Negotiate Your Way to Happiness: Part 1
By Tom Kline, Controller RK Auto Group (RK Buick, RK Chevrolet, RK Subaru, RK Scion, RK Toyota)
Doesn’t it seem sometimes as though life is a constant struggle to get what you want? Your company has been operating in the red for 6 months, but your vendors want to raise their rates. Your wife has been pining for a new dining room set, but you’ve had your eye on a new four-wheeler and there’s not budget for both. You want your kids to finish their homework, yet they’re begging for another hour of Playstation2. End your struggles with 3 simple words: learn to negotiate. No matter what the issue, help is here! Reclaim your happiness: follow these guidelines:
- Ask the right questions.
The right questions can help you control the negotiating process. Questions which go unasked or unanswered limit your options to what is already known. Planning your questions should be part of your homework. (“So tell me again Honey: exactly how much did you spend on clothing last month?”) Do not answer your own questions.
- It is okay to disclose certain information.
Information should be offered on a “need to know” basis with both sides making equal concessions. Usually a brief pause in conversation from the other side is an ideal time to make a startling revelation. (“Okay, if you really must know… I’m having a mid-life crisis.”)
- Listen more often than you speak.
The entire negotiation process centers around this skill. Careful listening avoids misunderstanding. Also remember to listen for what is not said, whether by your mother-in-law or your landlord.
- Keep your cool.
Negotiating can sometimes be perceived as threatening, and the individuals involved can become very emotional (like teenagers, trying to bargain for another hour past curfew.) Don’t lose control. Ask questions and provide answers in a calm, respectful manner- no matter how piercing the other party’s shrieks become.
Want more advice to help you get what you want?
Continue to the RK Auto Group Negotiate Your Way to Happiness Series: Part 2.
Tom Kline is Controller of RK Auto Group (RK Buick, RK Chevrolet, RK Subaru, RK Scion, and RK Toyota). RK Chevrolet is the recipient of Chevrolet Motor Division’s coveted Service Supremacy Award four years in a row. This is an award which less than 400 of the nation's 5,000 Chevrolet dealers have won. RK Auto Group has been included in the Ward’s Auto list of top 500 U.S. car dealers, and has received the prestigious "Genuine Leaders Award" for excellence in sales, service, and customer satisfaction. The dedication of each employee at RK Chevrolet, RK Buick, RK Subaru, RK Scion and RK Toyota made these awards possible.
