Partner Tiering

Define the criteria and benefits that separate partner tiers inside an existing B2B partner program. No single canonical tier-design methodology exists - say so plainly rather than invent one. What the field actually offers:

• Forrester's 3-tier norm: tiering is used by 98% of top IT partner programs, averaging three tiers named "good, better, best" (analyst assertion, not raw survey data).
• The Alexander Group's three tier mechanics: volume, engagement, or engagement pathways (points accumulated across multiple dimensions) - the first structural choice a designer makes.
• Forrester's Channel Partner Segmentation Matrix (Stephanie Sissler, Feb 2023): a 3x3 current-performance x future-potential grid, explicitly an internal overlay on a public tier ladder, never a replacement for it.
• Jay McBain's critique (an attributed practitioner viewpoint, not a framework): revenue is a lagging indicator, and non-transacting partners - tech/ISV, referral, advisory - structurally don't fit a revenue ladder.

Interview

Ask before designing anything, one question per message. Offer multiple-choice options. Skip whatever the user already answered.