Partner CAM audit ICP scorecard
Do not start with a broad pitch list.
Start with a scorecard.
CAM audit work pays off on the right files. CAM means common area maintenance, the shared building costs a tenant helps pay.
A good file has real pass-through spend. It has clear lease terms. It has the documents. And it has a client who cares now.
This scorecard helps you find those files first.
How to use the scorecard
Score each prospect from 0 to 18.
Use what you already know. Check client records, AP files, lease notes, tax work, or broker notes.
Do not know an answer? Score that row as 0. Wait for the client to confirm it.
| Factor | 0 points | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lease type | Gross or unknown | Modified gross, unclear pass-throughs | Modified gross with CAM true-up | NNN or clear operating expense pass-through |
| Annual exposure | Under $15,000 | $15,000 to $29,999 | $30,000 to $79,999 | $80,000 or more |
| Documents | No lease or statement | Lease only | Lease and current statement | Lease, amendments, statements, and backup |
| Timing | No recent statement | Statement older than one year | Statement received this year | Deadline or renewal is coming soon |
| Client pain | No stated concern | General cost pressure | Surprise true-up or budget issue | Live question from CFO, owner, counsel, or broker |
| Partner fit | No relationship | Cold prospect | Warm referral | Current client or strong advisor |
Score bands
Use the total score to decide what to do next.
| Score | Meaning | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| 13 to 18 | Strong first target | Send personal outreach and ask for a discovery call |
| 9 to 12 | Possible fit | Ask two or three eligible questions before pitching |
| 5 to 8 | Weak fit | Hold unless timing is urgent |
| 0 to 4 | Poor fit | Do not pitch a paid CAM audit yet |
A high score does not promise findings. It means the file is worth a serious look.
Good first targets
These are the easiest first calls for a new partner.
Start with a current client on a NNN lease. NNN means the tenant pays base rent plus shared costs. You already have trust. You may also see rent, CAM, tax, and true-up lines in the books. A true-up is the year-end bill that settles the real cost.
A franchise owner with two or more sites is a strong pick. These owners often use the same lease form. One good review can lead to more.
A medical office or clinic tenant works well too. These clients often pay big CAM, tax, and insurance charges. They watch budget swings closely.
A retail or restaurant tenant with a surprise true-up is ripe. The pain is real right now. The offer is easy to grasp. You check the bill against the lease.
A renewal client from a tenant rep is a good fit. A CAM review before renewal can shape better lease terms.
Weak first targets
These prospects can burn your time.
Skip a gross lease with no pass-through bill. A gross lease folds costs into one rent. There may be nothing to review.
Watch tiny annual exposure. A $7,500 CAM bill may not pay for a full review. A narrow review may still work.
Pass on clients with no lease on file. Do not quote a review from rent invoices alone.
Be careful with clients who only want legal advice. Send legal-notice questions to counsel first. Then scope the audit work.
A heated landlord fight with no papers is not ready. Anger is not enough. You need the lease, the bill, and the facts.
The first 20 names to score
Start with clients and advisors close to the firm.
- Clients with rent, CAM, tax, insurance, or true-up lines in AP.
- Clients with two or more leased locations.
- Franchise owners with strip center or power center leases.
- Medical, dental, clinic, and urgent care tenants.
- Restaurant groups with repeated landlord invoices.
- Retail operators with year-end true-up bills.
- Industrial tenants with operating expense pass-through schedules.
- Clients planning a renewal in the next 18 months.
- Clients that changed landlords or property managers.
- Clients that received a larger CAM statement than last year.
- Clients with no internal lease admin team.
- Clients that have never requested landlord backup.
- Clients where the firm already has the lease abstract.
- Broker contacts with renewal-heavy books.
- Attorneys who need factual support before a dispute step.
- Bookkeepers who code CAM but do not read leases.
- Controllers who ask about accruals and true-ups.
- Operators with private equity or lender reporting needs.
- Facilities contacts who manage several leased sites.
- White-label partners who serve NNN-lease tenants.
Score each item. Then start outreach with the top five.
Questions to ask when the score is unclear
Use these when you cannot score a prospect from records alone.
Do you pay a separate line for CAM, taxes, insurance, or operating expenses?
Did the landlord send a year-end reconciliation or true-up statement this year?
About how much do you pay each year in CAM or pass-through charges?
Do you have the signed lease and amendments on file?
Has anyone checked the landlord statement against the lease before?
Did the client say yes on the lease, the statement, and the spend? Then move to a discovery call.
How to talk about the score
Do not tell the client, "You scored high."
Say this instead:
Based on the lease type, annual CAM spend, and the fact that you received a recent reconciliation, this looks worth a short review call.
That sounds like a professional screen, not a sales trick.
What to do after each result
Strong first target. Send a personal note. Ask for a short discovery call. Keep the ask simple.
Possible fit. Ask the five questions above. Do not send a proposal yet.
Weak fit. Hold for now. Check back when a new statement comes. Or when a renewal starts. Or when the client adds sites.
Poor fit. Do not pitch a CAM audit. Keep the relationship clean. Point them to a better service if you have one.
Example score
Client: three-location restaurant group.
| Factor | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lease type | 3 | NNN leases |
| Annual exposure | 2 | About $45,000 per location |
| Documents | 2 | Lease and current statements on file |
| Timing | 3 | Reconciliations arrived last month |
| Client pain | 2 | Surprise true-up |
| Partner fit | 3 | Current advisory client |
Total score: 15.
Next step: send a personal note and book a discovery call.
What not to do
Do not score every tenant as a fit.
Do not use the score to promise a recovery.
Do not ignore missing amendments.
Do not pitch gross leases unless there is a real pass-through statement.
Do not start with cold outreach when current clients score higher.
The scorecard protects your time. Use it before the discovery call. Then use the discovery call script to prioritize the file.