Dealing With Conflict in the Workplace

Introduction

Conflict is a major concern in both your personal & working life. If not handled quickly, tactfully & effectively conflict could lead to serious confrontation and/or a complete breakdown of relationships. It could even lead to violent & unsafe situations.

A conflict could stem from a minor complaint that was not resolved & left to fester. This might then gradually grow in to an insurmountable issue. A conflict can be as innocent as sibling rivalry - arguing over a toy - to a dispute with a customer or colleague over a product, service or procedure to a war between countries in extreme cases.

There will be times in the coursework of the coursework of a working life where you will must deal with complaints & conflicts. Your successful handling of these situations will have a direct bearing on you & your organisation's reputation for customer support & its continued success.

Conflicts normally occur when people have different ideas & think they have the superior view point. This is true of conflict in the workplace - between colleagues and/or management. The issue becomes of power, of gaining control or of 'being proved right'. To resolve this type of conflict it is necessary to move from the power clash, to of service & responsibility - to work for the nice of the group than individuals within it. In resolving a conflict it ought to be more important to make positive that both parties needs are met than winning the argument.

What causes conflict.
Conflict may even be caused by a lack of communication or by a failure to recognise the needs of another person. Regardless of the scenario, the main part in conflict is misunderstanding. These misunderstandings can occur due to differences in age, culture, race or religion. Conflict situations can include customer related issues, misunderstandings or communication barriers or Conflict among work colleagues.

Conflicts due to customer related issues.

Conflicts arising out of customer related issues could include;

A complaint, no matter how trivial it might sound to you, is legitimate in the eyes of the customer and must be taken seriously. Customers come in to your organisation to do business. They have a necessity and they think (or hope) that it is possible for you to to fulfil that need. They are willing to pay you for your time, work and service and they expect your full and undivided attention. In the event that they do not receive this attention or a satisfactory product or service, then they are not receiving value for their funds and then have every right to complain.

  delays or poor timing of product or service supply. The customer has been kept waiting longer than expected or advised for their product or service and, as in the point above, become upset at the delay. Delays may cause a great deal of inconvenience for customers, in the event that they have made time to be on hand and are then disappointed.

  issues or faults with services or products. The customer has not received the quality of service or product that they expected and are unhappy about it to complain. A complaint of this nature can be basically resolved if the parties involved are prepared to communicate and compromise.

  difficult or demanding customers. Some customers are hard to and are, by nature, demanding and aggressive. In the event that they are not handled carefully they could, potentially, become threatening.

  drug or alcohol related issues. These could include being refused entry or ejection from premises due to their condition and the risk they represent to other customers or staff.

Conflicts due to misunderstandings or communication barriers.

No people are exactly similar - not even twins. People have different points of view brought about by the lots of influences on their lives.

These influences include;

genetics - the things that they inherit from our parents & over which they have no control. These things might involve the colour of our eyes & hair to our health.

culture & religion - this influences the things that they think to be true & the customs & traditions they follow

upbringing - which involves the way in which our parents raised us & the values they instilled in us.

schooling - our level of schooling will also have a immense impact on what they think & how they view the world.

economics - our view on life can be strongly influenced by our economic situation, whether they are financially comfortable or struggling to make ends meet.

life experience - involves all the experiences they have had in our lives, the successes & failures, the lessons they have learned from these experiences & the lots of roles that they have played to date.

the environment - this means the environment in which they operate: our neighbourhoods, housing situation, & the people they are surrounded by.

They can avoid these situations by reaching an understanding between the parties. This can be done by communicating openly & honestly, being willing to listen to the other person's point of view - recalling that the influences that have formed their beliefs & view points could be very different to yours - but no less valid.

All of these things & more go in to making us the individuals they are & our thoughts & feelings about very everything they come in to contact with will be formed by these influences. So they have our own opinions & points of view on a whole range of things & these sometimes clash with other peoples. These clashes can take the type of a lively but friendly debate but they could as basically become heated & aggravated & degenerate in to shouting matches. The beginnings of conflict.

people do not listen to each other with an eye to reaching an understanding

Misunderstandings and communication barriers could occur because;

  people are not prepared to compromise in order to resolve the situation

  people do not understand cultural differences and are not prepared to make allowances for them.

