Diagnose · Channel engine foundation

Fix the foundation before the program.

Partners surface problems your organization has to solve. No change of tiers can rescue a blurry ICP, a route-to-market conflict, or an executive who isn't backing the channel.

Start here · Step 1 of 6

The problem: metal tiers reward past transaction volume and create unearned entitlements. The exercise (about 15 minutes): six short steps — each unlocks the next, and answers save automatically in your browser. What you walk away with: a one-page executive brief with your program diagnosis and the three priorities to defend with your CRO and CFO.

15-minute self-service diagnostic

Use this diagnostic independently to pressure-test your partner architecture and uncover where your program is leaking margin or creating unearned entitlements. The output is a defensible, one-page Executive Decision Brief you can present to your CRO and CFO — or use as the working baseline for a facilitated Strategy Workshop with The Channel Duo.

Before you begin · Quick baseline checklist

You don't need an export from your PRM, but having rough estimates in mind will give you the sharpest diagnosis:

1 · Partner distribution
Roughly how many active partners you have across different motions (e.g., resellers vs. systems integrators vs. tech/ISV partners).
2 · Revenue concentration
What percentage of your indirect revenue comes from your top 5–10 partners (e.g., the 80/20 rule).
3 · Primary frustration
Your biggest operational pain point today (e.g., partners demanding top-tier perks on historical volume, lack of delivery capacity, or slow new-logo acquisition).

Channel engine health · 90-second pulse

Rate all eight parts of the whole channel motion — not just the program. Be honest: a Broken rating here matters more than anything you design later.

0/8 rated

Executive ownership

Is channel a funded, board-level growth strategy, or a silo fighting direct sales?

ICP & customer alignment

Do partners target and win your ideal customers, or sign mismatched, low-margin accounts?

Route to market & rules of engagement

Are deal registration and account ownership clear, or do reps and partners collide?

Partner economics

Can a partner make a healthy, sustainable profit selling and delivering your solution?

Enablement & delivery autonomy

Can partners demo, sell and implement on their own, or do they lean on your staff?

Joint go-to-market

Is there real account mapping and joint pipeline, or just a logo on a portal?

Activation & time to first value

Do new partners reach a first deal or deployment within about 90 days?

Measurement

Do you track leading signals (pipeline, capability, customer outcomes) or only trailing revenue?

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To continue, add: 8 engine ratings.