Commercial Situations You'll Recognise
Every scenario used in Blue Titanium programmes is drawn from real commercial situations that Irish businesses face. The pressure is real because the context is real.
The scenarios used in Blue Titanium programmes are not invented exercises. They are reconstructions of the commercial conversations that happen every week in Irish businesses — the supplier who calls with a price increase, the client who pushes back on renewal terms, the partnership discussion where both sides have different expectations of what the deal should look like.
Each scenario is designed to require specific negotiation techniques. A scenario is not just a situation — it is a structured test of whether a participant can apply a particular skill under pressure. The scenario creates the conditions. The technique is what the participant brings to it.
Supplier Price Increases
The most common commercial negotiation Irish businesses face. A supplier announces a price increase, often with short notice and a plausible justification. The response in the first few minutes shapes the entire negotiation.
The Justified Increase
A long-standing supplier cites genuine cost pressures — energy, materials, logistics — and requests a price increase of 12%. Their justification is reasonable. The question is how much of the increase is genuinely necessary and how to negotiate the remainder without damaging a valued relationship.
- Acknowledging without accepting
- Requesting cost breakdown information
- Counter-anchoring on alternative terms
- Phased implementation negotiation
The Leverage Play
A supplier with significant market position announces a price increase that appears to exceed any reasonable cost justification. They have leverage. The participant must decide whether to push back, seek alternatives, or negotiate a package that reduces the overall impact.
- BATNA development and communication
- Managing power imbalance
- Package negotiation across multiple variables
- Escalation and de-escalation management
Contract Renewals
Contract renewals are high-stakes conversations where both sides have information the other doesn't fully understand. The incumbent supplier or service provider has the advantage of the relationship. The buyer has the advantage of the alternative.
The Long-Term Client Renewal
A client of seven years is approaching renewal. They've been happy with the service but are being approached by competitors offering lower prices. They want a conversation about terms. The incumbent provider needs to hold value while remaining commercially flexible enough to keep the business.
- Value articulation under price pressure
- Anchoring on non-price variables
- Concession management and sequencing
- Closing and commitment securing
The Terms Change Renewal
A supplier is seeking to change payment terms, reduce service levels or add conditions at renewal. The client wants to maintain existing terms. Both sides have leverage. The negotiation requires managing multiple variables simultaneously.
- Multi-issue negotiation management
- Conditional concession technique
- Identifying and using leverage points
- Reaching agreement on complex terms
Partnership Terms
Partnership negotiations are complex because the relationship itself is part of what's being negotiated. Both sides need the arrangement to work. Both sides have interests that aren't fully disclosed. The challenge is reaching terms that hold without creating resentment.
The Unequal Partnership
Two businesses are negotiating a joint venture or partnership agreement. One party has more to gain from the arrangement. The other has more leverage. The negotiation requires both parties to reach terms that feel equitable while reflecting the actual contribution each is making.
- Interest identification behind positions
- Creating value through trade-offs
- Managing relationship dynamics in negotiation
- Documenting agreement clearly
Salary Discussions
Salary negotiations carry emotional weight that other commercial negotiations don't. The relationship is ongoing. The conversation has consequences beyond the immediate agreement. Both sides need to leave the conversation able to work together effectively.
The Promotion Conversation
An employee is seeking a promotion and salary increase. They have a competing offer. The manager wants to retain them but has budget constraints and internal equity considerations. The negotiation requires managing expectations, information and relationship simultaneously.
- Opening position and anchoring
- Using competing offers as leverage
- Negotiating beyond base salary
- Reaching agreement that preserves the relationship
The Candidate Offer
A hiring manager is making an offer to a candidate who has indicated their current salary is higher than the initial offer. The company wants the candidate. The budget is constrained. The negotiation requires creativity across the full compensation package.
- Total compensation framing
- Managing candidate expectations
- Creative package construction
- Closing and commitment securing
Custom Scenarios for Your Industry
Where a programme is designed for a specific organisation, scenarios can be drawn from that organisation's actual commercial context — the supplier relationships, client conversations and internal negotiations that participants face in their day-to-day work. This specificity increases the transfer of learning from training to real commercial situations.
Discuss Custom Scenarios