Dubious lubricant & a packet of quavers

Hey there,

Imagine it’s 9.30pm, you’re knackered working behind the cash register at your local ‘8 til late’ store.

Your minimum wage job barely pays your bills and let’s face it you’d rather be anywhere but here.

And then some cocky buyer, fresh out of their high ticket negotiation skills course, lumps down their basket.

There’s some washing up liquid, a packet of quavers and a curious lubricant from the health and beauty aisle.

You don’t ask any questions, you’ve seen it all in this job.

Frankly you’re just glad he’s not stealing said lubricant in the way most of the more dubious products go missing from that aisle…

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and then it happens…

He asks you the question.

Not THE question.

But the one he’s been told to practice fresh out of the course.

Wow!

There’s not much you could say in response that doesn’t risk your job or your sanity.

But in you’re head you know the answer should end with a stern ‘off’.

ICYMI

My best Linkedin post of the week:

• 6 Big questions to ask a stakeholder

Here’s why this training tip sucks for everyone involved.

I get the theory on training yourself for rejection, getting comfortable asking for more and all that.

But what this type of basic advice lacks is any understanding of the nuance of negotiation.

• Understand the context (a grocery store survives by selling low margin products at high volume)*

• Negotiate with the decision maker (hint- this won’t be the cashier)

• Build rapport and ensure all sides our comfortable (your poor student behind the cash register doesn’t need to deal with this crap at 9.30 at night…they just want to go home)

_{*Btw I was once a range manager for H&B. The type of lubricant you’re thinking of makes 60% margin for a retailer so let’s just call that the exception.}

Negotiation trainers of the world unite please and stop with the flawed ‘ask for more’ exercises.

I’m off to the grocery store now.

I’ve run out of quavers (honest)

Tom

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