Library › Data AI › Customer support teams
Estimate how long a ticket backlog takes to clear
Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
Your director asked when the backlog will be cleared. Two agents are out next week, so the team will close about 60 tickets a day instead of 80. Write exactly 3 numbered lines: 1) daily closes, 2) net burn = closes − new tickets per day, 3) days to clear = backlog ÷ net burn, then one unnumbered last line: Goal of 14 days: MET or MISSED. Plain text, under 60 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not mentioning the absences. The AI uses the full-team rate and gets about 10 days. Try: Add: "Next week we close 60 a day, not 80."
- Forgetting new tickets. The AI divides the backlog by closes and ignores new tickets coming in. Try: Add: "Net burn = closes − new tickets."
- Not asking to see the work. Your director will want each step. Try: Add a line to copy: "2. Net burn: 60 − 40 = 20/day"
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each line: "each line under 10 words."
- Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a director's Slack. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."
What a strong prompt includes
- Mentions the absences
- Counts new tickets
- Asks to show the math
- Sets a word limit
- Asks for plain text
Related exercises
- Announce a hybrid work policy change with clear actions (Writing AI · HR and recruiting)
- Announce a new weekend rotation in three clear rules (Productivity AI · Managers and team leads)
- Announce a promotion with the right date and no pay details (Writing AI · HR and recruiting)
- Announce a team change and answer the first question (Writing AI · Managers and team leads)
- Answer a showing request for a home that's under contract (Writing AI · Real estate agents)