Skills of Negotiating

Most negotiations are conducted with a view to reaching a compromise agreement. Both parties together move towards an outcome which is to mutual benefit. This is a range of tactics which can help conduct negotiations. It’s no use immediately discussing business matters. The topic at the outset of negotiations should be neutral, non-business. It could be immediate experiences, the sort of journey the visitor has had; football, ice-hockey, the morning’s newspaper headlines, common interests, etc.

5 per cent of the negotiating time is devoted to breaking the ice. The two parties adjust their thinking and behaviour to one another.

If you want to follow the reaction of your visitor introduce in your speech the question — «Agree?».

At the very beginning of the talks get agreement covering the purpose, plan, agenda of a meeting.

Here is some advice to a negotiator:

1. First discuss major items, then minor items.

1. Follow the headlines of the plan one by one.

1. Come over to the next point after you have resolved the previous one.

If talks are difficult and you are in a deadlock, take time-out.

It will help you to build bridges yourself and your partner when you resume negotiations.

VOCABULARY TO STUDY AND USE

To launch talks/debates	розпочати переговори/дискусію
To disrupt/to break off/to interrupt business talks	припинити переговори, зірвати переговори несподівано
To resume talks	поновлювати, резюмувати
Resumption of talks	продовження (після перерви), поновлення
To cancel talks	анулювати переговори
Top-level/summit talks	переговори на вищому рівні
Round-table talks	переговори за круглим столом
Bilateral/multilateral talks	двосторонні/багатосторонні переговори
The talks resulted in …	переговори закінчились з … результатом
A deadlock in talks	мертва точка, безвихідь у переговорах
To sidetrack the negotiations	відводити переговори від теми
To talk to smb. from a position of …	вести переговори з кимось з позиції…

I.The Beginning of Business Talks

Business talk	ділова розмова
To have business talks	проводити ділові переговори
To make an appointment	домовитись при зустріч
To receive smb.	прийняти когось
Card	візитна картка
To offer some coffee	запропонувати каву
To get down to business	переходити до справ
Tо discuss some (a few) questions	обговорити декілька питань
To need to have an interpreter	потребувати перекладача

II. The Establishment of Business Contacts

To maintain business contacts	підтримувати ділові контакти
To be interested in cooperation	бути зацікавленим у співробітництві
Fruitful cooperation	плідне співробітництво
To send a delegation	направити делегацію
Personal contacts	особисті контакти

III. Inquiry and Offer

Inquiry for	запит на
To send	направити
To receive	одержати
To study	розглядати
To accept	приймати
To confirm	підтверджувати
To revise	переглядати
To decline	відхиляти

IV. Contracts

Order	замовлення
General terms and conditions	основні умови
To place an order for	розміщувати замовлення
To make a contract	укладати контракт
Small, big and trial order	маленьке, велике та пробне замовлення
Standard contract	типовий контракт
Standard terms and conditions	стандартні умови
To offer terms and conditions	запропонувати умови
To accept a contract	прийняти контракт
To discuss a contract	обговорювати контракт
Clause of a contract	пункт контракту
Clause by clause	пункт за пунктом
Draft contract	проект контракту
Integral part of a contract	невід’ємна частина контракту
Terms of delivery	умови постачання
Time of delivery	строк постачання
Guarantee period	гарантований термін (строк)

EXERCISES

Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks with the necessary words:

1. I don’t know English well enough, that’s why I need an … .

1. I’m glad you are not in a hurry and we … today.

1. Your idea sounds encouraging. We can get … .

1. Our manager would like … with you.

1. The bank makes a long term to clients, that’s why we … cooperation.

1. The number of new products is coming into the market. We will start market research and I think our cooperation will be … .

1. Your prices on these items are too high. That’s why we … .

1. We … you to start a car repair shop.

1. I think we’ll … your offer, because tape recorders are so popular unless the price is too high.

1. I’m not sure, that’s why we have to discuss the contract clause … .

1. We have already been discussing the … of the contract for 3 hours, but we have not come to any final decision yet.

1. We enclose a list showing the goods we require for … by the end of April.

1. It is so complicated to sell the … to a foreign company with different currencies.

1. We are always on the look out for products of good … .

Exercise 2. Complete the following sentences:

1. I’m thinking of starting my own business that’s why I have to discuss … .

1. We’ll have a business talk with … .

1. We‘ll make an appointment … .

1. Fruitful cooperation brings … .

1. Our firm has established business … .

1. Whatever the reason, we are anxious to establish … .

1. We are interested in cooperation, because … .

1. Have you received … ?

1. We have to decline your offer, because … .

1. Our firm must pay a lot of money for delivery, that’s why we … .

1. The manager has signed a favourable … .

1. The time and the date of delivery are attached to the present contract, that’s why …

1. The firm has already fixed the price and total amount of the contract and … .

1. We have signed a standard contract, that’s why … .

1. The sellers will guarantee the quality of the sold goods for … .

1. Quality certificate issues … .

1. Clients can be made for the quality of the goods if it doesn’t … .

Exercise 3. Translate into English:

1. Я погано розмовляю англійською, тому мені необхідно мати перекладача.

