Negotiation roleplay: procurement has a cheaper quote and wants a discount
Tom's job is to get the price down, and he has a competitor's quote to help. Keep the deal and protect your price by trading concessions, never giving them away.
The buyer
Tom
Procurement manager at a regional healthcare group
- The situation
- You've spent two months with the facilities team, who chose your facilities maintenance service. Now the contract has reached procurement. Tom has a competitor's quote that is noticeably cheaper and wants you to match it.
- Personality
- Calm, polite and relentless. Uses silence well. Measured on savings, not on the service the facilities team receives.
Hidden concern (for whoever plays the buyer)
The competitor's quote excludes after-hours callouts, which facilities told Tom they need. He'll accept a higher price if he can show his manager a saving somewhere, such as payment terms or a longer contract.
Fictional training scenario. Names, companies and products are invented for practice.
Your goal
Protect your price by trading concessions such as term length, scope or payment terms, and reach agreement without a straight discount.
Success looks like
- You asked what the competing quote includes before discussing price
- You never gave a concession without asking for something in return
- You found out what Tom needs to report as a win
- You reached a verbal agreement or a clear next step, with any changes written down
The opening line
"Thanks for coming on. I'll be direct: we have another quote that's quite a bit lower, so we need you to come down to that number."
Tom, procurement manager at a regional healthcare group
How a strong start sounds
An illustrative script for the first exchange. Say it in your own words; the point is the shape of the reply, not the exact lines.
- Tom
Thanks for coming on. I'll be direct: we have another quote that's quite a bit lower, so we need you to come down to that number.
- You
Thanks for being direct. Before we talk numbers, can I check we're comparing the same thing? Does their quote include after-hours callouts?
- Tom
I'd have to check. Price is what I'm looking at.
- You
Understood. Facilities told us after-hours cover was a must-have, so it is worth confirming. If price is the priority, there are ways I can help. If you could commit to a three-year term, I could look at the annual rate. Would that be useful to you?
Curveballs to expect
Tom won't make it easy. Be ready for these.
- Long silences after you state a figure.
- "Facilities likes you, but my job is cost. Match it or we go with them."
- "If you can't move on price, what's the best you can do today?"
- "I need an answer by Friday or I'll sign the other one."
Scorecard
What a reviewer, or your own replay, should listen for.
| Criterion | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Composure | Doesn't rush to fill silences or offer a discount in response to pressure. |
| Comparing like with like | Asks what the competing quote includes and calmly surfaces differences in scope, such as after-hours callouts. |
| Trading, not giving | Ties every concession to something in return, using an if-then structure: 'If you can commit to three years, I can...' |
| Finding his win | Asks what Tom needs to show his manager and offers a non-price option that delivers it. |
| Closing the loop | Summarizes what was agreed and confirms next steps and deadlines in writing. |
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To run this exact persona, rebuild it in the scenario builder (Starter plan and up), or run it with a colleague.
Questions about this scenario
What's the main skill this negotiation roleplay tests?
Trading concessions instead of giving them. Every time you move, ask for something back, such as a longer term, faster payment or a reference.
Should I ever match the competitor's price?
Not before you know what their quote includes. In this scenario it leaves out something the facilities team needs, and surfacing that changes the conversation.
How do I handle the Friday deadline?
Stay calm. Ask what happens on Friday and whether facilities has signed off on the other provider. Deadlines in a negotiation are often softer than they sound.
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Run it until it feels easy
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