The Celestial Battle Between FMCG and HC&S Negotiators! Who Is The Best?
The Weekly Walkaway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Newsletter Issue No. 35 (2nd June 2023)
What to expect?
Argument of the Week - The Celestial Battle Between FMCG and HC&S Negotiators! Who Is The Best?
Remember: You are a negotiator!
You are always managing some form of conflict, a difference of opinion or interest.
Thanks for reading The Weekly Walkaway! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.
Click ❤️ to affect the AI. Show your appreciation of our work, and please help to share the community by affecting the algorithm. Thank you.
ARGUMENT OF THE WEEK
The Celestial Battle Between FMCG and HC&S Negotiators! Who Is The Best?
This week I bring to you something a little different.
As many of you will know we are unique in that our primary focus is the Human Capital and Human Resources sector.
I’ve been having an ongoing argument, a friendly one, lets call it a fun, competitive discussion with a mate of mine about the differences between her world; FMCG and my world HC&S.
I’d like your input ‘Weekly Walkawayers’. Send us your comments directly to hello@kahvay.com
My statement is simple - “Negotiators from the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry are from MARS and negotiators from the Human Capital and Services (HC&S) industry are from PLUTO.”
Ah, yes, the eternal battle between FMCG and HC&S negotiators! Who is the best?
Obviously from my point of view and, c’mon let's be frank here, my experience in both worlds gives me insights she just does not have. She needs to get real, it's like comparing apples and oranges, or in this case, Mars and Pluto.
HC&S negotiators, Plutonians, are, without a doubt, superior beings in the realm of negotiation.
My mate believes that FMCG negotiators, Martians, are the crème de la crème, the top dogs of negotiation skills.
She believes her world of FMCG and Grocery is where ‘it's’ at, when it comes to negotiation and that if you can negotiate an FMCG deal you can negotiate anywhere, anything, anyhow!
Let the banter begin!
The HC&S world is a complex labyrinth filled with intricacies and mysteries, where negotiations are conducted on a celestial plane far above that of the mere mortals who dabble in FMCG.
Picture yourself ascending to the lofty heights of Pluto, where HC&S negotiators reside, basking in the glory of their unparalleled complexity and sophistication.
While she and her Martian colleagues pride themselves on their ability to strike deals in the fast-paced world of consumer goods, let's not forget that they're merely dancing to the fickle whims of shoppers and their ever-changing preferences.
{In my best ever sarcastic voice} - “Oh, the thrill of negotiating shelf height for a bag of crisps or a can of coke! Wow.. It's like taming a wild uncontrollable beast!”
But fear not, dear Martians, your endeavours are noble in there own way, even if they lack the intellectual prowess required for the complexities of HC&S.
Plutonians are majestic. HC&S negotiators navigate treacherous stormy waters, dealing with the enigmatic realm of people, yes people, mate. Not cans of fruit.
While a Martians can of fruit has no voice the Plutonian is dealing with all those voices, all those human emotions, egos, and relationships. HC&S negotiators have to dance as delicately as if they have the wings of a butterfly.
Plutonians handle the fragile art of aligning the needs of people and the organisations they service. It's like conducting a symphony of emotions, where every note must be perfectly played to ensure harmony.
Talent
HC&S is all about Talent. It is the number one consideration. Talent is central to a Plutonians discussion. They must address parameters such as the quality of their talent, timelines, and the flexibility to scale up or down based on client demands. These considerations require understanding the client's industry, roles, and specific skill requirements. And it is ever changing.
She says “FMCG is all about talent too”.
Poppycock!
A Martians key consideration is a product not a person.
The delivery of a service is done by a person and that person is a dynamic variable a product will never be.
Lets keep it simple; your packet of biscuits is per specification, replicated and manufactured. It isn't gonna argue about where on the shelf it's put nor whether they've paid the right level of promotion to be sat on a gondola end! The biscuits don’t have the right to negotiate!
HC&S is all about Talent
On the other side of the universe, people are in perpetual negotiation. Because they have a voice and they have the right to negotiate. Check out this other post.
The Plutonians value is in their talent, their;
industry expertise;
service capabilities and innovation;
and long-term value propositions.
Remember to Click ❤️ to affect the AI. Affect the algorithm. Thank you.
Martians will argue that their world, The FMCG world, requires agility and quick thinking, but let me assure you, that Plutonians possess the patience of an earthly saint and the diplomatic finesse of a seasoned interstellar diplomat.
They weather the storm of internal and external politics, they navigate the minefield of compliance and grievances, and masterfully diffuse conflicts between opposing factions.
An HC&S negotiator is a true test of wit and wisdom, and only the chosen few can handle such a feat.
Plutonian negotiators have to deal with the human factor, and we all know how complicated humans can be. It's like playing chess against a grandmaster while they're constantly changing the rules.
