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The Business of English - Episode 13 - Negotiating Part 2 - Transcript
The Business of English - Episode 13 - Negotiating Part 2 - Transcript
LIN:….so that's our offer. We think it's a fair one, with advantages for both sides.
VICTOR: Yes, well, we're prepared to consider your offer Ms Chan, if you can
accept some conditions.
JOHN: Us too!
VICTOR: True, but the problem is that we're tied to the U.S. dollar.
LIN: I think that would be acceptable. Unfortunately, I would need to get Board
approval for it.
SUE: Of course.
LIN: In principle.
JOHN: Time to celebrate!
In negotiations, it's usual for each side to have conditions that make the deal better, or
safer for them. A condition is a change in the terms of a deal which is necessary before
one side or the other agrees.
Yes, well, we're prepared to consider your offer Ms Chan, if you can accept some
conditions.
He doesn't say 'we agree to your offer', he says 'we're prepared to consider your offer'.
He is signalling to the other side that there is a chance for agreement by using the word
'consider', which means 'think about'.
He then makes this conditional by saying 'if you can accept some conditions'. In
English, using the word 'if' in this way is called a conditional.
Victor is saying 'We can consider your offer if you can accept some conditions.' One
part of the sentence is conditional on, or depending on the other.
The negative is also true. If they can't accept the conditions, Victor can't consider the
offer.
Notice that Sue adds: 'subject to consideration by the board'. 'Subject to' is another type
of conditional phrase. She means 'We can agree if the board agrees.' 'Subject to' is a
legal phrase meaning 'only if', or 'only after'. There are a number of expressions you can
use when giving a condition. Try them after me
Firstly the price you're proposing. Would that be variable depending on currency
fluctuations? The issue is that we're in an unstable environment at the moment - the
exchange rate could affect us negatively.
'The issue' means the problem, or the thing that needs discussing.
One thing that could happen is that the exchange rate, the amount of money you can
exchange in one currency for another, may change. Notice that Victor uses the words
'would' and 'could'.
'Would' is like a conditional. One thing might result in another thing happening.
The exchange rate might change.
Victor is talking about the price for their product. He asks 'would that be variable
depending on currency fluctuations'. 'Fluctuations' are changes. We can express this
another way: 'If the currency changes, will the price change?' 'Could' is used to express
a possibility - something that might happen.
Victor says 'the exchange rate could affect us negatively'. Notice that you can say
something will affect you negatively - it will have a negative, or bad effect, or positively -
it will have a positive , or good effect.
Like Victor, Lin is being careful. She uses the word 'consider' rather than just agreeing.
She's waiting until the whole deal is clear.
We can give both questions and answers using these 'could' and 'would' phrases.
Practise them after Lin and Victor.
Notice that to 'agree with' someone, is to think they are right. To 'agree to' something, is
to accept a proposal.
What is Victor's second condition? Let's see.
You might use the phrase 'how would you feel about' something if you think it may be a
difficult condition for the other side to accept. Sue puts this proposal a different way.
I think that would be acceptable. Unfortunately, I would need to get Board approval for
it.
Sue uses the phrase 'would you be agreeable'. 'Would you be agreeable to a deferred
payment.' A deferred payment is when you pay later for something you buy. Lin thinks
this condition is acceptable, but she makes it conditional on Board approval by saying 'I
would need to get Board approval.' Notice the stress on 'would'. Practise some phrases
you can use for this type of condition.
Sometimes conditions depend on other conditions. One side might say, 'we agree to
your condition if...'
So it's very important when negotiating to listen for words that signal a condition: words
like 'if', 'could', 'would', 'provided' or 'providing', 'as long as' and 'subject to'.
And words that might signal a problem, such as 'problem', 'unfortunately', and
'however'.
Notice that even at the end, they are being careful about what they say.
In principle.
Lin agrees 'in principle'. This means they have agreed on terms among themselves, but
as she needs Board approval, she can't authorise the agreement right now.
And right now we've reached the end of today's program. See you next time on the
Business of English.