Professional Spa & Wellness Convention opens with pre-event workshop

Listening, communicating and doing your research are key skills for successful business negotiation, Neil Orvay revealed at the Professional Spa & Wellness Convention pre-event workshop yesterday. 

The information was shared as part of the Negotiation Theory and Application workshop, hosted by Neil Orvay, chief executive of Asia Spa & Wellness, and kicking off the Professional Spa & Wellness Convention at  London’s ExCeL exhibition centre. 

Orvay emphasised the importance of understanding the underlying interests of the person you are negotiating with and knowing what drives them. He also highlighted that, while money is typically involved in a business negotiation, it is never the sole focus. 

Orvay said: “No negotiation we have to deal with in our industry is just about price.” Negotiations focused exclusively on price exist only, Orvay added, “when there is no desire to have a business relationship”. 

The four cornerstones of principled negotiation – the successful medium between being too soft and too tough in negotiations - are, Orvay commented: 1) Separating the people from the problem, 2) Focusing on interests, not positions, 3) Inventing options for mutual gain, 4) The use of objective criteria. 

Confidence, Orvay says, is also integral to being successful in negotiations. “No negotiation technique will be successful if you think all the power lies with the other party”. 

It is integral, Orvay explained to have a BATNA, a Best Alternative to Negotiational Agreement, in case things don’t go your way. He said: “You’ve got to have a plan B and an plan C and you should say you have another option, even if you don’t” 

The Professional Spa & Wellness Convention continues today.