Who brought this client? Settling channel partner claims with a timestamp
Two partners, one buyer, one commission. How TRET records which channel partner registered a client first and works out what they are owed at booking.
Channel partners bring a big share of a builder’s sales, and they bring the most common argument in builder sales with them. Two partners both say they introduced the same family. One sent a WhatsApp in March, the other walked them into the site office in June. Somebody has to decide, the decision costs a relationship, and the commission is held up while everyone argues.
TRET is built so that question has an answer before anyone asks it. This is how the channel partner module in TRET records who brought a client and what they are owed.
Why do channel partner disputes happen?
Usually because there is no single record of who registered a client and when. Names arrive in a WhatsApp group, on a call to the sales head, or on a slip of paper at the site office. Months later, nobody can say for certain which message came first, and the partner with the louder voice often wins.
The fix is not a better argument. It is one place where every registration lands, checked against everyone already in your system, with the date and time attached at the moment it happens.
What should a builder record about each channel partner?
Each channel partner gets a record: firm name, contact person, phone, email, RERA number, area, their commission percentage and a status (active, inactive or blacklisted). Their page shows how many clients they have registered, how many are still open, site visits done, bookings, and commission pending and paid.
Fill this in properly when you add a partner, especially the commission percentage. It is the number TRET uses at booking, so getting it right on day one saves a correction later.
How does “first registration wins” work?
Instead of sending names into a WhatsApp group, each partner gets their own link. They open it, pick the project and configuration from your current list, and register the client with their phone number, budget and notes.
TRET checks the phone number against everyone already in your system. If the client is new, the registration is saved with a timestamp and the partner’s name, and the lead goes to your sales team by your usual assignment rules. If the client is already there, the partner is told straight away, with the date, that the client is registered with another partner or with you. They are not credited, and there is nothing to argue about later.
What can a channel partner see in TRET?
Partners see the clients they registered and the stage each one has reached, with phone numbers partly masked. Nothing else: not your other leads, not other partners, not your prices. Commission amounts stay with your team.
If a partner leaves or a link is shared too widely, set them to inactive or issue a new link, and the old one stops taking registrations.
How is channel partner commission calculated at booking?
When a unit is booked for a client a partner brought, TRET records the commission automatically: the unit price multiplied by that partner’s percentage. It starts as pending.
- The owner or sales head approves it, and TRET notes when.
- Once the money goes out, they mark it paid, again with the date.
- The amount can be adjusted until it is paid, for a negotiated discount for example. After that it is locked.
- One-off arrangements, like a flat fee on a deal, can be added by hand against the partner.
Who can approve and pay channel partner commission?
Only the owner and sales head can approve or pay, so every commission has a clear trail: registered on this date, booked on that date, approved by this person, paid on that date.
How do you set up channel partner registration in TRET?
- Add every partner you work with. Create a record with firm name, contact person, phone, email, RERA number, area and commission percentage, and set their status to active.
- Send each partner their own link. Tell partners that a registration through the link is the one that counts, so names stop arriving in WhatsApp groups.
- Let the phone number decide. When a partner registers a client, TRET checks the number. A new client is saved with a timestamp and assigned to your team; an existing one is flagged to the partner straight away, with the date.
- Approve commission after booking. When a partner’s client books, the commission appears as pending. Adjust it if a discount was agreed, then approve it.
- Mark it paid when the money goes out. The paid date is recorded, the amount is locked, and the trail is complete.
- Review partners regularly. Set partners who have left to inactive, issue a new link if one has been shared too widely, and check the partner report.
How do you know which channel partners are worth the attention?
The partner report shows, for each channel partner, clients registered, bookings and commission. It shows who is actually bringing bookings rather than just names, which is a better basis for deciding where your team spends its time. You can read more about it in our post on reports a sales head actually reads.
For an overview of links, first registration and commissions in one place, see channel partner management in TRET.
The result is fewer calls that start with “but I sent you this client”, and partners who trust your numbers enough to send you more.
FAQ
What happens if two channel partners register the same client?
The first registration wins. TRET checks the phone number, and if the client is already in your system the second partner is told straight away, with the date, that the client is registered with another partner or with you, and they are not credited.
Can a channel partner see other partners’ clients or our prices?
No. Partners see only the clients they registered and the stage each one has reached, with phone numbers partly masked. They do not see your other leads, other partners or your prices.
Can a commission amount be changed after booking?
Yes, until it is paid, for a negotiated discount for example. Once it is marked paid, the amount is locked.