Training external partners—such as resellers, distributors, franchisees, or consultants—has become a vital strategy for business growth. Partners often represent a significant revenue stream; for example, 50% of companies in one survey said partners contributed a quarter of their revenue. In fact, 75% of global trade now occurs through indirect partnerships, highlighting how critical partners are to business success. Given this impact, one would expect companies to heavily invest in partner education. Yet reality paints a different picture: only about 36% of organizations with partner programs actually provide training to those partners. This gap suggests that many businesses struggle to train their partners effectively, despite clear benefits.
Why the hesitation in rolling out partner training? The truth is that partner training is easier said than done. Unlike employees, partners can’t be mandated to attend training, and enabling a diverse partner network comes with unique obstacles. Companies that forego training their partners risk serious consequences. Without proper training, partners may misrepresent products, deliver poor customer experiences, or miss sales opportunities—leading to misaligned sales efforts and lost revenue. In short, ineffective or absent partner training can undermine the very purpose of having partnerships in the first place.
How can organizations close this partner training gap? The first step is understanding the common challenges that make partner training difficult. Below, we explore the major partner training challenges and provide practical strategies to overcome each one, helping you turn partner education into a win-win for both your business and your partners.
One of the most fundamental challenges is simply getting partners to participate in training. Unlike employees, partners are independent businesses with their own priorities. They are not obligated to take your training courses, and you “can’t require them to log into an LMS or take a module” since they’re not on your payroll. This lack of direct control means partners often treat training as optional. They may feel they’re already knowledgeable enough to sell the product, or see training as a time-consuming distraction from making sales. In some cases, partners work with multiple vendors and “may not feel they have enough time to keep up with all their suppliers’ training programs”. If your training content isn’t directly answering their needs or is hard to access, partners are likely to disengage. These attitudes pose a real problem: without engaged, informed partners, product messaging can falter and sales opportunities are lost.
How to overcome it: The key is to make partner training attractive, accessible, and valuable to partners. Start by understanding and addressing their pain points. Solicit feedback or observe behavior to pinpoint why partners skip training. Common reasons include beliefs that training isn’t necessary (“if it’s not broken, why fix it?”), competing priorities from other vendors, irrelevant content, or inconvenient access. Tackle these issues head-on. Simplify access to training—ensure your learning platform is user-friendly with single sign-on and mobile access, so training isn’t a hassle to find or complete. Align training topics with what partners truly need to succeed. For example, if partners struggle with handling customer objections, provide a module on sales techniques rather than just product specs. Keep training modules short and focused – using microlearning (bite-sized lessons) helps respect partners’ limited time. Finally, incentivize training participation. Many companies find success with partner certification programs, rewards, or gamification. Offering certificates, badges, or tiered partner statuses for completing training gives partners a tangible benefit they can use to market themselves. Some vendors even implement competitions or reward systems (points, prizes, public recognition) to motivate partners to complete courses. By combining these approaches – relevant content, easy access, brevity, and incentives – you can earn partner buy-in. Remember, partners will engage when they see training as beneficial to their own success, not just a favor to the vendor.
Even when the will to train partners is there, companies often run into a very practical challenge: constrained resources. Designing, delivering, and maintaining a robust training program for an external network can be costly. Many organizations “do not have the resources (time, money, personnel) to develop and deliver comprehensive training to all channel partners”. Unlike internal training which might leverage existing HR or L&D staff, partner training at scale may require dedicated program managers, content developers, support staff, and more. Those staff come with significant expense. For instance, a training industry analysis noted that running a partner training program can easily require a team of four or more people, costing over £200,000 per year (≈$250,000) when you factor in salaries, taxes, and overhead. Budget limitations are further compounded by organizational silos: the budget for partner training doesn’t always have a clear owner. Often, HR controls training budgets but may be reluctant to spend on non-employees, while sales teams guard their own funds for direct sales activities. Gaining adequate funding for partner education can thus be an uphill battle.
How to overcome it: Prioritize efficiency and creativity in resource utilization. One solution is to outsource or partner with training experts. Engaging a third-party training provider or utilizing a specialized Learning Management System (LMS) designed for extended enterprise can offload much of the development and administrative burden. These providers often have ready-made content, platforms, and services to manage training delivery, allowing you to deliver quality training without expanding your internal headcount. If outsourcing isn’t an option, consider creating modular training content that can be reused and repurposed across multiple partners or regions, reducing content development costs. Internally, build a business case by highlighting the return on investment (ROI) of partner training. Show stakeholders how training can drive sales growth or reduce support costs, effectively “paying for itself” over time. For example, better-trained partners can increase revenue and decrease costly errors or customer complaints. Presenting data – even if from pilot programs or industry benchmarks – can help loosen budget constraints. In sum, overcoming resource challenges means working smarter: leverage external help where feasible, create scalable content, and demonstrate the financial upside of a well-trained partner network to secure the necessary funding.
