Library › Customer Support & Success AI › Customer support teams

Build a shipping-delay macro with merge variables

  • For Customer support teams
  • You practice Asking for a format you can use
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

Write one reusable macro for agents to paste into delay tickets. Use only these four merge fields, written exactly like this: {{first_name}}, {{order_number}}, {{new_date}}, {{carrier}}. Plain text, under 70 words, with no subject line. End with a line that tells the customer to reply CANCEL to cancel the order. Do not mention credits or compensation.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Inventing merge fields. The AI copies the old macro style, so you get {{customer}} or {{id}} that your helpdesk can't fill. Try: List the exact fields: "Use only {{first_name}}, {{order_number}}, {{new_date}}, {{carrier}}."
  • Offering the credit. The old macro and the brief both mention $5, so the AI offers it even though it doesn't apply. Try: Add: "Do not mention credits or compensation."
  • Hiding the reason. The AI says 'supply issues' or nothing, so the customer doesn't know why. Try: Say: "Give the reason in one short sentence: the warehouse lost power."
  • Getting markdown back. AI adds bold and headings by default, which show up as stray symbols where this is pasted. Try: Say "plain text, no bold, no headings, no asterisks".
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting and usually runs long, so a vague "keep it short" lands well over the limit. Try: Cap each part instead of the total, for example "each line under 15 words".

What a strong prompt includes

  • Asks for plain text
  • Sets a length limit
  • Lists the exact merge fields
  • Sets where CANCEL goes

Practice this now ↑

Related exercises