According to CRN, Zoom is launching Zoom Up 3.0, a major overhaul of its global partner program as part of its channel-first transformation. The program introduces distinct tracks for resale and agency partners, a flexible points-based system for earning credits, and enhanced partner segmentation. A fixed 12-month assessment cycle starts in October 2026, giving partners a long runway to prepare. The company also revealed it generates over 30% of its enterprise revenue through the channel today. A new partner program dashboard and locator tool will roll out in February 2026 to simplify reporting and measurement.
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The channel-first reality
Zoom’s messaging here is crystal clear: the company is genuinely trying to become a channel-first organization. Nick Tidd, their head of global channel go-to-market, is making a big deal about “simplicity” being the foundation of this new program. And let’s be honest, that’s probably the number one thing partners complain about with any vendor program—the complexity and the endless hoops to jump through for incentives. A single dashboard to see all your targets and achievements? That alone could be a game-changer if it works as promised. The fact they’re giving partners until October 2026 to get ready for their first assessment under the new system is a smart move. It shows they understand partners need time to adapt their businesses.
The competitive landscape shift
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just about making partners happy. This is a strategic necessity. The videoconferencing market is brutally competitive, and Zoom can’t afford to just be the “easy button” for basic meetings anymore. They need partners to sell their expanding portfolio—Phone, Contact Center, the whole Workspace platform. By creating distinct tracks and rewarding specific behaviors, they’re basically trying to build an army of specialized advocates. This puts them on a more direct collision course with Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex in the enterprise space, where complex deals are almost always channel-led. The 30% enterprise revenue through channel figure is interesting, but you have to wonder what their target is. For a company wanting to be “channel-first,” that number probably needs to be a lot higher.
Winners and losers
So who benefits most from this shakeup? Partners who have deep expertise in specific areas, like Zoom’s Contact Center or their services capabilities, seem positioned to win. The program is designed to help customers “identify the best partner for their needs,” which means specialization will be rewarded. The dynamic points system is also a big deal—partners can focus on activities that actually align with their business model instead of trying to be everything to everyone. But there’s always a flip side. Partners who’ve been coasting on simple resale might find themselves under pressure to upskill or get left behind. Zoom is explicitly talking about reducing churn and driving net-new customer acquisition as the “key attributes to growth.” That means performance will be measured, and the program is being built to call that out.
The long game
Basically, Zoom is playing the long game here. They’re not just tweaking margins or adding a new incentive. They’re rebuilding the entire partner engagement model from the ground up, and they’re giving everyone two years to get their act together. The big question is whether the promised simplicity will materialize. Vendor partner programs are notorious for starting with grand promises of simplicity that devolve into bureaucratic nightmares. If Zoom can actually deliver a clean, transparent system where partners can easily understand what they need to do and what they’ll get in return, they could seriously change the game. But that’s a big “if.” For now, the intent seems solid, and the timeline is realistic. We’ll have to wait until 2026 to see if the execution matches the ambition.
