According to PC Magazine’s 18th annual Reader Satisfaction Survey (http://www.pcmag.com/sr), on newsstands September 6, 2005, more people are turning to the Web to solve problems with their PCs and printers, and beginning to turn away from phone support. Despite this shift, computer users are happier with their PCs and manufacturers support services overall than they were a year ago, though there’s still room for improvement.
Ziff Davis Media’s PC Magazine surveyed nearly 14,000 subscribers — technology influencers, consumers and business professionals — and asked them to describe their experiences with the desktops, notebooks, and printers that they use. They rated over 26,000 PCs and over 19,000 printers, including products used in the home and at work. Readers were asked to evaluate the following categories in the satisfaction survey: overall satisfaction, product reliability, quality and frequency of repairs, initial setup experience, hardware and software reliability and technical support including tech support professional’s ability to communicate and understand the problem.
“It’s good to see companies offering better online support, but there’s clearly room for improvement in phone-based support,” says Michael J. Miller, Editor-in-Chief of PC Magazine in the press release. “In particular, many readers complained about technicians who were hard to understand, or who didn’t seem to understand the problem.”
According to the survey, overall satisfaction with desktops and notebooks — as well as satisfaction with their reliability is very good but people are less satisfied with the quality of technical support and repair services of PC manufacturers.
PC owners are increasingly turning away from the phone and toward the Internet for tech support. This year, 69% of computer users used the telephone for tech support, down significantly versus a year ago, at 80%, This year, computer users are using the Web for support, including online FAQs, knowledge bases, download centers, 30% of the time; a year ago people they only used Web support 18% of the time.
While nearly all the vendors in the survey received overall ratings from customers in the “very good” range, four companies — Apple, Dell, Sony and survey newcomer Alienware — scored the highest, winning the coveted PC Magazine Readers’ Choice Award. Apple received the overall highest satisfaction rating due, in part, to its integration of its computer systems and the fact that Macs attract far fewer viruses than Windows machines. Among the major manufacturers of Windows PCs, Dell’s desktops received its 14th PC Magazine Readers’ Choice Award in 15 years, showing improvement in tech support versus year ago. Sony earned impressive satisfaction rates for desktops and newcomer Alienware scored an impressive overall rating of 8.8 for their cutting-edge, gaming machines.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple Macs running Mac OS X do attract far fewer viruses than Windows machines: zero (0) viruses to date, in fact.
Apple and Lenovo/IBM scored the highest among notebook users in the notebook category — earning them a PC Magazine Readers’ Choice Award. Apple users gave the company an 8.6 rating for satisfaction with tech support and 8.3 for satisfaction with repairs, both very impressive results. Lenovo/IBM scored well in reliability, better than average (8.5) and performed well in both the business and home market.
The 18th annual reader satisfaction survey covers desktop PCs, notebooks and printers. The survey gauges the satisfaction on a variety of measures including reliability and service experiences with the products PC Magazine subscribers are using and the companies who make these products. PC Magazine conducted the survey from June 14, 2005 to June 28, 2005. Subscribers to PC Magazine and pcmag.com were invited through by email and through a link posted in the magazine. PC Magazine accepted only one entry per subscriber and only subscribers could participate. Equation Research (http://www.equationresearch.com) hosted the survey and tabulated the results. PC Magazine asked respondents about the desktop, notebooks and printers that they currently using at work and home.
PC Magazine excluded any company for which they did not receive at least 50 responses, the minimum number necessary to produce statistically reliable results. Only PCs less than four years old were considered. Each company’s scores for each question were compared against the average of all the companies’ scores in the same product category. The result is characterized as better or worse than average, or significantly better or worse than average, based on the statistical testing of the responses to a 95% confidence level.
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple Computer products top PC Magazine’s annual ‘Best of the Year’ survey – December 16, 2004
Apple Macs top PC Magazine’s ’17th Annual Reader Satisfaction Survey’ – August 10, 2004
Apple leads PC Magazine’s 16th annual Service and Reliability Survey – July 10, 2003
I guess 97,000 viruses to 0 is far fewer
Geesh MDN! We get it! Macs don’t get viruses. What’s the point of making of note it it’s the same thing over and over again?
oops! if it’s not it it’s
IBM/Lenovo gives the best support among the Windoze crowd, but sells a fraction of the units Dull and H-P/Compaq do. It tells me that most people are way too damn cheap to pay for anything. It also explains Wal-Mart great success. How else could you explain poorly run, dirty stores run by poorly-paid and educated staff doing so well? Americans see nothing but the bottom line on most things.
MDN makes sure to mention that there are no viruses for OS X so that one day when there actually is a virus, that single virus will get as much press coverage as all of the Windows viruses to date.
Which is exactly the reason Steve never brags that OS X is virus free.
” What’s the point of making of note it it’s the same thing over and over again?”
Because idiots in the press keep getting it wrong and ignoring that fact!
“MDN makes sure to mention that there are no viruses for OS X so that one day when there actually is a virus, that single virus will get as much press coverage as all of the Windows viruses to date.”
Well, it’s been 5 years so far and we’re still waiting………..
It’s important to let other know you are satisfied! …lights cigarette…
These articles contunue to say “There are FEWER viruses.”
Technically correct. They either don’t know, or decide to fudge, the fact is there are NO viruses.
The average Joe’s machine has a bunch day-to-day.
If he were to read “Macs have NO viruses.” wouldn’t he say “Gosh, how’d they do that?”
and maybe think, “Hmmm…gonna get me one.”
The effect is significantly disabled if he reads it’s just LESS vireses.
Impression is “everybody has ’em; can’t do anything about it.”
“Far fewer”?? … they don’t want people to know there are none ..
It’s been said so often that now its repeated by everyone … “a lot less viruses than windows” … I’ve heard this on any number of tv and radio tech spots and read it on many newspaper tech columns ..
