10 Best Partner Management Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 25 tools reviewed.
With so many different partner management software available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to efficiently manage and optimize your relationships with your business partners but need to figure out which tool is best. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences using dozens of different partner management tools with various teams and partners, with my picks of the best partner management software.
Why Trust Our Partner Management Software Reviews?
We’ve been testing and reviewing partner management software since 2022. As revenue operation leaders ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions. We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different RevOps use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & our partner management software review methodology.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| monday sales CRM | From $8/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Pipedrive CRM | From $21.90/user/month | Website |
| Everflow | From $750 per month | Website |
| Zift Solutions | Pricing available upon request | Website |
| Kiflo PRM | From $249/month | Website |
| Reveal | No price details | Website |
| LeadMethod | Pricing upon request | Website |
| PartnerTap | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Crossbeam | No price details | Website |
| PartnerStack | Pricing Upon Request | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow To Choose Partner Management Software
With so many different partner management software solutions available, it can be challenging to make decisions on what tool is going to be the best fit for your needs.
As you're shortlisting, trialing, and selecting partner management software, consider the following:
- What problem are you trying to solve - Start by identifying the partner management software feature gap you're trying to fill to clarify the features and functionality the tool needs to provide.
- Who will need to use it - To evaluate cost and requirements, consider who'll be using the software and how many licenses you'll need. You'll need to evaluate if it'll just be the revenue operation leaders or the whole organization that will require access. When that's clear, it's worth considering if you're prioritizing ease of use for all or speed for your partner management software power users.
- What other tools it needs to work with - Clarify what tools you're replacing, what tools are staying, and the tools you'll need to integrate with, such as accounting, CRM, or HR software. You'll need to decide if the tools will need to integrate together or if you can replace multiple tools with one consolidated partner management software.
- What outcomes are important - Consider the result that the software needs to deliver to be considered a success. Consider what capability you want to gain or what you want to improve, and how you will be measuring success. For example, an outcome could be the ability to get greater visibility into performance. You could compare partner management software features until you’re blue in the face but if you aren’t thinking about the outcomes you want to drive, you could be wasting a lot of valuable time.
- How it would work within your organization - Consider the software selection alongside your workflows and delivery methodology. Evaluate what's working well and the areas that are causing issues that need to be addressed. Remember every business is different — don’t assume that because a tool is popular that it'll work in your organization.
Best Partner Management Software Reviews
Here you can find my detailed overviews of the best PRM software to make my list. I’ve included their standout features, integrations, pros and cons of each, and a screenshot to give you a feel for the user interface.
monday's Sales CRM is a customizable tool designed to manage and nurture customer relationships and sales processes. It stands out for its ability to enable custom automations, which allows businesses to create a tailored sales cycle that aligns with their specific needs and workflows, thereby improving productivity and the potential to close more deals.
Why I picked monday Sales CRM: I chose monday Sales CRM because of its fully customizable nature and intuitive interface, which allows for a tailored approach to managing partner relationships. What sets it apart is its centralization of client communication and the ability to automate repetitive tasks, which is crucial for maintaining efficient partner interactions. I believe monday Sales CRM is best for custom automations due to its low-code/no-code platform that empowers users to create their own workflows and automations, even without technical expertise, and its robust features like email tracking, lead scoring, and customizable dashboards that provide deep insights through live reports and analytics.
monday Sales CRM Standout Features
Features include intuitive technology that supports your company’s success, whether you’re developing a custom dashboard for specific communication requirements or trying to analyze customer data with visualization tools. By using the simple trigger and action templates from within the platform, you can quickly build many time-saving automations. You can also implement notification systems to help eliminate unnecessary meetings by alerting team members when a task or project is ready for further action.
Integrations include over 200 third-party applications, such as Salesforce, Mailchimp, Aircall, Pandadoc, and Twilio.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 24/7 customer support.
- Easy to develop and implement automations.
