How Do I Customize Response Style and Personalization?

Propel's AI agent automatically generates personalized responses to prospects, but you can customize how those responses are written and signed. This guide covers bot signature customization, response style, personalization, and best practices for maintaining a professional yet friendly tone.

What Is Response Customization?

Response customization controls how your AI agent presents itself and communicates with prospects. Unlike rules that control when to respond, customization controls how responses are written and signed.

Key customization areas:

• Bot signature - How the agent identifies itself in emails
• Response style - Tone, formality, and communication approach
• Personalization - Using prospect names, property details, and context
• Brand voice - Maintaining consistency with your organization's style

Bot Signature Customization

The bot signature is how your AI agent identifies itself in email responses. This appears at the end of messages to let prospects know they're communicating with an automated assistant.

What Is a Bot Signature?

The bot signature is the name or identifier the AI agent uses when signing emails. It appears in messages like:

Best regards,
[Bot Signature]

Default: "Property assistant"

Configuring Bot Signature

Step 1: Navigate to Mailbox Settings

1. Go to Settings > Mailboxes
2. Click the mailbox you want to configure
3. Scroll to the "Bot Signature & Disclaimer" section

Step 2: Edit Bot Signature

1. Find the "Bot signature" field
2. Enter how you want the agent to identify itself
3. Click "Save Changes"

Bot Signature Examples

Property Management:

• "Property assistant"
• "Leasing Assistant"
• "Sarah's leasing assistant"
• "Rental Inquiry Assistant"

Real Estate:

• "Sales Team Assistant"
• "Buyer Lead Assistant"
• "John's real estate assistant"
• "Property Inquiry Bot"

Short-Term Rentals:

• "Booking Assistant"
• "Guest Services"
• "Reservation Assistant"

Commercial Real Estate:

• "Commercial Property Assistant"
• "Territory Routing Assistant"

Best Practices for Bot Signatures

Keep it professional:

• Use clear, professional language
• Avoid overly casual or robotic names
• Make it clear it's an assistant but not overly technical

Consider personalization:

• Include a team member's name for personal touch
• Example: "Brian's leasing assistant" feels more personal than "Property assistant"
• Helps prospects feel they have a dedicated contact

Match your brand:

• Align with your organization's communication style
• Use terminology consistent with your industry
• Consider your target audience

Be clear about automation:

• Make it clear it's an automated assistant
• Avoid misleading prospects into thinking it's a human
• Transparency builds trust

Response Style and Tone

Propel's AI automatically adapts its response style based on context, but you can influence the tone through rules and instructions.

Understanding Response Style

Response style includes:

• Formality level - Formal vs casual
• Tone - Friendly, professional, enthusiastic
• Length - Brief vs detailed
• Structure - How information is organized

Influencing Style Through Rules

You can guide response style in your automation rules:

Example: Professional and formal:

When responding to commercial property inquiries, use a professional, formal tone. Provide detailed information and maintain a business-appropriate style.

Example: Friendly and conversational:

When responding to rental inquiries, use a friendly, conversational tone. Be warm and helpful while providing clear information.

Example: Enthusiastic and energetic:

When responding to buyer leads, use an enthusiastic, energetic tone. Show excitement about helping them find their perfect property.

Style Considerations by Use Case

Property Management:

• Professional but approachable
• Clear and helpful
• Focus on availability, pricing, and next steps

Real Estate:

• Professional and knowledgeable
• Enthusiastic about properties
• Focus on matching buyer needs

Short-Term Rentals:

• Friendly and welcoming
• Efficient and clear
• Focus on availability and booking

Commercial Real Estate:

• Professional and formal
• Detailed and comprehensive
• Focus on business requirements

Personalization

Propel automatically personalizes responses using available information about prospects and properties.

Automatic Personalization

Propel personalizes responses by:

• Using prospect names - Addresses prospects by name when available
• Referencing property details - Mentions specific properties, addresses, or features
• Acknowledging questions - Directly addresses what the prospect asked
• Using conversation context - References previous messages in the thread

Example personalized response:

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for your interest in the 2-bedroom apartment at 516 University Ave! I'd be happy to help you schedule a tour.

The unit is currently available for move-in starting March 1st. It features:
- 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
- Updated kitchen with modern appliances
- In-unit laundry
- Rent: $1,800/month

I have availability for tours this week:
- Tuesday at 2:00 PM
- Wednesday at 10:00 AM
- Thursday at 3:00 PM

Would any of these times work for you?

Best regards,
Leasing Assistant

Personalization Variables

While Propel automatically personalizes, you can reference specific information in rules:

Property information:

• Property address
• Bedroom/bathroom count
• Monthly rent or sale price
• Amenities and features
• Availability dates

Prospect information:

• Prospect name
• Email address
• Phone number (when provided)
• Move-in date or timeline
• Budget or price range

Conversation context:

• Previous messages
• Questions asked
• Properties discussed
• Tour requests

Enhancing Personalization

In rules, you can specify:

When responding to rental inquiries, always use the prospect's name, reference the specific property they asked about, and mention relevant details like availability and pricing.

For property management:

When a prospect asks about a property, respond with the property address, bedroom/bathroom count, monthly rent, and available move-in dates. Use their name and reference their specific questions.

For real estate:

When responding to buyer leads, use the prospect's name, reference the property they're interested in, and provide details about price, features, and showing availability.

