Negotiation
Negotiation is process of making an agreement between two or more parties that has different preferences. People (especially in Indonesia) usually only think that negotiation happens when we want to drive a hard bargain (negotiate price when we want to buy something) in the market or shop. In reality, it’s not just about that. It can be anywhere and anytime: at work, at school, and at our daily lives. When your brother wants a pizza for dinner, but you want a fried rice and your mother tells both of you to choose one and discuss it together with her. That is also a negotiation.
Negotiation can’t work if there is no negotiator. The word negotiator actually has two meanings in this context. Let’s use the example about your brother, you, and your mother. You, and your brother has different preferences for dinner, and you have to make an agreement which food that both of you will have. Thus, both of you are the negotiator, which are the ones that conduct the negotiation. Your mother can also be called a negotiator, which is someone that helps the two parties to reach an agreement.
In order to have a good negotiation, you have to pay attention to these things. The first thing is interest. If you negotiate something that you like/need/want, you will be likely to have the motivation and the commitment because you really are interested with it. Second, legitimacy/fairness. In negotiation there are two or more parties, and of course the other parties don’t want to get tricked. So, your negotiation has to be fair and not over negotiate it. If you over do it, the other parties will likely to reject it, and your chance is gone. Next is the relationship. Relationship here doesn’t mean that you have a connection before this negotiation. It means that you have to build your connection to other parties, even though you probably won’t meet them again. With this your negotiation will likely fall in your preference. After that, you have to prepare some alternatives. Find the best alternative in case your negotiation failed. You have to prepare it before you do the negotiation, because it’s kind of difficult if you have to think it right after you failed it. The last one is the options that you have. Sometimes the other parties will give you options. You have to consider many things before you choose an option like the benefit for each party, and the fairness.
There are a lot of expressions to make your negotiation better and politer. If you want to request something, try to use “Do you think you could” or simply “Could you” in your sentence. If you want to suggest something, try to use “Would you consider” so that the other parties will consider your suggestion, or “What about if we” to give them an option. If you disagree with their preference, say “Sorry” first and then “I can’t go along with that” or “I accept your view, but” and then give your preference, so that the other parties can consider your preference. In worst case, you have to reject that negotiation, you can use “I’m afraid we cannot accept that, Sorry” and then state your reason why. Those are some examples of the expressions used in negotiation. Remember that you have to be polite and say “Thank you”, “Please”, and “Sorry” when you have to.
Negotiation has a huge impact in Tourism aspect. As the tour leader, you have to deal with lot of parties. There are the tourists, and also the accommodations. The tourists can be more than one person, and that can be difficult if you have to negotiate with them about the destinations that you will visit or the schedule about the trip. But for these cases, usually the tourists have to follow the tour leader’s schedule and plan. However, there is still a chance that your tourists negotiate you. Aside from the tourist themselves, you have to deal with the accommodations. You have to get the lowest price for the food at the restaurant and the lowest price for the Hotel, so that your tourists don’t have to pay a lot of money (which will make them more interested in your trip). But you have to know that the tourists don’t want the low-level place to stay. You have to negotiate to the hotels about the price but your tourists will still get a nice place to stay.
In the end, whether it is for working or not, negotiation skill is really important. In your work, you can catch the chances that you have and not mess it up. When you have the chance to sell something big or do something big, you will need the skill to negotiate in case something wrong happens, and you have to deal with people with different preferences. You can also lose the job if you don’t negotiate well. In your daily life, negotiation can help to build good relationship with others. Negotiation will make a win-win solution for both parties, so that both parties will be happy and make a good relationship. Negotiation skill also teaches you to understand the other needs and opinions indirectly. Thus, it will make you more patient, and enhance your character.
References:
https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/negotiation-skills-daily/what-is-negotiation/
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/negotiator
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/the-history-of-the-negotiation-power-tourism-essay.php
https://ekool.tktk.ee/pluginfile.php/32703/mod_resource/content/0/negotiation_expressions.pdf
