The negotiation process is changing its form seamlessly. With advances in technology, we are given many new opportunities to conduct negotiation talks. As a result, sales talks are possible in almost any circumstances. While nothing can replace a face2face meeting, it is worth bearing in mind the possibility of remote negotiations when circumstances do not allow for a face-to-face meeting.
How do you negotiate remotely? Do they have a chance to be effective and end in a compromise? Who should and who can benefit from a remote form of negotiation?
Remote negotiation - what is it?
The means of communication available today minimise the constraints on conversation almost to zero. We have instant messaging services that allow us to make video calls such as Skype or WhatsApp, to make phone calls, to communicate in writing and even to share the screens of our devices - computers or tablets.
In our daily work, almost everyone has to deal with remote negotiations even if they are not explicitly formulated. Exchanging e-mails with potential customers or contractors at the stage of initial enquiries, answering phone calls with questions about services or available offers, these elements are already an introduction to remote negotiation, so it is worth making skilful use of them.
However, remote negotiation is different from the traditional form of conducting sales talks. Therefore, every negotiator should complement his or her competences with the ability to negotiate remotely. It is also worth remembering that on the way effective negotiations remote stands a number of obstacles, causing communication noise, not only caused by the quality of the conversation transfer, but also by the interpretation of written text or tone of voice without being able to see body language.
Remote negotiation
How to prepare for remote negotiations?
Remote negotiation are a specific form of business conversation. Therefore, it is worth knowing what the different channels of communication are. In order to gain experience, organise knowledge and practice remote negotiation scenarios, it is definitely worth taking part in a dedicated workshop on remote negotiation. Any negotiator who wants to improve his or her competences and update trends in negotiation styles should take advantage of this training.
Negotiating by telephone
This is probably one of the most difficult forms of negotiation. In a telephone conversation, we may be surprised by a question from the other end of the phone and, although the other party cannot tell from our facial expression, they can tell from the timbre of our voice. We are also unaware of our interlocutor's surroundings on the phone, which can have a significant impact on the conversation - even if it has been arranged in advance. It is also important to note that, when talking at a distance, many people take courage and conduct a telephone conversation in a completely different tone than they would conduct in a face-to-face meeting.
Undoubtedly the advantage of telephone negotiations is the possibility to record the conversation. This makes it possible to return to its content at any time or to replay it for the other parties to the negotiation process. Please note that this necessarily requires the consent of each party to the negotiation.
Email negotiations
Communication by e-mail is an increasingly common and readily used form of negotiation. Declarations made in writing have a much more permanent form and can be revisited at any time, freely quoting phrases used by the other party. However, this form also has quite a few disadvantages. Not every negotiator who is effective in face2face discussions will be able to formulate written statements as effectively. Thus, there is a risk of misinterpretation of our message. It is also worth remembering that the written content must be coherent, concise and, at the same time, as exhaustive as possible. The art of writing is not for everyone. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that any skill can be acquired, e.g. by participating in well-defined remote negotiation workshop.
Negotiating through communicators
The most similar form of remote communication to the traditional one is the use of videoconferencing. We then share both our voice and our surroundings and our image with the interviewer. You can freely hold a conversation together with sharing your monitor screen when you need to show something to your interlocutor. This is a convenient solution especially if a face-to-face meeting is not possible. However, hardware and technological limitations may be barriers in this case, as instant messaging requires a good quality Internet connection so that there are no interruptions in transmission.
If you are looking for detailed information on how to conduct remote negotiations, please visit our ongoing negotiation workshops.
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