Balancing Automation and Human Touch

Effective response customization balances automation efficiency with human warmth.

Maintaining Human-Like Communication

Natural language:

• Propel uses natural, conversational language
• Avoids robotic or template-like responses
• Adapts to the prospect's communication style

Context awareness:

• References previous conversation
• Acknowledges questions directly
• Follows up on previous topics

Appropriate responses:

• Matches the inquiry type
• Provides relevant information
• Offers clear next steps

When to Add Human Review

Consider requiring approvals for:

• High-value properties - Expensive rentals or sales
• Complex inquiries - Multi-property requests or special situations
• Sensitive topics - Pricing negotiations, complaints, or legal questions
• New rules - When testing new automation workflows

See Approval Workflows for more on requiring human review.

Transitioning to Human Agents

When handoffs occur, Propel can smoothly transition to human agents:

Example handoff message:

I'm connecting you with Sarah, our leasing manager, who can provide more detailed information about lease terms and answer any specific questions you have. Sarah will follow up with you shortly.

See Setting Up Handoffs for more on team collaboration.

Response Customization Best Practices

Start with Defaults

Begin with Propel's default settings:

• Default bot signature: "Property assistant"
• Automatic personalization enabled
• Natural language responses

Customize Gradually

Add customization as you learn what works:

1. Start with bot signature - Set a signature that matches your brand
2. Monitor responses - Review how Propel responds to prospects
3. Add style guidance - Use rules to influence tone when needed
4. Refine based on feedback - Adjust based on prospect responses

Test and Iterate

Review sample responses:

• Check how Propel responds to different inquiry types
• Verify personalization is working
• Ensure tone matches your brand

Gather feedback:

• Monitor prospect responses
• Note any confusion or questions
• Adjust customization based on feedback

A/B testing approach:

• Try different bot signatures
• Test different response styles
• Compare effectiveness

Maintain Consistency

Across mailboxes:

• Use consistent bot signatures for similar use cases
• Maintain similar tone across related mailboxes
• Align with your organization's brand

Over time:

• Keep customization consistent as you scale
• Document your customization choices
• Update as your brand evolves

Use Case Examples

Property Management: Leasing Inbox

Bot signature: "Leasing Assistant"

Style guidance:

When responding to rental inquiries, use a friendly, professional tone. Address prospects by name, reference the specific property they asked about, and provide clear information about availability, pricing, and next steps.

Result: Professional yet approachable responses that help prospects quickly understand property details and schedule tours.

Real Estate: Buyer Leads

Bot signature: "Sales Team Assistant"

Style guidance:

When responding to buyer leads, use an enthusiastic, knowledgeable tone. Use the prospect's name, reference the property they're interested in, and provide details about price, features, and showing availability.

Result: Energetic responses that show expertise and help buyers understand properties and schedule showings.

Short-Term Rentals: Booking Inquiries

Bot signature: "Booking Assistant"

Style guidance:

When responding to booking inquiries, use a friendly, welcoming tone. Address guests by name, confirm availability for requested dates, provide pricing and policies, and offer to confirm reservations.

Result: Warm, efficient responses that help guests quickly book stays.

Troubleshooting Response Customization

Bot Signature Not Appearing

If the bot signature doesn't appear in responses:

1. Check mailbox settings - Verify bot signature is configured
2. Verify changes saved - Ensure you clicked "Save Changes"
3. Check response format - Signature appears at the end of emails
4. Review recent responses - Check if signature appears in new responses

Personalization Not Working

If responses aren't personalized:

1. Check contact information - Ensure prospect names are captured
2. Verify property data - Ensure listing information is available
3. Review conversation context - Check if previous messages are accessible
4. Test with sample emails - Send test inquiries to verify personalization

Tone Not Matching Expectations

If response tone doesn't match your preferences:

1. Add style guidance in rules - Specify desired tone in automation rules
2. Review example responses - Check how Propel responds to different inquiries
3. Adjust rules - Modify rules to influence tone
4. Consider approvals - Require review for responses that need specific tone

Responses Too Generic

If responses feel too template-like:

1. Check personalization - Ensure prospect and property information is available
2. Review rules - Add instructions to use specific details
3. Verify context - Ensure conversation history is accessible
4. Test with detailed inquiries - Verify responses use available information

Combining Customization with Other Features

Customization + Approvals

Combine customization with approvals:

1. Customize bot signature - Set how agent identifies itself
2. Enable approvals - Review responses before sending
3. Refine based on reviews - Adjust customization based on approval feedback

Customization + Handoffs

Use customization with handoffs:

1. Set bot signature - Identify the automated assistant
2. Enable handoffs - CC team members when needed
3. Smooth transitions - Customize handoff messages for seamless transitions

Customization + Rules

Combine customization with automation rules:

1. Set default signature - Configure bot signature in mailbox settings
2. Add style rules - Use rules to influence tone for specific scenarios
3. Personalize through rules - Specify personalization requirements in rules

Next Steps

Now that you understand response customization:

• Configure mailbox settings to set bot signature
• Create automation rules to influence response style
• Set up approval workflows to review customized responses
• Monitor conversations to see customization in action

Related Articles

• Configuring Mailbox Settings - Set bot signature and disclaimer
• Creating Your First Rule - Add style guidance through rules
• Approval Workflows - Review customized responses
• Setting Up Handoffs - Transition to human agents
• Email Disclaimers and Compliance - Add compliance disclaimers