How to end 'who brought this buyer?' fights

The buyer comes to the site. Two channel partners say the buyer is theirs. The developer’s team is stuck in the middle, and the brokerage is on hold.

These fights are common, and most can be prevented with a few simple rules that both sides accept in advance.

Why the fight happens

Disputes grow from missing information, not from bad people.

• Two partners shared the same buyer’s number with the project.
• The buyer visited twice, through different partners.
• Nobody wrote down who registered first.
• The only proof is a WhatsApp message that someone can no longer find.

If the record is clear on day one, there is little to argue about on booking day.

Rule 1: register the buyer before the visit

The registration must come before the visit, never after. A buyer who walks in with no registration is hard to credit to anyone.

Ask partners to send the same details each time:

• Buyer’s name and phone number
• Project and date of planned visit
• Partner firm and the person handling the buyer

Keep it short so partners actually do it. A long form gets skipped, and a skipped form is where the next dispute starts.

Rule 2: set a tagging window

A tag should not last forever. Agree how long a registration stays valid, for example a fixed number of days from the registration date. The number is for you and the developer to agree. Write it down.

Decide also what happens at the end. If the buyer has not visited within the window, the tag lapses, and another partner can register the same buyer.

Rule 3: write the first-visit rule

Two partners can both be genuine. You need a rule for the tie. Common choices:

Rule	Works when
First registration wins	Registrations are timestamped and visible
First visit wins	Visits are recorded properly
Split credit	Both partners did real work

Pick one, tell all partners, and apply it every time. Consistency matters more than which rule you choose.

Rule 4: keep one record both sides can see

Both the partner and the developer should be able to see the same entry: who registered, when, and what happened next. A shared sheet works if nobody edits old rows.

Every change should carry a written reason. “Changed to Partner B” is not enough. “Partner A’s tag lapsed on 12 Oct; Partner B registered on 14 Oct” is.

Also, nobody should approve a claim from their own partner. If the person judging a dispute manages one of the partners, someone else should decide.

What a record can and cannot decide

A record answers factual questions: who registered first, who took the buyer to the site, and when.

It does not decide brokerage. The agreement between the developer and the channel partner decides who is paid, how much and when. If the agreement says the developer has the final say on credit, that is what applies.

So use your record as evidence, and read your agreement before you promise a partner anything. If the agreement is silent on a case, fix the agreement for next time.

A simple dispute routine

When two partners claim a buyer:

1. Pull both registrations with their timestamps.
2. Check the visit record.
3. Apply the written rule.
4. Name the main partner, or split credit if the rule says so.
5. Write the reason and tell both partners.

Do this within a few days. Long silence makes people suspicious, and the buyer may go cold while you argue.

Where a CRM helps

For Developers, Mr. Site Visit gives partner claims tagging windows and a dispute queue. A manager names a main partner or splits credit, every change needs a written reason, and nobody can approve a partner they manage.

For a partner firm, a site visit tag message can be copied to the builder’s WhatsApp group with the buyer’s number masked, so the visit is on record without exposing the buyer. GPS and time are recorded when a visit starts and ends. See Site visit proof for what that record shows.

Whatever you use, the habit is the same: register early, keep dates, write reasons, and let the agreement settle money.