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Why Do Partners Choose One Channel Partner Program Over Another?
Most vendors assume that growing partner loyalty means adding more margin, rebates, or funding. Channelnomics research tells a different story. Walsh frames it as a choice every vendor makes when they want to grow a business: add more fuel (incentives) or remove friction from the engine (ease of doing business).
The data favors the second option. Vendors that are easier to work with see:
Three times more share of wallet from their partners
A higher rate of growth
A higher rate of profitability
Partners will even choose a less profitable vendor if that vendor lets them move faster and spend less effort getting deals done. For any vendor trying to solve partner friction with another incentive tier, that is worth sitting with.
How Partner Trust Reduces Channel Partner Friction
Walsh's core argument is that most vendors build their channel partner programs, and the tools behind them, from a defensive posture. They worry about paying a partner too much, or rewarding work that was not done, so they add review steps and approval layers. That instinct creates friction before the partner relationship even starts.
The better starting point is trust: decide how much trust you are willing to extend to your partner ecosystem, and what you expect in return. Once that is settled, workflows stop being obstacles and start helping partners close deals faster. That shift shows up in three ways:
Partners who move faster generate more profit for themselves, which makes your program worth prioritizing over a competitor's
Automation absorbs the risk vendors typically guard against, so controls get built into the workflow instead of bolted on as friction
AI-supported channel enablement speeds up partner communication without adding headcount
Why ease of doing business is the edge in channel partner programs
Ease of doing business is not a soft metric. It defines the channel partner experience partners actually remember, and it is the difference between a program partners prioritize and one they simply tolerate. The strongest programs use automation to clear bottlenecks, build trust into every workflow, and help partners move faster without adding review cycles.
This is the territory e2open Channel Management solutions are built for: helping vendors bring structure, automation, and visibility to their partner programs, so ease of doing business becomes part of the design instead of an afterthought.
Automated partner onboarding and enablement, so new partners can start selling sooner
One place to manage partner performance and incentives, instead of spreadsheets and email approvals
AI-supported partner communication that scales engagement without adding headcount
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