Ticket Deflector
When to use
Run this when the owner forwards a customer email or support ticket and wants a fast, accurate, on-brand reply drafted. It saves the owner from writing every response while keeping them in control of anything that costs money.
Not for: sending replies autonomously (every draft gets an owner glance first); anything that spends money without approval; multi-message campaigns (use smb-run-campaign).
Method
- Read the message. Identify the customer, the request or complaint, and the sentiment.
- Pull context. From connected systems: order details, payment/refund status, shipping, prior interactions with this customer.
- Determine the resolution. Answer, fix, apology, refund, replacement, or escalation. Decision point: if the customer is upset, acknowledge that first; if facts are missing, ask internally rather than guessing in the reply.
- Draft a tone-matched reply. Warm, plain, specific to the order, with concrete next steps and timelines.
- Gate anything that costs money. If the resolution involves a refund, credit, discount, or spend, present it as a proposal and wait for owner approval before sending.
- Show every draft. Even non-monetary informational replies get a quick owner glance before they go out.
Example
Customer: "Order #5521 arrived cracked, this is ridiculous." Sentiment: angry. Context: delivered 2 days ago, one prior clean order, $58 paid. Resolution: apologize + free replacement (no refund needed) — costs a replacement unit, so gate it. Draft: "Hi Dana, I'm so sorry your order arrived damaged — that's on us. I've queued a free replacement shipping today, tracking to follow. Nothing needed on your end." Present the replacement cost for owner approval before sending.
Pitfalls
- Sending a refund, credit, or replacement without the owner's approval — the money gate is non-negotiable.
- Replying with generic canned language instead of matching the business's actual voice.
- Answering before pulling order/refund history, so the reply contradicts the record.
- Matching an angry customer's heat instead of acknowledging the frustration and de-escalating.
Output format
- Customer + issue summary with pulled order/refund/history facts.
- Recommended resolution and whether it costs money.
- Drafted reply, ready to send.
- Approval gate: explicit sign-off on any refund or spend; nothing reaches the customer without owner approval.
Reference
Resolution decision matrix
| Situation |
Resolution |
Costs money? |
Gate |
| Damaged/defective on arrival |
Apologize + free replacement |
Yes (unit + shipping) |
Owner approves |
| Never arrived / lost in transit |
Reship or refund + carrier claim |
Yes |
Owner approves |
| Late but arrived |
Apology + optional goodwill credit |
Maybe |
Gate if credit |
| Wrong item sent |
Send correct + prepaid return label |
Yes |
Owner approves |
| Buyer's remorse, in policy |
Refund per policy |
Yes |
Owner approves |
| Buyer's remorse, out of policy |
Explain policy warmly; offer alternative |
Usually no |
Show draft |
| How-to / usage question |
Direct answer + resource link |
No |
Show draft |
| Angry but no clear ask |
Acknowledge, ask what would make it right |
No |
Show draft |
| Chargeback threat / legal |
Acknowledge, escalate to owner |
— |
Escalate |
| Every draft — even free, informational ones — gets an owner glance before it sends. |
|
|
|
Reply structure (the ARC pattern)
- Acknowledge — name the feeling and the specific issue ("I'm sorry your order arrived cracked").
- Resolve — state the concrete fix and a timeline ("a replacement ships today, tracking to follow").
- Close — reduce their effort ("nothing needed on your end") + a warm sign-off.
Lead with the human, then the fix. Never bury an apology under policy language.
Tone-matching guide
| Customer sentiment |
Your register |
| Angry / heated |
Calm, warm, owning it; do not match the heat |
| Anxious / worried |
Reassuring, specific timelines |
| Confused |
Plain, step-by-step, no jargon |
| Neutral / transactional |
Efficient, friendly, brief |
| Delighted / thankful |
Warm, brief, invite a review |
| Always mirror the business's brand voice, not generic canned support language. |
|
De-escalation phrases that work
- "You're right to be frustrated — let me make this right."
- "That's on us, and here's exactly what I'll do."
- "I've already [action], so you don't have to chase this."
Avoid: "Per our policy…", "Unfortunately…", "As I stated…", and passive blame ("your package was damaged" → "the package arrived damaged").
Context to pull before drafting
Order number + date, amount paid, payment/refund status, shipping/tracking status, this customer's prior order + interaction history, and any relevant policy (returns window, warranty). A reply that contradicts the record destroys trust — pull facts first, and if a fact is missing, ask internally rather than guessing in the reply.
The money gate (non-negotiable)
Any refund, credit, discount, replacement, or reship costs money and is presented as a proposal with the dollar amount, then waits for the owner's explicit approval before sending. State the cost plainly: "Proposed: free replacement unit (~$X cost + shipping) — approve to send?"
Quality bar before showing a draft
Correct order facts · warm + on-brand tone · one clear resolution · concrete next step + timeline · money items gated · no promise the business can't keep. Nothing reaches the customer without the owner's approval.
