Describe the work first

Write down who finds customers, closes the sale, collects payment, delivers the product and handles support. The commercial split should follow this operating design. Negotiating a percentage before defining responsibilities can leave both sides expecting the other to do essential work.

Map customer accountability

Specify where customers go for questions, complaints and changes. Identify the systems each partner needs and the information they are authorised to access. A partnership can look attractive financially while producing a confusing customer journey if accountability is divided without clear handoffs.

Test the model with one order

Walk through a realistic transaction from enquiry to post-sale support. Check which party incurs each cost and when it receives compensation. Use the exercise to identify missing responsibilities before drafting detailed terms with appropriate professional support. Draw the money flow for one typical transaction alongside the responsibility map. This reveals whether one party is funding work before compensation arrives and whether the proposed split leaves enough retained value to support the customer obligations it has accepted.

Imagine this

Illustrative operating example

In a hypothetical referral model, a partner introduces a prospect while the platform sells and supports the customer. In a reseller model, the partner may take on more commercial work. An identical percentage would not necessarily compensate those different responsibilities fairly.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

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