When it comes to franchises, you are going to be in constant contact with the franchisee for an extended period of time and you want to maintain a smooth and cordial relationship with that person for as long as possible.  Since you will be spending so much time around each other, when a dispute does come up, franchise mediation is a great option to keeping a working relationship between both parties.  There are a few things you should know about franchise mediation to try and get the best results for you.

Be Ready With A Plan

The first thing you can do when heading into the mediation process is to understand how it works.  Know what your plan is before even going into the mediation process.  It will be very beneficial to have your information prepared and know what you plan on saying.  Also, if you can, be prepared for that they are going to say.  Nothing will harm you worse than a surprise in the negotiation stage.  It is vital for a successful mediation that you have as much information ready as possible. 

Write What You Want

The next step to help you when going to mediation is to think about what you want to end with beforehand.  Do not go into the mediation just winging it.  It is not going to end well for you.  Have a solid list of demands but know you are going to have to compromise on these when you go in there.  That is ok.  It is extremely unlikely that the two parties going into mediation will both leave with exactly what they wanted.  This never happens.  Be willing to compromise on certain issues when it is can help your bigger picture. 

Document Your Agreements

Lastly, never leave a settlement without official documentation.  Make sure everybody involved in the settlement has agreed to the terms of the deal and signed off on it.  Protect yourself from the other parties backing out by getting documentation that a settlement took place.  You don’t want to leave a settlement happy only to have the other party bail at the last minute. 

Mediation is a successful tool to solving disputes that can benefit everyone involved in the long run.  As long as you know before you go into the process that you are going to have to compromise is when you can really start negotiating.  Mediation can be a very helpful process to continuing successful relationships.