Can ChatGPT Help With Bill Negotiations? We Put It to the Test
You could save a little spare change using AI-generated scripts to negotiate your bills.While some experts love to tell us to stop buying lattes and avocado toast, there are far more realistic ways to cut costs from your budget. And if you're comfortable getting on the phone with your bank or utility provider to negotiate a deal, this strategy might be for you.
You can use artificial intelligence to save money on groceries, find the best deals online and, for when you don't know what to say or what approach is best to secure a better price from these companies, AI tools can help you prepare talking points and draft scripts to negotiate your bills.
Since ChatGPT is a conversational AI tool, it felt like the right chatbot to turn me into a master negotiator. ChatGPT, released in November 2022 as a free or paid premium version ($20 a month), can also help clarify language, offer negotiation strategies and organize your argument.
What is a bill negotiation? Does it actually work?
If you've ever been unhappy with your cell service or internet outages and contacted your provider, you may have been granted a discount on your next bill to compensate for your troubles.
So, yes: you can always negotiate fees and bills, particularly with a compelling reason for why you should get a discount or waiver. (Here's CNET's best tips on negotiating a better deal with your internet provider.)
I wanted to test two negotiating scenarios with AI:
Random bank fees. Recurring expenses, like a utility bill.
Negotiating bank fees with AI
I realized I'd overlooked some bank fees when I carefully checked my statement.
ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET
These types of fees are easy to miss or let slide, but if I had a script to use, I'd be more willing to call my bank. So, I asked ChatGPT to help me create one.
Prompt 1: "I have two bank fees: A $15 charge for an incoming wire fee and a $2.50 charge for a non-Citibank ATM use. I have a Citibank checking account. What talking points can I use to get these fees wiped?"
ChatGPT suggested that when requesting a fee refund, be polite, personable and highlight my history as a customer. I liked how it gave specific talking points for each fee:
ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET
It provided a sample script, but it was pretty generic, so I followed up with some more details.
Prompt 2: "I've been with Citibank since 2019. Ask how I can avoid incoming wire fees in the future, given I have international clients paying into my checking account. Please update the script."
ChatGPT told me it's good to ask the bank for advice on avoiding fees in the future, because banks are more willing to assist long-term customers.
ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET
I tweaked ChatGPT's draft to make it more concise and personable:
"Hi, my name is Amanda, and I've been with Citibank since 2019. I noticed two fees on my account: a $15 incoming wire fee and a $2.50 fee for using a non-Citibank ATM. I usually don't incur these types of charges, so I'm calling to see if these fees can be waived?
Also, I have international clients who frequently pay me via my checking account. Could you please advise me on the best way to avoid incoming wire fees in the future?"
This is a pretty straightforward script and negotiation, but I wanted to see how ChatGPT would hold up with the bigger deals.
Negotiate recurring bills with AI
I have a $99 Verizon Fios bill, and I wanted to see if I could negotiate a discount or find ways to pay less than $1,188 annually.
Prompt 1: "I pay $99 per month for my Verizon Fios internet. How can I get a discount or pay less than $1,188 annually?"
ChatGPT suggested I check current Verizon promotions and research current competitor offers before calling customer service. It also gave me some nuggets of advice I hadn't thought of, like calling at a different time and trying the online chat.
ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET
Prompt 2: "I don't want to downgrade my plan. Offer creative suggestions that I can communicate to Verizon."
It gave me some solid options. Some of its suggestions included extending your contract for a discount, asking about referral programs, requesting a loyalty discount, bundling additional services, paying annually to save money, paperless billing and autopay discounts, promotional rates for loyalty, compensation for service outages, reviewing additional fees and inquiring about enhanced services or benefits you can add to your plan for the same rate.
I picked the points I liked and asked ChatGPT to include them in the script.
Prompt 3: "Use the extended contract, loyalty discount, annual payment discount, promotional rates, enhanced services at the same rate options in the script."
Here's ChatGPT's revised negotiation script:
ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET
I tweaked it to this:
"Hi, my name is Amanda, and I've been with Verizon Fios for over four years. I currently pay $99 a month for my internet service, which comes to $1,188 annually. I'd like to explore ways to reduce my monthly bill without downgrading my plan.
I'm willing to commit to an extended contract or pay in full for the year if that could lower my rate. Additionally, as a long-term customer, I believe I should be eligible for a loyalty discount. Are there any loyalty programs or discounts available? I've noticed there are promotional rates for new customers and competitive deals with other providers.
I value Verizon's service and would prefer not to switch providers. Is there anything you can do to lower my bill?"
If you need to play hardball, ChatGPT suggests strategies like requesting to speak to the retention department, expressing willingness to switch providers, highlighting any past issues with your service and asking for a complimentary upgrade.
Does negotiating using ChatGPT work?
Companies assume customers won't advocate for themselves. There are no guarantees that negotiating will work, but there's no harm in trying. A conversation might take you 30 minutes (and then there's the time you'll spend waiting on hold), but it could potentially save you hundreds of dollars over your lifetime as a customer.
It's also good practice to build the skill of negotiation, which you can use in more important parts of your life, such as negotiating a pay bump at work.
Always be kind, come prepared with figures, and be clear about what you want. Companies don't want to lose valued customers.
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