Keep a customer's trust when a job runs over time or budget
It turns 'it's going to cost more' into a clear two-option message the customer can answer with one word.
A sketch of what you'll get back.
Your prompt
Fill in your details. Skip any you like.
ChatGPT and Claude open with your prompt already typed in. Gemini can't be filled in from a link, so its button copies your prompt: paste it into the new chat.
The prompt that gets copied
I'm a [YOUR TRADE, e.g. electrician] on a job for a homeowner. The job has changed and I need to tell them before I continue. Original quote and timing: [ORIGINAL QUOTE, e.g. $1,200, done Friday] What I found: [WHAT YOU FOUND, e.g. old wiring behind the panel] New estimate: [NEW COST AND TIME, e.g. extra $450, done Monday] Write a message I can text or email that: - Starts with the news, not a long lead-in - Explains what I found and why it matters, with no jargon - Shows the old and new price and timing side by side - Gives two clear options, for example go ahead now, or finish the original job and quote the rest separately - Asks them to reply with a simple yes or the option number - Stays calm and honest, under 130 words Then give me short answers to the three questions they're most likely to ask.
Describe what you found, the extra time and the new cost. You get a short, honest message that explains the change in plain words and asks for the customer's OK before you carry on.
Step by step
- Note what you found, the extra time and the new price.
- Paste the details into the prompt.
- Check the numbers in the message match your notes.
- Send it and wait for their OK before you continue.
What you'll get
A clear change message with old and new numbers, two options to pick from and ready answers to likely questions.
- Made for
- Small business owners
- Works in
- ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
