{"id":"sb-supplier-quote-compare","audience":"small-business","category":"decisions","technique":"format","title":"Compare supplier quotes and pick the real cheapest","free":false,"task":"You run a coffee cart and need to pick a bean supplier, and your business partner Leo wants the answer by text. Send exactly 3 numbered lines, one per supplier, each with its real monthly cost for your 40 lb, then a last line starting \"Pick:\" with the cheapest real option. Under 80 words, plain text. Use only the numbers in the quotes, including the latest price update, each supplier's minimum order and your shelf space. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.","materialLabel":"The quotes and notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Need: 40 lb of espresso beans a month for the cart. Shelf space: 45 lb max. We order once a month. - Sofia\n\nQuote 1 - Ridgeline Roasters (Oct 22)\n$11.50/lb. Flat $25 shipping per order. No minimum.\n\nQuote 2 - Copperleaf Coffee (Oct 20)\n$10.75/lb. Free shipping on orders of 30 lb or more.\n\nQuote 3 - Harbor Bean Co. (Oct 24)\n$10.90/lb. Shipping $40 per order. Minimum order 50 lb.\n\nFollow-up email from Copperleaf (Oct 30):\n\"Hi Sofia, heads up that our green coffee costs went up. Starting Nov 1, our price for your blend is $12.25/lb. Free shipping over 30 lb still applies. Sorry!\"\n\nText from Leo (business partner):\n\"Harbor's beans won some award I think? Also my cousin says Copperleaf is the best.\"\n\nTo do: the cart's generator needs service before Saturday.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"maxWords","max":80},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Just saying \"compare these\"","why":"The AI builds a table or a long breakdown with bold headings and buries the pick in a paragraph, which looks broken in a text.","fix":"Say the shape: \"3 numbered lines, one per supplier, then a last line starting 'Pick:'. Plain text.\"","checks":["r0","numberedItems","plainText"]},{"title":"Missing the price update","why":"Copperleaf's first quote looks cheapest, and the AI may use it instead of the Oct 30 update.","fix":"Add: \"Use Copperleaf's Oct 30 price update, not the old price.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Ignoring the fine print","why":"The AI multiplies 40 lb by Harbor's price and skips its 50 lb minimum and your shelf limit.","fix":"Add: \"Apply each minimum order and my 45 lb shelf limit.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Letting rumors in","why":"The AI treats Leo's \"won some award\" text as a fact and uses it as a reason.","fix":"Add: \"Use only numbers from the quotes. Ignore Leo's rumors.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 80 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part instead: \"each line under 15 words, no math steps.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Ends with a clear pick","patterns":["pick:","last line","final line","end with","then.{0,20}(pick|recommend)"]},{"label":"Asks for one line per supplier","patterns":["\\b(3|three)\\b.{0,20}(lines?|numbered)","one (line )?per supplier"]},{"label":"Uses the price update","patterns":["update","latest","oct(ober)? 30","12\\.25","new price"]},{"label":"Applies the minimum and shelf space","patterns":["minimum","shelf","\\b45\\b"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","text message","no bold","no table"]}],"hint":"The cheapest-looking quote isn't always the cheapest real deal. Tell the AI the shape you need for a text, and point it at the fine print: the price update, the minimum order and your shelf space.","rubricLabels":["The last line, after the 3 numbered lines, picks Ridgeline Roasters (the lowest real monthly cost, $485)","Gives the correct monthly costs: Ridgeline $485 and Copperleaf $490 (the updated $12.25/lb price, free shipping), and Harbor is either costed at $585 (its 50 lb minimum) or ruled out because the 50 lb minimum is more than the 45 lb of shelf space","Uses only facts from the quotes: no outside prices or quality claims, and doesn't use Leo's rumors (an award, his cousin's opinion) as reasons"]}