- Unlimited boards to organize clients, projects, and processes.
Cons:
- All plans have a three-user minimum.
- No customizable reports.
Pipedrive CRM is a powerful tool for sales pipeline management, offering features such as easy email and automation, customization and reporting, and flexible collaboration and support for larger teams.
Why I picked Pipedrive: Since Pipedrive has tailored pipelines, it can be a useful tool for managing partnerships. For example, the software streamlines the partner recruitment process using these customizable pipelines, allowing businesses to visually map out and manage each step from initial contact to agreement signing.
The platform also enhances collaboration and efficiency through automated workflows and task management, reducing manual work and allowing teams to focus on building stronger partner relationships. For onboarding or ongoing partner management, Pipedrive's centralized data storage and easy access to shared resources streamline interactions and processes.
Pipedrive's Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include a tailored user experience through its open API, AI-driven sales assistant, and customizable pipelines and reports, all of which can be adapted to meet unique partner pipeline requirements. Other notable features include lead scores, workflow automation, and forecasting.
Integrations include HubSpot, JustCall, Mailchimp, Google Meet, Zoom, DocuSign, Trello, Monday.com, Zendesk, and Google Workspace.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- API access for full customization
- Machine learning-powered sales assistant
- Unlimited sales pipelines
Cons:
- Learning curve for beginners
- Phone support only on the highest tier
Everflow is a partner marketing platform with relationship management, tracking, attribution, and analytics tools to help manage your partnerships program.
Why I picked Everflow: When it comes to tracking and analytics, this platform really stood out, which is why I decided to include it on my list. Its first touch attribution helps you see where customers are really coming from, rather than their last touchpoint before purchase. You can also track in-app purchases through redirect links and unique transaction IDs. QR codes allow you to track offline purchases as well.
As for tracking your metrics beyond attribution, the software also helps you measure partner engagement and campaign performance. You can see how your campaigns compare to your other marketing channels, and even track offline marketing efforts like billboards and business cards. You can also push your performance data into your ad platforms to automatically optimize your ad campaigns.
Everflow Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the platform’s DocuSign integration, which speeds up onboarding new partners and stores contracts securely. I also thought the competitor data feature was interesting. You can see the payouts offered by your competitors and use that to create a more attractive offer for affiliate partners.
Integrations include DocuSign, Tipalti, PayPal, Stripe, Shopify, BigCommerce, HubSpot, Salesforce, Segment, and ActiveProspect, among others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Complete migration provided
- Suitable for enterprise businesses
- Dedicated onboarding with all plans
Cons:
- Robust system, comes with a learning curve
- Minimum 6-month contract
Zift Solutions is a complete channel marketing platform that covers partner management and enablement features as well as channel marketing and sales tools.
Why I picked Zift Solutions: This software made it onto my list because beyond its standard feature set, it also allows you to build a robust partner enablement and learning hub. You can also track how partners are making their way through your content and understand which modules are most effective. This is all in addition to partner portals, channel marketing tools, and channel sales features.
The software’s learning management system (LMS) comes with a course builder you can use to put together training courses for partners. You can also manage specific certifications, encouraging partners to pursue additional learning modules. All the data you collect from your LMS can then be used to fuel your partner engagement strategy and drive success.
Zift Solutions Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s lead distribution capabilities. What’s unique about this feature is that it sends warm leads to the most suitable partners automatically. This not only helps partners succeed, but it also helps you take a more tailored approach to your lead conversion efforts. Leads will have a more personalized experience, helping to build credibility for your partners and your brand alike.
Integrations can be configured by the company’s service team.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Robust partner enablement capabilities
- Robust knowledge base
- Services are also available
Cons:
- Additional services come at additional cost
- Chat and email support only
Kiflo PRM is a partner success platform designed specifically for the needs of small- to medium-sized businesses that want to scale their partnerships operations.
