| In any negotiation, the two sides have a potential arena | | | | like when you are buying a car, you are opening and |
| within which they are prepared to negotiate. They both | | | | closing the doors to see that they shut with a |
| have a 'Want' position - the ideal outcome for them. | | | | satisfying 'clunk', you are not yet committing yourself to |
| They will also have a 'Need' position - the minimum | | | | anything. |
| they are willing to accept. Successful bargaining should | | | | Propose confidently. This is where good preparation |
| always operate within the need and want perameters | | | | pays real dividends. If you are clear on your own |
| of both parties. | | | | negotiating perameters and have thought through |
| The golden rule when bargaining is to make any | | | | where you think the other party might move, you will |
| concessions you offer conditional. As they say in | | | | be more certain that what you are proposing is |
| Yorkshire, 'You don't get owt for nowt!' You do not | | | | reasonable; you will deliver it more confidently. |
| offer anything without getting something back in return. | | | | When you are getting proposals from the other side, |
| 'If you could agree to do this for me, I may be able to | | | | don't interrupt them. Very often there are concessions |
| do this for you.' | | | | contained in proposals and very often they will offer |
| For example, after getting poor service in a restaurant, | | | | the concession asking nothing in return; they have just |
| more often than not, we do nothing about it. | | | | given you a gift. |
| Sometimes, when we do complain, we accept an | | | | The most important word in bargaining is 'If'. The |
| apology...we exchange getting the anger off our | | | | second most important word is 'Then'. You join them |
| chests for the apology. If you think about it, that's been | | | | together and get, 'If you will do this, then I will do that.' |
| a pretty good negotiation for the restaurant manager; | | | | So to put all of that into more flowery language, you |
| he has not had to give much away. Why not instead | | | | state your condition first followed by your concession. |
| suggest a solution, ask for that extra bottle of wine, | | | | Make sure that you do it in this order. If you say it the |
| say that you'll overlook the poor service if the | | | | other way round, 'I'll do this for you if you do this for |
| manager is willing to make that gesture...the negotiation | | | | me', then, human nature being what it is, the other party |
| is more balanced now. (Hint: always make sure that | | | | will hear the first bit, what you are going to do for them |
| you don't care how long the dinner is going to take, | | | | and that'll be the end of their listening. |
| pick a restaurant with poor service and order | | | | Open at a realistic position, which means somewhere |
| expensive wine!) | | | | close to their 'Need' position but within their negotiating |
| At the proposal stage, you are testing and prodding, | | | | arena. If you open outside their negotiating arena, then |
| you are not committing yourself to anything. You are | | | | your position will not be taken seriously. Move |
| twiddling the knobs to see what they feel like, and just | | | | modestly from your opening position. |