Negotiation Tips for our Consumer Society
June 11th, 2020
American consumers drive the economy, accounting for 70% of spending. Often, we receive what we pay for, but sometimes we don’t. What do you do when this happens? How do you resolve the issue, especially when every dollar counts?
It is important to realize that you can affect positive change by following some of the following suggestions:
- Negotiate from a position of strength, lay out the issue with the company, and then ask yourself, “What can they do for me”?
- Let them know what they give up by losing you as a customer: fixed costs of running a firm, it’s less costly for them to keep a happy customer, rather than the cost of acquiring a new customer
- Let them know what they gain by keeping you as a happy customer: repeat sales, positive reviews with your family/friends and social media
- Let them make an offer first, then if they do not provide you with what you want, review how much you mean to them. For example, “I have used your service/product for 10 years and could have chosen other products/services, but I’ve been loyal to your firm.”
- If you don’t obtain want you want, don’t ask the firm, instead make your own proposal. If you ask the person, they can simply say no, or offer you less, instead offer them a solution
- Request to speak with a manager as they have more discretion in offering you a solution
I recently had a problem with an online order at one of the big-box stores and explained my problem to the manager and how it affected me. I let them know how much I had spent over the years at their stores and now I was in the market for a new grill, which I could purchase either with them or several competitors. I then asked them what they could do for me and guess what - they provided me with a generous offer on the product!
Most of the time the businesses will do the right thing by making an offer to keep you happy - so let them know! And for more personalized tips, think about taking part in our coaching program, which you can find out more about here.