On Brick Lane last night my American friends were astounded when I began negotiating with the doormen as to what special offers they were willing to offer in order to entice us into their Indian food establishment. 5 minutes work rewarded us with free drinks and a 30% discount off food – a saving of around £50 from the final bill.
Of course the restaurant owners were happy – they secured our business and presumably made a tidy profit on the meal / service which we did pay for. Having spent some time living in India, negotiating for products and services became second nature, and the practice is something which I would be keen to see made far more a part of UK culture (especially in lean economic times such as these). The lee-way to strike a bargain allows both parties a far greater opportunity to achieve a satisfactory result than our staid British ‘set- price’ system – where potential customers often come away empty-handed rather than risk offend a vendor (who is more often than not desperate to sell) by offering a lower price based on perceived value.
Within the media business, strong negotiation skills are an inherently essential tool in obtaining best value for our clients. Media buyers constantly face challenges from media owners who often refuse to offer discounts based on anything other than volume bookings, when there could quite likely be a deal to strike if they would only be open to taking a lesson from Indian culture where the emphasis lies far more on affordability than saving face, or other bureaucratic considerations.
Anyone for an ‘educational’ work trip to Mumbai?
Of course the restaurant owners were happy – they secured our business and presumably made a tidy profit on the meal / service which we did pay for. Having spent some time living in India, negotiating for products and services became second nature, and the practice is something which I would be keen to see made far more a part of UK culture (especially in lean economic times such as these). The lee-way to strike a bargain allows both parties a far greater opportunity to achieve a satisfactory result than our staid British ‘set- price’ system – where potential customers often come away empty-handed rather than risk offend a vendor (who is more often than not desperate to sell) by offering a lower price based on perceived value.
Within the media business, strong negotiation skills are an inherently essential tool in obtaining best value for our clients. Media buyers constantly face challenges from media owners who often refuse to offer discounts based on anything other than volume bookings, when there could quite likely be a deal to strike if they would only be open to taking a lesson from Indian culture where the emphasis lies far more on affordability than saving face, or other bureaucratic considerations.
Anyone for an ‘educational’ work trip to Mumbai?
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