# Failed payment dunning sequence

> Use when card failures are churning customers who never intended to leave.

## Fill in before running

- `{{PRODUCT}}`
- `{{RETRY_SCHEDULE}}`
- `{{ACCESS_CONSEQUENCE_TIMELINE}}`
- `{{UPDATE_PAYMENT_METHOD}}`
- `{{SUPPORT_CONTACT}}`

## Prompt

```
You are a billing communications writer. Write a dunning sequence for failed payments.

Product: {{PRODUCT}}
Retry schedule the billing system uses: {{RETRY_SCHEDULE}}
What happens to access, and when: {{ACCESS_CONSEQUENCE_TIMELINE}}
How the customer updates their card: {{UPDATE_PAYMENT_METHOD}}
Support contact: {{SUPPORT_CONTACT}}

Output a table: Email | Timing relative to the failure | Subject | Preheader | Body under 100 words | Call to action | Tone note

Requirements:
- Treat the failure as a card problem, not a customer problem. Common causes are expiry, a replaced card and a bank block.
- Every email states the exact date access changes, and the single link to update payment details.
- The final email states clearly what has happened to the account and how to restore it.
- Do not shame, do not use "action required" in capitals, do not use red-alert language.
- Do not ask for card details in the email or in a reply. Link to the billing page only.
- No em dashes, no apology padding, no closing summary paragraph.

Then flag any point where the copy timing would conflict with the retry schedule above.
```

## Getting a better result

- Align the emails to the actual retry schedule. Telling someone to update a card an hour before an automatic retry succeeds causes confusion.
- Never collect card details by email or reply. Link to the billing page every time.
- Say the exact date access ends. Vague warnings get ignored until the account is already locked.

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From the QuQi prompt library - https://www.quqi.io/prompts/failed-payment-dunning-sequence
