Cisco said it. Microsoft said it. Google Cloud said it. VMware said it before Broadcom killed the messenger. "Outcomes" was the most overused word in the channel in 2025.
The concept is fine. Aligning partner value to customer results is sound strategy. Nobody argues with that. The problem is that every vendor uses the same word to describe completely different compensation models, and at some point the word stops meaning anything at all.
Here's a test. Next time your vendor rep uses the word "outcomes" in a conversation, ask them to define it for your specific deal. One sentence. No jargon. If they can't do it without saying "value," "journey," or "transformation," the program isn't outcomes-based. It's rebates with new branding.
Words matter in this industry because they end up in contracts. If "outcomes" is going to mean something, someone needs to define it. Until then, read the comp plan. The math doesn't lie, even when the language does.