I understand that it's a tough business and that the pressures are immense. I honor the people that can see trends, plan technologies and products, and deliver stuff to the marketplace that actually works. It's the toughest thing to do that I've ever been associated with and almost all customers have no appreciation for the effort required. But it's not the customers' job to appreciate vendors. It's their job to sort through what's available and pick the best technologies and products of the moment to meet their needs.
Technology changes fast.
To me, in the networking industry, the term strategic vendor is on the order of the terms army intelligence, safe sex, and political ethics. So you've got this vendor that today can deliver you the hot product and tomorrow is behind the curve. I've got a good idea. I've got a better idea. Hire recent college graduates with animal husbandry degrees to do the project.