To resolve a conflict situation steps require to be taken to bring the points of view closer - to reach a compromise that both parties can accept. Part of lovely conflict resolution skills is the art of communication and recognising the barriers to a lovely way communications flow. These barriers can include;

  Not being attentive. Customers or colleagues who are trying to communicate with you will feel ignored and frustrated in the event you permit yourself to become distracted. Not being attentive to them is rude and unprofessional and stops the communication flow. The result of this might be the loss of a customer, a complaint about you to your manager or a loss of respect. Do not permit yourself to be distracted - focus your attention on what is being said and listen to your customer or colleague. In the event you must interrupt the conversation to reply to the phone, or speak with another staff member, excuse yourself.

  Interrupting. Interrupting someone when they are speaking is a major barrier to open, way communication and could basically cause conflict. One time again, you are indicating that you are not interested in what they must say. Breaking in to what they are saying to make your own thoughts known, or worse, to finish their sentences for them is no way to gain a proper understanding of the other persons needs and expectations. Let them finish what they are saying and pay attention. If, for some reason, the conversation needs to be wound up, then take control by asking leading or closing questions - that permit for short answers only.

  Not taking a look at a person. Maintaining reasonable eye contact with the person you are communicating with is very important. It shows you are being attentive and that you are interested. By not taking a look at the that is speaking to you, you are indicating not only disinterest, but are also making them feel uncomfortable. They may think you are not being honest or reliable - you may be trying to hide something from them.

  Tone of voice. The tone of voice used in the work of a conversation could also start a conflict. Conceitedness, demand, anger, whining, disinterest etc all add a tone to the voice that may cause people to react negatively. When dealing with customers or colleagues you ought to keep your tone friendly, calm and pleasant. At the very least, in the event you do feel angered you ought to try and keep the tone of your voice neutral.

Sarcasm. Sarcasm has no place in any conversation between people & is an open invitation for conflict. There's occasions, in everyone's working life, when you think "If I get asked more dull query, I'll go mad!", but sarcasm in the face of a daft query or comment does nothing but hurt the other person &, possibly, dent their self esteem. They regularly forget that not everyone knows everything they do about our industry - in fact most customers know little about the tourism & hospitality industries. They can forgive our customers or junior colleagues, therefore, for asking questions that may have obvious answers - obvious only to somebody who knows. Show patience & understanding - it is as simple & far more pleasant than giving a sarcastic or snide answer.

  Rudeness. There is seldom any excuse for rudeness. A respectful & courteous attitude on your part ought to keep away from or defuse any antagonism a person brings with them in to your office. Ought to you find yourself seldom the less, dealing with a person with whom you cannot get along - rudeness is not the solution. Speak to your supervisor or manager & ask for their advice.

Any of these points could provoke a customer or a colleague in to complaining - which could then, potentially, turn in to a conflict. It is a nice suggestion therefore, to stay courteous & polite when dealing with other people.

  Cultural differences. Cultural differences can be the source of a great lots of conflicts. When dealing with people from other countries, other beliefs & so on, it is simple to misconceive words, gestures & customs. In the event you need to excel at your profession it is a nice suggestion to familiarise yourself with a number of the more prevalent customs of other cultures. On the whole, however, people from all over the world, from all walks of life & from all creeds reply well to respectful & courteous behaviour. Do not make fun of customs you don't understand. Treat everyone you deal with, both customers & colleagues, with respect & you ought to do well.

A conflict does not happen suddenly. People do not go from calm & icy moment to angry & aggressive the next.

Signs of potential conflict

Conflict builds. It may take hours, weeks or even years. However long the method takes, there's always signs that a conflict is building. If these signs are recognised early then steps can be taken to quickly & effectively resolve the situation before it becomes a major issue.

