Odoo Ready, Silver & Gold Partners: How The Tier System Really Works

What's Really The Difference Between Odoo Partners? Does Gold?Always Mean High Standard or Something Else?

Photo Credit: The Purple Juice Co.

| Ecosystem News, Community |

Thanks for tuning in! If you like the article, please give it a share, like and subscribe as it massively helps us in building awareness and creating more content. It's all about Odoo education and that helps building towards our goal at The Purple Juice Co! :)        

So... today, I wanted to discuss a more ecosystem-related topic. Different to my usual remit in the last few weeks. It's one that's been in my thought pipe for a while, in relation to the purple partner network, with one eye on newbies.

And firstly, before we continue, while I appreciate that this is a sensitive topic, I'm an Odooer. It affects our lives, passion and, ultimately, values, hence wanting to talk about this in a greater manner. It's our duty to ensure that the platform is being used in the best way to can with the end user always being the focal point.

Get to the point, William; what are we discussing today... well by the end of this article, I want to solve these two questions in summary.

'Are Odoo Gold Partners Really The Best?'

'How Does The Odoo Partner Tier System Actually Work?'

For new customers, users, or even partners entering the Odoo world, it can be difficult to distinguish what sets Odoo Partners apart from each other. Is it their quality of service, is it their local or regional support, or their ability to provide education?in times of need? While all that above can be true, I wanted to further highlight the infrastructure of the wider Odoo partner ecosystem and how it is forged from the ground up.

Last year, I wrote an article behind the premise of 'How to Choose The Right Odoo Partner', which was a great hit, and I'm forever grateful for the support it received. Feel free to give it a read if you have not done already, after this article.

Within that article, I also highlighted the importance of if you are using Odoo or purchasing the platform for your company, then it is absolutely critical for you to understand how the Partner network is built to grasp a concept of the support you first require but more importantly the support you actually deserve.

How am I also qualified to tell you what partner is good and what partner is not? Well, I'm not directly, but what I can do is give you my personal perspective on the situation and likewise give my 25+ years of experience being in partner ecosystems, including the likes of Salesforce and Google, alongside now being in the Odoo network.

I could discuss this for hours, but let's get into the bulk of this edition.

If you are a regular reader and community member of?Drinking The Purple Juice (DTPJ), then welcome back. With thousands of you tuning in each week, we are growing a fantastic community. If you are new here and it is the first time you are tuning in, then welcome aboard. DTPJ is the channel of choice being, the?Odoo Community Hub, keeping you informed and updated about the?current tips,?news?and?announcements?all regarding Odoo. ??

It's time to drink the purple juice!???

This Edition's Ingredients

Let's take a look at this article's ripe ingredients to see what's coming up.

• Why Is This Important?
• What Is An Odoo Partner?
• How Does The Tier System Work?
• How Do Odoo Platform Licenses Work?
• Value The Partner's Experience
• How to Pick The Best Odoo Partner
• Dealing With Odoo Customisations
• The Rug-Pull Syndrome
• Vendor Lock-In
• Industry Experience & Checking References
• Rate Your Odoo Partner

If you missed my last article, it's one you might want to take a look back on, after this.

Odoo Experience is back for 2025! Europe's biggest Tech & Business event returns to Belgium this September. With Odoo 19 set to be released, it's the perfect opportunity to surround yourself with knowledge workshops, business growth talks and Odoo community members from Partners to Odoo employees. Don't miss a drop of the purple juice, at Odoo's largest yearly calendar event. I cover how to attend and what to look out for.???

Why Is This Important?

You might be asking yourself, why is this important? Well, if you're purchasing Odoo, it's actually the biggest step to your success, both short-term and long-term, in using the platform.

At the end of the day, you are only as good as the expertise around you.

As a consumer of Odoo, when purchasing the platform you have a few options on how you can look to both implement and support the platform. These consist of the following:

• Use an Odoo Partner
• Directly consult with Odoo (Success Packs)
• Build your own internal team
• Solve it yourself...

Firstly, however, remember you are a business owner, and while I am a massive advocate of having the infrastructure in place to support project stakeholders and internal support, can you afford to give the relevant time and dedication to completely learn, adopt and implement a tech ERP like Odoo? Most likely not. Odoo does, of course, support the education curve through its learning base called Odoo Learn.

I'll be covering Odoo Success Packs in an upcoming article soon, as well - as that is another discussion for another day in regards to customers utilising them.

Working with Odoo, of course, however, depends on the situation. If you've ever been to an Odoo Business Show before - they will often say 'Odoo offers implementation services that are specifically designed for small companies (<50 employees) and separate for large-size companies that are 250+ employees but further recommend going through a partner instead.