Why I picked Kiflo PRM: You can map out and optimize your partner journey using this software, and recruit new partners to scale your partnerships strategy. I included it on the list because of its comprehensive feature set that helps SMBs maximize their partnerships. This includes designing partner programs, engaging partners, distributing rewards, and tracking the impact of your efforts.
The software’s partner portals are customizable, and you can create different ones for different partner segments (it’s geared towards affiliate, reseller, and referral partners). It connects to your website to easily collect any incoming partner applications via web forms. New partners can complete their onboarding through self-serve resources, and once successful, they can collect their rewards through their portal.
Kiflo PRM Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s payout capabilities. You can create unique reward models for different partner types and levels, and ensure partners have an overview of your commission model. Partners can submit their invoices directly through the software, helping you keep everything in one place. I found it handy that you can connect payment tools like Stripe to facilitate paying your partners through the platform.
Integrations include WordPress, HubSpot, Stripe, Intercom, Freshchat, and Crisp.chat. Zapier can also be connected to build custom integrations, or you can create custom integrations with the software’s API.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Plenty of self-serve support documentation
- Unlimited users with all plans
- Ability to add a custom domain (extra cost)
Cons:
- Limited reporting capabilities
- Limited number of partners
Reveal is an account mapping and partnerships directory platform that companies can use to keep track of their partners and track their partnership activities.
Why I picked Reveal: This software made my list because it creates a centralized partner database with data from your CRM and other sources. By doing this, it helps you eliminate duplicate records and spot missed opportunities. It also tracks your partners’ activities, helping you know when to take action and what action to take.
You can also discover new partnership opportunities through the software’s directory. Once you team up with a new partner, you can exchange lead lists and then track leads through your pipeline. You’ll get updates based on your partners’ activity, and the software can help you track the ROI of your partnerships and prioritize the most impactful opportunities.
Reveal Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s exceptional security measures. It’s both GDPR and SOC II compliant, and has specialized features like one-way sharing to ensure your partner data stays secure. It’s nice to feel assured that the system handling sensitive contact data and financial information takes security seriously and protects both your business and your partners.
Integrations include Salesforce, Slack, HubSpot, Zoho, Pipedrive, Freshsales, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Upsales, and Stripe. The software’s REST API can also be used to build custom integrations.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Discounted startup program available
- Dedicated onboarding with paid plans
- Good for finding B2B partner opportunities
Cons:
- Analytics tools don’t come with free plan
- Integrations are limited in some plans
LeadMethod is a comprehensive channel management software that supports your distributor partner program management.
Why I picked LeadMethod: I picked this software provider for my list because of its straightforward methodology for enabling your distributor partners. Because marketing and sales collateral frequently goes unused by partners, the platform seeks to make it easier for partners to find and apply your marketing material in their efforts.
You can add product value propositions, a sales pitch script, product datasheets, images and videos, competitor battle cards, and more to the platform. Your partners will be able to access this collateral easily and leverage it towards greater success.
LeadMethod Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include its automatic data importing capabilities. You can easily upload your existing data or fresh data from trade shows, sales, and events. I thought this was particularly useful for on-the-go sales partners or distributors who do field sales. It also has a built-in feedback tool to collect insights from your reps and distributors so you can help them succeed.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Oracle Marketing Cloud, Oracle Sales Cloud, SugarCRM, HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Insightly, Pipedrive, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Friendly interface, quick to learn
- Easy to pinpoint priorities at a glance
- Responsive and knowledgeable support team
Cons:
- Lacking certain advanced features
- Some limitations in the reporting dashboard
PartnerTap is a partner ecosystem platform that can be used for account mapping, co-selling, pipeline sharing, and to track channel insights.
Why I picked PartnerTap: You can both manage your existing partnerships and find new partner opportunities with the platform. When you sign up, you start by connecting your CRM or importing your partner records from a spreadsheet. From there, you’ll be able to invite your partners into the platform so you can stay connected with them all from the same system.
