外貿業務員的談判現場

 [現場一]

DanSmith是一位美國的健身用品經銷商，此次是RobertLiu第一回與他交手。就在短短幾分鐘的交談中，RobertLiu既感到這位大漢粗獷的外表，藏有狡兔的心思――他肯定是沙場老將，自己絕不可掉以輕心。雙方第一回過招如下：

D:　I'd　like　to　get　the　ball　rolling（開始）by　talking　about　prices.

R:　Shoot.（洗耳恭聽）I'd　be　happy　to　answer　any　questions　you　may　have.

D:　Your　products　are　very　good.　But　I'm　a　little　worried　about　the　prices　you're　asking.

R:　You　think　we　about　be　asking　for　more?(laughs)

D:　(chuckles莞爾)　That's　not　exactly　what　I　had　in　mind.　I　know　your　research　costs　are　high,　but　what　I'd　like　is　a　25%　discount.

R:　That　seems　to　be　a　little　high,　Mr.　Smith.　I　don't　know　how　we　can　make　a　profit　with　those　numbers.

D: 　Please,　Robert,　call　me　Dan.　(pause)　Well,　if　we　promise　future　 business――volume　sales（大筆交易）――that　will　slash　your　costs（大量減低成本）for　 making　the　Exec-U-ciser,　right?

R:　Yes,　but　it's　hard　to　see　 how　you　can　place　such　large　orders.　How　could　you　turn　over（銷磬）so　many? 　(pause)　We'd　need　a　guarantee　of　future　business,　not　just　a　promise.

D:　We　said　we　wanted　1000　pieces　over　a　six-month　period.　What　if　we　place　orders　for　twelve　months,　with　a　guarantee?

R:　If　you　can　guarantee　that　on　paper,　I　think　we　can　discuss　this　further.


[現場二]

Robert回公司呈報Dan的提案後，老闆很滿意對方的採購計畫;但在折扣方面則希望Robert能繼續維持強硬的態度，儘量探出對方的底線。就在這七上七八的價格翹翹板上，雙方是否能找到彼此地平衡點呢？請看下麵分解:　

R:　Even　with　volume　sales,　our　coats　for　the　Exec-U-Ciser　won't　go　down　much.

D:　Just　what　are　you　proposing?

R:　We　could　take　a　cut（降低）on　the　price.　But　25%　would　slash　our　profit　margin（毛利率）.We　suggest　a　compromise――10%.

D:　That's　a　big　change　from　25!　10　is　beyond　my　negotiating　limit.(pause)　Any　other　ideas?

R:　I　don't　think　I　can　change　it　right　now.　Why　don't　we　talk　again　tomorrow?

D:　Sure.　I　must　talk　to　my　office　anyway.　I　hope　we　can　find　some　common　ground（共同信念）on　this.

NEXT　DAY

D:　Robert,　I've　been　instructed　to　reject　the　numbers　you　proposed;　but　we　can　try　to　come　up　with　some　thing　else.

R:　I　hope　so,　Dan.　My　instructions　are　to　negotiate　hard　on　this　deal――but　I'm　try　very　hard　to　reach　some　middle　ground（互相妥協）.

D: 　I　understand.　We　propose　a　structured　deal（階段式和約）.　For　the　first　six　 months,　we　get　a　discount　of　20%,　and　the　next　six　months　we　get　15%.

R:　Dan,　I　can't　bring　those　numbers　back　to　my　office――they'll　turn　it　down　flat（打回票）.

D:　Then　you'll　have　to　think　of　something　better,　Robert.


[現場三]

Dan上回提議前半年給他們二成折扣，後半年再降為一成半，經Robert推翻後，Dan再三表示讓步有限。您知道Robert在這折扣縫隙中游走，如何才能摸出雙方都同意的數字呢？他從錦囊裏又掏出什麼妙計了呢？請看下麵分解：　

R:　How　about　15%　the　first　six　months,　and　the　second　six　months　at　12%,　with　a　guarantee　of　3000　units?

D:　That's　a　lot　to　sell,　with　very　low　profit　margins.

R: 　It's　about　the　best　we　can　do,　Dan.　(pause)　We　need　to　hammer　something 　out　（敲定）today.　If　I　go　back　empty-handed,　I　may　be　coming　back　to　you　 soon　to　ask　for　a　job.　(smiles)

D:　(smiles)　O.K.,　17%　the　first　six　months,　14%　for　the　second?!

R:　Good.　Let's　iron　out（解決）the　remaining　details.　When　do　you　want　to　take　delivery（取貨）?

D:　We'd　like　you　to　execute　the　first　order　by　the　31st.

R:　Let　me　run　through　this　again:　the　first　shipment　for　1500　units,　to　be　delivered　in　27　days,　by　the　31st.

D:　Right.　We　couldn't　handle　much　larger　shipments.　

R:　Fine.　But　I'd　prefer　the　first　shipment　to　be　1000　units,　the　next　2000.　The　31st　is　quite　soon　----　I　can't　guarantee　1500.

D:　I　can　agree　to　that.　Well,　if　there's　nothing　else,　I　think　we've　settled　everything.

R:　Dan,　this　deal　promises　big　returns（賺大錢）for　both　sides.　Let's　hope　it's　the　beginning　of　a　long　and　prosperous　relationship.

[現場四]

今天Robert的辦公室出現了一個生面孔――Kevin　Hughes，此人代表美國一家運動產品公司，專程來臺灣尋找加工。接洽的加工產品市運動型“磁質石膏護墊”，受傷的運動員包上這種產品上場比賽，即可保護受傷部位，且不妨礙活動。現在，我們就來看看兩人的會議現況：

R:　We　found　your　proposal　quite　interesting,　Mr.　Hughes.　We'd　like　to　weigh　the　pros　and　cons（衡量得失）with　you.

K:　Mr.　Robert　Liu,　we've　looked　all　over　Asia　for　a　manufacturer;　your　company　is　one　of　the　most　suitable.

R:　If　we　can　settle　a　number　of　basic　questions,　I'm　confident　in　saying　that　we　are　the　most　suitable　for　your　needs.

K:　I　hope　so.　And　what　might　be　the　basic　questions　you　have?

R:　First,　do　you　intend　to　take　a　position　in（投資於……）our　company?

K:　No,　we　don't,　Mr.　Liu.　This　is　just　OEM.

R: 　I　see.　Then,　the　most　important　thing　is　the　size　of　your　orders.　We'll 　have　to　invest　a　great　deal　of　money　in　the　new　production　process.

K:　If　you　can　guarantee　continuing　quality,　we　can　sign　a　commitment　for　75,000　pieces　a　year,　for　five　years.

R:　At　U.S.　$1000　a　piece,　we'll　make　an　average　return　of　just　4%.　That's　too　great　a　financial　burden　for　us.

K:　I'll　check　the　number　later,　but　what　do　you　propose?

R: 　Here's　how　you　can　demonstrate　commitment　to　this　deal.　Make　it　ten　 years,　increase　the　unit　price,　and　provide　technology　transfer.