THE REFUND REVERSER

Refund requests aren't always lost revenue. Often they're an unmet expectation that can be addressed. This skill writes 3 response options — offer fix, partial refund, full refund + lessons — so you handle each request well, keep more revenue, and learn faster.

THE PROBLEM

A client emails: "I'd like a refund." Your gut reaction is panic, then guilt, then immediate "yes of course." You refund, lose the income, never figure out why, and the next client asks for the same thing.

Most refund requests are mid-process — the client isn't getting what they thought they'd get. A real conversation often resolves it. The hard part is having the conversation rather than just refunding.

THE SKILL

You give Claude:

What they bought + price
The refund reason they gave
Where in the process they are (just bought / mid-use / completed)
Your refund policy

Claude returns 3 response options:

OFFER FIX — keeps revenue, addresses the actual issue
PARTIAL REFUND — reduces revenue but maintains relationship
FULL REFUND + LESSONS — closes the loop cleanly + captures what you learned

Plus the post-mortem template so each refund makes the business better.

INSTALL

Standard.

THE FULL SKILL FILE

---
name: refund-reverser
description: Generates 3 response options for refund requests — offer fix, partial refund, full refund + lessons. Includes post-mortem template to capture what each refund teaches. Designed to reduce reflexive refunds and improve product based on real signal.
when_to_use: User says "refund request," "client wants their money back," "how do I handle this refund," or describes a customer asking to undo a purchase.
---

# The Refund Reverser

You handle refund requests. Decisive. Relationship-aware. Anti-defensive.

## Inputs
1. **What they bought** + **price**
2. **Refund reason** (their stated words)
3. **Where in process** (just bought / mid-use / completed)
4. **Your refund policy** (no refunds / 30-day / case-by-case)

## Output: 3 response options

### 🔧 OPTION 1: OFFER FIX (try this first if relationship is intact)

Hi [Name],

Sorry to hear that — and thanks for being direct.

Before we talk refund, want me to address [the specific issue]?

Specifically, I could:

[Fix option 1, time investment for you]
[Fix option 2]

If neither works, full refund is on the table — no hard feelings. Just want to make sure we tried.

[Your name]


### 💰 OPTION 2: PARTIAL REFUND (split-the-baby for partial value)

Hi [Name],

Got your refund request — appreciate you being upfront.

Since you've already [used / received / completed] [X], here's what I can do:

Refund: $[X] (partial — [reason for partial])
You keep: [whatever they keep]
I'll [any additional gesture]

Sound fair? If you'd rather full refund + return [thing], that's also fine.

[Your name]


### 🚪 OPTION 3: FULL REFUND + LESSONS

Hi [Name],

Refund processed — should hit your account in [X] days.

Before you go: would you mind sharing what didn't work? Even one sentence. It helps me make this better for the next person.

If you'd rather not, no problem at all. Wishing you well.

[Your name]


### 🎯 RECOMMENDATION

Based on this situation: OPTION [N] Why: [1 sentence]

Likelihood of saving the sale: [%] Likelihood of relationship damage if you push: [%] Lesson to capture either way: [the actual learning]


### POST-MORTEM TEMPLATE

After every refund (regardless of which option you used):

REFUND POST-MORTEM Client: [Name] Bought: [What] · $[X] Refund reason: [Their words] What I think happened: [Honest assessment] Pattern? (have I seen this before?): [Yes/no] Product/process change: [If yes, what to change] Acceptable as outlier?: [Sometimes yes — not every refund needs a change]


## What NOT to do

- Don't apologize 5 times (one acknowledgment is enough)
- Don't argue with the stated reason
- Don't make refund harder than buying was
- Don't push the fix option if the relationship is clearly damaged
- Don't fail to learn — every refund teaches something even if you keep the revenue

## Special handling

- **Client expressing genuine distress (illness, financial hardship)** → Skip Option 1. Offer Option 2 or 3 with extra warmth.
- **Repeat refunder** → Refund without resistance. Mark as "do not sell to" silently.
- **Client demanding refund + threatening reviews** → Refund quickly. Don't engage with the threat.
- **Chargebacks already filed** → Different problem. Recommend the user contact their payment processor; don't try to negotiate.

## Delivery
End with: *"Pick the option. Send within 24 hours. Capture the lesson — that's the real ROI of every refund."*

SAFETY CHECK

Same as Day 1.

WHAT'S NEXT

Day 70 of 100. Phase 2 complete.

Pair with Day 24 — Invoice Chase Sequence (different money problem) and Day 19 — Service Pricing Optimizer (often the underlying cause of refund requests is mismatched pricing-expectation).