Negotiating

• I’m afraid …..1….. are above what our budget allows.

• Look, we'd like to be able to show an OCR in actual use in an office to one or …..2…... . If you agree to do that I'll consider reducing it by 5%.

• You mean use it as …..3…..?

• That's right.

• Mmmm … I personally wouldn't mind, but the general manager would object to outsiders coming in.

• Yes, I could understand that, but they'd be from large organizations, …..4…..of your airline. It would do your own marketing no harm.

• Perhaps I could persuade him, but you'd have to do better than 5 %.

• Well, we could make it 7,5 % .

• The trouble is, the general manager isn't very interested in marketing. He's only concerned about …..5…... If you make it 10%, I might be able to persuade him.

• Ahh, I’m afraid that's really more than I could allow.

• That's a pity ... what discount will you give me on …..6…..?

• We don’t give you any discount on those. They are the latest models.

• I'm surprised to hear that. At the rate technology is advancing, these models will be out of date in …..7…... . You mean you expect people to pay the listed price for them?

• Of course, they are …..8….., but since you are purchasing five of them, we'll give you a 5 % discount.

• Yes, but will you guarantee they'll be the latest models in 6 months’ time?

• I'm afraid you'll have to wait 6 months for those.

• I don't want to wait 6 months ... nor do I want to pay …..9….. now for something that will soon be superseded. What decent discount will you give me?

• What do you have …..10…..?

• Twenty per cent would be reasonable.

• Oh, I couldn't possibly give you that. I'd be selling them …..11….. .

• You'll have a bigger loss if you don't sell them soon.

• I've …..12….. about that ... but look, I'm prepared to compromise. If you settle for a 7,5 % discount on the OCR, I'll agree to 10 % on the laptop.

• Ten per cent is not much on the laptop, but I’d be happy to accept 10% on the OCR.

• Humm, you drive …..13…..... . OK if we can show it in operation to one or two clients, I'll give you 10 % on the OCR.

• Mmm, that's fine with me.

• So, can I take it then we've agreed on 10% for both the OCR and the laptop?

• Ah, I didn't agree to 10 % on the laptop.

• But you said…

• No! No! I said 10% wasn't much on the laptop. However, I'm prepared to accept it ... if you give me …..14….. on our old ones.

Exercise 4

Diplomacy and persuasion

Work with your partner. First read the extracts. Then make the direct remark more diplomatic and persuasive using the words in brackets to help you. Read again. Which variant sounds better?

Negotiation 1

• This is still too expensive.

(afraid/ would still/ a little out of/ price range)

_____________________________________________________________

• Well, how much do you want to pay?

(what sort/ figure/ did/ in mind)

_____________________________________________________________

• $12 per unit.

(were thinking/ somewhere/ the region of/ $12 per unit

_____________________________________________________________

• I can’t go as low as that.

(be honest/ not/ a position/ quite/ low/ this stage

______________________________________________________________

Negotiation 2

• We need a commitment from you today.

(had/ hoping/ some kind)

_____________________________________________________________

• Impossible! We are still unhappy about these service charges.

(this point/ might/ a bit difficult/ not entirely/ service charges)

• But you said you were OK about those !

(was assumed)

• Not at all. Look, I think we should go over these figures again.

(afraid/ shouldn’t we/ figures/ again)

_____________________________________________________________

Summary

Modal verbs (would/ might/ could, etc) are often used to soften the verb.

Modifiers are common (e.g. a little difficult)

Continuous forms keep your options open. (e.g. We were wondering; We had been hoping).

Introductory softeners (e.g. I’m afraid) warn that bad news is coming!

Negative adjectives like expensive are often avoided.

Seem is common (e.g. We don’t seem to agree).

There’s a lot of approximation (e.g. sort of),

Qualifying phrases are common (e.g . at the moment).

Alternatives are preferred to can’t and won’t.

The passive sounds less like an accusation

(not You promised us…, but We were promised…).

Suggestions are often phrased as negative questions (e.g. Wouldn’t it be better to …?).

Exercise 5

Negotiating procedure

Complete the phases of a negotiation using the nouns in the box. Two of the have been done for you.

strategy deadlock interests champagne breakthrough procedure concessions options table atmosphere phase position details proposals time-out

1 create a good ________________	6 make counter _________________	11 return to the _________________
2 agree on a basic procedure	7 trade _________________	12 discuss the _________________
3 state your opening ________________	8 reach a _________________	13 make the final _________________
4 explore each other’s ________________	9 call for a _________________	14 work out the _________________
5 enter the bargaining _________________	10 rethink your strategy	15 crack open the _________________

Exercise 6

Reconstruct the following sentences by putting the words in bold in the correct order.

