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Partner relationship management (PRM) software

Partner relationship management software empowers you to deliver meaningful support to your partners. Start seeing the benefits today.

A guide to the 15 best relationship partner management software of 2024

Senast uppdaterad March 4, 2024

Effective communication is vital for businesses working together. While partnerships can provide great payoffs, miscommunication or mismanagement between teams can hold both organizations back.

Companies use partner management software to improve collaboration and provide meaningful support. Just as customer relationship management (CRM) software improves customer-based processes, partner relationship management applications aim to accomplish the same with business partners.

Read our guide to learn more about partner management software, its key features and benefits, and how to choose the right one for your business.

More in this guide:

What is partner relationship management (PRM) software?

Partner relationship management (PRM) software, also known as partner management software or partner portal software, is a management solution that allows businesses to streamline collaboration and provide personalized support to their partners in a centralized platform.

Partner relationship management platforms are critical tools that enable businesses to build a partner-facing internal knowledge base, improve workflows, and automate tasks.

More specifically, PRM software helps businesses:

  • Organize partner accounts and contacts.
  • Streamline deal registration, lead distribution, and training.
  • Automate time-consuming tasks.
  • Address operational inefficiencies or process gaps.
  • Improve collaborative processes.
  • Share information securely.
  • Offer effective self-service support options.

The 15 best partner relationship management software

Now that you know what PRM software is, let’s look at some of the most popular partner relationship management tools available today. Consider the following PRM tools and see which one is the right choice for your business and partnership needs.

1. Zendesk

Use case: partner support and knowledge management software

A series of application windows showcase a chat conversation using Zendesk, a partner management software.

Zendesk offers a customizable partner portal and supports a variety of apps and integrations, enabling you to tailor the software to your specific needs. Our partner portal software provides a dedicated hub for partners to access important information in a knowledge base, share tips and tricks with one another via a community forum, and manage their support requests. Zendesk also empowers your partner management team to support partners across any channel, including email, Slack, and live chat.

With Zendesk AI, your partner management team can solve issues and create content faster thanks to AI-powered insights and guidance. For instance, the AI can automatically turn a few bullet points into a complete article. Meanwhile, the Content Cues feature helps you manage your knowledge base by providing AI-driven insights, such as trending topics and existing content you should update.

Zendesk also provides AI chatbots, enabling your business to provide partners with 24/7 support using natural-sounding language and a tone that matches your brand. Additionally, our robust reporting and analytics features give you critical insights that you can leverage to improve your partner experience.

Zendesk works out of the box, so you won't need to hire a team of developers or waste time configuring tricky software to get started. As a result, you can begin offering meaningful support to your partners on day one, saving you time and money.

Features:

  • Partner portal
  • Apps and integrations
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Omnichannel support
  • Self-service and knowledge management
  • AI
  • Community forums
  • Help center
  • Generative, AI-powered chatbots

Pricing:

  • Suite Team: $55 per agent/month
  • Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month
  • Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month
  • Suite Enterprise: Talk to sales

    *Plans are billed annually.

Explore more Zendesk pricing plans.

Free trial:

14 days

Take 30 seconds to start a free Zendesk trial or request a Zendesk demo.

2. PartnerStack

Use case: B2B SaaS partner management

A series of application windows showcase a partner training course using PartnerStack, a partner management software.
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PartnerStack is a partner management platform for business-to-business (B2B) software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies. With PartnerStack, businesses can provide partnership resources, reporting, and important announcements in a partner portal.

Businesses can use PartnerStack to configure automated, branded email campaigns to communicate with partners. The platform also includes polling features, allowing businesses to solicit partner feedback.

Additionally, businesses can use PartnerStack to monitor partner performance using unique referral links to track metrics like sales, signups, and clicks. The platform also supports integrations, so businesses can centralize customer data from customer relationship management systems like Zendesk.

Learn about PartnerStack for Zendesk.

3. impact.com

Use case: partnership automation platform

An application window showcases an automated email workflow using impact.com, a partner management software.
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Partnership automation platform impact.com can help businesses discover and manage partnerships with affiliates, charities, ambassadors, and more. The partnership platform includes chat functionality, allowing businesses to communicate with prospective partners within its app.

