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Business Traveller

Negotiation Tips from Istanbul, Turkey

Aired October 10, 2004 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


RICHARD QUEST, HOST: Your work takes you around the world. You may be based in London, you've got business in Istanbul. Bridge the gap, make the deal. On CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER, the art of negotiation.
Hello and welcome to CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. I'm Richard Quest, this month reporting from Istanbul in Turkey, a city that is rich in culture and tradition. After all, it's been a central trading post over three major civilization; the Ottomans, the Romans, the Byzantines.

The traders here have had to learn to deal with different cultures and it's made them the masters of the art of negotiation, which is the theme of this month's BUSINESS TRAVELLER.

We're going to show how you can be a successful negotiator and teach you the skills you need to clinch that deal. Also, cross cultural training, whether in Turkey, Japan or Germany, how a little bit of extra knowledge gives you the upper hand in your business dealings around the world. And we meet the man behind some of Wall Street's more successful business leaders. He's Joseph Batcholder (ph). What makes him a good negotiator? We go ON THE ROAD with him.

That was certainly unexpected.

This is a game of strategy and skill, a bit like a negotiation, where the ability to anticipate your opponents move brings you success, or not as the case may be. Sona (ph) is clearly doing it much better than I am.

In fact, we're just playing checkers in a street-side caf‚ in Istanbul while others are playing backgammon and chest. In the real business world, though, there's much more at stake and in fact there are still some tricks and skills you can learn to bring you some sort of success, unlike me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): Not all negotiators are created equal. Some are aggressive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want you to range that 4,000 shares of that stock are sold to me immediately.

QUEST: Others are more compromising.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please listen to me for a minute.

QUEST: To become a successful negotiator you've got to identify your personal style.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you the kind of person who goes into a negotiation with a mind set that you have to achieve a win? Or are you the kind of person who is always searching for compromise? Are you look to see that you want to other person to get something also during the course of the negotiation?

QUEST: The popular view is the aggressive negotiator is more likely to win the business deal, dominating conversation, possibly using threats and ultimatums, even willing to stretch the truth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aggressive tactics you would use only in situation where relationships are not important. That's about the only place that you would use it.

QUEST: And after the deal is done maintaining good relations is still important.

So the diplomatic approach.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can use cooperative tactics in every situation.

QUEST: And that doesn't mean you'll look like an easy pushover.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A good negotiator is one who cooperates to get a good outcome for themselves and is not a doormat in the process.

QUEST: Regardless of your style, there are some things every negotiator should do even before the negotiations begin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Preparation is the first step in any negotiation. Preparation would include trying to understand the situation, trying to get a very, very good grip of what the other people want, trying to get a very good grip of what the you want.

You have to have you goals pretty much clear in your mind. Knowing what you want means you need to know whether you can walk away from a negotiation.

Flexibility means that you should go into a negotiation with your goals, with your bottom line all set, but you should be willing to try a lot of different things to get to your goals.

The only point at which a good negotiator should not be flexible is about the bottom line. A good negotiator would rather walk away from the deal than actually breach the bottom line that they have set.

QUEST: And once the talking starts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can get the other person to like you.

So that's a very important skill.

Ask questions. People tend to answer these questions and you get a lot of information with these answers.

They make use of silences or pauses quite well. People tend to fill in gaps during the course of a conversation. That's another way of getting information out.

Always try to get some kind of agreement with the other side. The key is to try to find agreement on small issues.

Never lie in a negotiation. There are many ways you can get caught up in your lies.

QUEST: Set clear goals. Be true to your own individual negotiating style. It's the one that will work. And you'll be amazed at your bargaining power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

A bridge across two cultures and Istanbul is truly a city with a foot on both sides. The Bosporus Bridge connects the Asia with the European, where I am. And people are constantly going backwards and forwards to live and work. It is understanding and accepting the cultural differences that make this city unique.

And it's understanding cultural differences that will make you successful in your overseas business.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): Konichiwa in Japan. Guttentag in Germany. Merhaba in Turkey. Saying hello is the easy bit. Understanding the cultural nuances wherever you do business is far more challenging.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you look at North America and U.S.A., Canada and U.K., much of Northern Europe, there is a difference between business life and the personal life.

