When a company is evaluating the performance of its order fulfillment process, the primary consideration should be meeting customer needs. This is because the ultimate goal of the order fulfillment process is to ensure that customers receive their orders accurately and on time. Customer satisfaction directly impacts repeat business and customer loyalty, which are critical for the long-term success of the company. While factors such as an increase in gross profit margin, shipping efficiency, and exceeding industry benchmarks are important, they are secondary to ensuring that customer expectations are met.