Decide what a partner is
Dealers, agents, electricians and referrers behave differently. Write down which kinds you work with and what each is expected to do, such as refer only, survey or install.
Give partners their own space
A WhatsApp group puts every partner in the same room as your staff and each other. A separate login keeps each partner's leads private and keeps your internal notes internal.
Settle lead ownership early
Most disputes are about who found the customer first. Agree the rule in advance, then apply it the same way every time.
- A lead belongs to the partner who submitted it first
- A submission that matches an active enquiry is held for review
- The partner is told the outcome and the reason
Make status visible
Partners ask for updates because they cannot see progress. Show them where each lead stands, using a short list of statuses.
- Submitted
- Under review
- Contacted
- Converted
- Closed with a reason
Publish commission rules
State the trigger, such as advance received or installation complete, and the rate. Record each commission as pending, approved, paid or rejected, so partners can see where theirs is.
Review the programme monthly
Look at leads submitted, leads converted and commission outstanding per partner. Reward the ones who bring good leads and have a candid conversation with the ones who do not.
Keep this
- Separate login, separate view.
- Ownership rule decided before the first lead.
- Commission has a trigger and a visible status.