QUEST: In the West, no time for chit-chat. It's all about contracts and getting straight to the bottom line, and that's not the case in other parts of the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could say that business is business in the West, and business is personal everywhere else.

The Japanese negotiate in teams. They don't negotiate as individuals. Japan is a consensual society. Before making a decision on your proposal, they will go to all the members of that meeting team and ask what they think or what they thought of you, so it's important not to only build a good relationship with the director or the manager or the head of the negotiation team, but all of those involved.

A good way of recognizing how the hierarchy works in a Japanese boardroom or meeting room is that the head of the negotiation team will sit in the middle of the table, furthest away from the door. So you should always greet that most senior person first because there is a respect for hierarchy and status. And then you should greet all of those in descending order in terms of rank.

If you look at Middle Eastern societies and Mediterranean societies, many Asian societies, North and South America, there is a common trait through all of them, that they like to do business with people that they know and they trust and feel comfortable with. It's important to understand what these people may like. If they enjoy a particular sport, like golf or football, it may be worth investing some time in going to a match or having a round of golf together.

It's more about putting yourselves in a situation or context where both parties can be relaxed and both parties can communicate openly and get to know each other as people, not as business people.

QUEST: If you are pushed for time and can't prepare for that meeting or take care of the cultural niceties, just be aware of the basics.

Speak clearly and slowly. Avoid using jargon. Write down anything that could be misunderstood. And there is a golden rule.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always maintain is sense of professionalism and we aware that you're there on business, not for pleasure.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Coming up after the break, the home of the deal, Wall Street. We go ON THE ROAD with one of the biggest deal-makers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Kamal Attaturk, known as the father of Turkey. He changed the face of this country. He made Turkey a secular state. He changed the Turkish alphabet for Roman letters.

Now in pushing through these reforms, Attaturk, of course, had to compromise and he had to convince. Compromising and convincing, these are the hallmarks of good negotiation.

In the business world, one man has used both techniques to dramatic affect in changing the way Wall Street does business.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSEPH BATCHOLDER, WALL STREET BUSINESS LEADER: Hi, Tom. Any messages? OK. Very good.

We are negotiators. So in essence, we are settling the points that you are trying to reach agreement on. The most important single thing in negotiation is too read the parties correctly. What your client wants and what does the other side want and what are their respective leverage points. What are their strengths and what are their weaknesses.

Going an hour-and-a-half of discussion over lunch is very productive. And there we will talk about strategies in negotiations. In transactions there is not a single loser or single winner. There are particular points that you may have had to compromise on. And it may be overall a very productive result.

For the most part, our clients come here. They like the anonymity, and frequently other parties are involved so that this is a convenient hub.

One of the worst things you can do in a negotiation is to lose focus. You've got to keep your eye on the ball. You have to be alert and you have to keep your eye on the ball and focus, focus, focus. That's key to transactions, key to negotiation.

Another of the hobbies that I enjoy is music. I enjoy it as a mode of relaxation.

Without a question, there is an art to negotiation. And that's because first and foremost it involves people. This is not a science and it is not a cut and tried process. It's very creative. It's understanding people and it's enjoying the fray.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Richard, I want to sell you this carpet. I want to make you a good deal for that carpet.

QUEST: How much is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $2,200.

QUEST: How much?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $2,200, Mr. Richard.

QUEST: What's so special about this carpet?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This carpet is silk. Pure silk. It's hand-bound.

QUEST: It should be made for gold at that prize. I'll give you $1,000.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not possible, Mr. Richard, but I can lower for you $100. I can make $2,100. That's all I can do.

QUEST: Now, listen. When it comes to negotiating the prize of a carpet, it's a real art. You better know what your doing and what your buying.

It's the same whether your negotiating your travel budget. You want to make sure every penny goes as for as possible and you get the best possible deal.

I'll tell you what, $2,000. It's my best offer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a deal. It's a deal, Mr. Richard.

QUEST: Can you take a credit card?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): With a bit of inside knowledge and a sharpened set of negotiating skills you can get more out of your time and money.

First, you have to get over idea that cheaper is better. Roger Collis is the author of "The Survivor's Guide to Business Travel." He specializes in tips to beat the system.

ROGER COLLIS, AUTHOR: One should aim at what I call state of the art travel, which is getting the best value for travel, not necessarily the best prize.

