This an altered copy of roleplay 01, for a more balanced conversation between two people. Make sure you look at Negotiation Vocabulary first.
Participants
A) Meeting Chair
B) Business Partner / Fellow Director
Situation
As directors of a T-shirt company, you want to import shirts instead of producing and need to make some decisions.
A: (very polite greeting / chat)
B: (very polite greeting / chat)
A: (start and introduce the meeting. The agenda: country of manufacture, choice of colour, quantity of order. Ask about AOB)
B: (nothing to add)
A: (Introduce the first topic. Compare India, China and Morocco. Recommend one. Ask for opinions)
B: (suggest using a French company)
A: (politely refuse this idea – too expensive + tax and the French company will probably import from China anyway)
B: (explain that you have a contact in a European city who produces shirts, it’s a family business and he’s expanding, he’s due to open a store in Paris this year, etc – prepare to be interrupted)
A: (interrupting positively)
(ask for the details to be emailed so we can compare the costs.)
B: (agree)
A: (Move onto point 2- choice of colours: compare and give your opinion on best colour due to season and market trend. Ask for opinion)
B: (Explain that a friend said that there is a better colour because of some reason -prepare to be interrupted)
A: (interrupt without politeness with an argument e.g. explain that your information is reliable etc – prepare to be interrupted)
B: (interrupt and ask to finish your point)
A: (apologise and ask B to finish their point)
B: (finish your point, then ask A to continue their original point that you interrupted)
A: (finish your point about colours and ask for approval to go ahead with your own choice)
B: (thank A for their idea but decline and then offer a compromise)
A: (find a compromise and agree – Move onto point 3. Quantity: small medium or large order. Recommend a large quantity. Ask for opinion)
B: (propose small order due to smaller risk of loss)
A: (disagree, give a reason, propose larger order, ask for opinion)
B: (disagree due to expense, propose a medium order with gentle persuasion)
A: (partly agree, point out cheaper cost of larger order)
B: (partly agree with larger order)
A: (using a reference, persuade strongly)
B: (concede and agree to larger order)
(A+B may improvise something here, otherwise go on)
A: (finish, summarise decisions, arrange next meeting to discuss costs of using friend’s business)
B: (politely suggest to change agenda and not use friend’s business at all and suggest a country)
A: agree (or negotiate a different country) and confirm. Organise next meeting to discuss funding sources and anything else you want.
B. (Agree to time)
A. (Summarise time, give thanks, end the meeting)