Chapter 7 Preparing for the Negotiation Session 准备谈判

For Your Information

背景介绍

Negotiations require preparation. You have to do your homework.Both sides need to know all they can about the other, just to know what to expect.The buyer needs to know all he can about the product, what else is available, the properties it must possess, the cost of parts acquired from subcontractors, and production costs.Basically, he must know everything the manufacturer knows.The seller has to know who the buyer will sell it to, and the price range it has to meet to be competitive.

中译　谈判须要事前准备，你得做功课。双方都应尽可能地了解对方，才能快速进入状况。买家对他想买的产品，需要全盘了解，知道还有其他什么样的选择、产品属性、承包商的零件成本和生产成本。基本上，买方必须知道制造商所知道的一切信息。卖方则必须知道买方要将产品卖给谁，这样价格范围才会有竞争性。

If you're buying components, check with your production staff for special packaging, manufacturing or assembly changes the source can do cheaper than you. You should look for things that would reduce your production cost more than it would increase theirs.Then, compute exactly how much that would reduce your overhead on a per unit basis, and the total projected savings for this purchase.

中译　如果你要买零件，要先和生产人员商量，知道特殊的包装要求、制造或拼装改变，还要知道什么样的来源可以提供比你更低的价格。你所找寻的东西，应该是要降低，而非增加你的生产成本。然后，计算这样可以实际降低多少的单位成本价格，这项购买预计可以为你节省多少金额。

There are two ways to introduce these cost cutting steps. You can include them in the bid specifcation.This is clearly the best way to go in most cases.If you know the supplier is difficult and sometimes unreasonable on price, it may be better to not include them in the contract.Don't put them on the table at the start of negotiations.Use them as bargaining chips during the talks.For example, let's say you've worked out the problems and it's a matter of price.You need a certain price to make the deal work, but your supplier refuses to come down to something you can afford.This is where you put the bargaining chips into play.

中译　有两种方式可以介绍这些降低成本的步骤，你可以将它们包括在估价单中，这也是多数情况都适用的处理方式。如果你知道供应商不好沟通，价格不合理，那就不要把他们列入合约考量。不要一谈判，就让对方知道他们的存在。你可以在谈判时，把他们当作议价的筹码。举例来说，你解决了其他的问题，只剩下价格。你需要某一个价格，来达成交易，但你的供应商拒绝将降低到你可以负担的价格。这时，你就可以拿筹码来议价。

If you know how much these extras reduce your overhead, factor it into the price and increase your offer accordingly. If you have discussed all this before you left home, there's nothing to fgure at the table；you know right where you stand.Of course, you don't offer the entire savings at the start, but let the other side negotiate you to a higher amount.They'll feel like they've gained something and who knows, maybe they'll accept your first price.Almost any trade off can be used as a bargaining chip.A trade off is when one side offers something valuable to the other side.There are several frequently used types we’ll cover here, and this isn’t a complete list.

中译　如果你知道这些筹码，可以降低你多少的经常性成本，就把这个列入价格考量，然后提高你的估价。如果你在离开公司之前，已经和内部的人讨论过这个细节，在谈判桌上就没有什么需要额外考虑的了，你知道自己的立场是什么。当然，你不会在一开始就把最好的价格提供给对方，相反的，你要让对方帮你把价格抬得高一点。他们会以为自己得到了好处，所以谁知道呢？也许他们会接受你提的第一个提议也说不定。几乎所有的交换都可以拿来做谈判筹码。所谓的交换是指其中一方，提供一个有价值的东西给另外一方。我们在这里会提到几个常用的交换方式，当然这不是全部内容。

Dialog

MP3-22

The dialog below shows a negotiation stalled on price, neither side will compromise. This is the perfect time to play a bargaining chip.Mel represents an electronic control panel manufacturer.Bill works for a stereo maker that manufactures most of its own parts.They want to buy a large quantity of Mel's control panels.Because new design is superior to what Bill's company is currently making retooling will take a lot of time.

下面这个对话，因价格而呈现僵局，双方都不愿让步。所以这是拿出筹码的好时机。梅尔代表一个电子控制仪表板公司。比尔为一家音响公司做事，其大部分的零件都由制造商制造。他们想要向梅尔购买大量的控制仪表。因为新的设计比比尔公司现有生产的机种优良，而更换机械设备需要花上很多的时间。

Mel：I'm sorry, Bill, but I can't help you.

比尔，很抱歉，我帮不上你的忙。

$6. 37 per unit delivered to your factory in Beijing is the best I can do.

我能提供的最好价格是，每单位6.37美元，货送到北京。

I'm only willing to let them go this cheap because you're buying so many of them.

因为你买的数量多，所以我才愿意降到这么低的价格。

My normal price is$6. 45 plus shipping.I'm offering you a heck of a discount.

我通常的定价是6.45美元，外加运费。我已经给你很多折扣了。

Bill：I understand that, Mel. It's a good price, but we have to remain competitive.

梅尔，我知道。价格很好，但我们必须保持竞争性。

We're already one of the most expensive units on the market.

我们现在已经是市场中最贵的供应商之一。

The only reason we get that much is because of our reputation for quality.

我们之所以得到这么高的订货量，是因为我们的品质有保证。

And, the only reason we're thinking about buying your control panels, instead of making them, is your reputation for quality.

之所以考虑买你们的控制仪表板，不自己制造，是因为你们的品质评价不错。

Mel：Bill, quality costs money.