The platform features automated workflows and proactive messaging, letting businesses set up custom tasks and automated emails. Additionally, impact.com offers reporting capabilities to track metrics like customer lifetime value.

Businesses can use the partnership platform to set up electronic contracts to help keep a record of partnerships. The platform also includes payment features, letting companies settle payments with partners in over 70 currencies.

4. Impartner

Use case: partner communication

A laptop screen showcases a reporting dashboard using Impartner, a partner management software.
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With Impartner, businesses can create email campaigns and public-facing web pages to assist with the partner registration process. The PRM also allows businesses to integrate branded newsletters and social media content into their partner portals for communication.

Impartner also lets businesses create and store co-branded assets in an asset library. This lets them share personalized documents with partners while maintaining their branding.

Additionally, the PRM includes reporting and analytics functionality, so businesses can utilize pre-built or personalized dashboards. This allows companies to track metrics, including return on investment (ROI), lead conversion rate, average deal size, and total number of partner-generated opportunities.

5. Kademi

Use case: partner training solution

An application window showcases a training course using Kademi, a partner management software.
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Kademi is a PRM software for managing partnerships and tracking sales performance. With Kademi, businesses can provide deal registration forms within their partner portal to help capture sales data, such as their contact information and current deal stage. Businesses can also motivate partners to achieve sales goals by incentivizing them with gift cards or rewards programs.

The PRM also includes partner training functionality so users can create online training courses with badge and award certificate features. The customizable training programs support text, images, and video and may take place on desktop and mobile devices.

Additionally, Kademi lets businesses share customizable resources with partners. This allows companies to create content variations with different languages or file types. Partners can also sort files by categories and tags within the resource library

6. ZINFI

Use case: cloud-based partner relationship management software

An application window showcases partner sessions using ZINFI, a partner management software.
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ZINFI is a cloud-based partner relationship management platform. With ZINFI, businesses can manage and create channel partner profiles, including information like partner type, company, and contacts.

The partner management tool allows businesses to create co-branded email templates for their channel partners. Businesses can also develop and share digital assets with partners, including ebooks, images, and customer stories.

With ZINFI, businesses can even build custom training programs, which allows them to share training, assessments, and certification materials with partners. Additionally, companies can use ZINFI to monitor partner progress within a training program, such as video completion tracking.

7. Salesforce

Use case: sales software

A series of application windows showcase a partner portal using Salesforce, a partner management software.
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Salesforce is a sales tool offering partner relationship management capabilities. With Salesforce, businesses can create co-branded marketing assets and share knowledge base articles with their partners.

Businesses can also use Salesforce to track partner performance, including pre-built dashboards and reports for monitoring partner metrics such as deal size, wins, and opportunities. The sales tool includes onboarding features, including the ability to create custom clickable walk-throughs to guide partners through onboarding. Salesforce’s PRM software is available as an add-on to the Sales Cloud Enterprise pricing plan and above.

Because Salesforce primarily focuses on sales, businesses that wish to prioritize partner support may need to seek out other resources and training tools. The sales tool supports integrations, allowing you to pull existing partner data into customer service solutions like Zendesk.

Learn about Salesforce for Zendesk.

8. ZiftONE

Use case: advanced reporting

An application window showcases a partner overview using ZiftONE, a partner management software.
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ZiftONE by Zift Solutions is a partner and channel management platform. With the PRM, businesses can create a partner portal that matches their branding and use customizable forms and templates for registering and onboarding partners.

Businesses can also use ZiftONE to build customizable partner training plans featuring quizzes and certification programs. The platform supports different training materials, including videos, presentations, and PDFs.

The PRM software also includes reporting features, such as an analytics dashboard for tracking training progress, sales leads, and channel lifecycles. Additionally, ZiftONE allows businesses to track partner performance trends by month, quarter, or year.

9. Crossbeam

Use case: partner pipeline comparisons

A series of application windows showcase account mapping using Crossbeam, a partner management software.
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Crossbeam is a partner ecosystem platform that integrates with existing data sources such as spreadsheets, CRMs, or data warehouses. The platform offers account mapping features that allow businesses to compare their customer pipeline data with their partners to identify co-selling or co-marketing opportunities.

Businesses can create shared lists for their partners using this account mapping feature, showcasing accounts that businesses and partners have in common. Once the software creates a list, the business will receive notifications whenever a partner adds notes or edits.

