What should agencies agree before sharing a search?
Name the client-facing lead, candidate-facing lead, screening owner, and communication route. Obtain candidate permission for each intended introduction. Put the fee split, payment trigger, replacement work, data handling, and dispute path in writing before either agency presents a profile.
What if another agency earlier sent only the candidate’s name?
Do not assume a name alone settles introduction credit. Ask the family when and how it received the earlier name, what profile or interview work followed, and what each signed agreement actually says. Preserve the chronology, confirm candidate consent, and coordinate with the other agency before making a competing fee claim. Get qualified advice if the contract terms or facts remain disputed.
How should agencies set a cross-area referral fee or revenue split?
Describe which agency owns intake, recruiting, screening, client updates, billing, and replacement support. Set the split and payment event against that actual work, and decide who handles cancellations or disputes. Confirm applicable local requirements with counsel before using a standard partner agreement across jurisdictions.
How should a domestic staffing agency evaluate collaboration with a large general staffing firm?
Ask the firm which household roles it actually handles in the target market, who screens and represents candidates, and who owns family communication. Use one anonymized sample brief to compare search process, confidentiality, candidate consent, fees, replacement terms, and response time. Put referral or shared-search responsibilities in writing before either party introduces a candidate. A general staffing brand’s scale does not establish domestic-staffing expertise, and a community request for experiences is not evidence of a successful partnership.