Early signs of conflict can include (but are not limited to):

  aggressive body language: Narrowed eyes - trying to intimidate you Flared nostrils - a positive sign of building anger as the person takes a deep breath, either to control themselves or to go on the assault Stretched muscles in the face and jaw line - tightened in building anger and aggression Tapping fingers or feet - shows impatience

  difficulty in discussing an issue calmly and rationally

  malicious or negative gossip among colleagues

These are all signs of irritation, dissatisfaction or impatience. In the event you recognise any of these signs when dealing with a complaint or a conflict you ought to endeavour to find out the reasons why the other person is beginning to feel impatient or irritated. You can do this by asking relevant questions and listening carefully to their answers. In this way you can reach an understanding of the issue at hand and possibly avoid escalating the situation.

  tone of voice - indicating boredom, sarcasm, irritation

If not recognised and acted on these signs could then be followed by;

  Raised voice - speaking quickly in a loud, high pitched voice - or even shouting

  Hand gestures - finger poking and pointing in an aggressive manner.

  Body leaning forward in an work to intimidate

  Refusal to cooperate

  Storming out of a room, slamming doors, drawers or implements

At this point you may already have a conflict and it will take cautious handling to bring the situation back under control

Crisis situations

People require to be taken seriously. In the event that they are not, or are repeatedly ignored, can become aggressive and a threat to safety and security of the organisation and the people in it. Equally, individuals who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and are not in control of themselves, can present a danger to those around them in the event that they are not handled carefully.

Complaints can escalate in to conflict and conflict, if not resolved effectively, could potentially escalate in to a crisis.

Situations where personal safety of customers or colleagues may be threatened and assistance necessary may involve:

  drug or alcohol affected persons

  people with guns or other weapons

  situations where someone has been or may be hurt

  individuals who appear to be violent or threatening

  situations where customers refuse to leave or to be pacified.

  stay calm yourself and to try and calm the other person.

In these cases it is very important to:

  take note of details of the issue for future reference

  move them, discreetly, out of the main area of your office or shop

  DO NOT argue with a that is visibly upset or aggressive as this will only compound the situation.

  bring in the help of relevant management, security and/or authorities such as police as soon as feasible.

You cannot basically make a conflict go away by giving the complaining party whatever they require. Resolving a conflict is a delicate balance between reaching an agreement between parties while simultaneously staying within the constraints of your organisations requirements and policies.

Organisational requirements

Costs issues. Often, a conflict with a customer will be centred around dissatisfaction with a product or service. If the product or service was actually found to be defective then the simplest solution to the issue is a straight forward replacement. Sometimes, however, the situation is not as simple and the customer will demand further compensation. In these cases a replacement may not be and something additional may require to be done. When determining the extent of compensation, if any, to be offered to the client, there's a few issues to think about. These could include;

These constraints may include:

  Customer lovely will & repeat business. If your organisation is dependent on customers coming back again then this is an important consideration.

  Organisations reputation. A dissatisfied customer will tell plenty of people that they received bad service from an organisation who did not meet their needs and this can lead to a loss of business.

  Direct cost. Compensation to a client can be in the type of funds, additional services or products, or an upgrade to the product or service they have bought. If compensation is to be of a financial nature then the cost to the organisation must be thought about.

Organisation policyowner on refunds or exchange. Most organisations will have policies on giving refunds. Some companies will give funds back, others will give credit for services or products they provide. In the tourism industry you must also think about the refund policies of the principals you deal with. For example some advance purchase airline tickets do not permit refunds at all within a given period prior to departure and if the customer does not use the ticket, they have lost their funds.

Resolving conflict situations

So before agreeing to provide a solution to the customer, you must first decide if it is financially viable to do so and to take the organisations policies and procedures in to account.

Take possession of the issue, irrespective of whether you were involved in the issue or not. "Passing the buck" at this point is not going to help matters. The customer approached YOU, so deal with the issue and don't pass them off saying "It's not my problem" or "The lady who handled this is not here now....". At that particular moment in time the customer does not see you, the individual, they see you, the representative of the company, so it is you, the representative of the company, they expect to help them.

When a person has bought a product or service from your organisation and it is not what they expected it to be, or does not perform properly they will feel dissatisfied and disappointed. As a consequence when this person complains they usually think that they have a legitimate reason for doing so and they may do so long and heatedly to the first person they come across in your organisation. This might be you - although you had nothing to do with the original sale and have seldom met the customer. The worst thing you can do is tell them its not your issue.

exactly what the issue is

If you were not part of the original transaction where the issue occurred get as much knowledge as you can from the customer to help you decide what to do. For example, you could ask;

  when & where it occurred

  how long ago the issue occurred

  how they see the situation being resolved - this will give you an idea of the person's expectations and how they impact on the organisation's policies and procedures.

  what they paid for the product or service

Finding a solution to a conflict involves a definite set of skills and techniques. It takes a step by step approach to make definite a positive outcome for all parties concerned.

