5 tips to protect your business after a dispute has arisen.

1.    Talk to your customer to see if an agreement can be reached.

If a dispute has arisen with your customer, talk to them first to see if an agreement can be reached. Sometimes, speaking on the phone or meeting a someone in person can help to clear the air.

2.    Get professional help.

If you can amicably agree to resolve a dispute with your customer, try to record your agreement in writing. Get professional help with the drafting to ensure that your business is properly protected.

If you are not able to agree on how to resolve a dispute with your customer, sometimes getting help from third party such as a trained mediator can help narrow the issues and speed up resolution.

You can also work with a lawyer to help you negotiate terms in the mediation and to properly protect your business with a settlement agreement.

3.    Improve your communications with your customers.

How effectively do you communicate with your customers? Many disputes arise because of miscommunication.

Ensure open, honest, and clear communication with your customers.

4.    Consider lessons learnt and implement change.

After resolving the dispute, consider what went wrong. What lessons can be learnt? What changes can be implemented in your business?

5.    Review your business contract with assistance from a lawyer.

When was the last time you reviewed your business processes?

Do your business terms and conditions still reflect your current practice?

Have you included a dispute resolution process in your business contract?

It may be time to review your legal documents with assistance from a lawyer.

We regularly help business owners to resolve disputes and to protect their interests.

If you’d like an informal chat about a dispute, contact us and we can arrange a time to speak that works best for you.