As you can see, the world is changing due to the pandemic. Not only are trips, dinners and outings to the movies being restricted, but also how to negotiate.
In Casa Sauza, to carry out a negotiation that has an impact on the business, previously we asked suppliers to come to our facilities in a meeting room. In this meeting room we ensured that the climate was at a comfortable temperature, ensured that we had enough water and snacks so that the supplier, and we, felt as comfortable as possible. We also made sure that these negotiations are done in the morning. Why all of this? When a decision is going to have an impact on the business, it is very important that those involved are relaxed, with an open mind to negotiate. Being with this mindset helps in having a good negotiation so that in the end it is a win / win situation.
With the new normality, negotiating has changed and technology is being used more. Now there are more calls, video calls and even virtual meetings when it is a larger group to make the decision. Personally, the negotiations have become a bit colder using technology. When you decide to make a call, you can't see the faces and it turns into a game of poker trying to figure out what the other person is thinking. If the negotiation is done by video call, they can already be seen face to face, but many are working from home with the distractions of being outside a boardroom dedicated to negotiating. Also apparently time is eating us all. The negotiations have turned into a play and each with their own script with little time to improvise. Still looking for a way to have a win / win situation in a negotiation, but using other methods.
One can never predict the future, but if something is certain, the negotiating situation will change. This pandemic has accelerated the use of technology either for good or for evil. It may be that in the future a mix between the situation before the pandemic and the situation of the new normal will be used. When you have to negotiate, and the decision does not have a serious impact on the business, then the use of cell phones or video calls to make it more efficient may be a more appropriate option. If you are meeting for the first time for making a new collaboration between companies, then a dinner or a coffee will be more appropriate. If the decision will have a greater impact on the business, then returning to the boardroom with the climate at the right temperature in a more relaxed environment will be the most appropriate. As mentioned, the situation in the future is going to change, but something that is going to be maintained, at least here at Casa Sauza, is to look for the situation where it will be a win / win.