Conflict is an unavoidable part of life as a civil enforcement officer. While extreme cases involving violence are thankfully rare, having to deal with disgruntled motorists is still part and parcel of the job, as many people are never happy to find themselves being handed a parking ticket.
To be a successful officer, it is vital to know how to handle these situations and avoid them escalating into something worse. With this in mind, we've put together five conflict resolution tips that could prove useful.
Listen and reiterate
There are few things that annoy people more than when they feel they are being ignored. If someone is already unhappy, this can tip them over the edge. As a result, it's vital to always listen to a driver's complaint, even if it seems as though they are in the wrong. This way, the situation is less likely to escalate and you'll have a better grasp of the facts.
Another useful conflict resolution tool is reiteration. By reiterating what is being said to you, you'll make it clear you're listening to the other person and understand what they are saying.
Respond to emotion without emotion
The key to successful conflict resolution is to stay calm. If you're faced with an angry motorist, the situation will only get worse if you get angry too. Wherever possible, you should meet emotion without emotion, regardless of how worked up the other person is, you need to stay calm and professional at all times. This helps to diffuse the situation and prevent a minor incident escalating into something worse.
Patience is key
They say patience is a virtue and for civil enforcement officers this is definitely true. While it can be hard to be patient when faced with angry, and often unreasonable, motorists, it's just what officers have to do. You need the patience to see past a person's initial anger and work out the real root of the problem if you're to reach the right conclusion. Being patient will help you to stay calm and avoid stress - it is a skill that civil enforcement officers cannot do without.
Think about body language
Words are key to successful conflict resolution, but they are not the only thing that can have an impact on these situations. Your body language can speak volumes in any sort of social situation and is particularly important during conflict. Certain gestures, such as pointing or waving your arms around, can be interpreted as threatening and will only serve to make a situation worse.
The best thing to do when dealing with an angry motorist is to use neutral but confident body language, such as standing up straight and keeping your arms by your side.
Explain the options
Any interaction with a motorist should end with the civil enforcement officer explaining what their next steps are. In most cases, this will be letting them know about the appeals process and what they can do in order to try and get their charge overturned.
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