Bachelor Students 'Buy, Sell' VR Systems in Negotiation Skills Project Week

10.05.2024

Winners to Represent Wittenborg at European Sales Competition

From 15 to 17 April, Wittenborg's BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) students took part in a special Project Week. Their goal? Elevating their sales and negotiation skills!

Dr Alexander Bauer, Associate Professor of Applied Sciences at Wittenborg, underscored the importance of negotiation in diverse professional settings, structuring this Project Week similar to that of a "mini European Sales Competition".

"The main objective was to strengthen students' skills in negotiation and to also select the two best students for the European Sales Competition in Helsinki," he explains. "This was done through the voting of the students during the final negotiation round. The objective is also for students to reflect on their skills and think about how to improve them."

These particular skills were tested over three days, starting with a lecture on negotiation styles, role-play sessions and group discussions. On the second day, students engaged in negotiation rounds, recording their sessions for submission. The top performers were selected for a competition on the third day, where they competed in parallel rooms, with each student taking on roles as buyer, seller or judge.

The role-play negotiation scenario involved students engaging in a simulated conversation with a buyer from the tourism company TUI, focusing on the implementation of VR (Virtual Reality) solutions for trade shows and branches.

Despite initial concerns about cost savings, the goal was to explore options and generate interest for future negotiations. Students were tasked with assessing pros and cons, emphasising the value of VR solutions, developing actionable guidelines, considering diverse perspectives, and navigating both salesperson and buyer roles effectively.

Wittenborg students share negotiation insights

Wittenborg students Fjodors Svinarevs and Beniamin Droukin were later named the winners of the Negotiation Skills Project Week and now have the opportunity to represent Wittenborg at the European Sales Competition in May.

Droukin, who is studying Events Management at Wittenborg, particularly enjoyed debating and exchanging different points of view.

His strategy included listening very carefully when taking on the role of either the seller or the buyer. "It is important to do research and be prepared for the conversation in advance. Then, it is also crucial to balance the 'business mood' by being serious but also incorporating little jokes and engaging in small talk to gain their trust."

Svinarevs, on the other hand, is studying for his MCI (Marketing Communication & Information) degree and enjoyed debating as he could apply his negotiation skills and ask various questions. His winning strategy? "When crafting your argument, always be confident in what your argument will be about so that it sounds convincing."

Ranen Thomas, currently pursuing his BBA in Sports Business Management, highlighted that as an introvert, he gained more than just negotiation skills; the experience taught him effective communication in various situations, including interviews and classroom interactions.

"I quickly learned that the buyer and the salesperson have to be 'quick on their feet' and quite agile. Moreover, from the perspective of the buyer, I realised that making sure to actively listen while also thinking of the next question to ask was essential in the process of negotiating. And from the salesperson's perspective, keeping the buyer's attention by focusing on their specific needs is key."

He says that it is also important to keep cultural and even individual differences in mind.

Alexandra Kukhtina, an IBA (International Business Administration) student and External Relations & Events Administrator at Wittenborg, enjoyed the feedback session from lecturers, other students, and her "buyer".

"We encounter negotiations every day; it’s only the complexity of the deal and the size of the reward that changes. Thus, in my opinion, becoming comfortable and convincing in negotiating is the key to success in business and life."