In partnership with the British Retail Consortium

Negotiation skills development that’ll transform your career in retail

Learn to think, plan, and act like a master negotiator, so you maximise the value of every deal you make.

The business skill to master

The importance of negotiation in retail can not be understated. Mastering the skill of negotiation will set you apart from the crowd. You’ll gain control of yours and your counterparty’s actions. Which will make your category, your business unit and your company more profitable. Which in turn will pour rocket fuel on your career.

But it’s not that easy, right?

Negotiations are often complicated, competitive and uncomfortable. From property, supply chain, category management to product development, placement, packaging, volume and price, you have so many stakeholders and variables to juggle. And you have to deal with the people on the other side of the table. They want what they want, and they are trained and coached in how to take it. The skill is to create agreements that your counterparty is satisfied with.

Introducing The Master Negotiator

Expert training that embeds career enhancing negotiation skills

This intense and impactful training will give you the psychological, tactical and practical skills you need to maximise the value of every deal you close. Complete the Master Negotiator learning journey and become the most competent, confident and commercially tough person in the room.

Mastery by doing

You don’t learn to drive from a book. You learn by driving. That’s why the Kahvay learning journeys are experiential and theory is taught in quick sprints, via e-learning and analysing your negotiations in live workshops, so you embed the skills and become conscious of what you need to change to be more effective.

Truly valuable skills

The goal is not to fill your head with information, it’s to change your behaviour. We guarantee you will go back into the workplace with a set of highly valuable skills. You’ll be a smarter, savvier and more skilled negotiator, able to handle any situation, however complicated or competitive.

Coached by experts

The learning journeys were forged in real world negotiations – just like the ones you face. Your guides are professional negotiators who have worked on tough negotiations worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Put simply, you’ll be in the room with experts. Experts that will mentor and coach you on your way to becoming master negotiators yourselves.

BECOME A MASTER NEGOTIATOR

We’ve trained negotiators at some of the UK’s biggest retailers and suppliers

Who is this for? And what’s inside?

Are you a retail buyer, merchandiser, category or supply chain specialist? Maybe you work in human resources or finance, leasing, property management or GNFR procurement? Or are you in central, portfolio or store management? If that sounds like you, this learning journey is for you.

The learning journey contains six levels, across three modules: Foundation, Skilled and Master. Everyone starts at Level 1, but how far you proceed depends on your role. If you’re more junior, reaching level 3 might suit you. The more senior you are, and the more complex and important your negotiations, the more likely level 6 is right.

LEVEL 1

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

FOUNDATION NEGOTIATOR

1.
Introduction to
Negotiating

2.
Becoming
commercially tough

3.
Adaptive negotiation
and using levers

LEVEL 4

LEVEL 5

SKILLED NEGOTIATOR

4.
Negotiating complex,
valuable, conditional deals

5.
Negotiating high trust,
interdependent partnerships

LEVEL 6

MASTER NEGOTIATOR

6.
Becoming the
Master Negotiator

E-LEARNING MODULES

Self-paced foundational and advanced negotiation theory that prepares you for the practical live workshops.

Live workshops

In-person or remote, tutor-led live workshops that are safe spaces to learn, packed with practical activities and “aha” moments.

Live simulation

We learn best by doing. So you’ll be doing
a lot of doing. Carefully designed, proprietary case studies help advance your skills.

Video playback

A revelatory experience that helps you become conscious of your and your counterparty’s behaviours – accelerating your learning.

Peer analysis

It’s hard to step out of our own heads. Discover what your peers think about your negotiation skills, compared to how you thought they perceived you.

Follow up coaching

Follow up sessions with your peer group and 1-2-1 with your tutor, where you’ll analyse real world negotiations and further embed successful behaviours.

E-LEARNING MODULES

Self-paced foundational and advanced negotiation theory that prepares you for the practical live workshops.

Live workshops

In-person or remote, tutor-led live workshops that are safe spaces to learn, packed with practical activities and “aha” moments.

Live simulation

We learn best by doing. So you’ll be doing
a lot of doing. Carefully designed, proprietary case studies help advance your skills.

Video playback

A revelatory experience that helps you become conscious of your and your counterparty’s behaviours – accelerating your learning.

