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Ask the right questions about a usage drop

  • For Customer success managers
  • You practice Catching mistakes and made-up facts
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

Saltmarsh Media's usage report looks bad and you have a call with their admin. Write exactly 5 numbered, open-ended questions (no yes/no), each under 20 words, tied to a real change in the data, and each ending with a tag in square brackets: [Reports], [Editors] or [Mobile]. Use each tag at least once. Don't ask about the part of the drop caused by your own tracking change, and don't blame the customer. Output only the questions.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Treating the tracking change as real. The AI asks the customer why logins fell 35%, which is mostly our own counting change. Try: Say: "About 20% of the login drop is our tracking change. Don't ask about it."
  • Generic questions. The AI writes questions any account could get. Try: Ask: "Tie each question to a specific change in the data."
  • Yes/no questions. The AI asks "Did something change?" which ends the conversation. Try: Say: "Open-ended only, starting with What, How or Which."
  • No fixed count. The AI writes a long list grouped under headings. Try: Ask for "exactly 5 numbered questions, each under 20 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Sets the count
  • Accounts for the tracking change
  • Asks for open questions
  • Ties to the data
  • Avoids blame

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