(Almost) Everything is Negotiable
As a young lawyer I worked at the Oakland County prosecutor’s office. I had a good friend in the office by the name of Paul. He was a big Italian kid, played football at Hillsdale College and had a low gravelly voice straight out of a Mafia movie. I learned two things from Paul: use ice cold water when you make coffee (he was a connoisseur) and never forget that you can negotiate the price of just about anything.
The first time it happened it was somewhat of a shock. Paul and I were on a lunch break at a shopping mall near the courthouse looking at shoes. The price was clearly listed but when the salesperson came up, Paul slowly and calmly began to work down the price. After I watched Paul do this in several different situations, I came to realize that just about anything is negotiable.
Now, I will confess, in my younger days I could take it too far. My wife still likes to remind me about the time that I was trying to negotiate the price of a kitchen table at a furniture store. When the salesman said he could go no lower I whispered to her “let’s head for the door, they’ll stop us before we get out.” Nothing happened and out we went…without the table. I didn’t tell Paul about that one.
The cost of negotiation is in time and energy, which some people would rather avoid. But too often people hear the price and think that’s the end of the conversation. In most instances you can, in a very polite and non-stressful way, probe for a little better deal. Remember the rule: the worst they can say is no. Here are some items worth trying to negotiate:
Rent: The advertised rent of an apartment is what the landlord hopes to get. It never hurts to work for a lower amount by showing market averages or considering a longer lease. My clients who are landlords tell me that they will give reduced rent in return for people that they think will take good care of things and will make a long-term commitment.
Medical bills: People get a complicated looking bill in the mail and think that’s the end of the discussion. That’s not necessarily the case. Simply indicating that you can afford to pay immediately if they lower the price sometimes does wonders.
Subscription services: Companies providing subscription services for cell phones, cable and even XM radio don’t want you to leave. If you shop the competition and go back to your current provider with the idea that you’re thinking of leaving, you’ll be amazed on how flexible they can be in changing your bill.
Airline miles: One of my sons came home last weekend from Chicago on a Delta flight. It was the second time in a row that his flight was delayed. He went to the front desk and explained how much trouble the delay caused (twice) and was initially offered 3,000 Delta miles for his troubles. He tells me he conveyed his appreciation and told the person he thought more miles were in order based on the length of the delay. Sure enough after the attendant talked to her manager he left with 10,000 Delta miles. No yelling, just a little persistence.
Negotiating prices is out of many people’s comfort zone. You don’t have to be aggressive or disrespectful to be effective. In fact, the nicer and calmer you are the better your chances of getting someone to give you some special treatment. Just be careful in furniture stores 😊.
Fun Fact: Speaking of negotiation, a guy named Ron Cobb was hired by Steven Spielberg to direct a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, called Night Skies. Eventually, Spielberg took over the directing and changed the name to E. T. Ron Cobb was able to negotiate a single percentage point from Spielberg’s share of the deal. Based on E.T.’s success, Cobb’s first check was for over $1 million, and he continued to get checks until his death in 2020.