Most partner networks are geographically dispersed, spanning multiple cities, countries, or even continents. This global spread introduces logistical and cultural challenges that can impede training efforts. Partners operate in different time zones, speak different languages, and come from different cultural contexts. Conducting live, in-person training across far-flung regions is “expensive and time-consuming” due to travel and coordination. Flying dozens of partner representatives to a central location or sending trainers worldwide can quickly become impractical. Moreover, language differences and cultural nuances mean that a one-size-fits-all training approach may not resonate equally everywhere. Even if you translate training materials, examples or teaching styles might not carry the same impact due to local business practices and cultural expectations. Without localization, training could be less effective or even misconstrued.
How to overcome it: Leverage technology and localization to bridge distances. Online learning is the linchpin of scaling partner training globally. Deploy a robust eLearning platform or LMS that enables partners to access training anytime, anywhere. This eliminates the need for costly travel and allows partners to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule. Crucially, the LMS should support multi-language content. Providing translations and subtitles for training modules ensures partners can learn in their preferred language. In addition, adapt content to acknowledge cultural differences—use region-specific case studies or analogies so that partners can relate to the material. Many companies also utilize AI-powered translation and localization tools to quickly convert courses for different locales. It’s important to complement self-paced online training with opportunities for interaction: consider virtual instructor-led sessions scheduled at region-friendly times or regional webinars that account for local holidays and workweeks. On the cultural front, involve local experts or partner managers to review training content for cultural sensitivity and relevance. Some organizations set up regional training coordinators or ambassadors to provide on-the-ground support and context during training rollouts. By making training available digitally across borders and tailoring it to local needs, you can overcome geographical barriers and ensure all partners receive a consistent, effective learning experience.
When training a wide network of partners, maintaining consistency and quality of content is a constant struggle. You want every partner to receive the same core knowledge about your products, brand, and best practices. However, differences creep in easily—perhaps different regional teams develop their own training materials, or various instructors emphasize different points. “Ensuring consistent training quality and content delivery across all partners can be a challenge”. Inconsistency can lead to mixed messages in the field: one partner might be pitching the product differently from another, causing confusion or diluting the brand. At the same time, a uniform approach that ignores partner differences can backfire. Partners vary in their roles and markets; what’s relevant to one might be irrelevant to another. A generic, one-size-fits-all training program could bore experienced partners or overwhelm newer ones. Striking the right balance between a consistent core curriculum and customized content is tricky.
How to overcome it: Think in terms of “core vs. tailored” content. Establish a standardized core curriculum that every partner must learn – this covers fundamental product knowledge, brand values, compliance requirements, and any non-negotiable information. Using an LMS to deliver this core content in a digital format helps ensure that every partner sees the same material presented in the same way, which preserves consistency. Regularly update this core content to reflect product changes or new policies so that no partner is left with outdated information. Alongside consistency, build in flexibility for relevance. One effective strategy is a modular training design: create add-on modules or electives specific to regions, industries, or partner types. For instance, you might offer advanced technical training modules for service partners, or market-specific sales training for certain territories. Partners can then receive a personalized training path – everyone completes the core modules, and then they get content tailored to their particular needs. This approach was used by companies like Extreme Networks, which introduced tiered training levels for global partners, offering basic courses to all partners and more advanced modules to those with greater experience. Another way to enhance relevance is to incorporate feedback loops. Encourage partners to share questions or challenges they face in the field, and update your training content accordingly so it remains practical and valuable. By standardizing what needs to be uniform and localizing what needs to be unique, you can ensure both consistency and relevance in your partner training program.
Managing the logistics of training a large, diverse partner network can be overwhelming. Coordinating schedules for live trainings, handling different time zones, and ensuring everyone has the necessary technology are non-trivial tasks. Traditional in-person training sessions quickly become “cumbersome and time-consuming” when dealing with a large partner ecosystem. But even with online training, technology can pose its own challenges. Many firms initially try to use their existing corporate training systems for partners, only to find those systems aren’t up to the task. In fact, training executives often struggle with Learning Management Systems that were designed for employees rather than partners. An internal LMS might not support the complex hierarchies of partner organizations or the need to separate data between different partner companies. Partners might also face difficulties accessing your training if the platform requires corporate network access or has a complicated registration process. Simply put, if your training platform is a hassle to use, partners won’t use it. Additionally, partners often wear multiple hats (sales, service, etc.), and a rigid system might not accommodate multi-role learners welll. These logistical and tech issues can significantly hinder training uptake and effectiveness.
