This section applies mainly to Premium partners who pay Per Referral or Per Call
Overview
This guide is for Premium partners who utilize the Per Referral payment model at Baton. We understand that not all referrals may meet the expected standards, and we are committed to ensuring you pay only for high-quality, relevant, and exclusive leads. If you receive a referral that doesn't qualify, you can request a credit which will be applied to future bills.
Best Practices for Successful Referrals
Regularly update your Service Areas and services/offerings to align with your current capabilities, ensuring you receive relevant and qualified leads.
Respond promptly to referrals to improve conversion rates.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date contact information to avoid issues with not receiving referrals or having incorrect details that could delay the process.
Engage in timely follow-ups to increase the chances of successful conversions and reduce the need for credit requests.
How to Request a Credit
1. Navigate to Your Referrals: Go to Baton, select the referral in question, and click “Request credit.”
2. Submit Your Claim: Choose the reason for the credit request, add any pertinent notes, and submit. If the referral meets the criteria below, you’ll be notified, and a credit will be issued.
Criteria for Valid Referrals
Referrals are valid if they:
- Are bid on a 'Per Referral' basis.
- Match the zip code and service need listed on your profile.
- Result in established contact with the customer who acknowledges a fee for service.
Reasons for Credit Requests
Valid Reasons:
Unwanted Contact: The customer did not consent to be contacted.
Failed Contact Attempts: No response from the customer despite correct contact details.
If possible, providing details of at least three contact attempts made over a period of three business days using at least two different methods (e.g., phone and email) will help ensure a faster credit evaluation process. Contact attempts may include:
At least one call made during peak hours (e.g., 9 AM–6 PM local time).
A voicemail left on at least one attempt, if voicemail is available.
An email or text message sent to the customer, if applicable.
While credit requests will still be evaluated without additional documentation, including these details can expedite the process.
Out of Service Area: Customer location or service needed is not covered under your profile.
Service Not Offered: The required service is not listed on your profile.
Non-Exclusive Referral (Within Baton Network): The referral was sent to multiple providers within the Baton Network.
Duplicate (Within Baton Network): Identical referral details provided previously.
Spam or Bad Contact Info: Referrals that are spam, solicitations, or contain incorrect information.
Underage Referrals: Referrals involving minors.
Test Referrals: Referrals sent for testing purposes.
Referred in Bad Faith: Misuse of the system for competitive advantage.
Potentially Valid Reasons:
Advice Seeker: If the service needed is unrelated to your offerings or requires governmental intervention. This would fall under "Service Not Offered."
Non-Decision Makers: Calls from individuals not authorized to decide, like renters or family members.
Delayed Referral Submission: Customer signed with another provider before the referral was sent. This likely means that the referral wasn't submitted to you in a timely manner.
Invalid Reasons:
Cancellation or Delay: Customer cancellations or inability to respond swiftly (specific time set on this). Example: "They scheduled with me, but then canceled because the critter ran off on its own."
Price Disputes: Issues with pricing should be handled through value demonstration and customer education. Example: "Weren't willing to pay the inspection fee."
Direct Contact: Customers who find you through another route (like Google) still validate the referral. Example: "This customer called me through both Baton and Google, so I don't want to pay for it twice." * If you dispute the lead to an alternative lead source and they refund you, we will match that are refund you as well.
Non-Exclusive Referral (Outside Baton Network): The referral was sent to multiple providers outside the Baton Network. Unfortunately, we cannot control nor validate leads sent outside of our network.
Duplicate (Outside Baton Network): Identical referral details provided previously outside the Baton Network.
Final Considerations
We carefully review all rejected referrals, which may or may not result in credit adjustments for you and chargebacks to the referrer when appropriate.
To ensure a positive experience, we encourage the following:
Proactive communication, as frequent rejections could affect your eligibility for referrals from other companies.
If the Per Referral model doesn’t meet your needs, we recommend considering a Per Sale commission model as an alternative.
In home services marketing, taking a big-picture approach can make all the difference. Companies that focus on the overall success of their campaigns, rather than individual leads or referrals, often see the most significant growth over time.
To get the most from the Baton network, always prioritize prompt communication. This not only maximizes your conversion opportunities but also helps maintain a strong reputation within the network. If you encounter challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for profile adjustments that can optimize your ROI.