Every January, all of us make New Year’s resolutions, right? We’re going to eat healthy, get to the gym more often, and put money away for a rainy day. February kicks in and those resolutions start to slide. It’s no different with businesses that set lofty goals for the new year — grow revenue, overhaul operations, get a handle on cash flow. Soon, the reality of getting the job done day-to-day pushes goals to the bottom of your to-do list.

It doesn’t have to be that way. The key is setting the right goals. Here are some New Year’s resolutions that can improve profitability, reduce stress, and make your shop more efficient. Now those are resolutions that will stick!

In some small-to-mid-sized businesses, schedules can have a life of their own. You may be using scheduling software… and sticky notes on the calendar, and the knowledge of your dispatcher (don’t schedule Steve for calls after 4 pm on Fridays), and last-minute emergencies. This year, resolve to tighten it up.

Ideas for shoring up scheduling:

• If you have scheduling software, make it your primary tool. If not, consider investing in it.
• Use the software, but make sure you monitor it. Is the system overbooking? Under booking?
• Take a hard look at your route planning. Are you scheduling jobs smartly in terms of distance, drive time, and rush hours?
• Schedule preventative maintenance as far in advance as possible, so you can have that as your framework while leaving room for emergency calls.
  

Why this resolution will stick:

Scheduling can make your employees’ days hectic and chaotic, or smooth and efficient. Careful scheduling makes a big difference in reducing stress, keeping customers happy when techs arrive on time, and potentially getting more jobs done in a day.

2. Focus on preventative maintenance agreements

As we highlighted in our recent article: “Why Maintenance Agreements Matter,” honing in on these agreements is a sure win for your business, and for your customers, too. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to approach them.

Tips for doing it right:

• Train your field techs in how to sell maintenance agreements. Selling doesn’t come naturally to most people.
• Make the agreements simple and to the point. Complicated agreements lead quickly to a “no.”
• Focus on the benefits for the customer.
• Offer incentives to your team for selling them.
• Promote your maintenance agreements online, on your invoices, and in your marketing materials.
  

Why this resolution will stick:

Preventative maintenance agreements are a huge positive for your business. They have been called “recurring revenue machines” for a reason. They stabilize cash flow, keep your techs busy during slow seasons, increase your customer loyalty, and more.

3. Invest in employee retention

Hiring and retention aren’t just HR jargon. They’re a competitive necessity for your business.

According to the SCORE Employee Engagement report, hiring and retention are top issues on the minds of small business owners nationwide. Some sobering numbers from the report:

• 84.3% of small business employers report challenges with hiring new employees. 
• 45.8% report difficulty retaining existing staff. 
  

Given numbers like those, it makes good sense to put some effort into retaining your employees.

Employee retention tactics:

• Build career paths for plumbers with apprentice, journeyman and master plumber levels. For HVAC, it’s entry, mid, and senior level, and specialty certifications.
• Reward loyalty with anniversary bonuses, extra PTO and other perks.
• Recognize birthdays, weddings, the birth of a child, and other life milestones of your employees. Don’t just say your company is a family. Be one.
• Pop for staff lunches regularly. It’s a small thing that people love.
• Recognize great work.
  

Why this resolution will stick:

Replacing an employee typically costs a business one third of that person’s salary. By focusing on keeping your good people, you’ll have lower turnover, higher productivity, and a happier staff. All of that translates into better customer experiences.

4. Ramp up your marketing efforts

For many HVAC and plumbing businesses, marketing comes last on the to-do list. Small businesses typically think it’s too expensive or only works for the bigger players. But you don’t have to break the bank to have effective marketing that makes your business shine in the eyes of consumers. This year, resolve to focus on smart marketing strategies that actually work.

Effective marketing strategies to try:

• Do you have a Google Business Profile? If not, make this job one.
• Are you featured on Angi? The platform that connects homeowners with home services companies has 15 million monthly users and has helped 150 million people find pros for various household projects. Plumbing and HVAC are two of the most requested trades on the home service app.
• Take a hard look at your website. How effective is it? Can customers schedule service online? Get information? Find other customer reviews?
• Consider increasing your social media presence.
• Don’t underestimate the power of good, old-fashioned mailers.
  

Why this resolution will stick:

Truly effective marketing builds your brand. It tells customers who you are, what you stand for, and how you can serve them. It doesn’t just advertise your business. It builds credibility, trust, and authenticity.

5. Make time to work on growing your business

For many owners or managers of small businesses, this can be the hardest resolution to achieve. Between all of the fires you’re putting out every day, everything you have to focus on to get the job done, and any emergency issues that come up, it’s very difficult to step back and focus on the big picture.

Ways to plan for growth:

• Take one afternoon each month, or even once per quarter, for planning. Schedule it in advance and try to stick to it.
• Include your top people, and one or two of your best field technicians.
• Solicit any and all ideas for improvement, from scheduling to service to trouble spots, to anything else.
• Review your financials and ideate ways to grow those numbers.
  

Why this resolution will stick:

A growth plan doesn’t just happen, and growth itself won’t happen without one. Side bonus: Soliciting ideas from your team makes them feel valued, which increases loyalty.

With more efficiency, less stress, happier employees, and a solid growth plan, your business will be on solid ground for 2026 and beyond!