Negotiation Skills for Buyers

Course Overview

Sales people are taught how to negotiate a win-win solution, but purchasing staff appear rarely interested in this type of outcome, although they would benefit even more than the seller. This workshop is aimed at giving the purchaser the 'edge' in a negotiation whilst maintaining the win-win outcome to maintain after-sales relationships and repeat purchases at favourable rates.At the same time it shows how to counteract sales peoples ploys that aim to manipulate the buyer into making a hasty or inappropriate concession.Psychological aspects of the negotiation process are also examined, and role-play and exercises are included to demonstrate key points, and to help hone new skills.

Audience

Staff who are involved in purchasing

Skills Gained

• Negotiation is about profit, not price.
• The PASTS negotiation structure
• Preparation of outcome positions
• Agreement to negotiate: making sure the sales person has authority to negotiate.
• Shopping List: finding out their 'improvement list. Asking for what you want.
• Trading: how to haggle
• Sealing the deal: making sure the seller agrees with the agreement.

Course Outline

• Why negotiation is important to profit
• The difference between concentrating on price only and negotiating a more profitable agreement.
• Analysing the 'balance of power' in a negotiation.
• Investigating the psychology of the negotiation and how to use it to gain an advantage.
• Exploiting the seller's manager/salesperson relationship.
• The need for knowledge. Listening and watching for the hidden messages that tell you what the salesperson would prefer you not to know.
• Getting early, easy concessions and lowering the seller's expectations.
• How to judge the other persons skill at negotiation.
• Building trust and openness to gain mutual advantage.
• Preparation: analysis of what the seller may want and what the buyer has to offer.
• Holding back demands as appropriate
• Agreeing to negotiate. There's no point in dealing with a sales person who has no mandate to negotiate. Deal with the manager instead:- and get an even better deal!
• Shopping list: find out what they want.
• Trading: the negotiation process itself.
• Sealing the deal: shaking hands on the agreement.
• Behaviour during negotiation: being pleasant to gain an edge over the less experienced negotiator.
• Understanding sales people's ploys and what to do about them.
• Some ploys for you to use when you feel the need.
• Extensive role-play.