How to overcome it: The solution is to streamline both the training delivery and the technology behind it. First, embrace the convenience of online, on-demand training to solve many scheduling woes. Instead of trying to line up everyone’s calendar for a webinar or classroom session, provide recorded modules and self-paced courses that partners can take when it suits them. This “anytime, anywhere” availability means each partner can slot training into their schedule without friction. When live interaction is needed (for example, a quarterly virtual workshop), offer sessions at multiple times or record sessions for those who can’t attend. On the technology side, invest in an LMS built for extended enterprise (external audiences). Such a system should accommodate multiple partner organizations, allow segmentation (so each partner only sees their relevant training), and enable single sign-on and simple onboarding for partner users. A good extended enterprise LMS also supports multi-role user profiles, meaning a single individual who works with two different partner companies or holds two roles can have an integrated learning experience without duplicate accounts. Simplifying access is crucial: integrate the training login with your partner portal or use credentials they already have, so there are fewer barriers to entry. Additionally, ensure your platform is mobile-friendly and intuitive, since partners may not be at a desk when they need training information. Finally, provide clear technical support channels specifically for partners. If a partner runs into an issue (like a login problem or a video not playing), a quick resolution will prevent frustration and drop-off. By making the logistics invisible and the technology user-centric, you remove the friction that often prevents partners from fully engaging in training.
Once a partner training program is in place, a continuing challenge is measuring its impact and using that data to secure ongoing support from stakeholders. Senior leadership and department heads may ask: “Is this training actually worth it? What are we getting in return?” Without clear metrics, partner training can be viewed as a cost center rather than a revenue driver, making it vulnerable during budget cuts. Proving ROI for partner training is inherently tricky because the benefits (improved sales, better customer satisfaction, fewer support calls) are indirect and can be influenced by many factors. This challenge is tied to getting internal buy-in: if executives don’t see tangible benefits, they may hesitate to allocate or increase budget for partner training. Moreover, partner program managers themselves need data to identify what’s working and what isn’t. Which courses correlate with better partner sales? Are trained partners closing more deals than untrained ones? Without tracking these metrics, it’s hard to optimize the program or justify its existence.
How to overcome it: To address this, companies should treat partner training like any other strategic investment by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and demonstrating ROI. Start by defining what success looks like for your partner training program. Common KPIs include training completion rates, certification attainment, and partner sales performance before vs. after training. Use your LMS and sales reports to gather data – for example, track whether partners who complete training X have higher quarterly sales than those who haven’t. One best practice is to integrate training data with sales and customer data, allowing you to draw connections (e.g., a partner’s training hours versus the revenue they generate). Some organizations have found that analyzing these metrics can highlight why certain partners underperform – perhaps those partners skipped critical training modules, pointing to a knowledge gap. Sharing such insights with partners can also encourage them to engage more with training.
On the internal front, build a compelling case with both data and stories. Present leadership with metrics such as increases in partner-led sales, improved customer satisfaction scores, or faster onboarding of new partners thanks to training. For instance, if after implementing training, your channel sales grew 10% year-over-year, make sure the training program gets credit as a contributing factor. Additionally, share success stories or case studies: maybe a reseller landed a big client because the training taught them a new use-case for your product, or perhaps support calls dropped after partners got certified on installation procedures. These concrete examples resonate with executives. Remember that major companies are heavily investing in partner enablement; Cisco, for example, committed $80 million toward partner education resources in a single year, citing the need to strengthen partner skills in areas like cloud and AI. While not every organization can spend at that scale, the principle is clear – empowered partners drive business growth, and smart companies back that with serious support. By continuously measuring outcomes and communicating wins, you can secure the ongoing buy-in and funding needed to sustain and expand your partner training initiatives.
Every challenge in partner training is essentially the flip side of an opportunity. Low partner engagement signals a chance to better align training with partners’ motivations. Tight resources push us to find more efficient, creative training solutions. Geographic dispersion, though daunting, forces the adoption of modern e-learning techniques that can connect a global audience. The organizations that excel at partner training have learned to anticipate these hurdles and convert them into strengths. They build flexible programs that meet partners where they are, and they foster a culture of continuous learning and support across the partnership ecosystem.
For HR professionals and business leaders, the mandate is clear: treat partner training as a strategic priority, not an afterthought. The success of your partners is deeply intertwined with the success of your business. In fact, over half of businesses rely on partners to acquire new customers, so enabling those partners effectively is non-negotiable. By understanding the common challenges outlined above and implementing the recommended strategies, you can create a partner training program that not only overcomes its initial obstacles but also delivers tangible business results. Well-trained partners will represent your brand consistently, sell your products confidently, and contribute to mutual growth. Ultimately, investing in partner training is investing in a stronger, more aligned partnership network – transforming challenges into opportunities for long-term success.
