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Compare helpdesk tools on annual cost for your team

Practice: Catching mistakes and made-up facts. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

Your support team of 14 agents is choosing a new helpdesk tool. You want exactly 3 numbered lines, one per tool, each showing the math to an annual cost for 14 agents including required add-ons (like "$30 x 14 x 12 + $600 = $5,640"), then a final line "Lowest:". Use each vendor's latest written pricing and only those numbers, plain text, nothing else.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Skipping required add-ons. The AI compares base prices and forgets chat costs extra on two tools. Try: Say: "Include required add-ons (live chat) in every total."
  • Using old or verbal prices. The old SupportHive price and TicketTree's verbal offer are both in your notes. Try: Add: "Use the latest written pricing only."
  • Getting a feature review. The AI weighs reporting and ease of use, which isn't what you asked. Try: Say: "Output only the 3 lines and Lowest."
  • Not saying how many. The AI decides the length itself and usually returns more lines, one per tool than you can use. Try: Be exact: "exactly 3 numbered lines, one per tool."
  • Getting markdown back. AI defaults to bold labels and headings, which show up as stray symbols in a message to your manager. Try: Ask for "plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Asks for annual cost
  • Includes add-ons
  • Uses written pricing
  • Says exactly how many
  • Asks for plain text

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