A partner scorecard is a structured assessment tool that measures how well individual partners are performing against a defined set of criteria. It provides a data-driven alternative to subjective partner evaluations and creates transparency about what the vendor values in the partnership.
Typical scorecard metrics span four categories. Revenue metrics include sourced revenue, influenced revenue, deal count, and average deal size. Enablement metrics track certified staff count, training completion rates, and specialization achievements. Customer success metrics measure customer satisfaction, renewal rates, and support escalation frequency. Engagement metrics look at portal activity, marketing campaign participation, and business plan compliance.
Scorecards are commonly used to determine partner tier placement, allocate MDF budgets, and identify partners that need intervention. A partner with strong revenue but declining certification might need enablement investment. A partner with high certification but low revenue might need pipeline support.
The cadence matters. Quarterly scorecards provide enough frequency to catch trends without creating administrative burden. Monthly reviews are appropriate for top-tier partners with active business plans. Annual reviews are insufficient for managing a dynamic partner base.
Effective scorecards are transparent. Partners should be able to see their own scores, understand the calculation methodology, and know what they need to do to improve. Hidden scoring systems breed distrust and undermine the scorecard's ability to drive partner behavior.