The platform also includes reporting and analytics features that give businesses visibility into their pipeline, including deal sizes, stages, and opportunity data. Additionally, Crossbeam features an activity timeline that tracks partner communication in a single feed.

10. Allbound

Use case: partner and content management solution

A smartphone and laptop screen each showcase learning tracks using Allbound, a partner management software.
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Allbound is a partner relationship management platform with content management features. With Allbound, businesses can share customizable co-branded sales and marketing materials with their partners.

The platform also allows businesses to create a content library and build custom learning tracks to guide partner training. Businesses can tailor their self-service training plans by partner type, vertical, or location.

The PRM platform also features reporting and analytics, including data visualization features. This lets users track content performance and channel sales metrics, such as total pipeline value, average deal value, win ratio, and number of deals.

11. Mindmatrix

Use case: partner certification programs

A series of application windows showcase a partner portal using Mindmatrix, a partner management software.
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Mindmatrix is a PRM software featuring a customizable partner portal. With Mindmatrix, businesses can create personalized co-branded assets to share with partners, such as proposals, sales presentations, and print materials.

The PRM also features a learning management system, allowing businesses to create and manage training and educational materials for onboarding new partners. Additionally, businesses can set up certification programs to incentivize partner training participation.

Mindmatrix also has reporting and analytics capabilities, including pre-built and custom reports. This helps businesses to track partner performance, including the number of training programs attended and leads registered.

12. Kiflo

Use case: customizable reward models

An application window showcases a partner program using Kiflo, a partner management software.
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Kiflo is a partner platform businesses can use to create affiliate, referral, and reseller partner programs. It features a customizable partner portal where businesses can share relevant content like sales and marketing materials.

The platform also supports creating custom partner certification programs and onboarding plans. With Kiflo, businesses can define customizable reward models. This includes how commissions are structured and paid out to different partners.

Businesses may also use Kiflo to track partner performance using its reporting and analytics features. These features include insights into lead submissions, registered deals, and partner goals.

13. GlassHive

Use case: marketing and sales solution for IT service providers

An application window showcases a partner overview using GlassHive, a partner management software.
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GlassHive is a partner marketing solution that lets businesses share marketing collateral with partners. With GlassHive, businesses can automatically co-brand existing marketing assets with colors, logos, and contact information. The platform also allows businesses to create a partner portal using a landing page builder.

Businesses can also use GlassHive to build custom email marketing campaigns. With GlassHive, businesses can use its email builder to access pre-made email templates or create their own using a drag-and-drop builder. GlassHive also supports A/B testing, allowing businesses to test different subject lines or content within email campaigns.

The partner marketing solution features reporting and analytics capabilities to track individual campaign and collateral performance. Additionally, businesses can track partner performance, including which ones have generated the most opportunities and revenue.

14. Reveal

Use case: partner activity tracking

A series of application windows showcase a partnership connection using Reveal, a partner management software.
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Reveal is a partner platform that connects to customer relationship management software and pulls in data like deal status, account owner, and more. The platform also features reporting and analytics features, letting businesses track their return on investment and revenue potential across partners.

With Reveal, businesses can access an activity feed with a weekly digest of relevant partner activities. Additionally, Reveal features a network of partners businesses can use for recruitment.

The partner platform also includes account mapping features. This allows businesses to compare their account lists with those of other companies to identify new partners and existing overlaps for co-selling opportunities.

15. Channel Mechanics

Use case: incentive-based performance programs

An application window showcases a partnership performance dashboard using Channel Mechanics, a partner management software.
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Channel Mechanics is a partner portal software businesses can use to create a customizable partner portal that matches their branding. Businesses may also use the partner portal to share relevant content with partners, including pricing information and marketing collateral.

With Channel Mechanics, businesses can use reporting and analytics features to track how partners interact with their portals. This includes real-time visibility into usage metrics for active and inactive users.

The software also features customizable rewards programs, letting businesses create custom performance goals and incentives for partners using a points-based system. This includes performance metrics like the number of new leads, demo requests, registered deals, or revenue goals.

Features of partner relationship management software

Six illustrations represent the features of partner relationship management software.