If the who was involved in the original transaction is obtainable you ought to ask them to join the discussion in order to get both sides of the picture. It is very important, however, to keep to the issue at hand and not to let emotions or ego get in the way of finding a solution to the problem; stay quiet, listen to all points of view with an open mind and try to keep the communications method flowing in a positive manner.

Steps in resolving conflict

Finding a solution to a conflict will often become a matter of "give and take" where party makes a suggestion that may not be entirely acceptable to the other. When this happens you will need to define the issues as seen by all parties and negotiate a mutually acceptable outcome. This would normally happen in a logical sequence:

  Work out what you require out of the conflict

  Define the issue

  Brainstorm for options

  Assess solutions

Define the problem

  Settle on solutions

Everyone involved in the conflict needs to agree on a definition of the issue before it can be solved. This might mean describing the issue in terms of each persons needs and understanding of the issue at hand. Questions to think about might include:

  What is the issue? Is it only my issue? Who else is involved?

  Am I able to solve it? Is it worth solving?

  Is this the actual issue or merely a symptom of a bigger?

  Does it require an immediate solution or can it wait? Is it likely to go away by itself? Am I able to risk ignoring it?

  Does the issue have ethical dimensions?

  What conditions must the solution satisfy?

  Will the solution affect something that must stay unchanged?

Asking these types of questions will outline what all the issues are from various perspectives giving you a firm foundation for exploring options. Depending on the nature of the issue and what it will take to resolve it, it might in extreme cases even be worth letting the matter go. It is important to keep a customer satisfied, but not at all costs. If a customer is being unreasonable and demanding then sometimes it is the better option to lose that customer.

  Will I require assistance?

Work out what you require out of the conflict

You also require to create a clear understanding of the expected outcome. This might be; an agreement on acceptable compensation for defective products or service a better relationship with the other party a mutually acceptable solution to an ongoing work issue the other person to respect your view With firm expectations of what would be an appropriate outcome in mind, you can then start to negotiate with the other party until an agreement has been reached.

Brainstorm for options - When all parties concerned have had the chance to explain their feelings on the matter, then all of the issues ought to be out in the open. At this point you can look at the various options available. There might be a considerable number of solutions to the issue which could work for everyone involved. Don't get stuck on solution because it is the first you find. Be creative about the possibilities available to you, & look for common ground. You can select from the choices later.

Assess solutions - In deciding the best result from the choices available you ought to weigh up the professionals & cons of each based on the organisations policies & procedures, cost or budgetary constraints, legal ramifications & mutual benefit. When discussing & evaluating options it is often the case that each party will prefer an option that most closely gives them what they need irrespective of its impact on the other party. In these cases you need to negotiate & compromise so that an agreement that both parties are satisfied with can be reached.

The Art of Compromise - Compromise does not mean giving in or losing. It means looking for ways to meet each others needs by making concessions to the other party involved. Compromise involves negotiating what you are, or are not, prepared to do in order to get what you need.

You ought to be open to lovely arguments than pressure or modification from the other party. Be open to reason but closed to threats. In difficult conflicts it might be necessary to bring in another person to mediate. This person might need to be expert, mutually respected, & not have a personal interest in the finish result.

Separate your feelings from the issue. When your emotions get tangled up in the professionals & cons of an argument you cannot reach the best conclusion. In case you take a powerful position because of the way you feel, you cannot work out the best solution to the issue because your perception of it is controlled by things which are likely to have nothing to do with the issue. It is not about who is right or wrong. Arguing over whose fault it is or placing blame will do nothing but increase tension & get in the way of resolving the situation. You ought to not let your feelings get in the way. Points that can help here include:

Select a mutually acceptable solution - When all available options have been tabled & thought about then you can select the best - the that keeps both parties happy! Make definite each person takes responsibility for agreeing with the decision. This may take the kind of a written agreement or contract, or a letter outlining what was agreed to.

Try to put yourself in the other person's place; empathise with them. Use expressions such as "I can understand why you would feel that way" and encourage them to share their point of view.

