商務(wù)談判技巧探析
摘 要: 在國(guó)際商務(wù)索賠談判中,索賠方為圓滿達(dá)成索賠協(xié)議,可采用清楚準(zhǔn)確、委婉得體、義正辭嚴(yán)等三種語(yǔ)用策略。
關(guān)鍵詞: 索賠談判; 語(yǔ)用策略;國(guó)際商務(wù)
在國(guó)際商務(wù)活動(dòng)中,當(dāng)合同中某方義務(wù)不能完全履行、給另一方造成較大損失,遭受損失一方會(huì)依據(jù)合同或法律向違約方提出賠償損失的要求。一般來(lái)說(shuō),買賣雙方首先要經(jīng)過(guò)申訴和索賠的過(guò)程,然后進(jìn)入調(diào)解、仲裁甚至訴訟的程序。當(dāng)然,不是所有商務(wù)糾紛都會(huì)經(jīng)歷所有這些過(guò)程,有些糾紛可能只需買方的電話或信函申訴即可與賣方達(dá)成一致,從而解決問(wèn)題。有些糾紛買賣雙方通過(guò)商業(yè)信函或電話無(wú)法解決,但合同當(dāng)事雙方又希望通過(guò)協(xié)商途徑解決問(wèn)題。他們?yōu)檫_(dá)到這種目的而進(jìn)行的談判則為本文討論的索賠談判。
索賠談判通常針對(duì)數(shù)量與重量的短缺、質(zhì)量與合同要求不符、不良包裝、延期交貨或貨物不能送達(dá)或貨款不能支付等情況而進(jìn)行。索賠要在合同規(guī)定的期限內(nèi)提出,索賠時(shí)應(yīng)附上貨物到達(dá)目的港后當(dāng)?shù)厣虣z機(jī)構(gòu)或雙方指定機(jī)構(gòu)出具的商品檢驗(yàn)證書作為索賠依據(jù)。
談判人員在掌握了相關(guān)法律和國(guó)際貿(mào)易專業(yè)知識(shí)的同時(shí),參照一般商務(wù)談判的技巧,依據(jù)索賠談判的特性,合理巧妙地運(yùn)用談判策略,對(duì)索賠能否成功起著重要作用。
一、清楚準(zhǔn)確
美國(guó)語(yǔ)言哲學(xué)家格賴斯(H.P.Grice)提出,為了保證會(huì)話的順利進(jìn)行,談話雙方必須共同遵守一些基本原則,特別是“合作原則”(Cooperative principle)。“合作原則”中的一條準(zhǔn)則———“方式準(zhǔn)則”(Manner Maxim)說(shuō)的就是談話要清楚明白。[1]
在一般的商務(wù)談判中,有時(shí)談判雙方為了不讓對(duì)方試探出自己的真實(shí)意圖、商業(yè)機(jī)密或在其它不便向?qū)Ψ街苯踊卮鹩植荒芑乇艿那闆r下,經(jīng)常會(huì)采取模糊表達(dá)的方式。這樣,既避免了直接回絕對(duì)方、傷對(duì)方的面子,又堅(jiān)持了自己的立場(chǎng)。
然而在索賠談判中,合同當(dāng)事雙方的目的是積極友好地解決問(wèn)題和矛盾,所以在談判中,索賠方應(yīng)開(kāi)門見(jiàn)山,清楚而準(zhǔn)確地陳述事實(shí),如造成損失的原因、貨物的損失程度等,讓對(duì)方談判人員具體地了解事件的發(fā)生經(jīng)過(guò),同時(shí)表明己方對(duì)此事的態(tài)度以及具體索賠要求,應(yīng)避免模糊不清的解釋。例如:
( 1 ) I wish to discuss with you the question of short weight. We discovered that the shipment of rice concerning Contract NO. R4088 was short-weighted by 50 metric tons.[2]
(2) We regret to find on opening up 10 cases of the glass delivered that 10% of the sheets are broken, 5% show bubbles, and nearly all are badly scratched.[3]
上述范例中,數(shù)字和合同號(hào)的`準(zhǔn)確使用,清楚說(shuō)明索賠方對(duì)事態(tài)的詳盡了解,對(duì)數(shù)據(jù)的精確把握,并明確告知對(duì)方己方的態(tài)度和要求。表達(dá)簡(jiǎn)潔明了,理由充分。這種清楚準(zhǔn)確的語(yǔ)用策略,能確保會(huì)話順利展開(kāi)。
二、委婉得體
索賠方因?yàn)樵馐芰藫p失,情緒難免受影響,但對(duì)方的過(guò)失是多方面原因造成的,如誤解、執(zhí)行失誤或其它矛盾,索賠談判就是為了解決這些問(wèn)題。在談判過(guò)程中,索賠方的方式應(yīng)友好得體,不能因?yàn)樽约豪媸軗p而遷怒于對(duì)方談判人員。在語(yǔ)氣的使用上,應(yīng)心平氣和,不卑不亢、客觀地對(duì)待問(wèn)題,避免使用針?shù)h相對(duì)、咄咄逼人的口氣,否則會(huì)激化矛盾,不利于問(wèn)題及時(shí)有效地解決。在索賠談判中,應(yīng)注意以下方面:
1.措辭得體
在國(guó)際貿(mào)易中,無(wú)論信譽(yù)多么良好、服務(wù)如何到位的商家,都會(huì)有失誤的時(shí)候。造成索賠的原因是多方面的,可能是發(fā)貨時(shí)忙中出錯(cuò),也可能是長(zhǎng)途轉(zhuǎn)運(yùn)途中出現(xiàn)問(wèn)題等等。一般來(lái)說(shuō),賣方不會(huì)主觀故意造成錯(cuò)誤。當(dāng)談判在有長(zhǎng)期業(yè)務(wù)關(guān)系的買賣雙方間展開(kāi),而且對(duì)方采取積極的態(tài)度對(duì)待索賠時(shí),索賠方應(yīng)理解對(duì)方,在語(yǔ)言上多采取委婉方式。例如:
(3) a. If you have difficulty understanding what I said, I’ll repeat it.
b. I’ll repeat what I said just now, if I didn’t make myself understood.[4]
(4) We approve of your plan on the whole, but we respectively represent interest of different companies, right? How about…?
