Types of business
Its confusing me how to identify a business that will do a good job for you, rather than abuse its position in the customer supplier chain.
A simple view might help with this:
Supplier Type 1: Is brilliant at sales and marketing, and 'minimalist' boarding on appalling at delivering its promises. This type of company looks good, feels good, but rarely does you good. They often fail when the customers come after them, or stop buying.
Supplier Type 2: Is brilliant at product delivery and what it does excels customer expectations. They are generally poor at sales and marketing and so tend to wither after a few years, or never break through into the big customer league. Most often they get bought out for a song.
Supplier Type 3: are able to launch as a type 1, and grow into a type 2. Generally these survive and have a future.
The same must be true of customers, so please challenge and develop this train of thought...