Preparing for a complex negotiation

How can you use AI to prepare for a negotiation involving multiple issues and counterparts?

1960 € per session, excl. VAT

In short

“Preparing for a complex negotiation” is a private in-person session of a full day for major account salespeople and key account managers or sales directors and buyers on the seller’s side. It helps you map stakeholders, their interests and their influence. Groups of up to 12 participants, in French, with exercises on your own work cases.

Why this training?

Complex negotiations involve several counterparts, multiple issues and little preparation time. Concessions are often made under pressure, without an overall view. This day structures the preparation: who decides, what each person wants, what we can concede and at what cost. AI helps to explore scenarios and practise; the strategy remains the team’s. Case study used throughout: ‘Acier Nord’, a fictional steel supplier, renegotiates an annual contract with a fictional manufacturer: a requested increase in volumes, pressure on prices, delivery deadline requirements and a new buyer. Transfer to the workplace: Participants prepare for their next important negotiation using the one-page plan and have it approved internally.

Objectives of this training

  • Map stakeholders, their interests and their influence
  • Define objectives, a walk-away point and an alternative if negotiations fail
  • Prepare a list of concessions with something in return for each
  • Develop three negotiation scenarios
  • Practise in a simulation with AI playing the buyer
  • Prepare a one-page negotiation plan

Who is it for and what are the prerequisites?

Roles and tasks concerned

  • Major account salespeople and key account managers
  • Sales directors and buyers on the seller’s side

Prior skills

  • Use a generative AI assistant regularly and know how to structure a request (AI Prompting level or equivalent skills).
  • Have practical experience of B2B sales and know your company’s sales process.

What you will work on

  1. Mapping the negotiation

    Objective: Understand who has influence and what each person wants. Stakeholders, interests, positions, influence; available and missing information.

  2. Objectives, limits and alternatives

    Objective: Set the framework before entering negotiations. Target objective, minimum objective, walk-away point, best alternative; internal approval.

  3. Concessions and returns

    Objective: Concede nothing without something in return. List of variables (price, volume, delivery deadlines, duration, services); value to each party; order of concessions.

  4. Scenarios

    Objective: Anticipate the buyer’s reactions. Three scenarios (cooperative, tough, deadlocked); prepared responses; warning signs.

  5. Simulations

    Objective: Practise in realistic conditions. AI plays the buyer according to a defined profile; observation by a peer; structured debrief.

  6. Negotiation plan

    Objective: Bring the preparation together on one page. One-page plan: framework, opening, concessions, scenarios, next steps.

What you take away

  • Stakeholder map
  • Negotiation framework (objectives, limits, alternative)
  • Concessions matrix
  • Three scenarios with prepared responses
  • One-page negotiation plan

Method and assessment

  • Short inputs followed by immediate practice on the ongoing case study.
  • Individual work followed by work in pairs, with peer review of the outputs.
  • Guided group discussion: what works, what needs correcting and what remains a human decision.
  • Preparation: Think of a past or upcoming negotiation (adapted to a fictional case). Know the room for manoeuvre permitted within your company.

Observable criteria: The framework specifies the target objective, minimum objective and walk-away point; Each concession is linked to something in return; The scenarios cover at least one deadlock situation; During the simulation, the participant does not exceed the limits set.

Frequently asked questions

Can AI negotiate on our behalf?

No. It is used to prepare and practise; negotiation and decisions remain human.

Are the simulations realistic?

They reproduce a buyer profile defined by you; they do not replace experience, but allow you to test your responses.

Can we prepare for a real negotiation during the day?

Yes, if the information can be processed in the authorised tool; otherwise, the method is learnt using the fictional case.

Who sets the room for negotiation?

Your company. The session helps to formalise it, not to define it on your behalf.

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