But ultimately, if you are looking for support when it comes to Odoo, that's where your dedicated Odoo Partner conducts their magic. Let's not forget the fact that they are also local, they know your market and requirements. That's their expertise, it's what they are there for.

What Is An Odoo Partner?

An Odoo Partner is a company or individual that is 'officially' recognised and certified by Odoo to provide services such as implementation, customisation, training and ongoing support. You, of course, have partners out there who are not officially recognised, but based on my personal experience, I would try and steer clear. There are ample within the certified network that will give a better quality of delivery.

These partners meet certain training, experience, and performance criteria set by Odoo and are granted partner status to ensure consistent, high-quality service for customers adopting the Odoo platform, of course, based on their criteria of what's required. However, we'll discuss that in time with the infrastructure.

If you choose to work with an Odoo Partner, for them to support you in your implementation and use of the platform journey, then you put yourself on a spectrum ultimately of reducing risk in either not using the platform or using the platform in the wrong way. Typically, if you are at the stage of 'assessing' your requirements then start to engage with a partner. Partners also work alongside Odoo Account Managers, so they are well-informed regarding the latest updates and news, along with ensuring the process of problem-solving when submitting tickets.

All in all, Odoo Partners are there to ensure you get the most out of the platform.

Companies can often, however, 'feel the fatigue' in where do I even start? That can often lead to more questions than solving them, which in theory often crops up the partner tier question...

How Does The Tier System Work?

When first exposed to the Odoo Partner Tier System, by default?you might assume those partners that are Gold, are instantly 'the best' in that region. But apart from some individual cases, this can often not be the case.

This is where you would think the tier system refers to 'high quality' service.

Unfortunately, you, in this case, would indeed be wrong.

The Odoo tier system is divided into the following relevant areas to segment Odoo Partners:

Ready, Silver, Gold

Furthermore, Odoo Partners are not assessed based on happy customers or their quality in delivery or aftercare support, they are focused on the following metrics:

How an Odoo Partner is put into either Ready, Silver or Gold.

New Enterprise Users Sold In The Last 12 Months

Quantity of Certified Employees Over 3 Previous Odoo Versions

Customer Rentention Percentage

While the tiered names can often indicate the size of a partner and their experience in the market, it does not guarantee quality.?Below is a showcase of requirements that an Odoo Partner has to meet each year to ensure that they remain in the same tier system.

I even went a step further and asked ChatGPT-4o 'What Is An Odoo Partner' to further build and justify the use case here. As you would assume, this could be a common way to find out how to assess what partners are best. Here is the response...

Please be careful what you read, Odooers! Partners are based on a number of factors and metrics; however, the number of 'successful implementations' is not a direct KPI at this current time. Experience and customer satisfaction are likewise always subjective. Odoo, at this current point, does not implement a CSAT system to measure direct and public feedback.

Odoo Platform Licenses, Here Is The Root Problem...

It's a great question, which often gets overlooked, but how do Odoo Partners deal with platform licence costs, as in any other ecosystem, and does this affect the tier system?

While Odoo Partners are solely responsible for their own implementation and consultancy services, they don't sell Odoo licenses directly. Only Odoo is entitled to sell these to the end user, hence why Partners and Odoo are often closely linked.

Odoo Partners make commissions off licenses, however, depending on their tier status, and ultimately, one of the hardest 'box ticks' is a gold partner having to sell 300 licenses a year to retain their current top-tier status. Unfortunately, that is the perception of quality, where anyone new to the Odoo ecosystem, or unaware of this information can often get confused.

Odoo Partners are placed in tiers due to how much they sell, not quality of service.

Value The Odoo Partners' Expertise, Not Tier Rank

I think it is important to say at this point, that it's not all gold partners. The majority are in the position they are today due to the quality of education and service they provide. It's important that you do your due diligence, however, regarding your own requirements. In thousands of cases, people choose Ready or Silver Partners because they simply fit their ethos better.?

I write this sounding like 'all Gold partners are rubbish, I'd never pick one' but that is simply not the situation. Remember this...

'When picking an Odoo Partner to work with for the long-term, tier rank gets thrown out the window. Assess?based on the value they provide.. not how big they are.'

Subjectively, when assessing any Odoo Partner, you should be closely assessing their skillset, platform knowledge, aftercare support and long-term engagement plan rather than if they are 'Gold' or 'Silver'. Your Odoo journey, then, from the off, is focused more on project success.

How Do You Pick The Best Odoo Partner?

Do you even need an Odoo Partner? Well first, let's consider this...

To ensure we are on the same page, I am hoping you are getting value from this article; there are several things you can do as a business to ensure you pick a partner which matches the core values and ideologies you have.

