How developers can settle channel partner lead disputes
By the PropT team · Published
Channel partner lead disputes stop when the rules are written down before the first lead arrives: one timestamped registration per buyer, a fixed validity period, a clear rule for walk-ins and direct enquiries, and a record every partner can see. Most disputes come from missing rules, not dishonest partners.
Why disputes happen
- The same buyer talks to several partners. Buyers shop around, and more than one partner may genuinely have spoken to them.
- Registrations arrive by WhatsApp, email and phone. With no single record, nobody can prove who registered the buyer first.
- The buyer also enquired directly. A buyer who filled a portal form or walked in may later turn up with a partner.
- Old registrations never expire. A partner who registered a buyer a year ago claims the booking today.
- Rules change from project to project, or exist only in a sales manager's head.
Write the attribution rules down first
Share these rules with every partner when they're empanelled, and apply them the same way on every project:
| Rule | A common way to set it |
|---|---|
| Who gets the buyer | The first partner to register the buyer, by timestamp, in your system |
| How long a registration lasts | A fixed period you choose, such as 30 or 60 days, renewed when the partner brings the buyer for a site visit |
| What counts as registered | Buyer name and mobile number submitted through your portal, not a WhatsApp message |
| Direct and walk-in enquiries | A buyer already in your CRM from a portal, ad or walk-in stays a direct lead unless your policy says otherwise |
| First site visit | Whether the partner must accompany the buyer on the first visit to keep the registration |
| Disputes | Who decides, how quickly, and what evidence counts |
The exact numbers matter less than applying them the same way every time. Partners accept losing a dispute under a rule they knew about; they stop selling your project when rules seem to change after the fact.
Settling a dispute, step by step
- Pull the buyer's record: every registration with its timestamp and partner, and any direct enquiry.
- Check whether each registration was still valid on the date of the booking or first visit.
- Check the site visit log: who accompanied the buyer and when.
- Apply the written rule and record the decision on the buyer's record.
- Tell both partners the outcome and the rule it was based on, in writing.
If you find yourself making exceptions often, change the written rule for everyone rather than deciding case by case.
Prevent the next one at onboarding
- Collect each partner's RERA agent registration number when they join. The RERA Act requires agents to register with the state authority before facilitating sales in registered projects.
- Give every partner one place to submit buyers, with a duplicate check that tells them straight away if the buyer is already registered.
- Let partners see their own registrations, expiry dates and commission status, so they don't need to ask.
- Tag site visits and unit blocks to the partner, so the booking's attribution is settled before commission is due.
Frequently asked questions
Who should get credit when two channel partners bring the same buyer?
Under the most common rule, the partner whose registration was submitted first and was still valid at the time of the first site visit or booking. Whatever rule you choose, publish it to all partners before it's needed.
Should a channel partner get commission on a buyer who first enquired directly?
Many developers treat a buyer already in their CRM from a direct enquiry as a direct lead. If you pay partners in that case, say so in your written policy so other partners know the rule.
How long should a channel partner's lead registration last?
Long enough for a typical buyer to visit, and short enough that inactive registrations expire. Many developers pick a fixed period and renew it when the partner brings the buyer for a site visit.