You can also use the software to see overlap with your partners and customers, which can be opportunities for growth. It can produce opportunity reports that show you where you have an existing relationship that could lead to a partnership or support new deals. This provides your SDRs with valuable information for pursuing prospects.
PartnerTap Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include its CRM enrichment feature, which pushes partnership data back into your CRM. This is a good way to bring insights from your PRM into your CRM, and enable your sales reps, marketers, and support agents when they’re connecting with prospects and existing customers. I thought this was an impressive tool that really added value and took the software’s capabilities to the next level.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Close.io, Impartner, Zift, Magentrix, Okta, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Tableau, among others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Two-way integration with CRMs
- Friendly and intuitive interface
- Reduces manual workload looking for opportunities
Cons:
- Some features and support have additional costs
- Requires onboarding partners to the platform
Crossbeam is a partnerships network and platform that can be used to find new partnership opportunities and manage your partnerships.
Why I picked Crossbeam: As a partnerships ecosystem that connects you with potential partners, this software stood out. I included it on my list because of its unique functionality, which lets you not just find new partners but also manage existing ones. You can discover and connect with your partners, then manage the entire partner relationship through the platform.
Once you’re set up in the system, you can map your data against other partners in the network. You can uncover opportunities through overlap in your data and build connections that make sense. The software also allows for data exchange through your CRM, data warehouse, Google Sheets, or a CSV file.
Crossbeam Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the platform’s free plan, which allows for up to 3 users and provides account mapping, segmentation, single partner reports, and CSV exports up to 100 records. Free trials are rare among partner management solutions, let alone freemium plans. So the ability to join the network and find opportunities for free really stood out to me.
Integrations include HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Sheets, RollWorks, Marketo, Snowflake, Slack, and a Chrome Extension. You can also connect to Zapier to configure other integrations or build custom integrations with the software’s REST API.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Intuitive and friendly user interface
- Custom enterprise plans available
- Unlimited data sources with all plans
Cons:
- Additional fee per additional user with paid plans
- All integrations not included with all plans
PartnerStack is a partnerships management software that helps you recruit, track, and reward your affiliate and referral partners.
Why I picked PartnerStack: The software pulls partner data from your CRM, emails, and spreadsheets together in one place. It also has partner portals where your partners can access resources, rewards, and other important assets that come with your partner program. I chose to add it to my list as an option that can be used to manage affiliate partners, referral partners, and reseller partners.
In addition to keeping track of your partners’ information, you can also manage email campaigns and co-marketing initiatives through the software. It has analytics capabilities that can help you optimize your existing partnerships and overall partnerships strategy.
PartnerStack Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features I spotted while testing this software were its rewards management capabilities. You’re able to easily pay your partners through the software and set reward triggers based on partner events. The software also scans for fraudulent activity, which gives you peace of mind when you're automating partner rewards.
Integrations include Salesforce, Stripe, HubSpot, Slack, Recurly, Chargebee, Pipedrive, and Google Sheets.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Responsive and knowledgeable support team
- Marketplace to find new partnerships
- Intuitive and straightforward interface
Cons:
- Lacks offline tracking capabilities
- Limited customization for analytics tools
Other Partner Management Software
If you didn’t find anything on my short list that caught your eye — or you’re just curious what else is out there — here are a few other options I looked at:
- OneAffiniti
Best for software and services
- Zift Solutionst
Best for partner learning and engagement
- Allbound PRM
Best for automating partner relations
- Channeltivity
Best with partner recruitment tools
- StructuredWeb
Best with customizable partner portals
- Magentrix
Best with AI-powered deal registration
- Trackier
Best for iGaming partnership management
- impact.com
Best for influencer marketing partnerships
- Channel Mechanics PRM
Best to manage SPIFF programs
- Affise
Best for agency partnership marketing
- Zinfi
Best for a comprehensive, all-in-one platform
- Impartner
Best partner collaboration features
- Trackier
Best for iGaming partnership management
- Affise
Best for agency partnership marketing
- Kademi
Best flexibility to suit many use cases
Related Partner Management Software Reviews
If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these tools closely related to partner management software that we've tested and evaluated.