Peer analysis

It’s hard to step out of our own heads. Discover what your peers think about your negotiation skills, compared to how you thought they perceived you.

Follow up coaching

Follow up sessions with your peer group and 1-2-1 with your tutor, where you’ll analyse real world negotiations and further embed successful behaviours.

Levels 1-3: The Foundation Negotiator

Why do it? Because you’re playing a game of negotiation and you need to know the rules. You’ll learn the art and the science of negotiation. You’ll begin to understand your triggers and how to master your emotions. You’ll experience control and become consciously competent. And you’ll watch and hear what you actually say and do when you become flustered. We’ll then show you how to manage your verbal and non verbal responses, helping you to become a more confident and commercially tough negotiator.

Learn to:

Stop leaving money on the table and giving away value.
Plan more, navigating your way with P.L.A.N.T© and the Kahvay Negotiation Compass©.
Observe, deduce and control human behaviour, so you can maximise returns.
Spot and take advantage of weaknesses in your counterparty’s arguments.
Become more comfortable being uncomfortable.

LEVEL 1: INTRODUCTION

We’re going to build you into a master negotiator, but first we have to make sure the foundations are rock solid. So everyone starts here.

Learn the foundational principles and shared language of effective negotiation.
Introduction to the tools and techniques of planning, proposing and closing deals.
Learn the critical difference between selling and negotiating.
And learn to navigate your way with P.L.A.N.T and the Kahvay Negotiation Compass.

LEVEL 2: The Haggler

Building on level 1, you’ll learn the art of the Haggler and how to negotiate in high-conflict price focused situations.

Learn why you’re giving away value if you’re not using the F.A.F.S technique.
The secret to gaining power that involves questioning and strategic mouth shutting.
Understanding and controlling human behaviours so you can maximise returns.
And how to use reciprocity to gain control of the negotiation.

Level 3: The Dealer

With the Dealer’s skillset, you’ll become a more confident and adaptable negotiator able to trade single issue proposals more profitably.

Learn to navigate conflict while preserving important client relationships.
Learn how to spot and take advantage of weaknesses in your counterparty.
Develop the key questioning skills that reveal the true interests of your counterparty.
Learn why being comfortable with being uncomfortable gives you the upper hand.

Seniority: All levels must complete Levels 1 to 3 but if you are junior or mid-level you might want to pause here at ‘The Foundation Negotiator’ certificate – until you feel ready to progress to ‘The Skilled Negotiator’.

Levels 4-5: The Skilled Negotiator

Why do it? Because the rules have changed. And the other side might now be more skilled than you. So you need to continue your learning in order to become more skilled at negotiating complex, high-trust deals, brainstorming, linking issues and trading conditionally, whilst at the same time managing risk and improving total value for both parties.

Learn to:

Manage complexity, use planning techniques and create low-cost, high value proposals.
Build warm, cooperative and trusting relationships while remaining commercially tough.
Manage conflict and deadlock to solve issues and joint problems together.
Use creative solutions, align interests and calculate and manage total value.

Level 4: The Engineer

As the Engineer, you’ll become skilled at successfully negotiating more complex deals that require trust and conditional trades.

Gain more complex planning techniques to help with low-cost, high value proposals.
Learn how to build warm, cooperative and trusting relationships while also being firm.
Manage information sharing, understand their position without exposing yours.
And better understand all the variables at play and the value of them to each party.

Level 5: The Diplomat

As the Diplomat, you’ll negotiate more complex high trust deals, using strategies to share risk and improve total value for both parties.

Using advanced negotiator tools to solve problems together with your counterparty.
Learn to calculate total value for both parties and recognise shared problems.
And learn to align interests, use more creative solutions, and break deadlocks.
And how to use reciprocity to gain control of the negotiation.

Seniority: All levels of seniority (once you’ve completed The Foundation Negotiator). Most suitable for middle to senior tiers.

Levels 6: The Master Negotiator

Why do it? Because “skilled” is good, but it’s not enough. You need to take your journey from ‘the tactical’ to ‘the strategic’. Mastery is your only next step. Strategically examine the entire negotiation process, including structured thinking, decision-making, risk analysis, and process mapping. Besides, why wouldn’t you seek mastery? The other side is.

