Reliability

As a measure of product performance on the Customer Buying Hierarchy, this term refers to the consistency with which the company delivers on the promises made, or implied, to the customer by its product/service package. For the customer of a channel of distribution, Reliability refers to the predictability of product availability, the return policy of the channel, and the quality of problem resolution the channel offers the customer. A customer purchasing a manufactured product sees three categories of Reliability: reliability of delivery, the supplier’s performance record in getting the product to the customer at the promised quantity and time; reliability of function, the consistency with which the product performs the function promised; and reliability of market presence, the consistency with which the company supports its customers and distributors. (See also Customer Buying Hierarchy)