QUEST: By spending a little bit more, you can gain extras, like breakfast or a flight which leaves from a more convenient airport. Crucially, you gain the flexibility to change your plans. And, of course, the Internet is a useful resource for these details, but only if you know where to look.

COLLIS: Don't assume that a no-frills carrier is going to be the cheapest, particularly for late booking.

One thing to look at is the airline alliance sites, which are regional. For example, in Europe you have Opoto (ph). In the States, you have Orbitz.com. And in Asia now you have developing this excellent site called Zoogie (ph).

QUEST: A key tip is to focus your spending by regularly using a handful of hotels and airlines you become a prized client and that means more bargaining power. The simplest way to negotiate a good deal is by going straight to the source.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some hotels, the general manager or the front-of- house manager would have the autonomy to negotiate with you. Be honest and say I really like your hotel. I think it reaches my business objectives and at the end of the day I want to best price. See what added value you can bring into that. Are they going to give you a discount on food and beverage if you are a frequent stayer?

QUEST: And what they say about airlines is true. Joining a frequent flier program does give you a better chance of an upgrade. You can also try taking advantage of what is called cab in roll.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Target a flight which is likely to be full or overbooked. Airlines overbook because people don't turn up and that sort of thing. But sometimes they get there projections wrong and they will upgrade one or two people. You're more likely to get an upgrade if you are well-dressed, well-spoken with the right manner, and if you have the right sort of plastic frequent flier card and if you paid a reasonable amount for your ticket.

QUEST: And, of course, timing is vital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you know the airline model where the seats get more expensive closer to the date of departure, it's in reverse sometimes within the hotels. Because they don't want to by left with empty bedrooms. Hotels tend to look for more of a length of stay. It's cheaper to book and negotiate against a 4-night stay than it is for a 1-night stay.

QUEST: Most gains are made through added value, services or meals thrown into the deal. So if you negotiated a rate which is too low, you could find yourself excluded. There's more to getting a good travel deal than a cash discount.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: After all that negotiating I'm quite exhausted, but I'm sure you got some top tips about the best way to secure the deal and get a bargain. What's your negotiating art and skill? Send me an e-mail and we'll put the best ones on our Web site. It's the usual e-mail address, Quest@CNN.com. And there's a whole host of interesting features and articles for the traveling executive on the Web site at CNN.com/BusinessTraveller.

Now, I'm in Istanbul, in Turkey, the cradle of civilization, where East meets West, and coming up after the break, we've got TWO HOURS TO KILL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Clinching the deal involves more than just negotiating the terms and setting the price. It's often about building trust and confidence, and that often means getting involved in locate customs. If your in Istanbul, that could be enjoying a Turkish bath.

This is Jambalita's Hamam (ph), one of the oldest Turkish baths in the city, 400 years old and still a working Turkish bath.

It is in places like this that you will build confidence and gain the trust of the other parties. You'll also have a very good time. I've got to leave these behind. And it's a perfect place if you have TWO HOURS TO KILL.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUHAR KOZAN (ph), FASHION DESIGNER: Hello. Welcome to Istanbul. May name is Buhar Kozan (ph). I am a Turkish designer. I'm a fashion designer. Today I want to show you my hidden pleasure said of Istanbul.

We are in the Grand Bazaar. I think the Grand Bazaar is 600 years old and is the biggest court (ph) bazaar in Turkey.

If you want to by very interesting and old fabric here, this is the store. This is my favorite too. This is very old sheets actually, but silk and handmade gold strings.

Time for lunch. Such a nice place here. We are in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Museum and the restaurant name is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It's a wonderful place because I can see the Golden Horn.

You can see very interesting things in the museum. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tools and toys and transportation vehicles.

This is the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) toys collection. This is how it started, the idea of this museum, actually.

If you like art, this is a great place to come. We are in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He is one of the best painters of Turkey. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has a unique style and he works in Byzantine and Ottoman cultures and he makes modern art.

If you want to by a gift, maybe you can come here. This is the very old (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Istanbul. It's 100 years old and I want to test it. So delicious.

Hope you enjoyed. See you in Istanbul. Bye-bye.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: The whirling dervish, putting a different spin on negotiations. And that's CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER for this month. I'm Richard Quest, reporting from Istanbul in Turkey. Wherever your travels may take you, I hope your negotiations don't go in circles. I'll see you next month.

