Satisfaction. Or, so said Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on their classic rock song of the same name. However, customer satisfaction is something that most manufacturers desperately want to attain. A big element in satisfying customers is the performance of the sales channel. Did the channel anticipate the customer’s needs? Did they know the customer’s industry or application? Was the product in stock? Was it delivered as promised? Installed properly? Were the distributor’s personnel professional and courteous?

Customer satisfaction is so important that some vendors, such as Cisco Systems, make it a key part of their channel scoring and compensation system. I think this is a good idea. Too many vendors focus on their own needs from the channel, such as sales volume, loyalty, mindshare, etc. These are all worthwhile objectives. However, ultimately, it is the customer who decides whether the channel is doing a good job.