Videoconferencing Negotiation Simulation: AuraCall (Origin)

Abstract

A telecommunication company’s customer service center requires negotiation training in order to improve their handling of internal conflict and conflict with angry customers. The center’s manager has reached out to an expert in online training course design, to negotiate the price and terms of providing such a course. The negotiation takes place via videoconferencing. This document includes the simulation’s role information as well as a Teaching Guide detailing its setup conduct, and debriefing. A version of this simulation adapted for negotiation via email can be found at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3560562 This simulation is designated as AuraCall (Origin) to distinguish it from AuraCall, Inc., a different simulation which is referenced below. The two simulations can be used independently, but they are designed to work well when used sequentially. In the first, AuraCall (Origin), parties negotiate a deal for the design and provision of an online course. In the follow on, AuraCall, Inc., the original deal parties negotiated has gone sour. Displeased with each other’s performance, parties now have conflicting claims against each other; the purpose of this follow-on interaction is to negotiate a suitable dispute resolution process for the conflict between them. See AuraCall, Inc.: Negotiating a Dispute Resolution Process Simulation. In R. Lewicki, D. Saunders, & B. Barry (eds.), Negotiation: Readings, exercises & cases (6th ed.) Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill/Irwin (2009). Available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2403173