The Internet will increase awareness of ADR With the amount of venture capital available to start-up companies, new online entities can become major providers of dispute resolution services in a very short time frame. Business will continue to flow through the normal gatekeepers of ADR services, courts and lawyers, but marketing will be aimed more at business networks and end users. The press is intrigued. We have seen more news coverage of ADR in the last six months than we have in six years. Visit any ODR site and you will see a proud list of all the articles they have scored about their services.
Disputes are the essential element of a successful resolution business, online or off.
Educating the market place is even more important than developing sophisticated technology. We will see mediation, arbitration and all forms of ADR services being marketed vigorously. ADR services will need to be clearly explained in a compelling way. As ecommerce businesses incorporate dispute resolution options into their customer service strategies, the world's population will become more aware of how such processes can benefit. The Web's capacity to disseminate information about ADR throughout the world is one of its greatest assets.