This is the third of a three-part Business English Pod series on discussing a proposal with a vendor.

Meeting with a vendor to discuss a proposal is partly about getting information and partly about negotiating a good deal. Your conversation is like a dance in which you and the vendor are trying to get the most out of a possible deal. You need to come out of the meeting feeling confident about the vendor’s abilities and sure that you are getting as much as possible at the best possible price.

Last week, we looked at how to show concern about cost, introducing topics with tact, and showing tactical hesitation. In this episode, we’ll focus on the negotiation phase. That will involve highlighting concerns, getting concessions, and making a counter-proposal. We’ll also look at how to set criteria for evaluation and how to maintain momentum at the end of a meeting.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Steve, who wants to hire a vendor to run language training, and Karen, whose company has bid on the project.

Listening Questions

1. How does Karen respond to Steve’s concern about cost?
2. What changes to the proposal does Steve suggest?
3. What will probably happen next?

Download: Podcast MP3

This is the second of a three-part Business English Pod series about meeting with a vendor to discuss a proposal.

As we discussed last time, meeting with a vendor to discuss a proposal is partly about getting information and partly about negotiating a good deal. You need to use your soft skills to come out of the meeting feeling positive about the vendor and confident that you are getting as much as possible at the best price.

In the last episode, we focussed on getting information through different types of questions. In this lesson, we’ll look at how to express concern about cost, how to introduce a topic with tact, and how to show hesitation in a negotiation. We’ll also cover asking hypothetical questions and approximating numbers.

Let’s rejoin Steve, who is hoping to hire someone to run language training, and Karen, whose company has bid on the project.

Listening Questions

1. What are the advantages of a blended course?
2. What is Steve’s primary concern in this part of the meeting?
3. What can be done if the client isn’t satisfied with the blended delivery?

Download: Podcast MP3

This is the first of a three-part Business English Pod lesson about meeting with a vendor, or potential supplier.

When you meet with a vendor to discuss a proposal, it’s partly about getting information and partly about negotiating better terms. You may be meeting with several vendors who are bidding on the same job. You want to make sure you understand each proposal and can have confidence in each vendor’s ability to deliver. You’ll also want to get the best terms possible in the deal. Then you can make a wise decision about who deserves the contract.

In this lesson, we’ll look at using probing questions to dig for more information, ensuring vendor expertise by asking about past experience, asking leading questions, and confirming information. We’ll also see how a vendor attempts to address the client’s concerns.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Steve, who works for a company that wants to hire someone to run Business English training courses for its employees. Steve is meeting with Karen, a potential vendor, who works for Lexis Training Solutions.

Listening Questions

1. What are Lexis Training Solutions’ strengths?
2. What are Steve’s biggest concerns in this meeting?
3. Why does Karen say that each company is unique?

Download: Podcast MP3