Sunday, February 10, 2013

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict


As a student in NUS, I foresee that in the near future, I will face a situation where I need to purchase a private car for transportation.

Most probably, I will approach a car dealer after I decide which car to buy. However, the interest of the car dealer will be definitely different from mine. My interest is to buy the car at a price as low as possible. If possible, I will also ask for free gifts as many as possible or a loan with interest as low as possible. However, the car dealer’s interest is to sell the car at a price as high as possible in order to get a higher commission fee. But his primary interest is to sell the car in order to get the basic commission fee. Thus, there will be a conflict of interest between each party.

I foresee that it would be hard time throughout the negotiation process. I will keep on criticizing on the crucial flaws of the car interested in order to ask for lower price from the car dealer. At the same time, the car dealer will provide explanations to the “flaws” I have pointed to reject my request to lower down the price. In return, the car dealer may offer certain free gifts within his authority to maintain the selling price at a relatively high level.

In this case, I think the most important step to carry on this negotiation is to find out the common interest between both parties. For example, one of the common interests is to get the deal done. Thus, I can increase my bottom line price a bit higher. In compensation, I will ask for more free gifts or modifications to the car. Thus, this conflict may be solved and the deal will also be done.

Question: Is there any other common interest between the car dealer and me?

   

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