Move over, CRM. Partner relationship management (PRM) software seems to be the rage in the IT channel. For example, Riverbed Technology, which specializes in wide area application services, is giving VARs a healthy incentive to use PRM software. And Riverbed isn’t alone. More and more technology companies are directing channel partners into their PRM systems.

At Riverbed, roughly 90 percent of their sales come from the channel. The company uses Salesforce.com to track its sales pipeline. And partners that plug into Riverbed’s PRM system — which works with a range of tools — receive special discounts and financial incentives, according to Apurva Dave, senior director of product marketing at Riverbed.

“We provide an incentive to partners when they register the deal,” says Apurva Dave. (UPDATE: A quick point of clarification: The tool they use to register is on Salesforce.com but there is no incentive to use Salesforce.com above other tools.)

Riverbed isn’t alone. Rackable Systems, for instance, has embraced a PRM system from TreeHouse. As a result, Rackable Systems’ reseller program now includes a full featured and customized portal, automated reseller communication, lead management and distribution, training and certification, opportunity registration and integration with Oracle CRM On Demand, according to a TreeHouse spokeswoman.

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