Neighborhood bike mechanic
Ben Carter
Local retail and repair
Problem
Ben Carter repairs bikes in a single bay behind a neighborhood shop. Customers describe a "weird noise," book a slot, and then do not show up. Others arrive expecting a price he never published, then argue at the counter while the next bike waits. His handwritten list of common jobs is stained and out of date. He is not trying to become a marketing team. He wants a plain price menu, a reminder message, and a short intake question so a no-show or a surprise quote happens less often. He will still inspect every bike himself.
Gemini strategy
Ben asks Gemini to rewrite his real price list into a counter card and a booking note. He pastes only job names and the prices he already charges, and he tells the model not to add services, warranties, or safety claims. The draft also includes a reminder text and three intake questions: what the bike is doing, when he can keep it, and whether a previous repair matters. His verification step is reading every price aloud against his notebook. His partner, who does not work in the shop, tries to book a pretend slot and points out unclear lines. He fixes those before the card goes on the counter.
Prompts
Turn my prices into a counter card
You are helping a neighborhood bike mechanic write a counter card. I will paste the jobs and prices I actually charge. Do not add services, warranties, discounts, or safety promises. Rewrite the list in plain language a customer can scan while standing at the counter. Separate "price known before we start" from "price after a look," using only the split I provide. Add one line that says a no-show may release the slot. Keep it short enough for one page. End with any phrase that could be misread as a guarantee so I can delete it.
Write a reminder and intake note
Draft a booking reminder and three intake questions for a bike repair slot. Use only the shop name, hours, and deposit rule I paste. Do not invent policies. The reminder should say the time, ask the customer to reply if they cannot come, and state what happens to the slot if they do not. The questions should help me learn the symptom, how long I can keep the bike, and whether a recent repair is relevant. Write it so I can send it as a text. Mark any line that sounds like a legal contract so I can soften it.
Process
- 1. Paste the current job list and prices, nothing from customer records.
- 2. Draft the counter card, reminder, and three intake questions.
- 3. Read every price against the notebook and fix unclear lines.
- 4. Use the card for a week and note which questions customers still ask.
Result
Ben's estimate after a few weeks is that fewer people are surprised by the price of a basic tune, and reminder replies catch some conflicts before the bay sits empty. No-shows still happen, especially on rainy days. Two customers said the card felt blunt, so he softened one line and kept the numbers. He did not add services the model suggested in an early draft because he does not offer them. The main change is that the counter conversation starts from a shared page instead of a guess.
Lessons
- Publish the prices you already charge; do not let a model invent new ones.
- A second person should try to misread the card before customers do.
- Reminders reduce some no-shows and will not erase all of them.