END

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Aired October 10, 2004 - 15:30:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICHARD QUEST, HOST: Your work takes you around the world. You may be based in London, you've got business in Istanbul. Bridge the gap, make the deal. On CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER, the art of negotiation.
Hello and welcome to CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. I'm Richard Quest, this month reporting from Istanbul in Turkey, a city that is rich in culture and tradition. After all, it's been a central trading post over three major civilization; the Ottomans, the Romans, the Byzantines.

The traders here have had to learn to deal with different cultures and it's made them the masters of the art of negotiation, which is the theme of this month's BUSINESS TRAVELLER.

We're going to show how you can be a successful negotiator and teach you the skills you need to clinch that deal. Also, cross cultural training, whether in Turkey, Japan or Germany, how a little bit of extra knowledge gives you the upper hand in your business dealings around the world. And we meet the man behind some of Wall Street's more successful business leaders. He's Joseph Batcholder (ph). What makes him a good negotiator? We go ON THE ROAD with him.

That was certainly unexpected.

This is a game of strategy and skill, a bit like a negotiation, where the ability to anticipate your opponents move brings you success, or not as the case may be. Sona (ph) is clearly doing it much better than I am.

In fact, we're just playing checkers in a street-side caf‚ in Istanbul while others are playing backgammon and chest. In the real business world, though, there's much more at stake and in fact there are still some tricks and skills you can learn to bring you some sort of success, unlike me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): Not all negotiators are created equal. Some are aggressive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want you to range that 4,000 shares of that stock are sold to me immediately.

QUEST: Others are more compromising.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please listen to me for a minute.

QUEST: To become a successful negotiator you've got to identify your personal style.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you the kind of person who goes into a negotiation with a mind set that you have to achieve a win? Or are you the kind of person who is always searching for compromise? Are you look to see that you want to other person to get something also during the course of the negotiation?

QUEST: The popular view is the aggressive negotiator is more likely to win the business deal, dominating conversation, possibly using threats and ultimatums, even willing to stretch the truth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aggressive tactics you would use only in situation where relationships are not important. That's about the only place that you would use it.

QUEST: And after the deal is done maintaining good relations is still important.

So the diplomatic approach.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can use cooperative tactics in every situation.

QUEST: And that doesn't mean you'll look like an easy pushover.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A good negotiator is one who cooperates to get a good outcome for themselves and is not a doormat in the process.

QUEST: Regardless of your style, there are some things every negotiator should do even before the negotiations begin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Preparation is the first step in any negotiation. Preparation would include trying to understand the situation, trying to get a very, very good grip of what the other people want, trying to get a very good grip of what the you want.

You have to have you goals pretty much clear in your mind. Knowing what you want means you need to know whether you can walk away from a negotiation.

Flexibility means that you should go into a negotiation with your goals, with your bottom line all set, but you should be willing to try a lot of different things to get to your goals.

The only point at which a good negotiator should not be flexible is about the bottom line. A good negotiator would rather walk away from the deal than actually breach the bottom line that they have set.

QUEST: And once the talking starts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can get the other person to like you.

So that's a very important skill.

Ask questions. People tend to answer these questions and you get a lot of information with these answers.

They make use of silences or pauses quite well. People tend to fill in gaps during the course of a conversation. That's another way of getting information out.

Always try to get some kind of agreement with the other side. The key is to try to find agreement on small issues.

Never lie in a negotiation. There are many ways you can get caught up in your lies.

QUEST: Set clear goals. Be true to your own individual negotiating style. It's the one that will work. And you'll be amazed at your bargaining power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

A bridge across two cultures and Istanbul is truly a city with a foot on both sides. The Bosporus Bridge connects the Asia with the European, where I am. And people are constantly going backwards and forwards to live and work. It is understanding and accepting the cultural differences that make this city unique.

And it's understanding cultural differences that will make you successful in your overseas business.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): Konichiwa in Japan. Guttentag in Germany. Merhaba in Turkey. Saying hello is the easy bit. Understanding the cultural nuances wherever you do business is far more challenging.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you look at North America and U.S.A., Canada and U.K., much of Northern Europe, there is a difference between business life and the personal life.

QUEST: In the West, no time for chit-chat. It's all about contracts and getting straight to the bottom line, and that's not the case in other parts of the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could say that business is business in the West, and business is personal everywhere else.