1. Прошу передати мою візитну картку містеру Н.

1. Чи може нас прийняти містер Н.?

1. Займайте свої місця , та давайте перейдемо до справи.

1. Представник нашої фірми має бажання обговорити з Вами декілька питань.

1. З якими країнами ви маєте торгові відносини?

1. Я сподіваюсь, що наші ділові контакти будуть плідними.

1. Ви зацікавлені в цьому співробітництві?

1. Ми тільки-но вийшли на ринок з цим товаром. (to introduce smth to …).

1. У нас великий досвід в експорті цього товару.

1. Ми відіслали Вам наш запит минулого тижня / в кінці місяця / на початку цього місяця / 10 квітня.

1. Ми змушені переглянути / відхилити / погодитись на цю пропозицію.

1. Пропозиція потребує вашого підтвердження.

1. Ви отримали наш запит на машини (меблі, обладнання).

1. Ми б хотіли обговорити контракт на поставки цього товару пункт за пунктом.

1. Цe наші стандартні умови постачання.

1. Ми можемо запропонувати вам товар високої якості.

ROLE PLAY

Problem I

You are a manager of a firm. You want to make an appointment and have a business talk. Please, do it.

Problem II

You are a sales manager of «Sony» Company. Your firm sells high-quality TV-sets. You want to deliver TV sets. Discuss, please, the terms, the time and the guarantee period of delivery with representative of a big shop.

Problem III

You are a director of a shop. You don’t like the terms of delivery. Make an appointment to a sales manager and change the terms of the delivery.

Effective Meetings

If you want to have more effective meetings, first you have to learn the basics. Here are some simple, easy-to-follow and proven guidelines that should be followed each and every time your group meets.

Print this page. Hang it on your meeting room wall. Write the guidelines on a poster. Memorize them by heart. Do whatever it's going to take to improve your meetings!

Guidelines you and your group can follow before, during and after your meeting:

1.	Only hold a meeting if necessary.
2.	All meetings must have clear objectives.
3.	Invite a neutral facilitator to sensitive meetings.
4.	All meetings must have an agenda which includes:
		topics for discussion
		presenter or discussion leader for each topic
		time allotment for each topic
5.	Meeting information needs to be circulated to everyone prior to the meeting. Make sure to include:
		meeting objectives
		meeting agenda
		location/date/time
		background information
		assigned items for preparation
6.	Meetings must start precisely on time so as not to punish those who are punctual. This also sets the stage for how serious you are about making the meeting effective.
7.	Meeting participants must:
		arrive on time
		be well-prepared
		be concise and to the point
		participate in a constructive manner
8.	Meeting notes must be recorded and made part of the company's meeting information archives.
9.	The decisions made by the group must be documented.
10.	Assigned action items must be documented, and the host, or an appropriate participant, must be appointed to follow-up on the completion of all action items.
11.	Meeting effectiveness must be reviewed at the end of each meeting and suggested improvements applied to the next meeting.

Telephone Etiquette Tips

Presenting a professional image, both in person and on the telephone, is very important in the Office Skills profession. Taking care of your customers over the telephone and making them feel well informed and appreciated is essential.Whether you are the front office receptionist or an executive secretary, the following phone tips should always be followed.

1. Speak clearly. A picture paints a thousand words but the caller on the other end of the phone can only hear you. They cannot see your face or body language. Therefore, taking the time to speak clearly, slowly and in a cheerful, professional voice is very important.

2. Use your normal tone of voice when answering a call. If you have a tendency to speak loud or shout, avoid doing so on the telephone.

3. Do not eat or drink while you are on telephone duty. Only eat or drink during your coffee break or lunch break.

4. Do not use slang words or Poor Language. Respond clearly with “yes” or “no” when speaking. Never use swear words.

5. Address the Caller Properly by his or her title. (i.e. Good morning Mr. Brown, Good afternoon Ms. Sanders). Never address an unfamiliar caller by his or her first name.

6. Listen to the Caller and what they have to say. The ability to listen is a problem in general but it is very important to listen to what the caller has to say. It is always a good habit to repeat the information back to the client when you are taking a message. Verify that you have heard and transcribed the message accurately.

7. Be patient and helpful. If a caller is irate or upset, listen to what they have to say and then refer them to the appropriate resource. Never snap back or act rude to the caller.

8. Always ask if you can put the caller on hold. If you are responsible for answering multiple calls at once, always ask the caller politely if you may put them on hold. Remember that the caller could have already waited several minutes before getting connected to you and may not take lightly to being put on hold. Never leave the person on hold for more than a few seconds or they may become upset and hang up.

9. Always focus on the call. Try not to get distracted by people around you. If someone tries to interrupt you while you are on a call, politely remind them that you are on a customer call and that you will be with them as soon as you are finished.

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