Negotiating in Life, Negotiating Tips, Business Negotiation, Negotiation Strategies June 12, 2009

Telephone Negotiations

Should you negotiate on the telephone?

A few weeks ago we discussed online negotiations, but a far more common not-in-person negotiation takes place on the telephone. How and when should you negotiate on the phone?

Let’s start with the when.

According to Dr. Chester Karrass, “a phone negotiation is the ultimate quick-deal maker.”

Here are some situations when the phone works best:

  • You are dealing with a hard-to-reach person
  • You want to say no easily
  • You don’t want to seem concerned
  • You want to sound tough or resolute
  • You want to keep the discussion short
  • You want to equalize your status
  • You want to limit the amount of information
  • You want to talk more, listen less
  • You are prone to interrupting frequently
  • And last but not least , you want to keep costs low (no flying a team across the country)

Let’s discuss how to negotiate effectively over the telephone.

The first rule is the rule for all negotiations: be thoroughly prepared, and be better prepared than the other party.

A few dos:

  • Make a checklist to avoid omissions
  • Take notes during the conversation
  • Confirm agreements by repeating them back in your own words
  • Have a ready excuse to break off the conversation
  • Talk less to get the other party to talk more

A few don’ts:

  • Don’t start a phone negotiation when you know you won’t have time or you are in the middle of other things.
  • Don’t multi-task during the phone call. Remain fully engaged in what is being discussed during the call.
  • Don’t start a conversation unless you know your issues and you have a position on them
  • Don’t be afraid to call back if there are errors in your calculations or you decide you want to revisit an important issue.

Risks:

  • When on the phone you can’t look the other person in the eye to determine their emotional reactions to what you are saying. The message you think you are sending might not be the message they are receiving.
  • You may end your call thinking you have agreement when you really have no agreement from the other side.
  • If you use your cell phone you may not have the opportunity to write down the results of your call until later. When you do document what happened on the call, what you write down may be different from what was actually agreed to.

Do you routinely engage in telephone negotiations? If so, when are they most effective for you?

THE PROGRAM WAS GREAT! MY SEMINAR LEADER AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE KEPT ME CONSTANTLY STIMULATED. I NOW AM BETTER PREPARED TO GO INTO AN IMPORTANT NEGOTIATION MEETING AND STAY IN CONTROL, WHILE FINISHING THE MEETING SATISFIED.

Deanna D.
CASE MANAGER at THE JACKSON LABORATORY

IF YOU HAVE THE TRAINING BUDGET AND TWO DAYS TO SPARE, YOU'LL STRUGGLE TO FIND A PROGRAM MORE FAR-REACHING, ON-POINT, AND INSTANTLY IMPLEMENTABLE.

Jeff G.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER at THE M.K. MORSE COMPANY

EXCELLENT COURSE, BRINGS MORE CONFIDENCE IN MY ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE. I THINK THIS COURSE IS A MUST FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WHO DEAL WITH CUSTOMERS.

John S.
CHIEF ENGINEERING MANAGER at EXXONMOBIL

THIS WAS VERY EFFECTIVE WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON BOTH-WIN NEGOTIATING.

Kathleen L.
SENIOR ANALYST at BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN

THE KARRASS CLASS WAS THE SINGLE BEST TRAINING CLASS/SEMINAR I HAVE EVER ATTENDED. EVERY TIME WE DID AN EXERCISE IT TAUGHT YOU WHAT TO DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME. THANKS.

Kim C.
PROCUREMENT at AMERICAN EXPRESS

THIS PROGRAM HAS GREATLY INCREASED MY CONFIDENCE AND ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE FOR MYSELF AS WELL AS MY COMPANY.

LaDonna E.
SENIOR STRATEGIC BUYER at HALLMARK

THE NEGOTIATING CLASS WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. THE INSTRUCTOR PROVIDED AN INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO EVERYDAY LIFE.

Mary S.
INTERNATIONAL SOURCING at FMC TECHNOLOGIES

WE NEGOTIATE EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. THIS COURSE DEFINES THE PROCESS AND PROVIDES TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE SUCCESSFUL RESULTS.

Phillip H.
VICE PRESIDENT at GE

PRIOR TO THIS CLASS I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS GETTING EATEN ALIVE BY INTERNAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH SALES REPS. NOW I FEEL PREPARED TO CHALLENGE WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND BET TO THEIR REAL NEEDS.

Steve Q.
PLANNER at HONEYWELL

MANY PEOPLE FAIL TO ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL BECAUSE THEY DON’T SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO NEGOTIATE A WIN/WIN AGREEMENT WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES. THIS CLASS IS AN EYE OPENER TO THIS DYNAMIC..

Stuart B.
CONTRACTS MANAGER at HEWLETT-PACKARD
Contact US
[email protected][email protected]+1 323 866-3800
SEMINARS
Effective Negotiating®Effective Negotiating ||®Effective ConsensusCustomized In-House ProgramsBlock Program
About Us
AboutDR. CHESTER KARRASSGARY KARRASSFAQGLOSSARYPRIVACY POLICYBLOG
QUICK LINKS
REGISTERSEMINARSTESTIMONIALSWHO ATTENDSDISCOUNTSDR. KARRASS'S BILL OF RIGHTS