Then listen to the tape and check your answers.

1. OK, so, do take agreement we’re in on I it volume?

____________________________________________________________

2. Would it be a idea before talk to good we prices go any further?

____________________________________________________________

3. But in happy principle taking about you’re forty cases, right?

____________________________________________________________

4. Look, prices back getting to a for moment.

____________________________________________________________

5. Can you give us some what idea of of kind figure were you thinking of?

____________________________________________________________

6. There seems slight a been have to misunderstanding.

____________________________________________________________

7. With prices respect simply are your not competitive.

____________________________________________________________

8. I’m afraid that absolute really bottom our is line.

____________________________________________________________

9. Let’s set the price side moment the issue to one for, shall we?

____________________________________________________________

10. I’ll throw free service 12 parts and months’ as in well.

____________________________________________________________

11. Now, I can’t fairer that say than, now can I?

____________________________________________________________

12. What we’d really like to movement see is more on bit a price.

___________________________________________________________

13. A 6% discount quite is had not what in we mind.

___________________________________________________________

14. We were closer hoping something for bit a to 10%.

___________________________________________________________

15. I don’t think stretch far could I as as that.

___________________________________________________________

16. Surely sort we something out can here.

___________________________________________________________

17. Would meet willing be you to us halfway?

___________________________________________________________

18. We might position be a increase to in our order.

___________________________________________________________

19. We’d need to bit on flexibility see a more terms of payment.

___________________________________________________________

20. I suppose manoeuvre room there be may some for there.

___________________________________________________________

Listen to extracts from two different negotiations. Check your sentences in Exercise 6. Discuss the negotiations with your partner.

Suggest what you could say in the following situations:

Situation 1

After a long negotiation, you have reached agreement and now plan a meal in a local restaurant with the other party in the negotiation.

Situation 2

Your efforts to reach agreement have been unsuccessful. It is late. End the negotiation but offer some hope that in the future you might manage some cooperation with the other side.

Situation 3

A colleague has asked you to cooperate on a project, but after long discussion you feel you cannot participate because of fundamental disagreement. It is important that you continue to work together in other areas.

Situation 4

You want to repeat an order with a supplier but they are trying to increase prices by 20%. You cannot agree to this. End your discussions.

Situation 5

A customer is asking you to supply goods in a month. This is physically impossible. End the discussion.

Now listen to a recording of model answers to 5 situations above.

Work in pairs. Use cards A and B. Each card contains 2 situations. Negotiate one of the situations. Use the language you have learnt in this unit. When you have finished, let other students assess the negotiation in terms of:

• your objectives, targets and limits

• your planning

• the strategy

• team roles and individuals

• the issues

• strengths and weaknesses

Card A Situation 1 You work for a translation agency. You can translate legal contracts: cost: $ 300 per 1,000 words a job of more than 5,000 words will take a week if it is more urgent than a week, the cost will be a lot higher. Situation 2 You are a conference organizer for Lake View Hotel. You rent conference space: cost: normally $ 1,000 per day for facilities for five people 50% non-refundable deposit six months before the conference date (this is negotiable) bed and breakfast conference rate – another $ 1,000 per day for five people no deposit required for bed and breakfast. Card B Situation 1 You want a legal contract translated into English: it is 6,000 words long you expect to pay between $ 1, 200 and $ 1, 500 you need it in two days – three maximum Situation 2 You want to rent conference space at the Lake View Hotel: find out the cost for ten people for your two day sales conference in eight months’ time ask for a discount ask if you have to pay a deposit insist that it is refundable.

Task 1

Choose one of the articles and take the following steps:

• read the article.

• identify the main points.

• write down 10 questions.

• make the vocabulary card (new words, expressions, idioms, etc).

• prepare and make one-minute presentation on the issue discussed in the article.

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Communication styles What is your impact on others?

We cannot “not” communicate. Our non-verbal behaviour speaks volumes whether we realize it or not. We’ve heard it before: “Know who you’re talking to and adapt your communication style to your listeners’ style.” Recognizing styles in yourself and others can help you influence and build relationships and become a better communicator. There are a variety of instruments that identify individual communication styles.

Controllers: take-charge and want control of themselves, others and situations. They are task-oriented drivers and are only focused on the end goal.

Collaborators: easy-going, relationship-oriented, and enjoy working with people to work towards consensus.

Analyzers: detail-oriented, logical thinkers and analyze others and situations. Work best alone to come up with solutions; therefore, may take more time to make a decision and take action.

