an Smith是一位美国的健身用品经销商，此次是Robert Liu第一回与他交手。就在短短几分钟的交谈中，Robert Liu既感到这位大汉粗犷的外表，藏有狡兔的心思――他肯定是沙场老将，自己绝不可掉以轻心。双方第一回过招如下：

    D： I'd like to get the ball rolling（开始）by talking about prices.

    R： Shoot.（洗耳恭听）I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.

    D： Your products are very good. But I'm a little worried about the prices you're asking.

    R： You think we about be asking for more？（laughs）

    D： （chuckles莞尔） That's not exactly what I had in mind. I know your research costs are high, but what I'd like is a 25% discount.

    R： That seems to be a little high, Mr. Smith. I don't know how we can make a profit with those numbers.

    D： Please, Robert, call me Dan. （pause） Well, if we promise future business――volume sales（大笔交易）――that will slash your costs（大量减低成本）for making the Exec-U-ciser, right？

    R： Yes, but it's hard to see how you can place such large orders. How could you turn over（销磬）so many？ （pause） We'd need a guarantee of future business, not just a promise.

    D： We said we wanted 1000 pieces over a six-month period. What if we place orders for twelve months, with a guarantee？

    R： If you can guarantee that on paper, I think we can discuss this further.

    Robert回公司呈报Dan的提案后，老板很满意对方的采购计划；但在折扣方面则希望Robert能继续维持强硬的态度，尽量探出对方的底线。就在这七上七八的价格翘翘板上，双方是否能找到彼此地平衡点呢？请看下面分解：

    R： Even with volume sales, our coats for the Exec-U-Ciser won't go down much.

    D： Just what are you proposing？

    R： We could take a cut（降低）on the price. But 25% would slash our profit margin（毛利率）。We suggest a compromise――10%.

    D： That's a big change from 25！ 10 is beyond my negotiating limit. （pause） Any other ideas？

    R： I don't think I can change it right now. Why don't we talk again tomorrow？

    D： Sure. I must talk to my office anyway. I hope we can find some common ground（共同信念）on this.

    NEXT DAY

    D： Robert, I've been instructed to reject the numbers you proposed； but we can try to come up with some thing else.

    R： I hope so, Dan. My instructions are to negotiate hard on this deal――but I'm try very hard to reach some middle ground（互相妥协）。

    D： I understand. We propose a structured deal（阶段式和约）。 For the first six months, we get a discount of 20%, and the next six months we get 15%.

    R： Dan, I can't bring those numbers back to my office――they'll turn it down flat（打回票）。

    D： Then you'll have to think of something better, Robert.

    Dan上回提议前半年给他们二成折扣，后半年再降为一成半，经Robert推翻后，Dan再三表示让步有限。您知道Robert在这折扣缝隙中游走，如何才能摸出双方都同意的数字呢？他从锦囊里又掏出什么妙计了呢？请看下面分解：

    R： How about 15% the first six months, and the second six months at 12%, with a guarantee of 3000 units？

    D： That's a lot to sell, with very low profit margins.

    R： It's about the best we can do, Dan. （pause） We need to hammer something out （敲定）today. If I go back empty-handed, I may be coming back to you soon to ask for a job. （smiles）

    D： （smiles） O.K., 17% the first six months, 14% for the second？！

    R： Good. Let's iron out（解决）the remaining details. When do you want to take delivery（取货）？

    D： We'd like you to execute the first order by the 31st.

    R： Let me run through this again： the first shipment for 1500 units, to be delivered in 27 days, by the 31st.

    D： Right. We couldn't handle much larger shipments.

    R： Fine. But I'd prefer the first shipment to be 1000 units, the next 2000. The 31st is quite soon —— I can't guarantee 1500.

    D： I can agree to that. Well, if there's nothing else, I think we've settled everything.

    R： Dan, this deal promises big returns（赚大钱）for both sides. Let's hope it's the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship.

今天Robert的办公室出现了一个生面孔――Kevin Hughes，此人代表美国一家运动产品公司，专程来台湾寻找加工。接洽的加工产品市运动型"磁质石膏护垫"，受伤的运动员包上这种产品上场比赛，即可保护受伤部位，且不妨碍活动。现在，我们就来看看两人的会议现况：

    R： We found your proposal quite interesting, Mr. Hughes. We'd like to weigh the pros and cons（衡量得失）with you.

    K： Mr. Robert Liu, we've looked all over Asia for a manufacturer； your company is one of the most suitable.

    R： If we can settle a number of basic questions, I'm confident in saying that we are the most suitable for your needs.

    K： I hope so. And what might be the basic questions you have？

    R： First, do you intend to take a position in（投资于……）our company？

    K： No, we don't, Mr. Liu. This is just OEM.

    R： I see. Then, the most important thing is the size of your orders. We'll have to invest a great deal of money in the new production process.

    K： If you can guarantee continuing quality, we can sign a commitment for 75,000 pieces a year, for five years.

    R： At U.S. $1000 a piece, we'll make an average return of just 4%. That's too great a financial burden for us.

    K： I'll check the number later, but what do you propose？

    R： Here's how you can demonstrate commitment to this deal. Make it ten years, increase the unit price, and provide technology transfer.

    Robert在前面的谈判最后提出签约十年的要求，Kevin会不会答应呢？如果答案是否决的话，Robert又有何打算？他一心为公司的利益打算，极力争取技术转移地协定，而对方会甘心出让此项比金钱更珍贵的资产吗？请看以下分解：

    K： We can't sign any commitment for ten years. But if your production quality is good after the first year, we could extend the contract and increase our yearly purchase.

    R： That sounds reasonable. But could you shed some light on（透露）the size of your orders？

    K： If we are happy with your quality, we might increase our purchase to 100,000 a year, for a two-year period.

    R： Excuse me, Mr. Hughes, but it seems to me we're giving up too much in this case. We'd be giving up the five-year guarantee for increased yearly sales.

    K： Mr. Liu, you've got to give up something to get something.

    R： If you're asking us to take such a large gamble（冒险）for just two year's sales, I'm sorry, but you're not in our ballpark（接受的范围）。

    K： What would it take to keep Pacer interested？

    R： A three-year guarantee, not two. And a qualilty inspection（质量检查）tour after one year is fine, but we'd like some of our personnel on the team.