Chapter Four - Negotiation: It's Important
Negotiating is a key aspect when you want to get what YOU want out of life. It is important in your relationships and the workplace. By knowing what you want and being absolute in your desire, you show the world and others that you mean business, a very respectable trait.
Think of it like the ability to sway situations to your favor. The act of winning over people and deals with simply being who you are and what you represent. Having access to a whole different treatment than the vast majority of people.
Someone who has a purpose will be a lot more certain of what they want in life. A lot more happier and confident with the end goal. When it’s time to negotiate, it’s very easy to stay calm and have a respectful dialogue to negotiate.
Remember, you get what you negotiate for in life, not what you deserve. Being calm and positive always allows us to make the best decisions. You only deserve what you refuse to negotiate for.
I remember clearly when my 2010 Chevrolet Camaro had a bad timing chain. Despite being a gorgeous car, it was vibrating like no tomorrow. It felt like I was driving an old clunker as opposed to a race car, a total turn off for me.
Well I took it to the neighborhood mechanic shop just to see what was the deal. I left it for a day and got a call from him as I was making a delivery somewhere else in the state.
“Hello?”
Mechanic: “Yes hello, I’ve checked your car now and I’ve concluded that the timing chain is broken.”
“Okay?”
Mechanic: “Yeah to get it fixed it’s going to be between $1,800 to $2,500. I have to order the parts and disassemble the engine to get inside…”
You ever talked with your mechanic and he gives you that tone as if it’s unfixable? That was this guy for sure.
When you look at things from a different perspective, you’ll see where people stand clearly. What if you got infected by something unknown to you, only to go to the doctor who will give you the facts of the disease and leave you to just accept your fate? Exactly.
Now I had to put up with him and pay for those repairs on my minimum wage. I did not want him handling my car anymore.
First thing I did as soon as I got out of work was head over to the mechanic shop and pull out my car. I was charged $75 dollars just for having it checked, paid it and got the hell out of there.
I was dirt poor with bills to pay and no place to stay. I could not spend the 1.8k/2.5k as my budget did not allow that for probably half a year. I had to find a way to repair it without taking a huge blow to my economy.
I was pondering in my car. What if I used my negotiation skills and pit businesses against each other?
That is exactly what I did. I compiled a list of about 20 mechanics in my surroundings on my Notepad. I detailed phone numbers and marked my initial quoting of 1.8k/2.5k. I was eager to see the results.
Right now, feeling like I had options to say no to a bad deal was a position I wanted to put myself in. By getting 20 quotes, I can suddenly sound like I can just say no to any negative, menacing or condescending mechanic.
”Sunshine auto, how may I help you?”, an oriental accent picks up the phone.
”I’m calling for a quote on a Chevrolet Camaro 2010 on a broken timing chain.”
Direct. Decisive and most of all to the point. Just how business and relationships should be.
The gentleman quickly resorts to the usual “You have to come in so we can take a look...”
Yeah right. They want an easy $75 for a simple checkup.
”No can do. Other places are giving me quotes without coming in.” I reply.
I was lying of course and I was about to see if the mechanic would call my bluff.
”Ok Ok, what’s the specs again?”
After giving him all the information, he totalled at $1,200. Not bad for my first call.
That’s exactly what I did for the rest of the day, I called all 20 places nearest to me. Some did not pick up as they were busy or uninterested. Others promised to call me back with a quote but never got in touch with me.
Really only about 8 places got back to me with confident quotes, despite prying the information from them forcefully.
”You are a really picky customer”, One mechanic told me.
”I don’t see it that way. I’m just looking for the best price with the best service, someone who loves what they’re doing while prioritizing the customer’s happiness. Whoever wins me over with their outstanding service makes the money.”
That is the key here. Out there somewhere is a business who wants to put a smile on your face rather than make a quick buck. It’s easy to see who is going to take care of you more.
My last call was with a guy named Mikee. After using my skills to find the best offer, he quoted me at $800. You read that right, $800. More than a 50% discount just because I was curious about how low I can push the price.
All I did was direct the conversation to the price, quality and if they were available on the spot. These things screamed that I was someone to be taken seriously and considered important. All those demands labeled me as someone to treat well.
When I curiously took it to the Mikee’s to see if he was legitimate, he also offered to do basic maintenance and other changes that needed to be done for a smaller fee. All in all I completely fixed and tuned my car up for $1,000.
My car purred like a kitten and I was able to test drive it to make sure it was okay and boy was my car a beauty on the road.
I was able to push the base price from $2,500 to $800 with additional discounted services added.
It wasn’t good luck, I definitely had to do some calling and demanding. It wasn’t that I had to be violent either. All I did was look out for my best interest while looking for a purpose for myself and the other party.
In a nutshell, negotiation is staying cool, calm and collected. You lay out what you want and if the other end comes up short, you walk away and never cease to find a business that holds up it’s standards. Those you walk away from will no longer matter when you’re saving money and dealing with friendly people.
Today, I have my mechanic’s personal cell number. If I ever have a question or I need something done, I simply text him and he delivers without a problem. Totally different from previous years where I’d take my cars from one shop to another.
Stay tuned for more, In the next chapter I will detail how exactly to negotiate. What to say and do to come off as someone of high value. Whether it’s keeping a high value when meeting people, dating the opposite gender or fighting for a better deal, subscribe below and you’ll be among the first to get the E-Mail notification.
