By drawing a parallel with a familiar industry—the supermarket—we hope to illustrate why some contributions, while necessary, are not equivalent to the work of those who drive the deal forward.

The Supermarket Analogy: What Is Added Value?

Imagine walking into a supermarket. The price you pay for a product is not just the cost of the raw materials. It includes:

• Storage: Warehouses, refrigeration, and inventory management ensure products are available when you need them.
• Logistics: Transportation, fuel, and coordination to bring products from farms or factories to the shelves.
• Security: Protecting the products from theft, damage, or spoilage.
• Overhead Costs: Rent, utilities, and maintenance for the physical store.
• Wages: Salaries for cashiers, stockers, managers, and IT staff who keep the system running.
• Technology: Point-of-sale systems, inventory software, and customer service tools.

These elements add 10–30% to the product's price—representing real investment in infrastructure and expertise.

Now, consider an intermediary who simply provides a phone number. Is that equivalent to the supermarket's entire operation?

The Role of Intermediaries: A Reality Check

In many industries, intermediaries act as connectors, bridging gaps between parties. However, the value of that connection varies greatly depending on the effort and risk involved.

Low Added Value: Phone Number with No Verification, No Effort. High Added Value: Qualification, Proposals, Face-to-Face Meetings.

This is the real added value—the difference between a name on a piece of paper and a closed, profitable, and sustainable deal.

The Chain of Intermediaries: When Value Dilutes

The situation becomes even more complex when multiple intermediaries are involved. Picture this:

1. Intermediary A knows someone who might be interested.
2. Intermediary B gets the phone number from A and passes it to C.
3. Intermediary C forwards it to D, who then shares it with E.
4. Intermediary E finally connects with your company.

Each intermediary in this chain may expect a significant share of the transaction, simply because they "passed along" a contact. But ask yourself:

• Did they verify the lead?
• Did they contribute to the negotiation?
• Did they invest time, money, or expertise to make the deal happen?

If the answer is no, then their added value is minimal—akin to a supermarket cashier handing you a product without the store's entire infrastructure behind it.

Fairness in Compensation: Aligning Rewards with Effort

We are not suggesting that intermediaries should not be compensated. However, fairness demands that compensation aligns with the actual added value provided.

Here's how to think about it:

Contribution	Added Value	Suggested Compensation
Providing a phone number (unverified)	Low	Nominal fee or small percentage
Qualifying the lead, reviewing documents	Medium	Moderate percentage
Developing proposals, negotiating, closing the deal	High	Significant share

This table is not prescriptive but illustrative. The key principle is proportionality: the more effort, risk, and expertise invested, the greater the share.

Higher effort and risk deserve higher reward. Passing a contact along involves neither.

A Call for Collaboration, Not Confrontation

Our goal is not to criticize intermediaries but to educate and collaborate. We want to work with partners who understand that:

• A phone number is a starting point, not a finished product.
• The real work—and risk—begins after the introduction.
• Fair compensation reflects the actual contribution to the transaction's success.

By recognizing the true added value of each party, we can build stronger, more transparent, and more profitable relationships.