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Selection Criteria For Partner Management Software
Selecting the right partner management software is a critical endeavor that significantly impacts an organization's ability to effectively collaborate with its partners and drive mutual growth. Through rigorous testing and in-depth research, I've formulated criteria that focus on core functionalities and additional standout features, ensuring the chosen software aligns with the nuanced needs of managing partner relationships and revenue operations.
Core Partner Management Software Functionality: 25% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best partner management software, the solution had to support the ability to fulfill common use cases:
- Streamlining partner onboarding and engagement processes.
- Providing transparent performance tracking and analytics.
- Facilitating efficient and secure communication and content sharing.
- Enabling effective lead and deal management.
- Supporting scalable and flexible partner training and incentive programs.
Additional Standout Features: 25% of total weighting score
To differentiate from generic offerings, I look for:
- Advanced integration features that ensure seamless connectivity with CRM, ERP, and other critical business systems.
- AI-driven insights that offer predictive analytics for partner performance and opportunities.
- Customizable and dynamic dashboards that cater to various user preferences and roles.
- Enhanced automation capabilities that streamline repetitive tasks and workflows.
- Robust security features that safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance.
Usability: 10% of total weighting score
A prime consideration is:
- Intuitive design and navigation that minimize the learning curve and enhance user adoption.
- Responsive design that ensures consistent experience across devices.
- User-friendly reporting tools that allow easy customization and interpretation of data.
Onboarding: 10% of total weighting score
Key factors include:
- Comprehensive onboarding resources like training videos and product tours that accelerate the ramp-up time.
- Interactive assistance, such as chatbots or live support, during the initial setup and usage.
- Community forums or knowledge bases that provide additional insights and best practices.
Customer Support: 10% of total weighting score
Effective support is crucial:
- Availability of multiple support channels to address issues promptly.
- Proactive customer service that offers regular check-ins and updates.
- Access to a dedicated account manager for enterprise-level solutions.
Value For Money: 10% of total weighting score
Assessing the ROI involves:
- Transparent pricing models that align with the software's value proposition and feature set.
- Flexible pricing plans that cater to different sizes and types of partnerships.
- Consideration of the total cost of ownership, including setup, training, and maintenance fees.
Customer Reviews: 10% of total weighting score
Peer feedback offers invaluable insights:
- Analysis of user testimonials and case studies to validate the software's impact and effectiveness.
- Evaluation of comments on ease of use, feature set, and customer support quality.
- Monitoring of ongoing updates and responses to user feedback to gauge the vendor's commitment to improvement.
In guiding software buyers, my objective is to spotlight partner management solutions that not only provide comprehensive and innovative features but also align with the strategic goals and operational workflows of their organizations. Selecting the right software is pivotal to fostering productive partnerships, enhancing collaboration, and ultimately driving successful revenue operations.
Trends In Partner Management Software For 2024
Partner management software trends reflect a broader shift towards digital transformation, with an emphasis on automation, integration, and data-driven decision-making. As businesses increasingly rely on diverse and complex partner networks, the demand for sophisticated partner management solutions has never been higher.
Enhanced Integration Capabilities:
- There is a growing emphasis on seamless integration with CRM, ERP, and other business systems, facilitating real-time data exchange and holistic partner management.
- Evidence shows that vendors are expanding API libraries and improving integration frameworks to support a broader range of third-party applications and services.
AI and Machine Learning Adoption:
- AI-driven analytics and machine learning algorithms are being incorporated to provide predictive insights on partner performance and market trends, helping organizations proactively adjust their strategies.
- Novel features like AI-powered recommendation engines for optimal partner matching and engagement strategies are gaining traction.
Advanced Customization and Scalability:
- Solutions now offer more advanced customization options, allowing organizations to tailor functionalities to their specific operational needs and partner types.
