Partner and diplomacy | Clear Business
Experienced partners know: negotiating with a customer requires diplomacy.
That doesn't mean you need to learn and follow diplomatic protocol. But the basic rules are something you'd better know. Diplomatic protocol is a historical category, it has been shaped over centuries to unify the rules of negotiation and avoid mishaps. After all, traditions, customs and culture vary from country to country. The rules naturally simplify over time. But what remains constant is this:
• Punctuality and politeness. If you've arranged a meeting or conversation, be sure to stick to the timing. If you can't make it, give advance notice of rescheduling. Ask the customer how much time they are willing to invest in the conversation, and try to stay within that time. Business contact is not a friendly relationship (although it is not impossible), the customer does not have to understand your circumstances and feelings. Either way you have to say these words: thank you, please, excuse me.
• Standards of clothing. No matter what style you choose (it doesn't have to be business), it's important to keep your look minimal in terms of flashy details and more neutral.
• Initiative. The initiative in conversation belongs to you, since you are the inviting party. The topic of conversation, the course of conversation depend on you. Silence is not advisable! But the initiative to end a conversation or meeting should originate from the invitee.
In business correspondence (your correspondence with your customer), things are even more interesting. For example, according to historical tradition, diplomatic documents in France were written by professional literati. The sophistication of words is something that is still appreciated today. And also education - when meeting a French-speaking customer, it is time to mention where you went to school and what school you graduated from, not just what position you currently hold. The French diplomatic school is the oldest in the world, based on the achievements of diplomacy preceding the Renaissance. And now it provides the basis for the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which governs diplomatic law today.
If you often use the words "perhaps", "I think", "probably" and the like in your correspondence, you are falling into the English diplomatic tradition. These words emphasise that you allow for a different opinion and a different course of action. It is a very useful quality in diplomacy and any negotiation! The ability to interpret statements differently gives you room for manoeuvre, especially in conflict situations or when dealing with objections. By the way, you can learn how to handle customer objections by reading just one chapter of "Partner Work Methodology".
The basic rule of business correspondence is the same as in a meeting: silence is not recommended. Any message from someone you haven't responded to is equivalent to deliberate ignoring and is a sign of disrespect.
Every person who is negotiating, is about to negotiate, or has ever negotiated has their own style. You have one, too. The key thing to remember is that diplomacy is the art of achieving one's goals without allowing conflict to develop.
We wish you successful communication with your customers!