Vocabulary Practice: Negotiations

Read the text again and then match the words and phrases with their definitions.

No matter where you work, at one point you will have to negotiate with a client to bargain for a better deal.

First, you should prepare rules for the negotiations that your client has to comply with, e.g. no shouting or no rude comments. If they do not comply with these rules, there is no point in negotiating with them.

You need an objective for the negotiations. What are your demands? What is your bottom-line? Think about the minimum amount of money you would accept and keep it in the back of your mind.

Remember that both of you have positive leverage so both of you have something to offer that the other person wants. Prepare several proposals as your client may have lots of counterproposals. Also, in negotiations money is sometimes not the issue; that is why you should have some alternatives ready, e.g. some other services you can provide to your client.

Try to be open and positive. If you reach deadlock and you think that the negotiation is over, do not give up and do not give your client any ultimatum. Try to compromise!

Be ready for trade-offs – maybe you can accept some conditions that are not the best in order to get something else that you want. This way you both will be able to reach a mutual agreement and leave the meeting satisfied with the result.