Imagine that you are ready to close a deal with a counterpart from Qatar. You've agreed to enter a partnership concerning a new business venture. You suggest that you meet again the following day with your lawyers so that you may finalize the details; however, your counterpart never shows up.
What do you believe went wrong?
Did your counterpart forget?
Was he expecting a counteroffer?
Were you too early or was he late?
What would you do now?
Deal with a counterpart from Qatar
There are a few possible explanations for why your counterpart from Qatar didn't show up to the meeting. Here are a few possibilities:
- He forgot. It's possible that he simply forgot about the meeting. This could happen if he was busy with other things or if he didn't have a clear understanding of the meeting's importance.
- He was expecting a counteroffer. It's also possible that he was expecting a counteroffer from you and was waiting to hear back before making a decision. This is especially likely if the deal was complex or if there were a lot of moving parts.
- You were too early or he was late. It's also possible that there was a misunderstanding about the time of the meeting. This could happen if you were using different time zones or if there was a language barrier.
- Send a follow-up email. In your email, you could reiterate the terms of the deal and ask if your counterpart is still interested. You could also ask if there is anything you can do to help move the deal forward.
- Call your counterpart's office. If you can't reach your counterpart by email, you could try calling his or her office. You could ask to speak to the counterpart directly or to someone who can help you get in touch with him or her.
- Visit your counterpart's office. If you're still unable to reach your counterpart, you could visit his or her office in person. This would be a last resort, but it could be the only way to get the deal back on track.