- Scalability features are evolving to accommodate growing partner networks without sacrificing performance or user experience.
Focus on Partner Experience:
- There's an increasing recognition of the importance of the partner user experience, with enhancements aimed at simplifying navigation, improving accessibility, and providing more personalized content and interactions.
- Tools facilitating partner onboarding, training, and collaboration are in high demand, reflecting a shift towards more partner-centric approaches.
Declining Features:
- Basic data analytics and static reporting are becoming less prevalent as users demand more sophisticated, actionable insights from their partner management platforms.
- Standalone solutions that lack integration capabilities or modular flexibility are seeing a decline in preference as businesses seek more comprehensive, interconnected systems.
These trends underscore the need for software that not only enhances operational efficiency but also drives strategic value, aligning closely with the overarching goals and challenges faced by revenue operation leaders in today's dynamic market environment.
What Is Partner Management Software?
Partner management software is a digital solution designed to streamline and enhance the way businesses manage and collaborate with their external partners. These partners can include distributors, resellers, affiliates, or any other entities that a company works with to expand its reach and capabilities.
The software provides tools for various aspects of partner engagement, including recruitment, onboarding, communication, performance tracking, and resource distribution. By centralizing and automating these processes, the software makes it easier for companies to maintain productive, mutually beneficial partnerships. It often integrates with other business systems like CRM and ERP, ensuring a seamless flow of information and a comprehensive view of partnership activities.
Features Of Partner Management Software
Partner management software streamlines collaboration, enhances communication, and provides actionable insights, all crucial for maximizing the performance of partner networks. When selecting a partner management platform, there are several key features to consider that are instrumental in driving successful revenue operations:
- Comprehensive Integration Capabilities: Ensures seamless data flow between systems, enhancing efficiency and providing a unified view of partner activities.
- The ability to integrate with CRM, ERP, and other essential business systems is vital for ensuring data consistency and accessibility, enhancing strategic decision-making.
- Robust Analytics and Reporting: Delivers deep insights into partner performance, enabling data-driven decisions.
- Advanced analytics help identify trends, measure partner contribution to revenue, and optimize strategies for better outcomes.
- Flexible Partner Portals: Offers partners self-service access to resources, training, and performance metrics.
- Empowering partners with self-service capabilities increases engagement and allows them to manage their performance effectively, aligning with your revenue goals.
- Deal Registration and Lead Management: Streamlines the process of tracking and managing sales opportunities across partners.
- Efficient deal registration and lead management ensure clarity in sales attribution, preventing channel conflicts and fostering a collaborative environment.
- Automated Workflow and Task Management: Enhances operational efficiency by automating routine tasks and processes.
- Automation reduces manual effort, accelerates processes, and ensures that partners and staff can focus on strategic activities that drive revenue.
- Customizable Incentive Programs: Enables the creation of tailored reward schemes to motivate and engage partners.
- Offering personalized incentives based on performance metrics encourages partners to align their efforts with your revenue objectives.
- Effective Communication Tools: Facilitates easy and clear communication between your organization and its partners.
- Direct and efficient communication channels are essential for maintaining strong relationships, providing support, and ensuring alignment with goals.
- Training and Enablement: Provides resources and tools to educate partners about products, best practices, and market strategies.
- Well-informed partners are better equipped to sell and support your products, directly influencing revenue growth.
- Security and Compliance: Ensures that sensitive data is protected and that interactions comply with industry regulations.
- Maintaining high security and compliance standards is crucial for protecting your and your partners' reputations and ensuring trust.
- Scalability: Allows the software to grow with your business and partner ecosystem.
- As your network expands, the software should be able to accommodate increased demands without compromising performance or user experience.
Selecting partner management software with the right mix of features is critical for enhancing collaboration, driving partner performance, and ultimately boosting revenue operations. By focusing on these key functionalities, organizations can ensure they choose a platform that not only meets their current needs but also supports their future growth and success in the dynamic landscape of revenue operations.
