The short answer? "Don't steal our customers." But that's too easy and, besides, Dell has heard that a lot over the past six months. Johnson wants to go a little deeper:

What I've heard is this: It is harder than ever to be a channel partner with most companies. The average channel program is complex, hard to manage, and difficult to track. There is some hesitancy in sharing deals, because you never know if your vendor will undercut you. And since everyone sells the same brands, the price wars are having a real impact on profitability.

So you're asking for a program that is simpler to administer, that lets you spend less time on the program and more time with customers. You want your vendor to help win more deals, not compete with you. You want your vendor to work to increase your profitability and efficiency. And you want the coolest brands with the latest features.

Do I have this right? Am I missing anything?

You can offer up your suggestions here. Or, you can enter them below.

And let's throw an additional question in here, for free: Have you walked away from a vendor in the past year because its channel program was too complex and bureaucratic?