Negotiation over the phone
How does the negotiation over the phone begin? You can gain valuable insight just from the first few words the attorney actually speaks.
Nonverbal signals during a negotiation over the phone
Suppose the attorney speaks rapidly. He says, “Hi, is this Pat Iyer?” (said rapidly) versus “Hello, is this Pat Iyer?” (said firmly).
Those two demeanors and the way that individual represented himself with that example says the first person is in more of a hurry. He could also be giving clues to the fact that just through the words and the manner in which he used such that he was in a hurry to secure the services of a legal nurse consultant. For you, this means he might be more open to compromising more and giving more concessions than usual. Listen to the cadence of the attorney’s voice – the pace of his speech.
The value of learning speech patterns
When you deal with the same attorneys over and over, you learn their normal speech patterns. The legal nurse consultant knows the attorney usually does not speak with a deep voice. She’s worked with this attorney before. If that’s the case, the deep voice could be indicating the attorney was going to be the authority figure in that particular situation.
So much information is gleaned from just the opening of a conversation be they on the phone or in person. That legal nurse consultant should be very attuned from the moment he or she answers the phone or starts a conversation. Is there an opportunity for the LNC to use leverage in the negotiation over the phone?
Let’s say the situation catches you off guard and you are unprepared to address whatever the case might be, whatever the request might be from that attorney. It would behoove you to actually say, “May I call you back in a few minutes?” You can do that when you gather some information from the attorney per what he or she is seeking and then decide how you’re going to address it.
The point is, don’t rush in head-on into a negotiation over the phone simply because you need this opportunity. No, you need to reflect upon how you’re going to answer before you start answering.
Discover more negotiation secrets by listening to Greg Williams’ podcast for LegalNursePodcasts.com. Go to this link to listen to or read his episode: Negotiation Secrets for Coming Out on Top. Pat was the ghostwriter for Greg’s new book, Body Language Secrets to Win More Negotiations, released in September 2016.
Greg and Pat at a book signing in NYC in September 2016