比尔，品质需要靠钱维持。

Bill：We understand that. But, at that unit cost, we would have to signifcantly increase our consumer price.

那我们也知道，但如果单位价格是这样，我们就得大幅提高客户价格。

And that would definitely cost us a piece of our market share. This is something we want to avoid.

这一定会让我们损失部分的市场占有率，而我们不希望这样。

Mel：I understand completely, but if I drop the price even 2 cents I'll be swimming in red ink.

我完全理解，但就算我只降个两分钱，我也会很亏的。

Bill：This could be a deal breaker. My instructions from the boss are very clear.I can't go over$6.30.

那就可能让大家谈判无果了。老板给我的指示很清楚，我不能让价格超过6.30美元。

I hate to see this deal fall apart for a lousy seven cents.

我不希望为了区区七分钱，就让生意吹了。

Mel：Me too, but my hands are tied. A seven-cent loss times two hundred and ffty thousand units is more than I can afford.

我也是，但真的没办法。每单位损失七分钱，乘上二十五万的数量，总合起来我可负担不起。

That works out to around twenty grand if you factor in the operating losses.

如果再加上运作损失的话，总和将近是两万元。

Bill：Stop the presses, Mel. There's more than one way to skin a cat, and I might just have an idea.

梅尔，别再争了，解决问题的方法不止一种，我刚想到一个主意。

Mel：Well, let's hear it. I'm all ears.

好，说说看，我洗耳恭听。

Bill：My production people mentioned a few modifcations you could make that would be a negligible cost to you but would save us a production step.

我的生产人员提到一些你可以做的变更，也许这些成本对你而言不算什么，但却可以为我们省下一个生产程序。

Mel：I don't know, Bill. We usually charge at least set up fees to deviate from the standard production model.

比尔，我不确定，若是要有异于标准的生产模子，我们通常会向客户收取装配调试费用。

Bill：I know. That's why I didn't mention them before.

我知道，所以之前没提到这个。

I realized pretty quick that money was a problem and we can't afford your usual set up fees.

我发现，钱是一个问题——我们负担不起你们一贯的装配费用。

But, if you're willing to work with me, we may be able to pull the fat out of the fre.

但如果你愿意配合，我们也许可以完成这个交易。

Mel：I'm still listening.

请继续。

Bill：What if we ship the panel housings to you and instead of you placing each unit in a shipping box, you permanently crimp the units into place on the housing and ship it back to us ready to install.

如果我们将控制表的外罩运给你，这样你就不用把外罩装入运货箱，只要把东西大致位置固定在外罩上，再运回来，我们自己装配。

Mel：I don't know.

我不知道。

Bill：Look, the crimping process isn't even an extra step.

嘿，把控制表固定在外罩上可不算额外的手续。

You could do it at the same time you crimp the back and front plates together.

而且正面、反面可以一次放好。

Then, you save the expense of loading each unit into an individual packing box.

这样就可以省下个别包装的箱子成本。

Just lay a couple of slotted Styrofoam bars in the bottom of the crate to keep the units separated in shipping and you save the cost of the packing box.

只要将几个有沟槽的泡沫放入板箱隔开，让运输过程中，东西不会碰撞即可，这就可以省下箱子的钱了。

Mel：We could do that, but the cost of a packing box is only 2. 5 cents.We would still be losing money.

可以是可以，但装箱的成本只有两分半，我们还是会亏钱。

Bill：What about the savings on packing, both labor and materials?That's got to be worth seven cents a unit.

相关费用像是工钱和材料费呢？每单位应该可以省下七分钱。

Mel：Actually, it's more like three or four.

实际上，应该只有三、四分。

Bill：Ha, ha, ha！Okay, Mel, I'll tell you what I'm going to do.

哈哈，好吧，梅尔，不如这样吧。

If you agree to do everything I covered so far, plus mount the knobs on the units instead of sending them in a separate box for us to mount, I'll up our offer four cents to$6. 34.

如果你同意采取我目前的所有提议，再加上将每单位上的旋钮一起装上，不另外分箱运送，我会把价格提高到6.34美元。

But this is only because I want to put this deal and myself to bed as soon as possible.

但这只是因为我想要赶快谈成这笔交易，好好地休息一下。

Mel：Okay, I'm tired, too. Let's shake on$6.34 and I'll buy the drinks.We'll work out the details tomorrow.

好吧，我也累了，就决定6.34美元这个价格了。我请大家喝饮料，其他的细节明天再谈。

Bill：Let's go.

走吧。

谈判停看听　The above is a win-win situation.Mel is giving up the set up fee, but to be honest, the changes required are minor.The savings on the packing are a bit more than he admitted to.Once you add the savings of getting the knobs mounted, Bill is saving almost ten cents a unit.So everybody is happy.

中译　上面这个情况是双赢局面，梅尔放弃了装配费用，但老实说，这些改变都是小改变。包装省下的成本其实比他说的还要多：一旦省了安装旋钮的成本，比尔一个单位几乎可以省下十分钱，所以当然大家都高兴。

Vocabulary 重要词汇

MP3-23

competitive 有竞争力的

component 零件

bargaining chip 议价筹码

panel 仪器板

superior 胜过于

consumer 消费者

swim in red ink 被赤字淹没

go over 超过

lousy 差劲的

skin a cat 解决问题

modifcation 变更

negligible 微不足道的

deviate 脱离（常轨）

permanently 持久地

crimp 使卷起

slotted 钻凿的

crate 板条箱

knob 旋钮