No matter which partner management software you choose, you’ll want to select a solution that has the features you need. Here are a few of the top features to look for in PRM software:

  • Partner portal: A partner portal is an online ecosystem where partners can submit support requests, ask questions, and access knowledge base articles. With a partner portal like Zendesk, you can support your partners around the clock with help desk software and self-service support.
  • Apps and integrations: Apps and integrations can help your business connect your PRM to the tools you already use. Zendesk, for instance, supports a wide range of apps and integrations, from communication software like Slack to marketing tools like Mailchimp.
  • Reporting and analytics: PRM software should offer reporting and analytics tools that can help your business uncover important insights. For example, a PRM like Zendesk can help you discover which topics your partners inquire about the most. From there, you can use the data to fill knowledge gaps and improve your partners’ experience.
  • Omnichannel support: From live chat to voice, partners may have different preferences when seeking support. With customer experience software like Zendesk, your business can offer personalized omnichannel support, helping your partners on their most-used channels.
  • Self-service and knowledge management: Partner management software should also include self-service and knowledge management tools. For example, Zendesk can help you keep your partners informed with self-service options, including a help desk, knowledge base, or self-service portal.
  • AI: The best PRM software leverages AI to streamline partner interactions. With a solution like Zendesk, your business can offer AI-powered article recommendations to ensure your partners quickly find the information they need. Our chatbots enable you to provide partners with 24/7 support, automatically detecting partner intent and responding with the help of cutting-edge generative AI technology.

By selecting a partner management solution with the above features, your business can begin streamlining and improving your partner experience. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of partner portal software.

Benefits of partner portal software

Four illustrations represent the benefits of partner portal software.

Partner portals go beyond just exchanging data. The main benefits of partner portal and management software include:

  • Reduced partner churn: Partner or customer churn can often result from poor training and a lack of resources. An effective onboarding process is one of the best ways to combat partner churn. With partner portal software, you can reduce partner attrition with education and enablement resources like training videos and FAQ pages.
  • Streamlined collaboration: Connecting teams requires choosing the right technology partner to help streamline collaboration. Whether your partner team needs to tag in your legal or sales team to fulfill a request, PRM software eliminates data silos between teams by providing direct avenues of communication and housing data in one place.
  • Improved partner satisfaction: Partner portals make your partners happier because they help them find needed resources and access help quickly.
  • Improved efficiency: PRM software comes packaged with tools that automate internal escalations, reassignments, and recurring tasks. This helps reduce your partner management team's workloads. Additionally, self-service features allow partners to answer questions and resolve issues without needing to consult your partner management team.

With an understanding of how your business can benefit from partner management software, it’s time to learn how to choose the best fit.

How to choose PRM software for your business

An illustration of a walking individual accompanies six things to consider when choosing partner management software.

Although every business faces unique partnership needs, finding a reliable portal is possible. By following these tips, you can take your partner management process to the next level:

  • Evaluate your needs: Businesses need a portal suited to their operations. To find the right portal for you, determine what you need in a partner portal solution. Are you looking to provide faster partner support? Provide partners with access to help center content. Getting clear on your use case is the first step.
  • Prioritize scalability: When selecting a PRM, you’ll want something ready for the long haul. Choose a solution like Zendesk that’s built to scale alongside your business, so you won’t have to switch tools or plans as your business grows.
  • Consider security: Because partner management involves sharing private information between you and your partners, select a PRM that offers advanced security and encryption.
  • Determine your total cost of ownership (TCO): Not all partner portal tools are created equal. From developer needs to lengthy setups, some PRMs are more costly than others. Zendesk is ready out of the box—no team of developers is required to get started. This helps your business save time and money.
  • Try before you buy: Sometimes, you might not be ready to commit to a new PRM in the long term. To help you ease into the world of partner portals, consider an option that offers a free trial. With Zendesk, for example, you can try our PRM solution for 14 days.

Keeping the above considerations in mind can help you choose an effective PRM solution that quickly adds value to you and your partners.

Frequently asked questions

Streamline partner collaboration with Zendesk

Whether you want to share information, improve collaboration, or provide partner support, PRM software promotes streamlined partner interactions. To optimize your partner management, you’ll want to choose a secure, scalable tool that offers a low TCO. From a customizable partner portal to self-service and knowledge management tools, Zendesk offers everything you need to take your partner management to the next level right out of the box. Start streamlining your partner collaborations with a free trial.

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