© PMMS Consulting Group Limited CIPS Negotiation Challenge 2014 First Round Dilemmas

© PMMS Consulting Group Limited You are in negotiation with your flatmates, trying hard to convince them you should have a party at your house on on Saturday. You have been revising hard for crucial exams and feel you all deserve “just one night off”. You have presented your case well and think they might agree but an uneasy silence has developed as they look at each other to see who is going to respond. Which of the following would you do and in what order? 1.Go over your argument again 2.Ask them a question 3.Stress that if ALL your friends are invited it will be the best houseparty ever 4.Smile gently and say nothing 5.Excuse yourself for a comfort break for a couple of minutes. Party Animal

© PMMS Consulting Group Limited You are out shopping with a friend and see a great shirt which you have your heart set on. However, the shirt on display is the only one in your size and has a small black mark on the collar. You request a discount and the sales assistant wants more for the shirt than you suggest. In order of priority which of the following would you do? 1.Ask for five minutes to think and discuss with your friend 2.Accept the deal 3.Stay silent, smile and maintain eye contact 4.Ask to speak to the manager 5.Try to make him/her feel unreasonable 6.Say ‘No’ and decline. Take it or leave it

© PMMS Consulting Group Limited You need to replace your laptop prior to starting University. You are in a negotiation in ‘Laptop World’ proposing a discount plus extras. The sales assistant insists it would be very difficult to give any discount so only token movement has been made. What would be the order of your preference of these 6 possible courses of action? 1.Ask a friend to return to the shop with you for moral support 2.Agree to move considerably from your opening proposal 3.Agree to move slightly from your opening proposal 4.Allow the negotiation to go to deadlock and return home without the laptop 5.Be open about your feelings and the lack of movement 6.Explain to the sales assistant your reasons for asking for a discount Still apart

© PMMS Consulting Group Limited You are buying your first car with your savings. You have set your mind on a particular second hand model and have obtained prices from three garages. Garage A B C Price £5100 £5300 £5295 Write down your negotiation objectives for each garage – (three actual amounts, an Ideal price, a realistic price and a walk away price. The various features of the purchase (tax, mot, car mats, fuel etc) are identical for each. Fair and reasonable

© PMMS Consulting Group Limited You are home alone and receive a phone call from your mobile phone provider about this years price increase. Which would you do and in what order? 1.Stay on the line in order to ascertain the specific details 2.Suggest you will go into your local mobile phone shop to discuss the situation 3.Tell the caller you will not be accepting any price increases 4.Request they send you the relevant information through the post or via 5.Express your disappointment and mention that you wanted to stay a loyal customer but this would make you consider taking your custom to another provider. A testing phone-in

© PMMS Consulting Group Limited You and 6 friends are enjoying an evening meal at the local Italian restaurant. The main meal was great but the service was poor and desert took over an hour to arrive. You complain and request a reduction in the bill. Which of the following responses suggests the waiter is prepared to reduce the cost of your meal? 1.We are prepared to offer you a free soft drink on the house but a reduction in the bill would be very difficult 2.Our standard policy is to apologise and offer a free drink on the house 3.Please accept our apologies. We do not give discounts as it is against company policy. 4.I wouldn’t be in a position to offer you a discount I’m afraid 5.As you ate everything and haven’t mentioned the service until now it’s almost impossible for me to pass a reduction through the till. Signal, manoeuvre