The Japanese negotiate in teams. They don't negotiate as individuals. Japan is a consensual society. Before making a decision on your proposal, they will go to all the members of that meeting team and ask what they think or what they thought of you, so it's important not to only build a good relationship with the director or the manager or the head of the negotiation team, but all of those involved.

A good way of recognizing how the hierarchy works in a Japanese boardroom or meeting room is that the head of the negotiation team will sit in the middle of the table, furthest away from the door. So you should always greet that most senior person first because there is a respect for hierarchy and status. And then you should greet all of those in descending order in terms of rank.

If you look at Middle Eastern societies and Mediterranean societies, many Asian societies, North and South America, there is a common trait through all of them, that they like to do business with people that they know and they trust and feel comfortable with. It's important to understand what these people may like. If they enjoy a particular sport, like golf or football, it may be worth investing some time in going to a match or having a round of golf together.

It's more about putting yourselves in a situation or context where both parties can be relaxed and both parties can communicate openly and get to know each other as people, not as business people.

QUEST: If you are pushed for time and can't prepare for that meeting or take care of the cultural niceties, just be aware of the basics.

Speak clearly and slowly. Avoid using jargon. Write down anything that could be misunderstood. And there is a golden rule.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always maintain is sense of professionalism and we aware that you're there on business, not for pleasure.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Coming up after the break, the home of the deal, Wall Street. We go ON THE ROAD with one of the biggest deal-makers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Kamal Attaturk, known as the father of Turkey. He changed the face of this country. He made Turkey a secular state. He changed the Turkish alphabet for Roman letters.

Now in pushing through these reforms, Attaturk, of course, had to compromise and he had to convince. Compromising and convincing, these are the hallmarks of good negotiation.

In the business world, one man has used both techniques to dramatic affect in changing the way Wall Street does business.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSEPH BATCHOLDER, WALL STREET BUSINESS LEADER: Hi, Tom. Any messages? OK. Very good.

We are negotiators. So in essence, we are settling the points that you are trying to reach agreement on. The most important single thing in negotiation is too read the parties correctly. What your client wants and what does the other side want and what are their respective leverage points. What are their strengths and what are their weaknesses.

Going an hour-and-a-half of discussion over lunch is very productive. And there we will talk about strategies in negotiations. In transactions there is not a single loser or single winner. There are particular points that you may have had to compromise on. And it may be overall a very productive result.

For the most part, our clients come here. They like the anonymity, and frequently other parties are involved so that this is a convenient hub.

One of the worst things you can do in a negotiation is to lose focus. You've got to keep your eye on the ball. You have to be alert and you have to keep your eye on the ball and focus, focus, focus. That's key to transactions, key to negotiation.

Another of the hobbies that I enjoy is music. I enjoy it as a mode of relaxation.

Without a question, there is an art to negotiation. And that's because first and foremost it involves people. This is not a science and it is not a cut and tried process. It's very creative. It's understanding people and it's enjoying the fray.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Richard, I want to sell you this carpet. I want to make you a good deal for that carpet.

QUEST: How much is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $2,200.

QUEST: How much?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $2,200, Mr. Richard.

QUEST: What's so special about this carpet?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This carpet is silk. Pure silk. It's hand-bound.

QUEST: It should be made for gold at that prize. I'll give you $1,000.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not possible, Mr. Richard, but I can lower for you $100. I can make $2,100. That's all I can do.

QUEST: Now, listen. When it comes to negotiating the prize of a carpet, it's a real art. You better know what your doing and what your buying.

It's the same whether your negotiating your travel budget. You want to make sure every penny goes as for as possible and you get the best possible deal.

I'll tell you what, $2,000. It's my best offer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a deal. It's a deal, Mr. Richard.

QUEST: Can you take a credit card?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST (voice-over): With a bit of inside knowledge and a sharpened set of negotiating skills you can get more out of your time and money.

First, you have to get over idea that cheaper is better. Roger Collis is the author of "The Survivor's Guide to Business Travel." He specializes in tips to beat the system.

ROGER COLLIS, AUTHOR: One should aim at what I call state of the art travel, which is getting the best value for travel, not necessarily the best prize.

