For Your Information
背景介绍
A fair and equitable deal can be reached quickly, with a minimum of effort on even the most complex issues. It depends on who the major players are, how motivated they feel and whether lawyers play an active role.If you think that's a little unfair to attorneys, you may be right.However, most of the lawyers I've worked with agree with me, off the record, of course.
中译 即使议题复杂,但如果在公平、平等的条件下交易也可以轻松达成。这一切取决于主要谈判人员是否积极,以及律师是否扮演了主动的角色。或许你认为这对代理人来说有点不公平,但私下来说,大部分和我共事过的律师,都同意这点,当然是私底下。
There are businessmen and women out there who still do things the old-fashioned way. Their negotiating style is much the same as it was when they were kids.They know the rules, that to get value, they have to give value.All they want is a reasonable profit.When you run across a company like this, you should go out of your way to keep them happy.
中译 商场上有些人,仍然用传统方法做事;他们的谈判模式和孩提时代很像,游戏规则就是:“想要什么,就得拿东西来换。”既然他们要求的是“合理的利润”,当你碰上这样的公司时,应该尽量让他们开心。
Dialog 1
MP3-5
In the following dialog, Mike is an honest old-fashioned businessman content to make an honest living. He wants to buy some big screen TV sets to distribute in the U.S.May has often contacted Mike and tried to sell him electronics, but this is the first time she's meeting Mike in person and she's hopeful Mike will actually buy from her.
在下面的会话中,迈克是一个有诚信又传统的商人,他喜欢安分地做生意。这次,他想要买一些大屏幕电视机,分销到美国各地。梅常和迈克联系,想将电器卖给他。这是她第一次见到迈克本人,她希望迈克会向她下单。
Mike:Hello, come in, I've been waiting for you.
嗨,请进,我等你好久了。
May:Thank you, I'm not late, am I?
谢谢,我没有迟到吧?
Mike:No, no, no, not at all. It's just that I've been looking forward to meeting you.
没有,没有。我只是很期待见到你,才会这么说。
May:Well, thank you, but it's not all that hard to do, you know.
谢谢,不过你也知道,要见我并不难。
I've been calling your office and sending you proposals for about two years now, and you've never responded before.
我打电话、寄企划书给你,前前后后也差不多两年了;你从来没有回复过。
Mike:Ha, ha, ha!Yes, I guess I deserved that. Let me explain, okay?
哈!看来我的确是不应该。听我解释,好吗?
May:Please, I wish you would.
好的,我正希望你这么做。
Mike:Well, as you probably know I buy from a selected group of suppliers and don't, as a rule, deal with new people.
你应该知道我一向都和固定的供应商下单,照惯例,我不会和新人打交道。
May:Yes, I know that. That's why I've been trying to become one of those suppliers.I hear you're a good man to do business with.
是的,我知道。这也是为什么我一直想要打进那些供应商的圈子。我听说和你做生意很不错。
Mike:I'm very old-fashioned. I believe in loyalty.Once I start a sales relationship with someone, I stay with him or her, and we do most of our business on the phone.
我是个很传统的人,我相信忠诚度。一旦建立了销售关系,我就会延续下去,且大部分的生意都在电话里谈。
I expect their absolute best price possible and don't haggle. But if I find out they screwed me over, then I fnd another supplier.
我希望得到最好的价格,不要讨价还价。一旦发现有人欺骗我,我会立刻换厂商。
May:That's pretty much what I heard.
我也是这么听说的。
Mike:Well, those are my terms. As long as you honor them, we do business.
这些是我的条件。只要你遵守这些规矩,我们就可以做生意。
If you break faith and try to take advantage, I'll find someone else to work with. Can you live with that?
若你背信或想占便宜,我就会找别人。你可以接受这样的条件吗?
May:No problem at all, Mike. Just give me the chance.
没问题,迈克。请给我一个机会。
Dialog 2
MP3-6
The meeting is going well for May. She's been offered a chance to work with Mike and become one of his suppliers.Next, they have to work out an understanding.Situations like this are not that uncommon, the buyer is in charge, and he gets to make the rules.That's the way it usually is.In the next part of the negotiation, May fnds out Mike's ground rules and decides if she can live with them.Even though this sounds like instruction, it is a negotiation.
对梅而言,这次会面进行得很顺利。迈克给她一次合作的机会,让她成为他的供应商。接下来,他们必须讨论出一些共识。这类情形颇为常见,在这种情形中,买家会主导一切,制定规则。通常情况都是这样。在下面的谈判情形中,梅了解了迈克的基本原则,她得决定是否接受这些规则。虽然这听起来像是指令,但还是谈判。
Mike:Well, that's why you're here. My source for Big TV sets overcharged me on the last shipment, so I need someone new.
这就是我找你来的原因。我的大型电视供应商,上一次交货时敲了我一笔,所以我现在要找新的供应商。
I wanted to meet you to see if we can work together. I think we can.
