by Obella Marie D. Ronsairo and Francis J. Custodio, FEBRUARY 2022

Many people believe that negotiations are “all or nothing,” and that there has to be one winner and one loser. Negotiation is a part of the procurement process that aims to create a favorable term as part of a new supplier contract, this may involve negotiating terms or discussing terms from scratch with new vendors.

Negotiation is a wide part of the supply chain, it holds the key to getting ahead in the workplace and creating value in contracts, enlisted are some of the key points for us to be more familiar with how to conduct a negotiation.

Negotiating a deal is an essential part of doing business and relies just as much on personality and soft skills as it does on quantitative analysis and valuation. The very first step before sitting at the negotiating table is to prepare. Learn about who you’ll be dealing with, do your due diligence, and be prepared. When negotiations begin, adjust your strategy based on how the deal will be done: in person; over the phone; or through email. Do not accept a bad deal. If your negotiations fail, keep calm and be careful not to burn any bridges.

Now that the virtual setup is being widely used, negotiation can also be done using the technology, and here are some of the ways how we can perform it:

Thru Phone:

If negotiation is done over the phone, body language can’t be determined. This means that the negotiator must do his best to analyze his counterpart’s voice. As a general rule, extended pauses usually mean that the opposing party is hesitant or is pondering the offer. However, sudden exclamations or an unusually quick response (in a pleasant voice) may indicate that the opposing party is quite favorable to the proposal and needs a little nudge to seal the deal.

Thru Email or Mail:

Negotiations done through e-mail or the mail (such as residential real estate transactions) are a different animal altogether.

Here are some tips:

• Words or phrases that leave ambiguity may signal that a party is open to a given proposal. Look specifically for words such as “can,” “possibly,” “perhaps,” “maybe,” or “acceptable.” Also, if the party uses a phrase such as “anxiously awaiting your reply” or “looking forward to it,” this may be a signal that the party is enthusiastic and/or optimistic that an agreement may soon be reached.
• When the opposing party makes an initial offer or a counterproposal, see if you can incorporate some of those ideas with your own and then seal the deal on the spot. If compromise on a particular issue is not possible, propose other alternatives that you think would be favorable to both parties.
• Finally, a more formal contract reflecting the terms agreed upon during the negotiation is a must. To that end, have an attorney draft a formal contract soon after the negotiation process is completed and make certain that all parties sign it on time.

If an agreement cannot be reached in one sitting or one phone call, leave the door open to future negotiations. If possible, schedule further meetings.

Not every negotiation can reach a deal that all sides are happy with. Whatever happens, if an agreement can’t be reached, agree to part, never, under any circumstances, burn your bridges. You never know when you might have to cross those rivers again.

Source:

How to Master the Art of Negotiation (investopedia.com)

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About the writer:

Obella Marie D. Ronsairo. Loves to feature life and see the beauty of every side of the stories. Have been with the newsletter team for almost two years since becoming part of the MPTSouth family. Gained a lot of fun, experience and knowledge through this growing team and helped her to develop more of her skills in writing and creativity.

Francis J. Custodio. Is a Industrial Engineer who loves to think outside the box.  Also like the saying “Work Smart not Hard”. Always curious and that curiosity led him to join the Southlink Newsletter. Loves to know “what make things tick”.