QUEST: By spending a little bit more, you can gain extras, like breakfast or a flight which leaves from a more convenient airport. Crucially, you gain the flexibility to change your plans. And, of course, the Internet is a useful resource for these details, but only if you know where to look.

COLLIS: Don't assume that a no-frills carrier is going to be the cheapest, particularly for late booking.

One thing to look at is the airline alliance sites, which are regional. For example, in Europe you have Opoto (ph). In the States, you have Orbitz.com. And in Asia now you have developing this excellent site called Zoogie (ph).

QUEST: A key tip is to focus your spending by regularly using a handful of hotels and airlines you become a prized client and that means more bargaining power. The simplest way to negotiate a good deal is by going straight to the source.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some hotels, the general manager or the front-of- house manager would have the autonomy to negotiate with you. Be honest and say I really like your hotel. I think it reaches my business objectives and at the end of the day I want to best price. See what added value you can bring into that. Are they going to give you a discount on food and beverage if you are a frequent stayer?

QUEST: And what they say about airlines is true. Joining a frequent flier program does give you a better chance of an upgrade. You can also try taking advantage of what is called cab in roll.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Target a flight which is likely to be full or overbooked. Airlines overbook because people don't turn up and that sort of thing. But sometimes they get there projections wrong and they will upgrade one or two people. You're more likely to get an upgrade if you are well-dressed, well-spoken with the right manner, and if you have the right sort of plastic frequent flier card and if you paid a reasonable amount for your ticket.

QUEST: And, of course, timing is vital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you know the airline model where the seats get more expensive closer to the date of departure, it's in reverse sometimes within the hotels. Because they don't want to by left with empty bedrooms. Hotels tend to look for more of a length of stay. It's cheaper to book and negotiate against a 4-night stay than it is for a 1-night stay.

QUEST: Most gains are made through added value, services or meals thrown into the deal. So if you negotiated a rate which is too low, you could find yourself excluded. There's more to getting a good travel deal than a cash discount.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: After all that negotiating I'm quite exhausted, but I'm sure you got some top tips about the best way to secure the deal and get a bargain. What's your negotiating art and skill? Send me an e-mail and we'll put the best ones on our Web site. It's the usual e-mail address, Quest@CNN.com. And there's a whole host of interesting features and articles for the traveling executive on the Web site at CNN.com/BusinessTraveller.

Now, I'm in Istanbul, in Turkey, the cradle of civilization, where East meets West, and coming up after the break, we've got TWO HOURS TO KILL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Clinching the deal involves more than just negotiating the terms and setting the price. It's often about building trust and confidence, and that often means getting involved in locate customs. If your in Istanbul, that could be enjoying a Turkish bath.

This is Jambalita's Hamam (ph), one of the oldest Turkish baths in the city, 400 years old and still a working Turkish bath.

It is in places like this that you will build confidence and gain the trust of the other parties. You'll also have a very good time. I've got to leave these behind. And it's a perfect place if you have TWO HOURS TO KILL.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUHAR KOZAN (ph), FASHION DESIGNER: Hello. Welcome to Istanbul. May name is Buhar Kozan (ph). I am a Turkish designer. I'm a fashion designer. Today I want to show you my hidden pleasure said of Istanbul.

We are in the Grand Bazaar. I think the Grand Bazaar is 600 years old and is the biggest court (ph) bazaar in Turkey.

If you want to by very interesting and old fabric here, this is the store. This is my favorite too. This is very old sheets actually, but silk and handmade gold strings.

Time for lunch. Such a nice place here. We are in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Museum and the restaurant name is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It's a wonderful place because I can see the Golden Horn.

You can see very interesting things in the museum. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tools and toys and transportation vehicles.

This is the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) toys collection. This is how it started, the idea of this museum, actually.

If you like art, this is a great place to come. We are in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He is one of the best painters of Turkey. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has a unique style and he works in Byzantine and Ottoman cultures and he makes modern art.

If you want to by a gift, maybe you can come here. This is the very old (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Istanbul. It's 100 years old and I want to test it. So delicious.

Hope you enjoyed. See you in Istanbul. Bye-bye.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: The whirling dervish, putting a different spin on negotiations. And that's CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER for this month. I'm Richard Quest, reporting from Istanbul in Turkey. Wherever your travels may take you, I hope your negotiations don't go in circles. I'll see you next month.

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