The article approaches synchrony identification between customers´ expectations and managerial practices adopted by suppliers using the supply chain model. Data were collected through questionnaires sent to executives of company members of the Abimaq (Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Industry). The process was undertaken in two steps, one involving 38 executives from customer companies and another involving 51 executives from the supplying companies. Statistical treatment showed a strong evidence of synchronism for the variables quality and reliability between customer companies and their suppliers within the limits of the population sampled.
Synchronism; competitive performance; key-factors; costumer retention; supply chain management