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.