The contract is signed. You're thrilled that your supplier has agreed to deliver goods at a 5% lower price for the next 12 months.  All is well. 

But then the supplier calls to tell you he goofed and was supposed to offer a 5% discount for only 6 months, not 12. Instead of saying, "There's nothing we can do, since the contract is already signed," figure out an alternative solution that won't make the person appear ineffective to others at his company.   

Propose something like this: "If you agree to keep the price flat in the second year, we'll agree to pay the additional 5% for months 7 through 12. Not only does your negotiating partner save face, but you pave the way for a long-term relationship that should pay off for both sides.  That's negotiating with integrity.   

Challenge

In the face of soaring leasing fees for leasing drilling rigs, an energy company needed to increase margins for sale of natural gas so it could capitalize on a booming marketplace.

Solution 

Through the ANS course, Scotwork NA trained 75 procurement specialists on negotiating favorable contracts with suppliers. Plus, several key management executives completed the SSN course, where they rehearsed case-play scenarios to test and confirm their negotiation strategy. Skills taught included developing wish and concession lists and recognizing ideal and walkaway positions.

Result

Despite fluctuating natural gas prices, the company penetrated new markets while significantly lowering operating expenses.