在这个商务英语播客节目中, we’ll study the skills and language of bargaining. This podcast is part of an ongoingseries on negotiation skills.
Bargaining is the process of swapping or trading concessions – 换句话说, “You give me something, and I’ll give you something in return.” This is also called making offers and counter-offers. The goal is to reach a compromise – a result in which both sides benefit.
Today’s listening focuses on a typical bargaining situation. Paul is a purchasing manager for a construction company. Tony is a supplier of anchor bolts – large metal screws used in building projects. They are in the middle of a telephone conversation in which they are negotiating an order. Tony has already opened the discussion and clarified Paul’s basic needs. Now they need to agree on the quantity and price.
当你听, focus on the language that they use to swap concessions and reach a deal.
听力问题:
1. What does Paul mean when he says he’ll be “throwing more business your way?”
2. Tony suggests a way of helping Paul get a higher discount. 它是什么?
3. When Tony says to Paul, “You drive a hard bargain!” 他什么意思?
This is part of an ongoing series on negotiations. 在这个商务英语播客节目中, we’ll study how to open a traditional commercial negotiation between buyer and seller. We’ll focus on creating goodwill, 开始, setting ground rules, suggesting an agenda and exploring possibilities.
We’ll be listening to a telephone conversation between Tony, a supplier of building materials, 和保罗, a purchasing manager for a large construction company in Canada. Paul is buying materials for a harbor project. A harbor is a protected area of water where boats dock, or park. For this project, Paul needs to buy anchor bolts. These bolts are the thick steel screws that are embedded or buried in concrete to support or anchor structural steel columns. Structural columns refer to the steel frameworks that hold buildings up.
This is the first time Tony and Paul have talked on the phone. 当你听, pay attention to the language they use to get the negotiation started, 并尝试回答以下问题.
听力问题
1. How does Tony begin off the phone call to establish goodwill?
2. How long does Paul say he has available for the phone call?
3. Paul asks Tony how he will be using the bolts. How does Tony respond?
4. What other option does Paul want to explore with Tony?