{"id":"sales-same-industry-reference-request-honest-reply","audience":"sales","category":"sales-work","technique":"grounding","track":"sales","level":"intermediate","title":"Answer a reference request when you have no matching customer","free":false,"task":"Hollis Veterinary Group asked for a reference from another veterinary practice. You don't have one. Write a plain-text reply from Nadia under 100 words that says so plainly, offers the dental reference and the published dental case study, and asks whether that would help. Do not mention the animal hospital pilot or imply any veterinary results.","materialLabel":"Your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"REQUEST from Dr. Anita Hollis (Hollis Veterinary Group), Nov 4: \"Can you connect us with another veterinary practice that uses your scheduling software?\"\n\nREFERENCE LIST (approved to share)\n- Brightside Dental Group (12 locations): Operations Director Colin Wu has agreed to take reference calls; intros go through Nadia, who asks him first.\n- Published case study: \"Brightside Dental cuts scheduling gaps\" (on our website; written with Brightside's approval).\n\nNOT AVAILABLE\n- Veterinary customers: none live. A pilot with Paws & Co Animal Hospital started Oct 20 and is not live; the customer has not agreed to be a reference and results are not available.\n- Do not imply veterinary results or timelines.\n\nNadia Fernandez is the account executive. Dr. Hollis's decision date is Dec 4.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":100}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Hinting at the pilot","why":"The AI mentions 'a veterinary customer we're working with'.","fix":"Add: \"Do not mention the pilot or imply veterinary results.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Hedging the no","why":"The AI says 'we're building our veterinary references'.","fix":"Add: \"Say plainly that there is no live veterinary customer to refer.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Promising the intro","why":"The AI says 'I'll connect you with Colin' without asking him first.","fix":"Add: \"Say the intro goes through Nadia, who asks Colin first.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Long email","why":"The AI writes several paragraphs with bold text.","fix":"Add: \"Plain text, under 100 words.\"","checks":["r2","plainText","maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"States the no","patterns":["no live","plainly","not have"]},{"label":"Offers the dental reference","patterns":["brightside","colin","dental"]},{"label":"Includes case study","patterns":["case study"]},{"label":"Leaves out the pilot","patterns":["pilot","paws","do not mention"]},{"label":"Ends with one question","patterns":["one question","ask","whether"]}],"hint":"Say the no plainly, name the approved alternatives, and rule out the pilot.","rubricLabels":["States plainly that there is no live veterinary customer to refer, without hedging or implying one is coming soon","Offers the Brightside Dental reference (intro after Nadia asks Colin Wu) and the published dental case study, and asks one question about whether that would help","Does not mention the Paws & Co pilot or any veterinary results, and is signed Nadia in plain text under 100 words"]}