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Write three live-chat canned replies from a policy page

Practice: Keeping the AI to your sources. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You're adding 3 canned replies to your live-chat tool for the most common questions: tracking not updating, wrong size, and a promo code that won't work. Write exactly 3 numbered lines in the form "Situation: reply", each reply under 25 words and ending with a question back to the customer, under 100 words total, plain text. Use only the current policy. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not fixing the format. The AI writes three long replies with headings and greetings, not short lines a chat tool can store. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 3 numbered lines like '1. Tracking: reply'."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 100 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each reply under 22 words."
  • Ending with a statement. The AI ends with "Let us know if you need anything else!" so the chat stalls. Try: Add: "End each reply with a direct question to the customer."
  • Using the old exchange window. The page still mentions 60 days, and the AI may grab that number. Try: Add: "Exchanges are 30 days (the 60-day window ended)."
  • Inventing perks. To smooth things over, the AI offers a new code or free shipping that isn't policy. Try: Add: "Use only the policy page. Offer no extra discounts."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Sets the number of replies
  • Ends with a question
  • Uses the current window
  • Caps each reply
  • Asks for plain text

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