Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Negotiating: Listening 2

Model

1. Kate Spellman is making arrangements for a company conference. Andrew Holt represents the conference venue where Kate's company is going to hold the conference. Listen to Kate and Andrew bargaining and reaching a compromise, and answer these questions.

What does Kate want from the negotiation?
What does Andrew want?
What compromise do they reach?

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2. Now listen again. Pause the recording if you need to and note down the phrases Kate and Andrew use to:

Ask for a discount

  • What ...... ?

Politely refuse

  • Unfortunately, ...... any more.
  • No, I ...... that.

Suggest a compromise

  • But I can ...... if you pay ......
  • Well, we'd ...... stages.

Agree to compromise

  • OK, that's fine. We'll ...... - you're old clients ......
  • That's ...... So, ......
  • Agreed.


Exercise

The sentences are taken form a negotiation but they are in the wrong order. Put the sentences in the correct order to complete the conversation. The first one is done for you.

  • __ Good. So it's 85 Euros per unit, with you paying for the transport and insurance.
  • __ What do you say to 80 Euros as we'll be paying for the transport and insurance anyway?
  • __ Agreed.
  • __ I don't think we can accept that. It's too low. How about 85 Euros?
  • __ I'm not sure about that. You see, we normally take care of the transport and insurance - we do that ourselves anyway.
  • __ That sounds reasonable. I'm sure we can agree to that.
  • 1. If we agree to a price of 100 Euros per unit, can you agree to pay all of the transportation and insurance costs?
  • __ OK, well, I think in that case we can reduce the price to 90 Euros.


Now listen and check your answers.

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Over to You

Imagine you are in a negotiation. You will hear the person you are negotiation with saying six different things. Respond to each sentence appropriately. Write your resonses on your personal page.

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