Benefits Of Partner Management Software
Partner management software should not only address current operational needs but also provide strategic value, driving growth and optimizing performance. Here are five primary benefits of using sophisticated revenue operations management software:
- Streamlined Processes: Automates and streamlines key revenue operations processes.
- By automating routine tasks, the software minimizes errors and frees up staff to focus on more strategic activities, thereby increasing productivity and operational efficiency.
- Data-Driven Insights: Offers comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities.
- Access to real-time data and trends enables users to make informed decisions, identify revenue opportunities, and address potential issues before they escalate, fostering a proactive approach to management.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitates better communication and collaboration across teams.
- Centralizing information and workflows in one platform enhances transparency and alignment among teams, ensuring that everyone is working towards the same objectives and understands their role in the revenue process.
- Scalability: Adapts to the growing needs of the business.
- As the organization expands, the software can scale to accommodate new users, more complex processes, and additional data, supporting the business's growth without the need for constant system changes or upgrades.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensures adherence to industry regulations and standards.
- The software helps maintain compliance with relevant laws and regulations, reducing the risk of fines or reputational damage and ensuring that business practices are both ethical and legal.
Costs & Pricing For Partner Management Software
When exploring partner management software, understanding the range of plan options and pricing structures is crucial for making an informed decision. Such software plays a vital role in fostering efficient collaborations, tracking partner performance, and enhancing revenue operations. Below is a breakdown of typical plan options you might encounter, each designed to cater to varying business needs and scales.
Plan Comparison Table For Partner Management Software
| Plan Type | Average Price Range | Common Features Included |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free to $25/user/month | Access to essential partner tracking, limited integration options, basic reporting features |
| Professional | $25 to $75/user/month | Advanced reporting, greater integration capabilities, increased user limits, enhanced support |
| Enterprise | $75 to $200/user/month | Full feature access, custom integrations, dedicated support, advanced analytics, unlimited users |
| Free Option | $0 | Basic functionality, limited users, essential tracking and reporting capabilities |
When selecting a plan, consider the scale of your partner network, the complexity of your operations, and the depth of insights and integrations you require. Opting for a plan that aligns with your current needs while offering room for growth ensures you maximize the value of your investment in partner management software.
Partner Management Software Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve got more questions about the best partner relationship management tools — or partner management in general — you’re in the right place!
What is partner relationship management?
Partner Relationship Management (PRM) is how you manage and enhance your relationships with external partners such as resellers, distributors, and channel partners. It encompasses the strategies, processes, and technologies you implement to improve collaboration and mutual success. PRM covers the entire partner lifecycle, from partner onboarding through to partner engagement, performance, and deal management.
It’s good to have a strategy in place for how you manage your partners. This can include things like communication practices, training, content management, marketing practices, and collaboration workflows. It should also include your deal management strategy and how you’ll move leads generated by partners through your sales funnel.
Ultimately, you want to create a positive partner experience and provide partners with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. Using a PRM software can help streamline your processes and facilitate tasks like deal registration, lead distribution, and data management.
Who uses partner management software?
Partnership programs can be managed by different people, teams, or departments at your company. Most often, it will be a business development, marketing, or sales team that takes the lead. These teams are typically the ones to use PRM software as a part of their broader channel marketing and channel sales strategies.
Partner management software may have different modules catering to different teams. They may also be designed to cater more to one business function or another. For example, some have pipeline tools that can support sales reps, while others offer a complete marketing platform to support your marketing team.
What are the types of partner programs?
There are various types of partner programs that businesses can use to engage and collaborate with external partners. These different types of partner programs may have different roles, expectations, commitments, and market development funds (MDFs). Which ones will be most beneficial to you will vary based on your industry, business model, and company objectives. Here are 5 common types of partner programs:
- Reseller partners: Resellers or distributors purchase your products or services at wholesale prices and then sell them to end customers. They often handle sales, marketing, and customer support within their specific market or geographic region.
