{"id":"sales-consultant-fixed-fee-vs-hourly-reply","audience":"consultants","category":"sales-work","technique":"audience","track":"sales","level":"intermediate","title":"Explain a fixed fee to a client who asked for an hourly rate","free":false,"task":"A client asked why you quote a fixed $9,500 instead of an hourly rate. Reply in plain text under 100 words with exactly 3 labeled lines: What you pay:, What you get:, If scope changes:. Use only the facts in the notes, don't state an hourly equivalent or number of hours, and don't criticize hourly billing. Sign off \"Ravi\" on its own line after the three lines.","materialLabel":"Proposal facts and client message (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Consultant: Ravi Menon (operations consultant). Client: Esther Kline, owner of Kline Medical Billing.\n\nEsther's message: \"Why a fixed fee? I'd rather pay by the hour so I only pay for what you use.\"\n\nProposal (accepted in principle):\n- Fixed fee $9,500, payable 50% at start and 50% at delivery.\n- Deliverables: workflow map of claims processing, a ranked list of 8 fixes, and a 60-day implementation plan.\n- Timeline: 5 weeks from Nov 16.\n- Change requests: work outside these deliverables is quoted separately in writing before it starts; no surprise charges.\n\nRavi's internal estimate: roughly 70 hours of work (do not share; it would invite hourly comparison).\nRavi's hourly rate for other clients is $175 (do not share).\nTone: Esther is direct and cost-conscious.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":100}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Revealing hours or rate","why":"The AI says 'about 70 hours at $175'.","fix":"Add: \"Don't state an hourly equivalent or number of hours.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Criticizing hourly billing","why":"The AI argues hourly is wasteful.","fix":"Add: \"Don't criticize hourly billing.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Missing the scope rule","why":"The AI omits the change-request process.","fix":"Add: \"If scope changes: quoted separately in writing first.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Format sprawl","why":"The AI writes bold paragraphs.","fix":"Add: \"Three labeled lines plus the sign-off, plain text.\"","checks":["r0","plainText","maxWords","r1"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Lists the three labels","patterns":["what you pay","what you get","if scope changes"]},{"label":"Bans hourly equivalents","patterns":["hourly","hours","don.t state"]},{"label":"Uses the deliverables","patterns":["workflow map","8 fixes","60.day"]},{"label":"Plain text with sign-off","patterns":["plain text","sign off","ravi"]},{"label":"Limits length","patterns":["under \\d+","\\d+\\s*words"]}],"hint":"Give the labels and say which numbers must not be shared.","rubricLabels":["Has three lines starting What you pay:, What you get: and If scope changes: followed by a final line with only the sign-off Ravi","What you pay gives $9,500 in two payments of 50 percent and What you get names the workflow map, the ranked list of 8 fixes and the 60-day implementation plan","If scope changes says extra work is quoted separately in writing before it starts, and the reply states no hourly rate, hours estimate or criticism of hourly billing"]}