Before you seal the deal with your next customer, you might find yourself in a bartering situation. Use these four tips to ensure your negotiating efforts are successful.

Give your customer control. Before you let on to your lowest possible concession, find out from your customer what he wants. Giving him the chance to speak first will actually put you at an advantage. He may be tentative to ask for too much of a discount in fear that you’ll refuse. Plus, you may find that you were willing to drop your price lower than your customer would even ask, saving you from unnecessary bartering.

Don’t take advantage of your customer. Even if you know that you have the opportunity to generate an obscene profit, don’t take advantage of your customer’s vulnerabilities. Doing so will create animosity and tension and may provoke your customer to seek revenge. This is not the way to start a healthy long-term relationship.

Remain truthful. Don’t tell your customer lies or make promises you can’t keep. Also, don’t pretend to be someone you’re not just to impress your customer. If he begins to question your integrity, you could lose his business.

Put your walking shoes on. Don’t let a customer push you into a deal you can’t afford to make. Be ready to walk away from any deal if necessary. While spending fruitless hours on any customer is disappointing, when you barter so low just to make a sale, you’re not helping yourself or your company make a profit.

Filed under: Customer Service Corner