- Referral partners: Referral partners tap into their relationships to connect new leads with your business. They receive a commission, a set referral fee, or a discount on products or services for each successful referral that results in a sale.
- Affiliate partners: Affiliate programs are similar to referral programs but rely on a partner’s broader network or reach. Affiliate partners may be influencers and will promote your products or services on their websites, blogs, or social media channels. They earn a commission on each sale made through their unique affiliate links.
- Technology or integration partners: These partnership programs are collaborations with other companies to integrate their products, services, or technologies with your own. They enhance the overall value and functionality of both offerings. Examples include software integrations, joint development projects, or interoperability agreements.
- Alliance or strategic partners: These are long-term collaborations between companies that share common goals, target markets, or complementary capabilities. Alliances and strategic partnerships often involve co-marketing efforts, co-selling initiatives, and joint product development.
These are just a few examples of partner programs. Companies often tailor their programs to attract the right partners, meet their specific business needs, and build a partner ecosystem that makes sense in their context.
What’s the difference between CRM software and PRM software?
Partner relationship management software and customer relationship management software have some similarities, but are ultimately two different types of SaaS tools. While CRM tools are designed for managing customer data and relationships, PRM tools are designed specifically for partnerships management. The way you connect with and manage your partners is different from how you manage your customers. And that’s why it’s important to have a dedicated PRM platform and not try to rely on a CRM for your PRM needs.
One of the main differences between these software is the end-user experience. Most CRMs don’t have a customer-facing interface, whereas many PRMs do. A partner portal allows your collaborators to access and update their own information, track their own performance, and cash out on their rewards. Because of the level of involvement partners have in your business operations, it’s important that they have a self-service platform to manage their efforts.
Partner activities that can be facilitated with PRM software include sales enablement, marketing management, and deal registration. Partners are able to access marketing materials they can use for co-marketing and sales collateral they can use to close deals. Lead management and lead distribution are also normally included in the platforms, allowing you to exchange leads with partners.
Can partner management software track partner performance metrics?
Yes, partner management software typically includes features to track performance metrics such as sales achievements, lead conversions, and other key performance indicators. These metrics help organizations assess partner contributions and effectiveness, enabling better strategic decisions and resource allocation.
Can partner management software integrate with existing CRM systems?
Integration with existing CRM systems is a common feature of partner management software. This allows for seamless data flow between systems, ensuring that all customer interactions and sales data are synchronized and up-to-date, which enhances collaboration and efficiency.
Does partner management software support multi-tier partner structures?
Partner management software often supports multi-tier partner structures, allowing organizations to differentiate between types of partners and manage them according to specific hierarchies or categories. This is crucial for maintaining clear and organized partnerships at various levels and scales.
Can partner management software manage partner incentives and rewards?
Yes, managing incentives and rewards is a core function of many partner management systems. These platforms can automate the calculation and distribution of rewards based on predefined criteria, ensuring fair and prompt compensation for partners and helping to motivate and retain them.
Does partner management software provide analytics for forecasting partner impact?
Many partner management solutions offer analytics tools that forecast the potential impact of partner activities on business goals. These tools use historical data and predictive analytics to help plan more effective strategies and anticipate the results of partnering decisions.
Additional Revenue Operations Software
Looking to build your RevOps tech stack? Here are some other software reviews we’ve put together:
- Sales Training Software
- Lead Management Software
- Sales Tracking Software
- Lead Routing Software
- Sales Engagement Software
Conclusion
Partner management software plays a vital role in helping businesses effectively manage their partner relationships and collaborations. These tools help to streamline your partner management efforts and improve your partnerships strategy. And finding one that best caters to the needs of your growth team is essential to their success. With the information I’ve provided, you can find a software that meets your needs — or at least know what you’re looking for and evaluate other options effectively.
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