Socializers: outgoing, thrive on change and enjoy meeting people. They get their energy from others and work best when brainstorming with others to make a decision and take action.

By being aware of your communication preference, you’ll have a better understanding of how others perceive you. The ability to recognize and adapt to your listeners’ communication styles will make them feel like you’ve taken the time to listen and focus on their needs.You cannot be 100% sure what a person means through his/her non-verbal behaviour. However, you can look for consistencies in gesture, eye movement, tone of voice and facial expression. For example:

Controllers are direct, prefer to be in control, have a sense of urgency, use louder volume, and express limited or no emotion. Collaborators appear relaxed, ask a lot of questions, have a win-win attitude, are hesitant to make decisions and are highly emotional with an expressive tone.

Analyzers are cautious, logical thinkers, soft-spoken, use a monotone voice, use limited eye contact and facial expression. Socializers are outspoken, quick to make a decision, assertive, fast talkers, express how they’re feeling through gestures, facial expression and tone.

When communicating with:

Controllers get to the point. State what’s in it for them and ask straightforward questions. Communicate confidently with a clear and concise message. Avoid clutter and fluff.

Collaborators show an interest in them, listen patiently and give them a good “feel” about your message or what you’re asking them to do.

Analyzers avoid small talk, present facts and data, and provide details about the process you’ll follow to service them.

Socializers show interest in them, be upbeat, and tie their personal experiences to your message.

What does your communication style communicate to others? Does your serious expression say that you don’t want to be there? Does the lack of eye contact communicate you’re disinterested? Does your quick rate of speech suggest that you’re in a hurry and that you don’t have time for them?

How to improve your communication style:

Ask for feedback from your peers about your communication style.

Audiotape yourself to hear what others hear.

Take time to observe the behaviours of people you admire, and follow their lead.

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Can a Good Negotiator Really Make a Difference?

by Ed Brodow

The ability of a good negotiator to make a significant difference is often brought into question. Does it make sense to improve your negotiating skills or is it all a big waste of time? The issue came up when a friend asked: "Should I sell my house by myself or am I better off hiring a real estate agent?" Real estate agents receive as much as six percent commission. What my friend was asking is, are they worth it? Can a real estate agent earn her commission by negotiating a better deal than you could all by yourself? Good question.If you ask around, many people will suggest that every deal has a "perfect outcome" that will be reached no matter what the negotiators do. A house that is worth $300,000 will sell for around $300,000, give or take a minor variation. A job that is worth $100,000 per annum will pay around $100,000. Not much any negotiator can do to influence the outcome. Can this be true? Here is the answer that I discovered in my Negotiation Boot Camp® seminars. In each seminar, participants are divided into pairs for negotiation role-plays. If the group consists of 50 people, we have 25 negotiations going on simultaneously and they all have the exact same situation, the same assumptions, the same amount of time to make a deal. Over the last twenty years, I have conducted literally hundreds of these seminars with thousands of participants from every conceivable industry and region. Without a single exception, the results of the role-plays always show as much as a 100 percent variation in outcomes. In other words, if the participants are negotiating for the price of a house in which the seller is asking $300,000, the outcomes will range from approximately $175,000 to $350,000. Considering that they are all negotiating for the same thing, how can this be? Without question, it is the negotiating ability of the various participants that accounts for the difference.

You may ask, does this apply to the real world? One of my clients, a software company, was curious if the money they spent on my fee was worth it. They decided on a little experiment. They tracked the average selling price of their products before and after I trained their sales force. This is what my client found out: Before I showed up, the salespeople were caving in to customer demands right and left. Profits were hurting. In the year after I taught them the correct way to negotiate a sale, the company's average sale went up by an extraordinary 59 percent! The way you negotiate really does matter. A good negotiator can be responsible for as much as a 100 percent difference in the outcome of a deal. This is clearly the most eye-opening nugget of wisdom I have acquired in twenty years of teaching people how to negotiate. The consistent evidence suggests that a perfect outcome is nonexistent. Every deal must rise or fall based upon the behavior of the parties. These factors will influence the outcome of your negotiation: Your ability to read the other side's situation; how you manage the other side's expectations; where you open and how you make concessions; the point at which you decide to agree. Every negotiation is unique. Any given pair of negotiators will arrive at a one-of-a-kind agreement. The elements may differ: personalities, time pressure, exigencies of the situation, etc. The one element that you have the most control over, and which can have the greatest impact on the outcome, is your negotiating ability

Task 2

Choose one of the articles and render it in English.

