Things are not always a rosy walk in the park and even if we have good working relationships with our vendors, suppliers, and colleagues, disagreements and conflicts can arise. How do you handle them with tact and grace, however, in order to preserve both your company’s reputation and your working relationships with those vendors?
Let us say that you have ordered some printing work done for a project you are completing. The final product is NOT what you expected, or what you wanted. The color might be off or you think that a mistake has been made by the vendor. Of course you have every right to confront the problem and try to seek resolution—but how can you do it so that you will both be satisfied with the conclusion and your professionalism is in tact?
The first thing is to try to remain calm. It seldom goes well to call someone while we are angry or emotional about something that has transpired. To your research and get your facts straight before you call. Go over the work order or the invoices, double check the steps you took to make sure that you have not contributed to the error or problem—or if you have, come up with an idea about how to fix it.
I also think that it is best to confront the conflict in person—either face to face or on the telephone. It has been my experience that e-mail and written letters have a tendency to make things more convoluted instead of helping reach a quick and satisfying solution.
Finally, try to keep things on a professional level. Like any other negotiation, keeping from getting emotionally entangled gives you a stronger stance. You do not have to continue working with a vendor or supplier that you cannot trust or who has let you down, but it often helps to give them a chance to make things right and negotiate a satisfactory outcome. Try not to make the disagreement personal and focus on solving the problem at hand.
Also: Who Can You Blame When the Ball Gets Dropped?
Keeping Track of What Doesn’t Work Too