Negotiation training for buyers
An identified savings opportunity alone does not guarantee cost reduction. To realize defined potentials, buyers usually need the competence to conduct negotiations with suppliers professionally.
In our modules for negotiation training, buyers learn how to prepare negotiations professionally select and apply negotiation roles and tactics consciously and correctly, counter the strategies of the sellers and how negotiation results subsequently serve the decision-making process. All training materials are prepared ready-to-use in thedaily practice of the participants.
In our seminars, participants are given the opportunity to develop existing expertise and knowledge further. This gives them the impetus to make lasting changes in their behaviour and to achieve measurable improvements in procurement practice.
Focus Hard Skills & Soft Skills
In our highly interactive negotiation training, we focus on two core areas: Professional and methodological competence (hard skills) on the one hand, and behavioral patterns and personality profiles (soft skills) on the other.
Among others, we work with the following methods:
Harvard-Negotiation Approach
The Harvard concept is strictly oriented towards the factual level and aims to create a win-win situation for the negotiating partners. The emotionalization of the negotiations is avoided by creating a fundamental understanding of the position of the opposite party through mutual disclosure of expectations and factual orientation. There is neither room for tricks or bamboozle nor for giving way in contrary to own interests.
BATNA-Analysis
The BATNA analysis (“Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement”) is used to prepare negotiations to develop realistic positions and determine alternative options. This is where the supplier market and benchmark researches help.
ZOPA analysis
In the ZOPA analysis, a clearly defined negotiating framework is established (“Zone of Possible Agreement”). Here, each negotiating party sets a result framework within which a mutual conclusion is acceptable in advance. The negotiating parties can only come to an agreement if there is an overlap.
Interactive role-plays & case studies
Competence in methods is the basis for successful negotiations. To achieve outstanding results, however, buyers also need soft skills. Here we work with interactive role-plays and case studies from our project experience to train
- Assignment of roles to negotiation participants
- Body language and what it conveys
- Analysis of personality profiles and alignment of communication based on these
- Remote negotiations: Telephone and video negotiations
Reference example: Sustainable savings through negotiation training in a pharmaceutical company
The procurement department of a medium-sized pharmaceutical company consisted of eight employees working in two teams. One team was responsible for technical procurement, the other team was specifically responsible for marketing procurement. INVERTO was commissioned to train the employees. The goal was to improve the performance of the procurement department and to realize sustainable savings. To meet the different requirements, both teams received individual training.
The marketing team received specially tailored negotiation training. The marketing purchasers thus learned how to negotiate in a structured manner not only with suppliers of print products but also with service providers such as promotion agencies. A partnership-based but goal-oriented negotiation strategy was developed, which also brought the desired savings in the long term.
The group leader of the technical procurement department received special coaching. He underwent a training course lasting several weeks in which, in addition to specialist knowledge on the handling of investment projects, the focus was on the topics of personnel management and negotiations with service providers such as architects. The coaching enabled the group leader to deploy his team more efficiently. The specialist knowledge acquired also enabled the team to talk to the service providers on an equal footing and thus achieve better results.
All training modules can be held as face-to-face or remote seminars.
Please contact us for further information:
Jan-Christoph Kischkewitz
Managing Director
+49 221 485 687 0 contact@inverto.com View my LinkedIn profile View my XING profile
