What Business Mediation Offers

The business environment is often described as competitive, tough and even cut-throat. Competition and conflict might seem to be a natural part of doing business, however there are times when negotiating and resolving conflict is simply better for business. Our service can assist with disputes between a business and a customer, business partners or even between competitors.

Disputes in business can be unproductive and damaging to business partnerships and client relationships. If you have a dispute that is harming your business or your relationship with a client, mediation may be able to help.

Mediation offers a more flexible and affordable alternative to legal action, is quick to arrange and easy to use. The aim of mediation is to assist all parties to find solutions that work, not simply decide who was right or wrong. Mediation is an opportunity for participants to apply a collaborative approach to find a win-win solution to issues, to protect your business relationships, and your business.

Mediation can help resolve disagreements about a variety of issues that arise from time-to-time in business, including money or debts and customer complaints.

The advantages of mediation are that:

• All matters discussed in mediation are confidential and parties cannot use anything that is said or done in the mediation in any legal proceedings. This can protect businesses that want to resolve issues that are commercially sensitive.
• The participants maintain control over their own dispute.
• Since participants make their own decisions, they are usually more committed to the outcome than if a decision is imposed on them.
• The real ‘experts’ are usually the participants themselves. This means that the decisions reached are often more workable and practical than decisions made by outsiders.
• The service is confidential, prompt, cost-effective, accessible and “user friendly”.
• Mediators/facilitators used by the Service are drawn from a wide range of cultures and occupations with a diverse range of experience.

Whether you are in business yourself or have a dispute with a business you are dealing with, CRS staff can discuss the details and help you decide whether mediation is your best option. Cost will depend on the type of resolution service required; in most cases, a quote will be issued.