Learn to:

Visualise a specific future and create the processes that secure that future.
Use a planning matrix and improve stakeholder engagement.
Analyse and manage risk, creating triggers and “what if” scenarios.

Level 6: The Strategist

As the Strategist, you’ll examine the entire negotiation process, with emphasis on structured thinking, decision-making, risk analysis, and process mapping.

Learn how using a simple planning matrix can improve stakeholder engagement
Discover The Strategic Negotiation Planning Canvas and other advanced planning tools.
Learn to use R-IP-T-AR to quickly assess risk and “what if” scenarios.
And visualise a specific future and create the processes that secure that future.

Seniority:Senior tiers.

“Considering the course was delivered entirely online it went well. The practical negotiation examples and review after were helpful. The exercises were very hands on and well thought through. Watching back your videos and analysing yourself and your peers was a great way to learn quickly. This has made me more confident and firm on what I want/need.”

“I felt the number of people that participated was appropriate. It allowed each individual to communicate and express their opinion. I feel much more confident, and less of a pushover. It’s made me more aware of what I’m doing and I intend to use the techniques shared with me in current live negotiations and when planning for future negotiations to secure better results.”

What’s the purpose of this training? How does your life actually change?

This course is not here to tick a learning and development box. The goal is to make this one of the most valuable learning experiences of your career. You and your team will…

Become more confident

Instead of confusion and emotion, you’ll have the skills to operate with clarity and control. You’ll become more comfortable with being uncomfortable. And you’ll enter every negotiation with the confidence that comes from the genuine mastery of a skill.

Become more adaptable

A master negotiator needs to be able to assess new situations and adjust their plan accordingly. This journey will help you become more adaptable, so you can adjust your strategy and tactics to meet the challenges you’re facing in that moment.

Become commercially tougher

Toughness isn’t about learning to be more aggressive. It’s about recognising your power. It’s about not allowing emotion to rule you. And it’s about spotting weaknesses in your counterparty, and not allowing yourself to be manipulated or exploited by them..

Become more effective

Put your team through this journey and you’ll start to speak a common negotiation language. You’ll all approach planning, strategy and execution in the same effective way. So you’ll become a well-oiled machine that consistently maximises value.

Become less exploitable

If your team has not completed advanced negotiation training, it’s highly likely they’re leaking value. The Master Negotiator will prepare your team for any situation: powerful suppliers, stubborn counterparts, and tough market conditions.

Become more profitable

This is what it is all about, right? This training will help each person in your team increase profitability for your company. Which is not just about negotiating better prices. It’s about learning to extract more value from every aspect of a deal.

Warning: Don’t expect an easy ride. But expect hard results.

This is a very safe space to learn and grow in. But this is not training where you sit passively in front of a powerpoint. You have to get involved. And you’re going to feel uncomfortable at times, but that’s essential if you want to grow. One thing is for sure, you’ll be very glad you did this. How do we know? Because everyone who completes the course tells us this.

Expert trainers. Experienced practitioners.

We’re not just versed in the theory of negotiation. Our trainers have negotiated high-stakes deals at some of the UK’s biggest retail brands. So we know your world like the back of our hands.

We know the personalities, the tactics, and the commercial challenges you will face. We know what it means to perform under pressure. And we know how to make you a smarter and more successful negotiator than the counterparties you face.

Businesspeople working together on a laptop at an office table

“Negotiation is an essential skill for everyone, but especially retailers. I first met Giles Morgan (Kahvay’s founder), while heading up Human Resources at Argos and wow what an experience it was. Training quickly turned into consulting, as we witnessed the incredible impact Giles had on our team (he makes learning so personal and relevant to you).

They say great business partnerships include mutual respect, trust and joint problem-solving. This is why we’ve partnered with Kahvay. To offer you a highly credible and digital-first negotiation learning journey, delivered with great passion and skill.”

Lucy Crowther | Director of BRC learning

Are you ready to learn the strategy, tactics and behaviours of a master negotiator?

The more you know the rules of ‘the great game’ the more competent you become in negotiation. With more competence comes more confidence and with more confidence comes more success. So our promise to you is a simple one. Complete the Master Negotiator learning journey and we will make you more successful.

Ready to become a master negotiator?

Click below to let us know you’re interested, and we’ll do the rest.

I’M READY!