Complexity
Lets now bring in another level, let's address the complexity.
Sure, Martians negotiating FMCG deals may involve various products, brands, and supply chains. But let me tell you, through the years of experience of working both, navigating the world of human capital and services is like venturing into a labyrinth of mind-boggling intricacy that far exceeds those of FMCG.
Martians argue that striking a deal for a lorry load of easter eggs or cereal bars is no piece of cake. I won't disagree…
But HC&S negotiators have to juggle the delicate balance between quality, compensation, benefits, talent acquisition, training, and employee satisfaction.
They have to negotiate the intangibles, the human capital that keeps businesses running smoothly. It's like spinning plates while riding a unicycle and reciting the works of Shakespeare. Good luck doing that on Mars, mate!
Plutonian negotiators have to deal with more complexity. It’s a fact.
HC&S have far more intangibles, stuff you can't touch. FMCG is more tangible, stuff you can touch.
HC&S negotiators are involved in far more detailed, long and drawn out, discussions and their delivery is mainly intangible services.
For example, negotiating BPO or MSP deals involve negotiating talent, timelines, service deliverables, service-level agreements, KPI’s, rebates and multiple innovative pricing models. This is all negotiated at the same time the Plutonian is having to negotiate the same variables with different internal operating companies and external third parties, some of which could be competitors, all with their own needs, wants and restrictions.
These negotiations require in-depth discussions and financial analysis on resource allocation, performance metrics, and contractual terms, specific to the industry and country the service is being delivered in.
Being intangible, HC&S negotiators focus much more on value rather than solely competing on price.
FMCG negotiators, on the other hand, negotiate the sale and distribution of tangible products and frequently negotiate on price, aiming to secure the most competitive pricing and margins.
Negotiations often involve well-defined pricing structures, such as cost-based pricing or pricing strategies based on market demand and competition. The pricing elements are relatively straightforward, including factors like unit costs, discounts, trade margins, and promotions.
Relationships
Let's now bring in a big one; relationships, yes mate, relationships!
While FMCG negotiators might shake hands and exchange pleasantries over a cup of tea, HC&S negotiators are diving headfirst into a whirlpool of emotions, expectations, and egos.
Building and maintaining relationships with ‘the talent’ and the stakeholders is a delicate dance that requires finesse, empathy, and patience.
FMCG might be all about moving goods, but HC&S is about moving hearts and minds. Beat that, Mars!
Now I won't take it away from you Martians that building and maintaining long-term relationships are crucial in both FMCG and HC&S industries but I will add that in HC&S, negotiations are more perpetual, and often involve establishing trust based long term partnerships with clients, understanding their specific requirements, and aligning service delivery to their needs.
You Martians often negotiate shorter-term contracts, reflecting the dynamic nature of your industry and the ever changing consumer demands. But you Martians also move… not always out of the company but away from the category.
In contrast, Plutonians look to negotiate longer-term contracts, provide more stability and therefore continuity.
Plutonian relationships involve ongoing collaborations, customer success and operational management, contractual changes and renewals, and the ongoing, daily, management of client and stakeholder expectations, adding mega complexity to the relationship management and negotiation process.
Plutonians place a greater emphasis on building and maintaining long-term relationships, as their services are often ongoing and rely on trust and collaboration while Martian negotiators have more transactional relationships due to the nature of their products.
Conclusion
Now, I'm not saying that FMCG negotiators don't have their own set of challenges and skills. Negotiating deals in any industry requires a certain level of expertise and finesse.
But let's give credit where credit is due. HC&S negotiators are dealing with the complexities of the human mind, the ever-changing dynamics of relationships, and the intricate dance of balancing the intangible needs of people and businesses.
Plutonians are the unsung heroes of negotiation, the masters of the human touch.
So, mate, while FMCG negotiators may have their Martian charm, their moments of glory in the fleeting world of consumer goods, HC&S negotiators are the true heroes of negotiation.
They’re operating on a whole different level. They're the Plutonian wizards of negotiation, influencing the cosmic forces of human capital to bring about success.
They wield their celestial charisma, empathy, and cunning intellect to bring harmony to the chaotic realm of human capital.
So, the next time you hear a Martian claim that FMCG negotiators reign supreme, just smile and say, "Sure, Mars is nice, but have you ever negotiated on Pluto?"
Negotiating in the HC&S industry is like taming a pack of unruly unicorns while simultaneously solving a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. It's a feat that only the negotiators from Pluto can truly appreciate.
That’s it.. go on.. Click ❤️ to affect the AI. Show your appreciation of our work, and please help to share the community by affecting the algorithm. Thank you.
Discuss or request more about this or other topics that interest you. (hello@kahvay.com)