You have a business and have been dealing with a particular vendor, distributor, manufacturer, or marketer for years.  The relationship has been mutually profitable.  It has always run smoothly. 

Until now. 

After your most recent dealings, you feel that this company has been unfair to your business.  Perhaps you feel that this company has acted in a way that is deceptive.

What do you do?

Go to court? 

That would be expensive and might take years.  You can’t wait that long.  Plus, you can’t be sure of what the outcome of a lawsuit would be.  Additionally, going to court would probably hurt or end the business relationship with this company, and that is not something you want.

Wait and see?  Hope that the recent problem was an aberration, and that next time things will be better? 

Maybe, if you can afford a reoccurrence.  

But what if the action was intentional and a new way that the company is doing business?  Are you ready and able to wait for several weeks or months, and then find out whether the action was a one-time thing?

Contact you counterpart at the other company? 

Often, this approach will be the most fruitful. 

By asking for information in a way that is not confrontational, you may be reassured that the action that you find troubling won’t be repeated.

If you still have concerns after your conversation with the person from the other company, further discussion may prove worthwhile.  Learn what you can.  Perhaps the other company has had to change its practices. 

By explaining what your business needs, and learning what the other company needs, you may be in a position to find options acceptable to both companies that will eliminate the problem in the future. 

Perhaps there was a simple misunderstanding, or a single communication wasn’t given or received.

Raising the issue without being accusatory or defensive can be enormously helpful, regardless of how you choose to go forward.

Look to an outside party, such as a mediator?

We all have different skills and activities that we enjoy.  Contacting someone at another company, to raise an issue that you wish you didn’t have in the first place, can be unpleasant or intimidating.

You may be angry about a problem.  Anger can make it difficult to clearly express ourselves.  Calling or meeting with someone when we are angry can not only be unproductive, but even counterproductive.  We can strain relationships that we value, and create additional obstacles to working well together.

Managing and resolving conflict are skills that perhaps every business person could benefit from. But, for various reasons, most people don’t have such training and experience. 

If you have a B2B conflict, and are not able to successfully start or progress through discussions, B2B Mediation may be a process that you should consider.

In mediation, you can address the matters that concern you and your business, in a way that is faster, less expensive, and more cooperative than going to court.  The mediator will help you, the parties, to communicate and have a constructive conversation. 

The mediation process encourages the parties to develop options for dealing with conflicts, and the gathering and sharing of information so that you can thoughtfully consider and then choose from among them.

Unlike in court, you, the parties, will be the ones to make any decisions.

Learn more.

Contact me. 





Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In mediation, you can address the matters that concern you and your business, in a way that is faster, less expensive, and more cooperative than going to court.   

Unlike in court, in mediation, you, the parties, are the ones who make the decisions. 

Learn more.

Contact me.