Current economic conditions are laying bare what's not working for channel partners, exposing issues ranging from channel conflict, to the "channel usability" of technologies, to community disenfranchisement. As companies try to move more volume through channels, channel productivity emerges as a critical strategic success factor. Successful vendors must take both tactical and strategic steps to ameliorate channel partner problems, enabling them to devote more attention to developing, selling, and sustaining business: tactical to drive business results now, during the downturn; strategic to establish longer-term practices that will maintain and attract the best channel partnerships.