我跟你见面是想看看合作的可能性;我想应该没问题。
May:I agree.
我同意。
Mike:Fine, but before you agree, don't you need to know what you're agreeing to?
很好,但在同意之前,你难道不想多了解一下,你到底同意了哪些条件吗?
May:I guess you're right. But like you said, you called me here to check me out.I've been doing the same.
没错,但就像你说的,你打电话叫我过来,是想探探我的底;当然,我也是一样的。
Mike:Ha, ha, ha!That's fair. How did I do?
哈哈!这很公平,我表现得如何?
May:Quite good, actually. I'm pretty sure you're demanding, but fair and honest.I feel we can work together.
说真的,相当不错。你的要求确实很高,但是很公平、诚信。我想我们可以合作。
Mike:Good, well, here's what I need from you. Are you ready?
很好,我要说明需要你配合的地方了,准备好了吗?
May:Shoot!
请说!
Mike:Well, I know you work for someone else, but as your client, please, we have to get this straight between us.
我知道你有老板,但身为你的客户,麻烦你,我们必须先把话说清楚。
I'm your client, not your company. As your client, I expect you to be square with me at all times.Can you do that?
我是你的客户,不是你的公司。身为你的客户,我希望你随时对我坦诚,这点你做得到吗?
May:I don't see a problem.
没问题。
Mike:Good!Do you have any questions?
很好!你有问题想问吗?
Dialog 3
MP3-7
Now that the basic ground rules are set and the details have been cleared up. In the next stage of the negotiation, May learns what Mike needs and has to decide if she can do that.
既然现在这些基本的规则都订好了,细节也都说清楚了,在下个阶段的谈判中,梅知道了迈克的需求后,得确定自己是否能达到要求。
May:What happens if we make a deal and thirty to sixty days after delivery the price goes down and you didn't get the best possible price?
如果我们达成了交易,但交货的三十到六十天内,市面降价,导致你的价格不是最好的,该怎么办?
How do I handle that?
我要如何处理?
Mike:Well, these things happen, I know that. You just have to stay straight with me.
嗯,这是难免的,你只要诚实地告知我就可以了。
May:Right!So how do I do that?What will make you happy?
好!那我该如何配合,才是你最满意的状况?
Mike:Well, I suggest you just keep me posted. That should do it.
我建议你随时跟我报告最新状况,这样就够了。
That way the burden is on me to decide when to buy, not you.
那样,我就能准确下单。毕竟决定的人是我,不是你。
May:Excuse me?
什么?
Mike:Yeah, it really is that simple.
没错,就是这么简单。
Every time there's a change in the items we do business on, you let me know. That's all you need to do.
只要交易的项目有了改变,你就要让我知道。这么做就够了。
May:What kind of change, just in prices?
什么改变,只有价格吗?
Mike:No, any change. I want you to keep me as informed as you are.
不,任何改变,我要你随时向我报告最新状况。
I need to know as much as you do. If you hear about something that might happen, then tell me about it.
你知道的事,我也要知道。如果你听到什么风声,你就要告诉我。
Tell me it's a rumor, what it's based on and your opinion on how likely it is.
就算是传言,也要告诉我为什么会有这种传言,你认为其可信度怎样。
May:You mean on product availability, reliability and price?
你是指产品的有效性?可信度?还有价格?
Mike:No, everything. Those things for sure, but also laborproblems, raw materials, new subcontractors, mergers, in short, anything and everything.
不只,是每件事。当然包含你刚刚说的那些项目,还有劳工问题、原料、新合约商、合并等。总而言之,每件事我都要知道。
So I can make a fully informed decision.
这样我的决定才不会错。
May:So it's like you want me to be your eyes and ears into the industry.
也就是说,你要我当你在业界的眼线。
I can do that, provided the company I'm working for isn't hurt.
可以是可以,只要不影响我的公司就好。
Mike:I think we'll get along fne.
我想我们会合作愉快的。
Vocabulary 重要词汇
MP3-8
equitable 公平的
minimum 最小的
effort 努力
complex 复杂的
motivate 激发
attorney 律师;代理人
off the record 私下来说;没有记载的
old-fashioned 老式的;传统的
proft 利润
run across 碰见
content 满意的
make a living 谋生
distribute 供应
electronics 电器
in person 亲自
proposal 企划;提案
respond 回应
supplier 供应商
loyalty 忠诚度
haggle 讨价还价
screw over 欺骗
take advantage 利用;占便宜
live with(勉强)接受
ground rule 基本原则
instruction 指令
overcharged 索价过高
shipment 运送
shoot 直说
square 正直的
burden 重担;负担
item 货物;项目
rumor 谣传
availability 有效性
reliability 可信度
raw material 原料
subcontractor 承包商
merger 合并