Advantages online

What are the advantage of online mediation, also called ODR?

Around the globe benefit from the following key advantages of online mediation

Increased participation: greater participation for those who may be in remote locations or have financial restraints. Accessible to everyone, including the disabled and elderly;

A comfortable and safe environment: there are participants that feel more at ease with the privacy offered by the Internet or with textual and delayed means of communication, allowing for less-emotional and more-reflective communication;

Less stress: avoid stress that may occur in highly emotional situations due to the physical presence of the other party;

Saved time and money: with minimal or no physical meetings, and no need for travelling, no delays caused by scheduling, no need to take off from work as well as a considerably shorter process;

A setting that is perceived as safe and neutral: compared to the human factor, technology can come across as more neutral. It facilitates more-structured communications and provides a secure neutral environment for participants to engage in, stimulating constructive dialog rather than argument and fostering a problem-solving attitude;

Convenience and 24/7 availability: participants can go at their own pace, whenever and wherever convenient;

Uninterrupted access and participation: participants are enabled to jointly coordinate the procedure & planning and monitor the progress online, enhancing collaboration and transparency;

Conflict prevention and enhanced effectiveness through better preparation: At an early stage, disputing parties are given the opportunity to assess the legitimacy of their claim or case, their own underlying interests and those of the other party and to evaluate both their preferred as well as their second-best outcomes.