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Setting the Email Tone Using Examples

With User Instructions, you control how the Zalion agent communicates in negotiation emails. Instead of describing a tone abstractly, you can provide one or more example emails that match your desired style. The agent analyzes these references and automatically adopts the tone, salutation style, sentence length, and level of formality for all future negotiation emails.

What Does “Email Tone” Mean in This Context?

The tone of a negotiation email is determined by several factors:

  • Level of formality: Formal vs. informal salutations, use of titles, structured vs. casual layout
  • Salutation style: “Dear Mr./Ms.” vs. “Hello” vs. “Hi”
  • Sentence length and style: Detailed and explanatory vs. short and concise
  • Warmth vs. directness: Partnership-oriented and warm vs. professional and matter-of-fact
  • Language: English, German, or other languages – the tone can be set separately for each language

By providing an example email that matches your desired style exactly, the agent doesn’t have to guess – it has a concrete reference to work from.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Navigate to the agent dashboard and click the gear icon (“Agent Settings”).
  2. Select the “User Preferences” tab.
  3. In the “Preferred Tone” field, enter a short description (e.g., “Friendly, Formal”).
  4. In the “Additional Instructions” field, paste your example email(s) as text. Label each example clearly, e.g.: “--- Tone Example 1: Formal (new suppliers) ---” followed by the email text.
  5. Click “Save Preferences”.
  6. The agent will adopt the tone starting with the next negotiation.

Tips for Choosing a Good Reference Email

  • Choose an email that was well received by the supplier or that reflects your company standard.
  • Avoid emails with emotional outliers (e.g., complaints) – they distort the tone.
  • The email should be long enough to make the style recognizable (at least 5–7 sentences).
  • If you want different styles for different scenarios, provide multiple examples with clear labels.

Use Case Scenarios

Formal and Professional

Suitable for initial inquiries, new suppliers, and international business partners. Provide an example email with a formal salutation, structured layout, and professional closing (e.g., a request for quotation with clear requirements and a courteous tone).

Direct and Partnership-Oriented

Suitable for long-standing suppliers and renegotiations. Provide an example email with a first-name greeting, concise style, and direct language (e.g., renegotiating existing terms and conditions).

Multilingual

The tone can also be set for emails in other languages. For example, provide a German reference email for DACH-region suppliers or an English one for international partners. Set the desired language in the “Preferred Language” field so the agent assigns the reference correctly.

💡 Tip: You can provide multiple examples for different scenarios. Label each one clearly so the agent selects the right reference for the situation at hand.

FAQ & Troubleshooting

What happens if the example email sends mixed signals? If an email combines, say, a formal salutation with a very casual body, the agent will try to find a middle ground. It’s better to choose an email that is consistent throughout. If you intentionally want differences, describe this explicitly in the Additional Instructions.

Can I change the tone at any time? Yes. Navigate back to Agent Settings → User Preferences and update your examples or the “Preferred Tone” field. Changes take effect from the next negotiation.

Do I need to provide a complete email? No, but the more complete the example (salutation, body, closing), the better the agent can adopt the tone.