Experienced negotiators know how to get to a deal. They listen, create trust, share information that the other party needs, shift their position to help close the gap, and most importantly, they recognise that the other party needs to get some value from the exercise.
But many organisations move their front-line sellers and buyers on a frequent basis, regularly replacing experienced negotiators with novices, fresh out of training and keen to make an impact. So what do you do when your trusted counterpart makes way for fresh blood?
The challenge of inexperience:
Basic training tends to focus most on competitive negotiation techniques, so what may have been an open, collaborative business relationship can quickly become quite combative. The information flow dries up and proposals become less compelling. Ultimately, deals will now take much longer to reach, as they have little understanding of your needs, will be reluctant to move, and more reticent to commit.
Making the most of the situation:
While it may be tempting to hoodwink the novice to get a better deal, it rarely pays long-term. But you can still use the change to your advantage. Depending on time pressure, you have three options:
- Expedite: put extreme time pressure on a deal so they have to make a quick call. It’s high risk, but can be high reward
- Educate: invest the time to help them explore the category, the opportunities and the alternatives, building trust and credibility. It will take longer to land a deal, but can create lasting benefits
- Escalate: bring in your own novice with a tightly constrained brief. Build the relationship with your counterpart’s boss to unblock the inevitable impasse. This is a long game, but will create a more strategic relationship between the businesses
BOTTOM LINE: getting an inexperienced new counterpart can feel very frustrating and can set a relationship back many months. But it can also be a huge opportunity, if only you can take time to make the most of the change.