The trends are clear. When negotiating deals, we’re all increasingly using online tools like WebEx and GoToMeeting, and conference bridges in lieu of face-to-face meetings. When doing deals using these tools, it is essential that you have a back channel for real time communication with your team. I am huge advocate of using an instant message or chat program for this back channel.
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It’s amazing how fast these online meeting tools have changed the way we do deals. The cost savings of using a WebEx or GoToMeeting can be compelling. Still, you lose a lot when you’re not face-to-face even if you are using web video conferencing. The information gained when you’re in the room across the table from someone is invaluable. Moreover, I think that people find it harder to take hard contrarian positions in-person. Still, in a world of tight travel budgets, it is increasingly common to forego these and the many other advantages of in-person meetings.
One of the things you can do to improve this remote, one channel environment is to open a back channel for communicating with your own side in real time. The starting point is to agree on a compatible instant message program. It could be an encrypted corporate type solution that will make your IT folks happiest (but this type of solution will have some costs), or a no cost solution like AOL’s Instant Messenger (aim.com).
The goals of using this back channel are several. One is to avoid stepping on each other. Being able to type messages like “drive home that point,” “let’s change our direction,” or “let me talk” in the background can help keep your team acting like a team and not simply a bunch of uncoordinated one-on-one players. Another goal is minimizing the need for breaks while your team reconvenes on a private conference bridge to coordinate its efforts, positions, and impression.
You might find it useful to have several chat windows open at once. One could be a window that your entire team can see and type in, and another might be for the two or three leads only so that they can have their own private chats.
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I’m not sure why, but some of my clients resist setting up this back channel. I cringe every time I have no way to type something like, “You are making a big mistake with that position. Stop! Let’s talk on my other line before you continue down this direction.” Without that back channel, I’m forced to call a break in a way that draws attention to the disagreement within our team. That’s not the type of information you want the other side to have. If they’re smart, they just may be able to exploit that type of internal division.
It’s essential that the other side in a negotiation see your team as a monolith with a single position. Having to discuss internal positions on a single open phone line with the other side is poor technique. My recommendation is that you create a back channel and use it to keep internal communications private.
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Valid point and using an IM application in a large negotiation room is also very helpful for all of the same reasons Mark has pointed out.
While this blog is about phone negotiations, Mark Ruckman is absolutely correct. I also use it during live negotiations. Some people are shy about the other side knowing that we’re using IM during the meeting. I’m not sure why the shyness. If somebody asks, I tell them what we are doing.
Important point – For live negotiations, I suggest you have a privacy screen for your laptop to make it harder for the other side to “accidentally” see your screen while they’re refilling their coffee.
A related article I wrote years ago on this topic. Back then, in-person meetings were more common. I hated telephone negotiations then. Things change. We evolve. http://www.thsh.com/Publications/Articles-by-Topic/Technology-Telecom-and-Outsourcing/More-Negotiating-Power.aspx
This seems very sensible. I’m surprised people would resist doing what I thought would come naturally.
This is a very good technique. I believe it is always important to see the non-verbal clues being shown by the other party. The back channel allows your observer to report them. The technique is also helpful in dealing with ‘tough’ negotiators and parties whose first language is not English.