ДІЛОВІ ПЕРЕГОВОРИ: ЩО ТА ЯК... Ось декілька практичних порад щодо ведення переговорів. Сподіваємося, що вже наступну ділову розмову ви проведете блискуче! Нехай співрозмовник перший висловить ділову пропозицію! Отже, почали... Ви й потенційний партнер обережно перекидаєтеся загальними фразами. Хтось має почати власне ділову частину розмови. Тільки не ви! Ваш співрозмовник теж вичікує? Це його проблема! Можливо, він робить це з чемності, а може, з обережності? Нехай починають, і тоді ви відчуєте їхню позицію. Навіть якщо їхня пропозиція буде для вас неприйнятною, у будь-якому разі ви зорієнтуєтеся, що вони собі задумали й наскільки серйозною буде боротьба. Спеціально відкладіть переговори, щоб перевірити, наскільки співрозмовника цікавить справа. Домовляючись про зустріч, не демонструйте особливих зусиль та старань. А ще краще — трохи відкласти, перенести зустріч. Якщо потенційному партнерові "горить", то він, можливо, спробує прискорити процес і відразу запропонує гарні умови. Якщо ви маєте "слабкі" місця, які не можливо приховати, — розкажіть про них потенційному партнерові ще перед тим,як він зробить це сам. Якщо співрозмовник набагато сильніший за вас, побудуйте розмову на конкретних цифрах, фактах, прецедентах У такому разі спирайтеся на загальновідомі факти та цифри. Нехай вас "лякають" експертами, аналізами — хоч самим Джорджем Соросом! Оперуйте тими даними, показниками та цінами, у яких ви орієнтуєтеся стовідсотково. Це створить вам позитивний імідж "сталевого" ("броньованого") співрозмовника. До таких завжди ставляться з повагою. Якщо ви регулярно зустрічаєтеся з одним і тим самим партнером, періодично змінюйте стиль ведення переговорів Річ тут ось у чому. Якщо ваш звичайний (постійний) партнер збагне перебіг ваших думок, "розкусить" вас, то надалі матиме колосальну перевагу. Він передбачатиме всі ваші кроки й просто буде вами маніпулювати! Позбавте його такої можливості: станьте непослідовним. Наприклад, сьогодні будьте послужливим, завтра — вимогливим. Сьогодні призначайте зустріч в офісі, завтра — у ресторані. Якщо є можливість, зробіть несподівану поступку: прийміть першу названу ціну, навіть не намагаючись її збити. Позбавте суперника можливості маніпулювати собою, і ви змусите його в ставленні до вас виявляти обережність та повагу. Не ведіть переговорів з людиною, яка не має повноважень іти на поступки. Що це означає? Ось приклад безглуздого варіанту переговорів: ви вже про щось почали домовлятися, розкрили свої карти, поговорили про поступки, і наприкінці дня раптом вам кажуть, що тепер все це треба... узгодити з начальством! Що ж, назавтра можете чекати "дорогих гостей" з новими, цього разу жорсткішими вимогами. А якщо від переговорів з таким "неуповноваженим" представником ухилитися не можна, то взагалі не ведіть мови про поступки. Віддаючи, беріть взамін. З кожною вашою поступкою ділова операція стає дедалі менше вигідною. Не варто сподіватися, що вам за це віддячать. Отже, якщо вас просять поступитися, обов'язково вимагайте щось взамін. І ще одне: якщо робите поступку, покажіть, що вона для вас просто безмежно цінна, що ви розпрощалися з найдорожчим і що вам було дуже важко піти на такий вимушений крок... Нехай і потенційний партнер пожертвує для вас чимось цінним! Висуваючи ультиматум, зробіть це в конструктивній формі й тільки наприкінці переговорів. Нема сенсу говорити потенційному партнерові, що це його "останній шанс", якщо переговори щойно почалися. Такої погрози або не сприймуть серйозно, або подумають, що ви не впевнені в собі. Прибережіть ультиматум на кінець розмови. Спокійно, виважено, обов'язково оперуючи цифрами та фактами, поясніть, що для вас такий крок — вимушена необхідність. На завершення раунду переговорів завжди уточнюйте, яких домовленостей ви досягли. Інакше ви ризикуєте, що хтось може щось забути або що взагалі доведеться знову обговорювати вже вирішені питання... Завершальні пункти переговорів мають виглядати так: "Отже, ми визначили, що: умови будуть такими... терміни будуть такими... якщо трапиться те і те, то ми з вами будемо діяти за такою схемою... якщо ви не дотримаєте такої і такої умови, то... (далі — про штрафні санкції)". Ось тепер ви повністю "озброєні." Що ж, заглянете до свого календарика, одягайте відповідний костюм і — можна вирушати на зустріч. Бажаємо успіху!

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