Many people are not adept with online meeting technology or have limited access to it. Others simply won’t try it or simply find it too difficult to navigate. Older people in particular generally won’t contemplate it and if they know their opponent well, prefer to use the phone. Just about everyone has access to a telephone of some kind. It also allows for a level of anonymity which can be desired in certain scenarios.

Provided the participants are educated about the process, feel comfortable, have a sound phone connection and can avoid distractions, mediation is possible by phone and can be just as flexible as face to face and online mediation. It has been used by government departments and various financial institutions for a long time, very successfully, and the courts have used it for the conciliation process for even longer.

For mediators, the techniques are the same. We can still identify emotions because there is only one channel to focus on, the voice. Think about how you can tell when someone is smiling or frowning on the phone – you can tell how they are feeling, right?

A good intake remains vital for information sharing and rapport. Preparations can be discussed. Separate sessions can still happen. There are challenges, but no more than for online options.

During this time of social distancing and beyond, mediation by phone is going to be another excellent option for dispute resolution.