Interrupt

understand

procedure

committed

break

1. We are ___________ to being your partner in developing long-

_________, mutual value.

2. We ___________that you are looking for a_________to this problem.

3. We have three main __________we’d like___________with you today.

4. I was thinking we could start by discussing the __________of the order,

then moving on to price.

5. Before we go on, could we agree on ___________?

6. Why don’t we ___________after an hour for lunch?

7. Please feel free to ____________me at any time if you have any

questions.

B. Exploring Possibilities

Put the jumbled sentences in order to practice useful phrases for exploring

possibilities.

1. would like number explore a options of you with I to

2. there are a number look of to this at ways

3. think are at a possibilities number of I we there suggest looking would

4. sure am we some can ground find I common

Study Strategy

What kind of vendors are important to keeping your business or office running?

Do you or any of your colleagues have to negotiate with them. If you conduct

these kinds of negotiation yourself, think of your last negotiation. How did it

begin? If you aren’t involved in these kinds of negotiation, interview a friend or

colleague who is. In either case, use the real situation to write a dialog. Employ

the language we have studied in this episode. Role play with a friend.

© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 46

business englishpod

Answers

Listening Questions

1) To establish goodwill, Tony starts by thanking Paul for his time.

Thirty minutes. Paul says, “Personally, I’ve only got about a half hour available.”

The bolts will be used in structural steel columns. As discussed earlier, they are

for a harbor project.

Paul asks Tony if he has considered using “resin-coated” bolts instead of

stainless steel bolts. Resin is a clear coating on the steel that makes it resistant

to the elements, that is, water and air.

Language Review

A. Starting Off, Agenda, and Ground Rules

1. We are committedto being your partner in developing long-term, mutual

value.

2. We understandthat you are looking for asolutionto this problem.

3. We have three main issueswe’d likediscusswith you today.

4. I was thinking we could start by discussing the detailsof the order, then

moving on to price.

5. Before we go on, could we agree on procedure?

6. Why don’t we breakafter an hour for lunch?

7. Please feel free to interruptme at any time if you have any questions.

B. Exploring Possibilities

1. I would like to explore a number of options with you.

2. There are a number of ways to look at this.

3. I think there are a number of possibilities we would suggest looking at.

4. I am sure we can find some common ground.

Online Activities – Flash Quizzes

(click above to open)

© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 47

Successful Negotiations

Online Activities: M P 3 P o d cast:

BEP 405 – Clarifying and Evaluating Positions

Hello my name is Edwin and I’ll be your host for this

episode on clarifying and evaluating positions, whichis

part of our ongoing series on negotiation skills.

An important part of any discussion is making our

position clear; at the same time, we mustmake sure

we understand the other side’s point of view. Achieving

mutual understanding can help us save money by

avoiding missed opportunities. In addition, the ultimate

goal of any negotiation is to create value. Therefore,

evaluation– determining whether an offer or position is

good or bad – plays an important role. So in this show

we’ll study stating, clarifying, andevaluating positions.

Peter is the owner of mobile phone ringtone and game provider, Textacular. He

is attempting to roll up, or buy, other small companies like his in an effort to

increase the value of his company. Eventually, he wants to sell his business to a

larger, regional service provider for a profit. In the listening, he is meeting with

Maxine, owner of Gamester, to discuss a possible merger.

As you listen, pay attention to how they clarify and evaluate each other’s

positions and try to answer the following listening questions.

Listening Questions

1) What’s the basic source of disagreement between Maxine and Peter?

2) What are Maxine’s reasons for insisting on her price?

3) What does Peter mean when he says he has done “months of due diligence?”

© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 48

business englishpod

Dialog

Maxine: So in short, we’ve thought about it a lot, and we really can’t budge

from our position.

Peter: So if I’m getting you right, you won’t be willing to part with Gamester for

less than 15 million, right?

Maxine: Yes, that’s an absolute minimum. Let me go over my reasons again.

Peter: Go ahead.

Maxine: For one, this market is going nowhere but up.

Peter:Yes, I take your point.

Maxine: For another, we’ve got tremendous value here – you’ve seen the

figures: good people, good products, and a solid business plan.

Peter: I agree. I’ve done months of due diligence, and I’m convinced of the

value of a merger.

Maxine: I know you are, but we need a fair price for our business.

Peter: On my side, though, we must take into account redundancies in our

business operations and factor in the volatility in the market.