Mediate Today Develops Small Business Kit

This information has been extracted from a kit produced by Mediate Today for the Federal Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. 100,000 copies have been distributed following overwhelming demand for its practical approach to dispute resolution.

Resolving Disputes with 6 Simple Steps

This section is primarily directed towards assisting small business resolve disputes as quickly and as cheaply as possible, and to implement good business practice with respect to disputes that may arise.

Good Management Includes Good Dispute Management

Problems arise every day between individuals, businesses, their customers, suppliers, partners and employees. Most of these are dealt with quickly and efficiently through common sense. A small percentage, however, escalate into a dispute. Disputes that remain unresolved may start affecting the profitability and productivity of the business.

Traditional Dispute Resolution for Small Business

Although small businesses often have legal recourse in disputes, their access to justice can be constrained by the cost of going to court, the long time and delays before their case is heard, the disparity in the quality of representation and their need to preserve business relationships. In many cases, neither party achieves a satisfactory result from a Court judgement.

The Benefits of Alternative Dispute Resolution

We proudly encourage individuals and small business to use `Alternative Dispute Resolution' (ADR) instead of litigation, where it is appropriate. In most cases ADR can offer you a low cost, quick and flexible system for resolving disputes. ADR is a viable alternative to litigation, typically achieving a success rate of around 80%, without costly and time consuming legal action. For example, some studies show that using ADR in a dispute can cost as little as five percent of the cost of going to court.

ADR processes seek to produce a negotiated settlement between the parties in a manner that encourages common sense, practical solutions and preserves business relationships. A neutral party (usually a mediator) helps the parties find a settlement that both can agree to, within a fully confidential process.

ADR provides the parties in a dispute with total control over the outcome, removing the uncertainty that comes with a Court case and judgement. Where an agreed settlement is not achieved, the parties retain their full rights to proceed with legal action.

These six simple steps should help you resolve your dispute.