Course Overview

Negotiations are conducted by all organisations, including non-profit organisations. This step is undertaken between two or more parties to settle a difference of opinions, offers or requirements. Any negotiation strategy will reach its desirable outcome when it is undertaken in a structured and planned manner.

This structure or certain steps implemented before, during and after negotiation help achieved the desired outcome. The above-discussed steps start from preparation, discussion, clarification of goals, negotiation to agreement and implementation of a related course of action.

There are different types and tactics of negotiation, all with the same aim of achieving a peaceful and logical agreement at the end of the negotiation.

What are some of the advanced negotiation strategies one could adopt for better purchasing value? Control over emotions, knowing when to stop and when to walk away, presenting alternatives to the subject of negotiation, etc. are some of the strategies adopted for better purchasing value.

This Zoe training course will empower you with the complete skill set and confidence to successfully carry out negotiations on behalf of your organisation or for your personal requirements to achieve better purchasing value.

This Negotiation Skills for Purchasing Professionals course will help you undertake important roles that could directly impact costs and growth of your organisation, thereby ensuring that you are capable of handling these successfully and supporting your career growth and progression.

The knowledge and experience gained through this course will help you successfully carry out negotiations for any organisation, thus not limiting you to one organisation or industry.

Course Objectives

The main objective of this Negotiation Skills for Purchasing Professionals training course is to empower professionals with—

• the complete skill set and confidence to conduct negotiations for the organisation or self to achieve purchasing value
• the knowledge and understanding of different types of negotiation strategies that can be applied in different situations to successfully achieve the desired objective
• the confidence, experience and skill to undertake critical roles in the organisation involving large-scale negotiations that could positively impact organisational growth and development if performed appropriately and successfully
• the necessary skill, confidence and experience to train other professionals to develop effective negotiation skills
• the required listening skills to understand other perspectives while presenting solid logic for the agreement to end on terms and conditions favourable to the organisation
• the ability and capabilities to control and reduce costs for the organisation, thus contributing to higher profits, in turn demonstrating potential to progress to higher roles and responsibilities
• better relationship management and rapport building helpful to the business

Training Methodology

Zoe Talent Solutions’ courses are customisable to the minutest detail possible. The courses are framed and devised in a manner to accommodate changes as per the backgrounds of the training audience.

Training is two-way in that besides the trainer delivering lectures related to the training topic, trainees are involved in projects, assignments, activities, role-plays, case study discussions, etc. Experiential learning also helps enhance relativity to the training content.

The model adopted above is a model unique to Zoe Talent Solutions, called the Do–Review–Learn–Apply Model.

Organisational Benefits

By professionals undertaking this Negotiation Skills for Purchasing Professionals course, organisations will derive the following benefits:

• More fruitful and successful negotiations conducted by trained and experienced professionals
• Reduced costs and increased profit margins as a result of moderated costs and expenses
• Better stakeholder and vendor or supplier relationship management
• A structured and professional approach to negotiations
• Application of advanced and different negotiation approaches for higher success
• Greater investments because of larger deals and projects achieved through effective and structured negotiation
• Clarity of goals and targets for the next year
• Organisational growth because of better cost management and higher profit margins
• Free and regular training of other employees on negotiation skills and the different types, strategies and approaches to negotiations

Personal Benefits

Professionals enrolling for this Negotiation Skills for Purchasing Professionals course will derive the following benefits:

• Complete knowledge and understanding of negotiations for better purchasing value
• Enhanced strategic skills to devise and apply to purchase strategic plans
• Increased knowledge, confidence and experience to train other professionals on negotiation skills
• Greater understanding and perspective to adopt a structured and planned process of negotiation
• Better understanding and awareness of different negotiation strategies to adopt in different situations and circumstances
• Increased skill set, confidence, experience and capabilities to successfully undertake critical roles in the organisation requiring negotiation of large-scale bids and projects
• Better listening skills to understand different perspectives thoroughly and then agree on the most beneficial or feasible option
• Increased confidence to reduce costs for the organisation through better negotiation
• Enhanced skill set and capabilities to undertake negotiation of any type or scale and successfully achieve the desired outcome

Who Should Attend?

• Senior members and managers of organisations that undertake critical, large-scale bids and negotiations
• Buyers and purchase department personnel responsible for all purchases made by the organisation
• Financial analysts and advisors responsible to oversee all finance-related decisions and costs incurred by the organisation and suggest next steps accordingly
• Investors intending to invest in any particular organisation
• Other organisation personnel involved in negotiations in their roles
• Members of the admin and infrastructure department of an organisation who conduct critical negotiation very regularly for the organisation
• Any other professional who would like to know more about negotiation strategies to increase purchasing value

Course Outline

The Negotiation Skills for Purchasing Professionals course covers the following areas important to understand negotiation strategies for better purchasing value:

Module 1 – Principles of Negotiation

• Gather information
• Build relationships
• Know yours and your opponents BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement)
• Listen
• Take care of your target

Module 2 – Approaches to Negotiation

• Distributive negotiation approach
• Lose-lose approach
• Compromise approach
• Integrative negotiation approach

Module 3 – Steps of Negotiation

• Preparation and planning
• Definition of ground rules
• Clarification and justification
• Bargaining and problem solving
• Closure and implementation

Module 4 – Preparation for Negotiation

• Know your strategy
• Determine your negotiating style
• Identify goals
• Prepare a SWOT analysis
• Resolve pre-meeting questions
• Design your deal
• Compile your trading plan
• Set the agenda
• Build your team

Module 5 – Purchasing Negotiation Strategies for Buyers

• Good guy/bad guy
• Know when to walk away
• Steer clear of ranges
• Remember it’s not a two-round fight
• Separate facts from emotions
• Present alternatives and support compromise with facts

Module 6 – Important Negotiation Skills

• Problem analysis
• Preparation
• Active listening
• Emotional control
• Verbal communication
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Problem-solving
• Decision making
• Good relationship management
• Ethics and reliability

Module 7 – Building Trust for Negotiations

• Active collaboration
• Mutual satisfaction
• Open communication
• Effective liaison
• Long-term perspective

Module 8 – Challenges in Negotiation

• Communication
• Give and take
• Power dynamics
• Resolutions