Act and speak calmly. Arguing with a customer or colleague could lead to a full blown confrontation. Pause before making a response to them. This will give you time to collect yourself, to calm any irritation you might feel and also gives you a chance to work out how to phrase your response in the most appropriate way.

  Listen carefully and to what they are saying. Listen to them out without interrupting them. Show you are interested through a positive listening attitude and ask clarifying questions to make sure you have understood them correctly.

  Wait and see and understanding. Don't interrupt them. One time they have had their say, they will usually be a lot calmer and simpler to reason with. The issue can then often be resolved in a civilised manner.

Documentation

  At the appropriate time, acknowledge their point of view and ask them to give you the courtesy of now listening to your (organisation's) position. For example; "I understand what you are saying, may I now report our position to you, and then they can see how they could solve the issue together?"

Recording correct information about complaints, conflicts and their outcomes is a important part of any business. This type of information will show (among other things);

  areas of the business that are not working properly

  things that customer like / or don't like about your services or products

  processes and procedures that need to be changed.

  gaps in the supply and demand of your services or products

With this information in hand, an organisation can then use it to continually improve its products, services, picture and reputation.

Information can be recorded by way of (but not limited to):
Notes taken in the coursework of a phone call or after a nose to nose meeting. One time again, it is nice business practice to record the details of complaints or discussions about conflicts. These notes can be used for the organisation's continuous improvement programme but they may even be used as reminders of the conversation ought to a dispute arise.

Letters (or emails)of complaint. These ought to always be taken seriously. A written complaint ought to be answered immediately - even if it is basically to advise the customer what will happen next. An inquiry of the complaint ought to follow and the customer ought to then be advised of the result. A document of the complaint and the result ought to then be sent to the relevant supervisor or manager for any further action needed.

  Formal documentation. These could be; Refund forms Credit notes Contracts or agreement forms

Evaluating conflict situations

  to make definite customer satisfaction and repeat business

It is nice business practice to continually look for ways in which an organisation can improve its practices and procedures. of the main ways an organisation can do this is by seeking feedback - comments from customers, staff and other visitors to the organisation. Reasons for seeking feedback can include;

  to maintain its reputation

  to learn from errors or mistakes

  to make improvements to the service or product delivery or quality to improve productivity and efficiency

  follow up to see if customer is satisfied in the case of a complaint or conflict

When looking for how effective the solution to a conflict was, a number of the questions that ought to be asked could include:

In a matter as important as a complaint or a conflict, feedback may even be sought by way of a phone call, letter or perhaps even a personal visit the person concerned to make definite that any issue that existed between the conflicting parties has been successfully resolved.

Why did this situation happen in the first place? A close examination of the circumstances surrounding the matter of conflict from both the customers and the organisations point of view can show up issues in procedure, owner or product or service delivery. Issues to look at could include;
Is the service delivery as nice as it could be?

Was there a breakdown in communication?

  Are the organisation's policies and procedures as effective as they could be?

  Was the service/product defective in some way?

Did they resolve it effectively? This is a important query from the customers and the organisations point of view.

  For the customer, resolving the issue effectively could mean that they are satisfied, that they have received value for their money and most importantly that they will probably continue to do business with you.

  For the organisation, resolving the issue effectively could mean that they have retained a customer and kept within organisational guidelines and budgets

When taking a look at how the issue was resolved:

  Evaluate the customer's reaction to your proposal - were they happy with it? Were they prepared to be reasonable? Will they continue to do business with you?

  Ask critical questions about the result - was it the best feasible option for every concerned? Did it cost your organisation money? much money? Was the result worth the cost?

  Compare the situation to any earlier incidents of this nature. How was it handled last time? Is there a pattern emerging that ought to be addressed?

  What can they do to prevent it happening in the future? By taking a look at how the issue occurred in the first place and how effectively you resolved it you can then take any necessary steps to prevent the same thing happening again. This might mean; A alter in owner or procedure A alter in a product or service Training staff in customer support skills Training staff in conflict and complaint handling

By asking these, and other relevant questions, you can make improvements to the organisation. This might lead to greater customer and staff satisfaction which will have a positive impact on the organisations continued success and prosperity.