Three agents claiming the same student
International students often find you through an education agent in their home country. The agent sends a booking link, fills in a form for the student, or just tells them your name. Months later, at commission time, three agents email to say they referred the same student. Another agent says they are owed for twenty students, but only twelve appear anywhere in your records.
The partnerships manager opens the booking system, the agent spreadsheet and a folder of agreements, and starts matching names by hand.
Why referral records do not hold up
The booking system records the student, not how they found you. Agents send students by different routes: a tracked link, a code, their own application, or none of these. And each agent agreement has its own terms, such as a fixed amount per bed, a percentage of rent, a minimum tenancy length or a clawback if the student cancels.
- The referral source is not captured at booking, or is typed in free text.
- Students use a direct link even when an agent sent them.
- Agent terms sit in PDFs rather than rules a system can apply.
- Cancellations after payment of commission are not always clawed back.
- Agents have no way to see their own referrals, so they email to ask.
What the confusion costs
Paying twice for one student, paying for students who cancelled, or failing to pay an agent who genuinely referred someone. The first two cost money directly. The third costs goodwill with an agent who may send many students next year, and who talks to other agents. The partnerships manager spends weeks each year on reconciliation instead of building relationships.
How we build agent referral tracking
- Each agent gets their own booking link and code. Bookings made through either are tagged to the agent automatically.
- The booking form asks students whether an agent helped them, with a searchable list, so direct bookings can still be attributed.
- Each agent's terms are entered once: rate, basis, conditions such as a signed contract or first payment, and clawback rules.
- When a booking meets the conditions, the commission is calculated and shown as due. Cancellations reverse or reduce it under your rules.
- Conflicting claims, for example two agents naming the same student, go to a person with the evidence from each side.
- Agents get a portal or a regular statement listing their students, the status of each and what is due, so they can raise questions before payment rather than after.
- Approved commissions are exported to your finance system, for example as bills in Xero.
| Situation | What the tracker does |
|---|---|
| Booking through agent link or code | Tagged to the agent |
| Student names an agent at booking | Tagged, marked for confirmation |
| Two agents claim the same student | Sent to a person with both claims |
| Student cancels after commission is due | Clawback applied under the agent's terms |
| Conditions not yet met | Shown as pending on the agent statement |
The terms in each agreement are yours to set and interpret. We apply them as written.
What the partnerships team gets back
Commission time becomes a review of a list rather than an investigation. Agents see their own numbers during the year, so disputes shrink. You can see which agents bring students who actually arrive and stay, which is more useful for planning than which agents send the most enquiries.
Is this your commission process?
- Agents claim students by email at the end of the cycle.
- More than one agent sometimes claims the same student.
- Commission terms differ by agent and live in PDFs.
- Commission has been paid for students who then cancelled.
- Agents regularly ask you how many students they have referred.