Introduction

Consumer satisfaction is at the heart of business concerns. Ability to establish and maintain a trustworthy relationship with all partners, including the end-customers, i.e. consumers, is a prerequisite for success. It requires to provide services or products that meet the consumers’ expectations. It must also facilitate individual and mass conflict resolution, thanks to effective and quick resolution mechanism.

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) means settling a complaint out of court with the assistance of an impartial dispute resolution body. Resolving consumer disputes this way is easier, faster and less expensive than going to court.

Mediation is one of the ADR processes that can be used effectively to resolve consumer disputes.

A large number of out of court bodies exist across the EU. Using one of these bodies, you can access ADR for most types of product or service (complaints about healthcare or higher education are not dealt with by these bodies).

It doesn't matter whether you bought the product or service online or in a shop, or whether the trader is based in your country or another EU country. 

What is mediation

But what exactly is mediation and how does a typical mediation process look like? 

Mediation is a confidential process of communication and negotiation that is managed by a neutral and impartial professional with no decision-making abilities, the mediator. The aim is to prevent, manage, resolve or end a dispute, thus avoiding the increase of tensions, costs and risks, generated even by taking it in the courts of law. Mediation gives all participants the opportunity to craft the rules that govern the dialogue process, to have a voice, to present their perspectives and to propose options that take into account what is most important to them.

In order to achieve these objectives, the mediator can meet jointly but also separately with the participants in the mediation. Also, in order to ensure all the conditions for an informed decision, the parties are encouraged to be advised in the mediation room by lawyers or other advisors. They have an essential role and become veritable agents of reality in mediation.

Specialized mediators

All our mediators are seasoned professionals with solid knowledge, skills and certified experience in the dispute resolution field. Yet, some of the ADR Center Romania mediators are specialized.

To see a list our mediators specialized in mediating consumer disputes, click here.