Apple 'Smokes the Competition' in Reliability Survey
Over the weekend, PC World published the results of its annual reliability survey, incorporating reports from 79,000 tech users to assess customer satisfaction with reliability and tech support for a wide variety of products. As in previous surveys, Apple topped the rankings in an assortment of categories, with PC World going as far as to say that Apple "once again smoked the competition", despite a few stumbles from the iPhone.
Apple once again smoked the competition in the desktop, notebook, and smartphone categories, winning high praise from customers in all reliability and service categories. The Macintosh and iPhone maker did so well that virtually all its scores were above average. Apple's only average scores were related to the company's deftness at replacing failed notebook components, and in two areas pertaining to serious problems with the iPhone, the latter perhaps stemming from the iPhone 4's well-publicized antenna issue that resulted in dropped calls for some users.
The report points to Apple's use of high-quality components and a straightforward software experience for providing customers with high levels of satisfaction. In addition, the company's retail stores with Genius Bars offering service and support are seen as a key component to Apple's customer care initiatives.In the desktop category, Apple, Asus and Alienware topped the rankings, with Apple receiving "above average" ratings in all nine categories measured. According to the survey, under 9% of customers surveyed reported an issue that was unable to be resolved by Apple's support staff, significantly better than the 21% industry average.
It was a similar story for the laptops, where Apple received above average scores in eight of nine categories. Apple scored only "average" in its performance when it comes to replacing failed components. Apple was followed in the rankings by Asus and Toshiba.
When it comes to smartphones, Apple's iPhone swept the top spot with above average ratings in all five categories related to ease of use. But Apple trailed Motorola's offerings in the reliability portion of the survey, ranking above average in two categories and merely average in two categories related to problems experienced out of the box and severe problems experienced by users. In general, the report noted that users are very satisfied with the iPhone itself but frustrated with carrier partner AT&T, which ranks last among major U.S. carriers in PC World's survey of network service.
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That's one of the advantages Apple has in not playing in the low end of the market. They can make premium products that are more reliable, on average, than the competition that is in a race to the bottom on pricing.
this survey just goes to show you how pathetic customer service is at other companies b/c the Apple experience is hardly a joy. I've had to push "geniuses" to get issues fixed many times after the typical "it's within spec," -- annoying stuck pixel; "I can't hear anything," -- buzzing power inverter rote answers.
I've called tech support for other companies though and it is worse, but that doesn't make Apple's great, just better than the worst.
Apple wouldn't risk something including longer warranty and all that, but today's trend is to give a warranty that is "just okay by law" to save cash cash cash.
Tsss... Seeing how Apple delivers premium quality, I wouldn't mind some premium warranty love, as well. :rolleyes:
Still... I love my iMac and nothing will thorn us apart! :p
Glassed Silver:mac
I need a cigarette after reading "smokes the competition" so many times...
iSmoke?
2 Magsafe power supplies. They swapped them without checking anything. "Oh, let me grab a new one."
A 15" Unibody MBP. I ordered one the day of release and it made a funny sound (I think it was fan related) but it was really faint. The pitch, however, was so irritating. Took it in and they had a new one shipped to me. (The only downside is that mine had upgraded RAM and they wouldn't swap it in store, which was a bit of a drag.)
I've been accused of being a fanboy on MR so many times (from ignoramuses, so laughable) I shouldn't be saying this but...
this survey just goes to show you how pathetic customer service is at other companies b/c the Apple experience is hardly a joy. I've had to push "geniuses" to get issues fixed many times after the typical "it's within spec," -- annoying stuck pixel; "I can't hear anything," -- buzzing power inverter rote answers.
I've called tech support for other companies though and it is worse, but that doesn't make Apple's great, just better than the worst.
I'm not discounting your experiences, but mine have been mostly positive. Not perfect mind you, but very good over all. I'm not sure I'm buying the argument that they just are better because everybody else sucks either.
I find it more than a little humorous that with all of the people freaking out about "antennae gate" and other supposed huge screw-ups by Apple, that they still are tops in the smartphone category. Just shows you how overblown that whole supposed debacle was.
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