在例(3)b中,說(shuō)話人委婉巧妙地化解了對(duì)方因沒(méi)能理解談話時(shí)出現(xiàn)的尷尬;而在例(4)中,說(shuō)話人原意是要說(shuō)I don’t agree with you as we respectively represent interest of different companies. My suggestion is that….但通過(guò)委婉的方式,既能表達(dá)原意、說(shuō)出自己的觀點(diǎn),又顧及到雙方多年的友誼,為今后的合作鞏固已建立的良好基礎(chǔ),而不會(huì)因一次索賠談判而翻臉。
2.移情換位
索賠方對(duì)問(wèn)題的解決應(yīng)采取樂(lè)觀的態(tài)度,影響對(duì)方,并換位思考,征求對(duì)方意見(jiàn),同時(shí)給己方留有回旋余地。如:
(5) We hope the settlement of this claim will lead to the further development of our future business.
(6) We shall be pleased if you suggest a settlement which is fair and reasonable.
在例(5)中,說(shuō)話人使用了hope, further development, our future business等詞,希望對(duì)方著眼于未來(lái)雙方的關(guān)系和利益,合理解決此次的索賠;而在例(6)中,樂(lè)觀地使用pleased, fair, reasonable等詞匯,令聽(tīng)者更易接受。
3.合理運(yùn)用被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)
被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)的運(yùn)用,省略了施事主體。在國(guó)際商務(wù)談判中,人們經(jīng)常使用被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài),以避免直接指責(zé)對(duì)方的過(guò)失和錯(cuò)誤,緩和尷尬。試比較:
(7) a. You promised us to deliver the goods in one month, and you’ve put us into considerable inconvenience through the long delay.
he goods were promised to deliver in one month, and we’ve been put into considerable inconvenience through the long delay.[5]
(8) a. You made a careless mistake here.
b. A careless mistake was made here.
在例(7)和例(8)的b句中,說(shuō)話方巧妙地使用了被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài),句子中不再出現(xiàn)施事者,這樣,就不直接指責(zé)對(duì)方,避免激化矛盾。
三、義正辭嚴(yán)
索賠方對(duì)索賠的要求應(yīng)合理,理?yè)?jù)要充分。在談判前要準(zhǔn)備充足,談判中應(yīng)及時(shí)出示相關(guān)證據(jù)、證明;對(duì)于對(duì)方合理的要求,索賠方應(yīng)積極合作并予以配合,
促成問(wèn)題的最終解決。但如果經(jīng)過(guò)較長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的協(xié)商后,對(duì)方的態(tài)度并不友好,采取回避、對(duì)抗甚至是拖延戰(zhàn)術(shù),此時(shí)索賠方應(yīng)義正詞嚴(yán)地表明態(tài)度,同時(shí)為仲裁做準(zhǔn)備。例如:
(9) This seems to be a very clear case. Here is the survey report issued by China Commodity Inspection Bureau which will surely support our mind. You should consider our claim seriously for protection of your own reputation. Of course, we don't oppose the matter be submitted to arbitration.
(10)The delay on your part now places us in a very serious and awkward position toward our customer. We trust you will be able to make us a reasonable allowance, say $500 per ton。 If this fails, we shall have to go to arbitration.
例(9)和(10)中,說(shuō)話人使用了for the protection, serious, awkward, if this fails等詞,指出問(wèn)題的嚴(yán)重性,給對(duì)方施加一定壓力。
隨著商品的進(jìn)出口權(quán)限的開(kāi)放,中國(guó)企業(yè)有更多的機(jī)會(huì)參與國(guó)際競(jìng)爭(zhēng),同時(shí)各種商務(wù)糾紛也必然增多。在國(guó)際商務(wù)索賠談判中,談判雙方會(huì)盡可能地爭(zhēng)取最大利益,最大限度地減少分歧和矛盾。索賠方在依據(jù)法律和事實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)上,合理采用語(yǔ)用策略,將有助于索賠協(xié)議最終達(dá)成。
參考文獻(xiàn):
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[2]盛之,李白清.實(shí)用英語(yǔ)談判與辯論技巧[M].長(zhǎng)沙:中南工業(yè)大學(xué)出版社,1998.
[3]劉超先. 實(shí)用英漢商貿(mào)分類詞典[M].長(zhǎng)沙:湖南出版社,1996.
[4]張立玉,王紅衛(wèi).實(shí)用商務(wù)英語(yǔ)談判[M].北京:北京理工大學(xué)出版社,2003.
[5]趙崇華,周瑞琪.索賠類英語(yǔ)信函的寫作[J].國(guó)際經(jīng)貿(mào)探索,1999,(5):64-68.
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