Odoo Certifications & Training

You should always check what certifications and training each Odoo Partner has. This includes both Odoo's official certification system which is based on their yearly version release such as Odoo 16, Odoo 17, Odoo 18, etc or furthermore relevant qualifications to ensure that their knowledge is maintained and up-to-date on the platform.

Odoo updates their product suite, very quickly to adhere to changing markets, security best practices and updated features, so it is important that Odoo Partners are aware of that.

Service Offerings

Partners will naturally offer services such as implementation, but where the value really lies in their post-support implementation services across support and training. As standard, you should be looking at Partners offering the following as a minimum:

• Platform Implementation
• Post-Support
• Training & Enablement
• Product Knowledge

The ones that set themselves apart will furthermore distinguish themselves through:

• Strong Methodology Processes
• Is Open/Justified With Cost (No Hidden Costs)
• Quality GAP Analysis
• Extensive Quality Assurance Steps
• Quality Customisation Analysis
• Provide 'On-Site' Support
• Long-Term Maintenance Support
• Pathways' For Regular Upgrades
• Updated on New Features
• In-Tune With The Odoo Ecosystem

An experienced partner should always be focused on the end customer. They should help avoid all those common pitfalls and guide users/consumers through a structured implementation and phased approach. Bridging the gap between business needs.

I would also highly recommend taking a look at the documentation which is on offer via Odoo's Implementation Methodology Booklet, if you have not done so already. Packed with information and expertise to align with your focused expectations. Of course, also consult with your partner on documentation they can provide.

Understand Your Requirements

One of the most crucial parts of this process, however, is understanding your requirements. Any Odoo partner should be able to accommodate those, but the more defined and structured you are, the quicker you see progress. Having a crystal clear vision of where your business needs to be and how to assess that ROI can allow you to quickly define those gaps. In my eyes, when an Odoo Partner neglects core values like process mapping it's a red flag.

To start, however, I would recommend looking through Odoo's Partner Finder, to search for relevant and local expertise within your region. Remember, don't settle for less and find an Odoo Partner that matches your desires and visions.

Don't Fall For The 'This Needs to Be Customised' Trick...

Ah, the old Odoo sales tactic, please don't fall for this.

It's another aspect I discuss with Odoo customers all the time when it comes to mapping your processes to Odoo, and one that you should always be on the lookout for. Partners can often lean more towards the 'Customisation' route, but what does this mean?

'If your process can't be identified in Odoo in terms of building it, then often Partners and consultants will mention the popular buzzword customisations.'

As standard, you should be keeping everything 'out-of-box' as much as you can. By further looking at customisations, this can drive up cost due to the efforts in labour to build these within Odoo and also maintain them as you upgrade through versions, so naturally, some partners in the past have been known to try and push customisations left, right and centre to make a quick buck. I'll drop another one of my articles in at this point, as I discussed the complications of Odoo Studio and the pains associated...

Look, it's also important to note that in many complex cases, customisations might actually be required to achieve the end goal, but... and a big BUT - please question and do your research to ensure that it can't be done out of the box first.

This might be myself being naive, but I would hope that your Odoo Partner agrees.

The Rug-Pull Syndrome

There are a couple of other aspects I'd like to further talk about in relation to the Odoo Partner ecosystem. We're going to call this one the 'Rug-Pull Syndrome' and for those in the crowd that are familiar with this term, it is fairly the same concept.

In cryptocurrency, a rug-pull is a term that is often floated about where an organisation abandon's a project after raising assets, leaving participants with worthless tokens. This can be formed in various forms?that compile schemes. I'll leave an informative video below explaining this concept in more detail.

But how does this relate to Odoo?

Well, while not specific to Odoo, the core concepts remain when it comes to partners. It's super important that you define and choose a partner that you can resonate with as you continue to grow as a business. You're not going to want to change partners mid-way now, are you? This is where the concept of the rug-pull comes in.

Any partner that you pick should match your ambitions not only when it comes to platform implementation but furthermore, also in terms of retained support and training. I have heard countless stories of businesses still on to this day versions of Odoo, such as 13, 14, etc. The oldest one, v8.?I was just as shocked as you. Why are they still on these versions?

The ol' Rug-Pull Syndrome...

Unfortunately, in many cases and not just in the Odoo Ecosystem, technology Partners fulfil the requirement of implementation and then collaboration tanks off a cliff. The rug pull is in motion. Partner X, makes their money on commissions and the initial implementation and moves to the next shiny object. Ensure that any partner you choose is for the long-term and that your plans closely align to build that long-standing relationship.?

Don't be a victim of a rug pull.

