RETAIL
Real Deal Strategic Preparation

THE SITUATION
SNI was engaged by one of the largest Grocery chain retailers on the East Coast to provide its Real Estate negotiations team with an advanced program to improve preparation and enhance skills when dealing with strategic, tactical negotiators on the other side.  This multibillion-dollar corporation employs 58,000 associates in its network of stores, distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and offices, which stretch across more than 180 communities in the Northeast. The goal was to deliver leases and contracts in a consistent and equitable manner for all parties.

THE SNI SOLUTION
The Real Estate team typically negotiates with “difficult” landlords and developers.  SNI’s team of experts worked directly with the Real Estate team: first, delivering a highly customized, advanced training program; and then working directly with the deal team to practice the systematic approach in the context of a real negotiation.

Participants learned how to prepare in order to better understand their goals, probe to learn the goals of the other party, and make better proposals.  SNI worked with the team to negotiate effectively with difficult negotiators, to defend against tactics, and to create a WIN-win outcome.

THE IMPACT
“Last evening I used Shapiro's Preparation Planner™ to prepare for a negotiation with a local restaurant concerning their relocation to make room for a new driveway and traffic signal for our proposed on-site relocation.  I had a budget of $1,141,300 for us to relocate the restaurant to another site.  By preparing a long list of alternatives, I was prepared to convince the restaurant to stay in their current building, but to give us a permanent easement for parking and access by deeding us a portion of their existing parcel for our new driveway.  In short, I was able to purchase a portion of their land and to give them a “win” by making a contribution towards their deal cost and modifications to their existing building for only $500,000.  A savings of $641,300 was achieved by their agreement to this alternative.” - Manager Real Estate

THE RESULT
The grocery retailer found that the leases negotiated after the program and with SNI’s coaching created a savings of over $2 million on deals using the SNI systematic approach to negotiations.