How to Resolve Issues Related to Your Product or Service

If you're in business for any considerable period, it's only a matter of time before you encounter some sort of dispute. This may involve the provision of your service or product or an associated payment. Sometimes, this type of dispute can drag on for a long time. Most businesses have relatively small margins and do not have the luxury of time when it comes to collecting money for services due or dealing with a dispute, for that matter. Consequently, you need to have a plan in place to help you deal with this scenario when it comes along. What's the best way to tackle this situation?

Understanding the Issue

Firstly, you've got to understand the dispute and really dig down into its nature. You may have received a form of communication from the other party, which may outline their complaint, but often, there's a back story as well. Gather as much information as you can before you make any assumptions, and begin by looking at your contract very carefully.

What happens if you don't have a contract? It's always best to have a legally binding document like this, but even an oral agreement can be enough in certain circumstances. Either way, look carefully at your notes and recall the gist of the conversation before you reach out to the other party for discussion.

Reach out

If the issue is relatively minor, you may be able to sort it all out with a simple telephone conversation. Otherwise, it's best to schedule a face-to-face meeting, as this will often be more successful in the case of a more complex dispute. Always be professional and stay calm, and most importantly, don't be intransigent. You should be prepared to move in order to make a compromise if necessary, and to negotiate the position to the potential benefit of both parties. Many problems are caused through misunderstandings, and you may be able to put matters right without any further action at all.

In Writing

Nevertheless, you should keep clear notes from this discussion in case you do need to take anything further and present evidence in the worst-case scenario.

If you don't come to an agreement at that meeting, you should put everything in writing, and send it to the other party as a record. At this stage, you don't want to rely on your memory, as fine details could make a difference.

Ask a Friend

It's a good idea to talk with a trusted friend or business associate about the situation if the matter is still unresolved. They will be able to look at the situation impartially and tell you whether you are being reasonable. Maybe you should make further concessions in order to try and win an agreement.

Next Steps

In an ideal world, you don't want to go to court to try and fix a situation like this and especially if the other party has, up until this point, been a good and reliable customer. However, you may need to bring in a third party for arbitration or conciliation in the final analysis. Before you do so, reach out to a small business dispute resolution lawyer.