates. Tell the AI how to total a year for your team, what's required, and which prices count.","rubricLabels":["Annual costs are correct: DeskPilot $25 x 14 x 12 + $40 x 12 = $4,680; SupportHive $32 x 14 x 12 = $5,376 (the Oct 2026 price, not $35); TicketTree ($29 + $5) x 14 x 12 = $5,712 (chat add-on included)","Each line shows its math, and the Lowest line names DeskPilot","Outputs only the 3 numbered lines and the Lowest line: no intro, no feature comparison, no comment on reporting"]}