Comments on: Testing The Waters: Does The Other Side Really Mean That? http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that The Premier Blog For Learning How To Use Sales Negotiation And Persuasion Skills Effectively Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:02:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: What Does "Take It Or Leave It" Mean In A Sales Negotiation? (a sales negotiation requires the negotiator to have good negotiation skills) | The Accidental Negotiator http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-993 What Does "Take It Or Leave It" Mean In A Sales Negotiation? (a sales negotiation requires the negotiator to have good negotiation skills) | The Accidental Negotiator Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:04:17 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-993 [...] If their price is too low, reduce the amount that you are willing to sell to them and make it match their price. If the quantity that they are willing to sell to you is too small, then reduce your price to match their quantity. [...] [...] If their price is too low, reduce the amount that you are willing to sell to them and make it match their price. If the quantity that they are willing to sell to you is too small, then reduce your price to match their quantity. [...]

]]> By: Quick Close Negotiating: 4 Ways To Get There Faster (a sales negotiation requires the negotiator to have good negotiation skills) | The Accidental Negotiator http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-896 Quick Close Negotiating: 4 Ways To Get There Faster (a sales negotiation requires the negotiator to have good negotiation skills) | The Accidental Negotiator Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:03:05 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-896 [...] Well, maybe not. Often times the reasons that a negotiation can drag on for so long is because the other side can’t tell you exactly what they want to get out of the negotiation. It’s up to you to find out what they really need. This often requires you to place yourself [...] [...] Well, maybe not. Often times the reasons that a negotiation can drag on for so long is because the other side can’t tell you exactly what they want to get out of the negotiation. It’s up to you to find out what they really need. This often requires you to place yourself [...]

]]> By: The Story Of A Firm, Fixed Price (A Fairy Tale) (a sales negotiation requires the negotiator to have good negotiation skills) | The Accidental Negotiator http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-800 The Story Of A Firm, Fixed Price (A Fairy Tale) (a sales negotiation requires the negotiator to have good negotiation skills) | The Accidental Negotiator Fri, 02 Apr 2010 05:05:16 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-800 [...] news for you. You have a lot of ladders and shovels available to you and so there’s always a way to explore how you might get a fixed price to not be so fixed after all. Here are some [...] [...] news for you. You have a lot of ladders and shovels available to you and so there’s always a way to explore how you might get a fixed price to not be so fixed after all. Here are some [...]

]]> By: Dr. Jim Anderson http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-552 Dr. Jim Anderson Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:24:04 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-552 Jo Anne: ah, I fully agree. Now of course, finding out what those drives are is the key. If all else fails, I guess you can always ask the other side straight out...! Jo Anne: ah, I fully agree. Now of course, finding out what those drives are is the key. If all else fails, I guess you can always ask the other side straight out…!

]]> By: Jo anne Kaysen http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-550 Jo anne Kaysen Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:20:54 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-550 I find it valuable to find out what the drivers are for the cost, then it is much easier to discover what may not be necessary for my needs. The 5 why's have served me well! I find it valuable to find out what the drivers are for the cost, then it is much easier to discover what may not be necessary for my needs. The 5 why’s have served me well!

]]> By: Dr. Jim Anderson http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-543 Dr. Jim Anderson Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:20:51 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-543 Quynh: that's a fantastic story! It sure looks like you did what all good negotiators do - you combined multiple tactics to achieve your goal. The day that you did your negotiation gave you more "power" to start with and then by combining fixed and non-fixed items you were able to get the total price down to where you needed to be. Bravo! Keep in mind that the other side did a good job also - you left the negotiation feeling satisfied and so this was truly a win-win deal. Quynh: that’s a fantastic story! It sure looks like you did what all good negotiators do – you combined multiple tactics to achieve your goal. The day that you did your negotiation gave you more “power” to start with and then by combining fixed and non-fixed items you were able to get the total price down to where you needed to be. Bravo!

Keep in mind that the other side did a good job also – you left the negotiation feeling satisfied and so this was truly a win-win deal.

]]> By: Quynh Nguyen http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-540 Quynh Nguyen Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:04:21 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-540 Thank you for this topic, Mr. Anderson, since the delicate skills involved seem more art than science related. When I was at General Atomics, single sourced items frequently got into the "firm" NC/NR situations, given the fact "who needs whom more". Your advice "What you want to do is to mix in items that are not fixed with the ones that are fixed and then go back and negotiate the bottom line" is very practical if you happen to need more than just the "firm" items. I was told Temper-Pedic beds had fixed prices throughout authorized distributions. In my experience, I agressively negotiated on the "bundle" price. The seller then put all discounts towards the non-firm item in order to wrap up my purchase at past 6 pm on Sunday 2/28/09 for his February bookings/performance. Those non-firm items ended up being at 36% of their original selling prices. I thought it was a win-win situation in today's economy conditions. Thank you for this topic, Mr. Anderson, since the delicate skills involved seem more art than science related. When I was at General Atomics, single sourced items frequently got into the “firm” NC/NR situations, given the fact “who needs whom more”.

Your advice “What you want to do is to mix in items that are not fixed with the ones that are fixed and then go back and negotiate the bottom line” is very practical if you happen to need more than just the “firm” items. I was told Temper-Pedic beds had fixed prices throughout authorized distributions. In my experience, I agressively negotiated on the “bundle” price. The seller then put all discounts towards the non-firm item in order to wrap up my purchase at past 6 pm on Sunday 2/28/09 for his February bookings/performance. Those non-firm items ended up being at 36% of their original selling prices. I thought it was a win-win situation in today’s economy conditions.

]]> By: Ted Linklater http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/how-to-deal/testing-the-waters-does-the-other-side-really-mean-that/comment-page-1#comment-539 Ted Linklater Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:15:52 +0000 http://www.theaccidentalnegotiator.com/?p=24#comment-539 Assuming that one has alternative and acceptable suppliers, the tactic of "Walking Out" would definitely work. The downside here is that the outcome may be a "lose-lose" or a "win-lose" situation. Reducing the Scope of the Deal would be my choice because it makes no difference as to whether one has alternate suppliers or not. The best part, of this tactic, is that we have a "win-win" situation in almost all cases. Tactics #2 and #3 are of limited value. #3 in particular might result in short term success but will ultimately lead to problems in the long term. Assuming that one has alternative and acceptable suppliers, the tactic of “Walking Out” would definitely work. The downside here is that the outcome may be a “lose-lose” or a “win-lose” situation.

Reducing the Scope of the Deal would be my choice because it makes no difference as to whether one has alternate suppliers or not. The best part, of this tactic, is that we have a “win-win” situation in almost all cases.

Tactics #2 and #3 are of limited value. #3 in particular might result in short term success but will ultimately lead to problems in the long term.

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