By 2026, the technology channel looks very different from the one vendors and partners operated in even a few years ago. The challenge now is that many vendors still cling to programmes and behaviours that no longer match what partners actually need to succeed. So, what do channel partners really want from vendors in 2026? Intelligent Global Media’s Ben Leitch investigates.
Predictable profitability
For all the noise around AI, cloud and innovations, profitability remains the central concern for partners. But the way partners will define profitability in 2026 is evolving.
Margins alone no longer tell the whole story. Partners want predictability – a clear understanding of the revenue they can earn, how incentives stack and what conditions apply. Too many programmes still hide margin traps behind elaborate tiering structures and opaque rebate thresholds. Partners increasingly view this as a tax on their time rather than an investment in growth.
In 2026, partners expect:
- Simple compensation models with transparent rebates
- Fewer hoops to jump through when it comes to eligibility
- Deal protection that is honoured and enforced
- Faster payment cycles, especially for Market Development Funds (MDF) and services rebates
- Recurring revenue opportunities that match their own business models
Managed service providers, in particular, are asking vendors to align more closely with the subscription-driven economics they rely on. One common complaint is that some vendors still offer incentives optimised for one-off product transactions rather than ongoing lifecycle engagements.
Partners also want MDF to be easier to claim and use. Many vendors have introduced digital tools to streamline the process, but partners argue that the true barrier is not the paperwork, it’s the misalignment between MDF criteria and real-world marketing realities. They want MDF that funds activities proven to generate leads, not just those that look good on a quarterly report.
AI enablement
Artificial Intelligence is now the backbone of solution delivery. Partners are under immense pressure to develop AI-ready services, support customers with responsible AI adoption and differentiate themselves in an increasingly automated landscape. They cannot do this alone.
In 2026, partners expect vendors to provide AI-driven enablement, not simply product training. This includes:
- Intelligent tools for forecasting, quoting and managing the customer lifecycle
- Pre-built AI models and solution templates for vertical markets
- Sandboxes and lab environments where partners can experiment safely
- Guidance on AI governance, ethics and compliance frameworks
- Automated co-selling insights, driven by AI analysis of pipeline and customer behaviour
Partners need more than theoretical knowledge. They need vendors to show them how AI can enhance their service practices, reduce operational costs and open new revenue lines.
Another emerging expectation is AI-powered support. Instead of waiting for a human response, partners in 2026 will expect instant access to troubleshooting resources, configuration guidance and solution recommendations. For vendors, this shift not only lowers support costs but signals maturity in using their own technology to scale partner success.
Co-Innovation
Channel partners have grown sceptical of co-marketing engagements that deliver little more than a webinar slide deck or an email template. In a market where differentiation is increasingly difficult, partners are pushing vendors to go beyond marketing and into co-innovation.
Co-innovation means working with partners to build joint solutions, share product roadmap insights early and collaborate on customer propositions tailored to specific industries. It means inviting partners into design conversations rather than presenting them with finished products.
In 2026, partners expect:
- Joint solution packs for sectors such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and education
- Shared IP development opportunities, where both parties benefit
- Structured co-selling, not ad-hoc introductions
- Access to specialist vendor engineers and architects during solution development
- Realistic, shared success metrics rather than arbitrary partner quotas
This is a significant shift away from the classic ‘sell what we make’ model. Instead, partners want vendors to adopt a ‘build with, market with, sell with’ mentality. They want to be part of the innovation cycle rather than the final link in a long chain.
Co-innovation is also becoming a critical factor in partner retention. As more vendors chase similar market niches, partners increasingly evaluate which vendors include them in long-term strategy rather than just quarterly sales pushes.
Strategic support
Technology is no longer the only driver of partner growth. Partners increasingly look to vendors for business transformation support, particularly as the industry shifts towards service-led and outcome-driven models.
The partners succeeding in 2026 are those who have navigated challenges such as cybersecurity maturity, sustainability compliance, complex cloud migration requirements and recurring-revenue optimisation. In each of these areas, they expect vendors to offer more holistic support.
Key areas where partners want deeper guidance include:
- Cybersecurity frameworks and compliance templates that reduce the risk of misconfiguration
- Sustainability alignment, especially around Scope 3 emissions reporting and green product certifications
- Talent development, with accessible certification pathways and hands-on skills labs
- Business consulting, particularly for MSPs evolving their pricing and service bundles
- Customer success methodologies, including renewal and expansion best practices
In essence, partners want vendors to be strategic advisers, not just product suppliers. Vendors that help partners strengthen their internal capabilities build far deeper loyalty than those that focus solely on feature sets and product roadmaps.
Radical transparency
Finally, partners are demanding a new level of transparency from vendors. This is partly driven by the pace of technological change, which makes long-term planning difficult, and partly by a history of unexpected price increases, abrupt product end-of-life decisions and disruptive post-acquisition changes.
In 2026, partners expect:
- Clear roadmaps, with early visibility into major shifts
- Transparent communication about pricing, bundling and licensing changes
- Real-time dashboards for deal status, performance metrics and incentive tracking
- Executive-led partner councils where concerns feed directly into strategy
- Community spaces where partners can collaborate and share best practice
The era of vendors keeping their cards close to their chest is fading. Partners want honesty, even when the news is inconvenient. They understand that markets evolve and strategies shift, but they expect to be treated as trusted allies rather than observers.
Trust, once lost, is nearly impossible to win back, especially in a competitive ecosystem where partners can switch allegiances quickly.
The mandate for 2026
The message from partners is consistent: they want fewer slogans and more substance. They want vendors that prioritise simplicity, transparency and shared value, not those who add complexity in pursuit of control. They want collaboration over directives, co-innovation over co-marketing, and predictable profitability over shifting target posts.
The channel in 2026 is defined by ecosystems, not hierarchies. Vendors that recognise this and adapt their programmes to treat partners as co-creators rather than mere resellers, will not only retain their ecosystems but propel them to new levels of relevance and growth.
