Negotiate bills with a script in your hand
A ten-minute prep that arms you with competitor prices and a script; calls routinely knock 10-25% off.
The problem
Internet, insurance, and phone bills creep up yearly, and calling to negotiate feels awkward enough to skip.
What you get
A working system with the steps, tools, checkpoints, and expected return made explicit.
- Setup
- 25 minutes
- Back each week
- 0.5 hours
- Difficulty
- starter
Expected return
The working case
A planning estimate, not a guaranteed result. Measure the first four weeks against your own baseline.
24
hours returned per year
At 0.5 hours/week across 48 working weeks.
1
week to earn back setup
Compare the setup estimate with the weekly time returned.
Operating contract
Input
The source material, constraints, and examples a human would need to do this work well.
Checkpoint
A person reviews judgment calls, sensitive content, unfamiliar tools, and irreversible actions.
Success signal
Track time returned, corrections required, and exceptions. Keep it only if the measured result compounds.
The steps
- 01
Prep the case before calling.
Copy this prompt
I pay [$X/month] for [internet, 500Mbps] with [provider]. Find what new customers pay for similar service in my area ([city]) including competitor offers, then write me a short, friendly phone script to ask for a better rate, including: the competitor anchor, asking for the retention department, and what to say if they offer only $5 off.
- 02
Call, ask for retention, read the script like a human. Silence after the ask is your friend.
- 03
Log the result and set a reminder for the promo expiry date; this is an annual ritual now.
What it runs on
- Perplexity
Current local competitor pricing with sources.
Where this goes wrong
- Do not accept a "loyalty offer" that extends a contract without checking the early-exit fee.
- Promo rates expire silently; the calendar reminder is half the value of this workflow.
Definition of done
Run it for four weeks. Then make it earn its place.
- □ Baseline the manual time before launch.
- □ Keep a human approval step for consequential output.
- □ Record corrections and exceptions, not just successes.
- □ Expand, revise, or retire it after the first review.
Build the system around it
Related workflows
If this one stops working, tell us. Three reports in a month and it leaves the library until a person has looked at it again.