Successful franchisors may not always make New Year’s resolutions, but most set goals and objectives for their franchise system’s success.

The beginning of the year is a perfect time to review your business practices and implement improvements. If you’re not sure where to start, the four resolutions below can help put you on the path toward success in 2018.

No. 1: Stay Informed

Paying attention to what’s happening in your industry and in the world of franchising can help you stay a step ahead of the competition.

Successful franchisors keep up with the news so that they can make smart decisions regarding changes and opportunities to their franchise system. This year, vow to stay more informed. Reading more and attending industry workshops, webinars or events could go a long way toward improving the future of your franchise system.

No. 2: Be Supportive

Franchisors need to support their franchisees, and rethinking your support systems could be the key to a more successful year.

Review your operations manual, looking for any tweaks you can make in field training as well as in how you provide day-to-day and ongoing assistance. The idea here is to find new ways to share your knowledge and experience so that your franchisees can reach the same level of success you have.

No. 3: Pay Attention

You might hope your franchisees would tell you if things aren’t going well, but that isn’t always the case.

Successful franchisors have monitoring and benchmarking systems in place to alert them to potential areas of concern. Consider increasing the frequency of your franchise reports, or plan for more site visits and mystery shoppers this year to help you identify and address potential problems more quickly.

No. 4: Communicate More

Whenever at least two parties are involved in a business relationship, disagreements are bound to happen.

Franchisors and franchisees don’t always get along — you might be on good terms with your franchisees now, but that could change at any time. Communicating and listening more could help you avoid future disputes. And if a disagreement arises, resolve to look at the situation from the franchisee’s perspective and try to find a solution that makes you both happy.

For personalized, expert advice on setting goals for your franchise system, you’ll need an attorney with expertise in franchising and business law.

The franchise attorneys at the Franchise & Business Law Group have the skills and experience to guide you through all your business and legal matters. Contact our Salt Lake City office today to learn more about how we can help you join the ranks of Utah’s most successful franchisors.