The quotes by world statesmen may be confusing without the right context. “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” – Gandhi “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” – Benjamin Franklin The tendency is to follow the most straightforward and comfortable path. But, almost always, the more robust way is the right […]
It is tempting to invest resources and develop plans to grow and have a controlling position in your market. “Lock-in” contracts, specific terms and conditions, sticky services—there are countless ways we can make a customer move to a competitor disruptive. While these tactics can be hugely profitable (lower customer churn, recurring revenue, higher company value), […]
There is usually an excellent reason for something: for doing it, for not doing it. Often we tell the other party this reason. We then think of another idea, and we give that as well. Then a third reason occurs to us, and we add that in for good measure. The problem is that each […]
Knowing what you need to know is essential to negotiating well and deriving a better result. So, ask the right questions and then listen to the answers carefully. Every major negotiation, domestic or international, succeeds or fails because people chose to listen or not listen to the other side. When not listening, most likely, they are also […]
“Let’s set up a conference call. We are not too thrilled with your customer service and support. And, of course, we will see if we want to continue to spend this kind of money. We will discuss our contract at the meeting.” This was the call my client received from a significant customer of his […]
“Simplicity is the ideal virtue. Oh! how difficult it is to be Simple!” Google placed a simple rectangle for search. Write or ask anything, it will fetch the relevant information. Several other search engines had their websites crammed with everything except search box, placed conspicuously. Google won. Toyota began manufacturing Corolla in the U.S. in […]
Let us face it. Life is a negotiation. You negotiate with your spouse, your children, your colleagues, even your commercial alliances and competitors… the list goes on. If you have read, “The World Is A BAZAAR – LIFE IS A NEGOTIATION – Skills to inject success, creativity, and fun in your life, relationships, and work,” […]
Finally, before and during negotiation, learn from similar situations in your or a different industry. What did the parties do to achieve favorable outcomes? A franchisor haggling on price can present a tremendous negotiating opportunity for the marketing company. The marketing company can give an acceptable discount in exchange for a longer contract term with […]