Score one for Kodak. Score 10 for transparency.

Channels are the most visible string. In the Cloud and on the Ground - not in Corporate - are the fast growing strings. When the strings interact more networks form. When standards are in place, transparency and accountability replace word of mouth, spin, and advertising.

Score one for Kodak

Kodak Recognized as a Business Solutions “Best Channel Vendor” - Kodak's Graphic Communications Group:

"ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 9—Recognizing top performers in the value-added reseller (VAR) industry, Business Solutions has selected Kodak as a “Best Channel Vendor” for its January 2009 issue. To select the top performers, Business Solutions captured significant service data from its most active VAR subscribers, awarding Kodak and other honorees for their excellence in advancing customer reseller needs across the channel. The annual program has created a quantifiable industry standard for reliability and credibility in channel relationships.

The standards for IT channel partners from Business Solutions Magazine:

One of our first steps was to partner with Penn State University to help ensure the survey’s statistical accuracy. read more

Here's the score 10 for transparency
Compare and contrast A and B.

A: "Business Solutions has selected Kodak as a “Best Channel Vendor”.

Then this from Business Solutions Magazine

B. In 12 of the 15 technology categories, vendors whose Overall Average Score was in the top 15% of that technology category were selected as Best Channel Vendor

Now, compare and contrast the scores.

Results for ECM Hardware. In alphabetical order.

BELL + HOWELL
Core Product Offering: Document scanners
Top 3 Categories:
Product Reliability: 4.36
Channel Friendly: 4.15
Product Features: 4.08
VAR Comment: “BÖWE BELL + HOWELL has provided some of the most in-depth support on very tangible issues. Better still, they have worked to create profit for VARs.”

Canon USA
Core Product Offering: Document scanners
Top 3 Categories:
Product Reliability: 4.00
Channel Friendly: 3.94
Product Features: 3.88
VAR Comment: “I’ve worked with Canon for more than eight years, and they’ve always gone to the highest level to help us. We’ve been so happy with Canon that we don’t use any other vendor for hardware.”

Eastman Kodak Company
Core Product Offering: Document scanners
Top 3 Categories:
Product Reliability: 4.15
Product Features: 4.00
Product Innovation: 3.79
VAR Comment: “Kodak has a fantastic marketing department, and they work to educate VARs on new products, solutions, and giveaways. They work hard
to put products and services in the hands of the resellers.”

Fujitsu
Core Product Offering: Document scanners
Top 3 Categories:
Product Features: 4.26
Product Reliability: 4.21
Product Innovation: 4.16
VAR Comment: “Fujitsu is the best in the industry for acknowledging and supporting our selling efforts in major opportunities. The sales support from each of our Fujitsu Account Managers has been very valuable to us.”

HP
Core Product Offering: Document scanners
Product Reliability: 3.35
Product Features: 3.30
Channel Friendly: 3.26
VAR Comment: “HP has been a great partner, and they have enough variety and innovation to keep them at the top of our list for imaging equipment.”

IBML
Core Product Offering: High-speed/high-volume production scanners
Product Features: 3.08
Service/Support: 3.00
Product Reliability: 3.00
VAR Comment: “Whether it’s complex customization or a last minute change, IBML is always there to help us meet our customers’ needs. Add in the superior technical abilities of the IBML scanners, and our customers get an unparalleled, world-class solution.”

Konica Minolta
Core Product Offering: Digital copiers/ MFPs
Product Features: 3.20
Service/Support: 3.20
Product Reliability: 3.09
VAR Comment: “Konica Minolta business executives meet with our management team monthly to review and create ongoing marketing strategy. It is their true partnership approach that has made it possible to expand our reach.”

Panasonic
Core Product Offering: Document scanners/ MFPs
Top 3 Categories:
Product Reliability: 3.41
Product Innovation: 3.32
Product Features: 3.23
VAR Comment: “We work with multiple scanning vendors, but Panasonic has risen above them all and gets an ‘atta-boy’ for best bundled offer this past year.”

Ricoh/ Americas Corp
Core Product Offering: Digital copiers/MFPs
Top 3 Categories:
Adequate Margins: 3.28
Service/Support: 3.22
Product Reliability: 3.22
VAR Comment: “Ricoh’s support has been invaluable. Their training and sales support staff has been available whenever I have needed assistance.”

Visioneer
Core Product Offering: Document scanners
Top 3 Categories:
Product Innovation: 3.40
Channel Friendly: 3.40
Product Reliability: 3.20
VAR Comment: “Visioneer’s products are very reasonably priced, and they integrate well with most third-party capture software, making it easier for us to sell complete ECM solutions.”

Xerox
Core Product Offering: Digital copiers/MFPs
Top 3 Categories:
Product Reliability: 4.56
Product Features: 4.50
Service/Support: 4.24
VAR Comment: “Xerox’ outstanding product line and their responsiveness to us as a partner have us wondering why a VAR would choose any other vendor.”