Work English: Expressions for polite negotiations

Hey, guys. Welcome back to engVid with me, Benjamin. Today, we're looking at a

business-English lesson for a reasonable, sort of intermediate and

upwards level; helping you to do business, perhaps with other cultures,

or if you just want to sound a little bit more polite when you are negotiating

and trying to reach a deal. Obviously, it will benefit those of you who are not

necessarily using English at work, because you'll see grammar structure

and... grammar structures in use, and it will just help your... your general

English ability. Okay, so opening up a conversation, you might say something,

like: "Do you think we could have a little talk about...?" So, it sounds to

me, like, something my former boss would say to me, if I'd maybe done something

really bad. She'd say: "Do you think we could have a little talk about this?"

The "little talk" makes it sound, you know... she's being polite; it's not

that serious. It doesn't sound ser-... serious, even if it is serious, if you

see what I mean. "We" — the use of the pronoun: "we" includes, so we're... it

makes us sound equal, even if we're not. And we have: "could have", and "we could

have" — it's... it's not a direct way of phrasing the question, which makes it

more polite. Okay. "Do you think we could have a little talk about" whatever

you're talking about. Okay.

Into the actual negotiation. If you're asking them to do something quicker,

instead of: "Do it now; you're being slow", you might say: "I was wondering

if you might be able to finish the report a little bit sooner", or whatever

you're asking them to do. "I was wondering if you might be able to

________________ a little bit sooner". Okay, moving on. "I think I" or "we

could do this, provided you do that". So, it's like: "We'll do this, if you do

that". "Provided you" or "as long as" — this is asking them to commit to doing

it; it's asking for a promise. Okay? "I think we could finish our sales forecast

by the end of the day, as long as you do this". Okay? If we're being asked to do

something that we don't have permission to give a definite answer, then a phrase

like this: "I would have to check that with" — whoever the person is — "first".

"I would have to check with ________________ first". Okay. And then

he or she'd have to confirm... he or she would have to confirm. Okay? Cool? With

me so far? Hope so. Now, really trying to reach that agreement — the

deal-breaker. "What if we did this, and you did that?" So, we've got a problem;

we're trying to find a solution. "What if we raised another 1,000 pounds, and

you spoke to your sponsors in Japan?" Okay? "We're gonna do this; you do

that". But: "What if" — yeah? — it's a proposal; it's just a suggestion; it's

not an order. Yep. Sometimes people don't like being given very direct

orders because it... then the... the relationship, it's like, this person's

important and you're just being told what to do. So, suggestions phrased like

this tend to upset people less.

Okay, so we've kind of finished our discussion, and what we're doing here is

just sort of agreeing the... the action steps. "I'll wait to hear from you,

then". So, that's like: This person needs to do something, and you're gonna

tell me when you finished it. "I'll wait to hear from you, then." The hearing

doesn't have to be a telephone call; it could be an email, or a letter, or

anything else. "I think that should be doable". "Doable" — can do. "Yep, I can

do that. I think that should be doable." It's not 100% commitment to doing it,

but it's like: "Yeah, I think we can do it". "Leave it with me; I'll see what I

or we can do. Leave it with me." It's, like: "Don't you worry. I'll get on with

it. It's fine." Okay. A couple of phrases now, if the discussion is not

going so well. You might say: "I suppose I could look into it." This you would

say, if you have been asked to do something that you think is slightly

irrelevant or unnecessary. "I suppose" means, like: "Well, if I really had to,

I could look into it." It's not saying: "If I really had to, I will look into

it." It's like: Maybe. Yeah? If something is not looking very likely:

"Actually, it's looking... the diary's looking a bit full". "Actually, it's

looking... it's not looking so good". "To look" is, like, how it appears — the

situation to be. Is it looking good or is it looking bad? "Is there any chance

you could" — I'm a little bit desperate now. They have to do something,

otherwise, it's all gonna fall down. "Is there any chance you could speak to

so-and-so?" Okay. A couple more phrases; just wait right there.

What I was going to say at the beginning of the video, but forgot to say is that

doing business in different cultures necessitates doing things in a slightly

different way. So, for example: If you are doing business in Russia, then

personal connections are going to be very important, and taking time and

showing respect to people in authority. Whereas if you're in India, taking an

interest in the family, the wider family — pretending to like cricket. Or if

you're, you know... some cultures will require you to build up a trust, so

they... they know who you are; rather than it just being a pure financial

deal. But pretending that we have jumped through all of those hoops, let's see

what we might actually say to close a deal. "Our usual price is 200 dollars,

but for you, we could do it for 180. How does that sound?" So, I've put: "could"

instead of "can", because if I say: "can", then it's 100% definite — we're

going to offer it to you for this. But if I say: "could", it makes it sound

like more of a favour. Yeah? We're being kind to that person. And if we're being

kind, then they can't ask for too much of a reduction, because we already have

been kind to lower it a little bit. "That's" — short for "that is" — "a

saving of fifteen percent. Does that sound good to you?"

"On top of that" — now I'm offering an extra. "On top of that, we'll throw in

unlimited upgrades for the next year." -"That's... oh, great. Let's shake on it

then". Yeah. The shaking is the 100%: "Yeah, we agree". Okay? So, hopefully,

there's been some useful phrases in there for you. We've had quite a few

phrases about sort of sounding good and looking good. And you can always tell

how someone perceives the world by whether they're saying: "sound good" or

"look good" — whether they're more of a listening person or a seeing person, but

that's another story. Right. Why don't you do the quiz now? And then it will

help you to remember some of these phrases. If you're not already a

subscriber — thank you to those who are — then maybe you could do that now, and

ask to get the notifications so you get my videos when they turn up, which is

about every three weeks. See you very soon.