1---2name: smb-ticket-deflector3description: Read a forwarded customer email or ticket, pull order/refund/history context, and draft a tone-matched reply — refunds only with owner approval.4---56# Ticket Deflector78## When to use9Run this when the owner forwards a customer email or support ticket and wants a fast, accurate, on-brand reply drafted. It saves the owner from writing every response while keeping them in control of anything that costs money.1011**Not for:** sending replies autonomously (every draft gets an owner glance first); anything that spends money without approval; multi-message campaigns (use smb-run-campaign).1213## Method141. **Read the message.** Identify the customer, the request or complaint, and the sentiment.152. **Pull context.** From connected systems: order details, payment/refund status, shipping, prior interactions with this customer.163. **Determine the resolution.** Answer, fix, apology, refund, replacement, or escalation. Decision point: if the customer is upset, acknowledge that first; if facts are missing, ask internally rather than guessing in the reply.174. **Draft a tone-matched reply.** Warm, plain, specific to the order, with concrete next steps and timelines.185. **Gate anything that costs money.** If the resolution involves a refund, credit, discount, or spend, present it as a proposal and wait for owner approval before sending.196. **Show every draft.** Even non-monetary informational replies get a quick owner glance before they go out.2021## Example22Customer: "Order #5521 arrived cracked, this is ridiculous." Sentiment: angry. Context: delivered 2 days ago, one prior clean order, $58 paid. Resolution: apologize + free replacement (no refund needed) — costs a replacement unit, so gate it. Draft: "Hi Dana, I'm so sorry your order arrived damaged — that's on us. I've queued a free replacement shipping today, tracking to follow. Nothing needed on your end." Present the replacement cost for owner approval before sending.2324## Pitfalls25- Sending a refund, credit, or replacement without the owner's approval — the money gate is non-negotiable.26- Replying with generic canned language instead of matching the business's actual voice.27- Answering before pulling order/refund history, so the reply contradicts the record.28- Matching an angry customer's heat instead of acknowledging the frustration and de-escalating.2930## Output format31- **Customer + issue summary** with pulled order/refund/history facts.32- **Recommended resolution** and whether it costs money.33- **Drafted reply,** ready to send.34- **Approval gate:** explicit sign-off on any refund or spend; nothing reaches the customer without owner approval.3536## Reference3738### Resolution decision matrix39| Situation | Resolution | Costs money? | Gate |40|-----------|-----------|--------------|------|41| Damaged/defective on arrival | Apologize + free replacement | Yes (unit + shipping) | Owner approves |42| Never arrived / lost in transit | Reship or refund + carrier claim | Yes | Owner approves |43| Late but arrived | Apology + optional goodwill credit | Maybe | Gate if credit |44| Wrong item sent | Send correct + prepaid return label | Yes | Owner approves |45| Buyer's remorse, in policy | Refund per policy | Yes | Owner approves |46| Buyer's remorse, out of policy | Explain policy warmly; offer alternative | Usually no | Show draft |47| How-to / usage question | Direct answer + resource link | No | Show draft |48| Angry but no clear ask | Acknowledge, ask what would make it right | No | Show draft |49| Chargeback threat / legal | Acknowledge, escalate to owner | — | Escalate |50Every draft — even free, informational ones — gets an owner glance before it sends.5152### Reply structure (the ARC pattern)531. **Acknowledge** — name the feeling and the specific issue ("I'm sorry your order arrived cracked").542. **Resolve** — state the concrete fix and a timeline ("a replacement ships today, tracking to follow").553. **Close** — reduce their effort ("nothing needed on your end") + a warm sign-off.56Lead with the human, then the fix. Never bury an apology under policy language.5758### Tone-matching guide59| Customer sentiment | Your register |60|--------------------|---------------|61| Angry / heated | Calm, warm, owning it; do **not** match the heat |62| Anxious / worried | Reassuring, specific timelines |63| Confused | Plain, step-by-step, no jargon |64| Neutral / transactional | Efficient, friendly, brief |65| Delighted / thankful | Warm, brief, invite a review |66Always mirror the *business's* brand voice, not generic canned support language.6768### De-escalation phrases that work69- "You're right to be frustrated — let me make this right."70- "That's on us, and here's exactly what I'll do."71- "I've already [action], so you don't have to chase this."72Avoid: "Per our policy…", "Unfortunately…", "As I stated…", and passive blame ("your package was damaged" → "the package arrived damaged").7374### Context to pull before drafting75Order number + date, amount paid, payment/refund status, shipping/tracking status, this customer's prior order + interaction history, and any relevant policy (returns window, warranty). A reply that contradicts the record destroys trust — pull facts first, and if a fact is missing, ask internally rather than guessing in the reply.7677### The money gate (non-negotiable)78Any refund, credit, discount, replacement, or reship **costs money** and is presented as a **proposal** with the dollar amount, then waits for the owner's explicit approval before sending. State the cost plainly: "Proposed: free replacement unit (~$X cost + shipping) — approve to send?"7980### Quality bar before showing a draft81Correct order facts · warm + on-brand tone · one clear resolution · concrete next step + timeline · money items gated · no promise the business can't keep. Nothing reaches the customer without the owner's approval.
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