Vendor Lock-In

Another aspect to consider within the Odoo Ecosystem is vendor lock-in. Not to mention that it is against Odoo's ethos, but I'm seeing a number of rising cases of Partners charging obscene amounts of money, to move customers to their own hosting infrastructure and locking them in.

Please be cautious, Odooers; education is paramount, so it's always a worthwhile question to ask when consulting with a partner; likewise, if you have just realised you are in this situation, then there is a conversation to be had. Get on that phone.

Look For Industry Experience & Double Check Your References

Before making any decision, I highly recommend that you dive into Odoo's Partner and experience before moving ahead. Let's take this case as an example...

You are looking to make the perfect pizza. We all like pizza... right?

You wouldn't choose someone who has only made milkshakes at this point. You want a great chef who is skilled in that specific type of cuisine to match your end goal and requirement.?The same applies to Odoo, to ensure that they have the industry experience you desire. The same applies when checking and looking at company references.

Here is a super pro tip...

I always recommend buyers to do the following. Pick the partner customers that you would like to hear from, not the other way around. This is where the power of relationships come into play as partners might typically only choose from a selected pool.

Naturally, if you feel more comfortable with your partner being industry-specific, then that is a great position to be in. It all comes down to reputation and the power of 'word of mouth' which ultimately also allows you to make an informed decision. Some partners might be good at one thing but awful at another.

You can always take a peek at Odoo's reference page as well, looking across the segmented area of expertise based on thousands that are available.

Rate Your Odoo Partner

To ensure the quality of service when it comes to Odoo, we are currently gathering data to build a better database on how Odoo Partners/Consultants are perceived based on their contribution and quality of service to the end-user rather than selling licenses.

We've had a fantastic response to this so far and look to publish the data later in 2025. If you have 10 minutes and an experience to share, we would love to hear from you. Thank you on behalf of the Odoo ecosystem for supporting us in this venture.

Share and submit your feedback here.

In Summary

So, in summary, and at the start of today's edition, I wanted to discuss and cover two points. Can you remember them? No worries, I'll be a helping hand...

'Are Odoo Gold Partners Really The Best?'

While the name alludes, Gold partners aren't always the best. While they are big and there are some fantastic gold partners in the ecosystem that are focused on quality service, it's important to be diligent in your assessment phase when choosing an Odoo Partner. Remember to focus on the value that they provide, rather than the rank they market.

Additionally, Odoo Partner shouldn't be a 'selling machine' - harsh but true. If so, the focus from the customer, unless managed well, is lost. Let's call this the 'human' factor. Make sure that any Partner you choose to pick, fits in with your team ethos. Any partner that you can additionally resonate with emotionally only benefits everyone further. That 'gut' feeling.

Likewise, use another one of my tools to justify what partner would best fit you. Here is a checklist which you can always refer to:

Technical Factors:

• Check their methodology processes
• 'Test' their expertise
• Documentation is critical
• Maintenance/Stance on Customisations
• Risk Mitigation
• How is Change Management dealt with?
• Is GAP Analysis offered?
• Will a Project Roadmap be supplied?

Emotional?Factors:

• Is your Partner local enough?
• Do they fit my 'business' values?
• Time + resource management

Additional?Factors:

• Vendor lock-in
• Intellectual Property confirmation
• Who is the team?
• Get customer references from others!

'How Does The Odoo Partner Tier System Actually Work?'

We have covered this in a little more detail today given that Odoo Partners are not based on the quality of service they provide, alongside happy customers, but on how many licenses they sell, how many certifications they have and their customer retention.

The bottom line of this article is to ensure you are getting the service you deserve based on the investment you are making. The good news is that within the Odoo community, there are hundreds of brilliant partners who can assist in ensuring that your journey with Odoo is fueled with positivity and growth. Don't neglect your homework, mixed with intuition to make an informed decision. If you need further support when it comes to implementing Odoo, check out some of my other articles which you might enjoy.

• 10 Things You MUST Consider With Odoo Otherwise You Will Fail!
• Data Migration In Odoo: A Best Practice Guide For Platform Users
• Odoo Community Edition Vs Odoo Enterprise Edition
• Common Mistakes to Avoid During Odoo Implementation

But before I sign off, I want to leave this final statement with you. While gold?is shiny and attractive, when it comes to Odoo Partners please don't let your decision be swayed just because the person on the end of the phone is?from a gold partner.

Do your research, do your due diligence and make an informed decision.

Please don't forget to share, like and subscribe, it helps us more than you could ever know, so we really appreciate it. I'll see you on the next  article. ??        

Keep up to date with all our latest articles, news and more via DTPJ:?Take me there