On the Changing Channels podcast, Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh and Elisabeth De Dobbeleer discuss how Cisco redefined partner value and simplified its go-to-market model for lifecycle-driven growth.

Cisco has long occupied a rare position in the technology industry. For decades, Cisco’s channel programs have been studied, copied, and benchmarked by vendors seeking to improve partner productivity, coverage, and profitability. That reputation did not emerge by accident. It was built through deliberate design choices, long transition periods, and a consistent willingness to evolve alongside partners rather than ahead of them.

That context matters as Cisco introduces Cisco 360, a rethinking of how the company goes to market with and through partners. Cisco 360 is not simply a program refresh. It reflects a broader recalibration driven by changes in customer behavior, the shift from transactional selling to lifecycle engagement, and the growing complexity of delivering outcomes across networking, security, software, and services.

Customers increasingly expect continuity, expertise, and measurable value long after the initial sale. That reality places new demands on partners and, by extension, on the programs that support them. This is the genesis of Cisco 360 — a program announced in the fall of 2024, developed over the preceding year, and followed by an extended transition window designed to protect partner investments.

Cisco 360 responds by redefining how partner value is measured and rewarded. Instead of focusing narrowly on transactions, the framework emphasizes capabilities, engagement across the customer lifecycle, and sustained performance. It also acknowledges a truth many vendors struggle to operationalize: Partners contribute value in different ways, through different business models, and at different scales. Designing for that diversity requires trade-offs, particularly for a company with Cisco’s breadth and global footprint.

Equally important is how Cisco approached the redesign. The company leaned heavily on co-development, releasing concepts early, inviting broad feedback, and course-correcting in public. That process introduced uncertainty at times, but it also surfaced practical issues before launch rather than after. Simplification was another central theme — not by stripping away nuance but by consolidating incentives, modernizing digital experiences, and making it easier for partners to understand where they stand and how to improve.

Ultimately, Cisco 360 is best understood as a strategic alignment exercise. It aligns incentives with desired behaviors, partner investments with customer outcomes, and Cisco’s long-term growth ambitions with the economic realities of its ecosystem.

Check out more insights on how Cisco crafted its new Cisco 360 partner program in the latest episode of Changing Channels, with guest Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, senior vice president of Cisco Channel Programs.