It is now accepted as fact …. We need someone (a big columnist) to put in BOLD HEADLINE … There are NO VIRUSES for OS X
They probably would choke trying to say it … it baffles their minds to think there is computing without viruses … just like people who won’t admit ufo’s exist … even though millions have seen one …
Did anyone notice this little paragraph in the PC Mag article:
“The company’s [Apple] scores are so high there’s some concern that they can’t be completely trusted: that Apple users are so passionate—almost fanatic—about the company and its products, they’re not quite as objective as other computer owners.”
How transparent of PC Magazine to question the results of their own surveys just because a non-windows company was top-rated in almost ALL the categories. They can’t deal with reality so they have to convince themselves that there must be some ‘other’ reason why Apple gets such high scores. It’s those damned Apple fanatics, yeah that’s it…
“Did anyone notice this little paragraph in the PC Mag article:
“The company’s [Apple] scores are so high there’s some concern that they can’t be completely trusted: that Apple users are so passionate—almost fanatic—about the company and its products, they’re not quite as objective as other computer owners.”
How transparent of PC Magazine to question the results of their own surveys just because a non-windows company was top-rated in almost ALL the categories. They can’t deal with reality so they have to convince themselves that there must be some ‘other’ reason why Apple gets such high scores. It’s those damned Apple fanatics, yeah that’s it…”
That’s more telling then the actual ratings. If in fact us fanatics lied about our experiences to tilt the scores upward, what does that say about the Mac experience? It says these machines are so truly amazing we love them even though they aren’t as reliable as the survey shows.
Why don’t PC users do the same?
Someone should ask them if they can count to zero!
Let’s see… when was the last time I used Apple tech support? It was when the Beige G3 first came out. Had a problem, called them up, got a quick answer that completely solved the problem. And that was it. Had to be in the mid 1990’s I would guess.
Have had several new Mac’s since then (both at work and home) with nary a problem. And things have gotten much better with OSX. I would certainly give Apple high ratings based on my experience. Of course, maybe I’m not being objective…
Hmm, so we’re “fanatics” because our computers and software from Apple actually work and don’t get infested with viruses and crapware? Please. Isn’t that the way things are supposed to be? I guess in PC Magazine’s alternative Windows universe, that is an entirely new concept, so it’s no wonder they’re so “concerned” about it…
I would say my satisfaction with tech support from Apple is 100% because I’ve never had to call them! Or would that be 0%?
All the more interesting because, “Ziff Davis Media’s PC Magazine surveyed nearly 14,000 subscribers”. I would suspect that there is a smaller pecentage of Macintosh users who are subscribers to PC Magazine than are Windows users.
I would also suspect that most PC Magazine subscribers who are Mac owners are also Windows users/owners. These dual platform users rating Apple higher than all the Windows box companies makes this all the more striking.
Also since (as I suspect) most Mac owners who voted in this poll are dual platform, I doubt that it is the rabid Mac fan base that has skewed the results. Most likely only a small fraction of the rabid Mac fan base subscribes to PC Magazine.
Yes products that work are the way to go: I love the last line in the Apple section of the article:
“Apple does walk a thin line with its support, though, offering perhaps the stingiest terms of any of the vendors in our survey. If customers do call Apple for technical support, they’re more likely to pay an extra fee. While some vendors offer a lifetime of toll-free telephone support, Apple’s standard warranty affords only 90 days. The warranty protects against breakdown for only a year, and Apple fails to offer on-site service.
That’s right: The company will not send someone to your home or office to repair your system. Your best option is to carry your system to one of the more than 100 Apple stores spread across the country.
Still, while we appreciate generous support and repair policies, it’s even better to offer top quality products and services, as Apple has done.”
I think the only real thing PC Magazine actually discovered here is that there are precisely the same number of OS X viruses as there are Windows fanatics….zero….
Nice one RC.
Also:
“Only PCs less than four years old were considered.”
Leaves me out; my Mac is about 5 years old and nary a problem.
“I think the only real thing PC Magazine actually discovered here is that there are precisely the same number of OS X viruses as there are Windows fanatics….zero….”
Nope, not true, I have met quite a few of them at my favorite S & M hangout. They are easy to spot as they all carry a blue paddle… a pretty sick bunch of souls from what I’ve witnessed.
BWAHAHAHAHAH
PC Magazine doesn’t believe in their own survey.
What part of Random sample dont you understand, PC Mag.. are you worried that you just hit on the 19 mac users who love their gear?
I thought this quote was even more interesting: “For Apple, in both the desktop and notebook sections of the survey, every single score is significantly better than the industry average for Windows machines. No exceptions.”
Hmmm, I’m the only guy in the company using Apple. Everyday, yes, EVERYDAY I see my IT guy busy fixing up my collegues’PC here and there. The Window systems need attention everyday. As for me, the only time I need him to touch my Mac is to get him check my network setup. That’s it, no more.
Conclusion:
PC = Problematic. Needs a full time IT guy to check everyday.
Mac = Reliable. Problems? Nay!
I wonder why the venerable MacinTouch.com didn’t do a whole article about this story. They are “The original Mac news and information site since 1994” after all, and this is newsworthy.
I guess it’s because they are too busy flooding the Mac community with quality issues reports and bugs in Apple products, and biased online polls. I’m not denying that these issues exist, but MacinTouch as reach a point where they should be renamed “MacFixIt 2”, and stop calling themselves a Mac news site. If you only looked at Macintouch over the last year or two, you would think that Apple is the worst of the industry, yet, this PC magazine survey shows that it’s not true.
Ok enough MacinTouch bashing
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> I used to love them, I guess that’s what makes me angry.
I liked the CARS take on this
Quoted from http://www.crazyapplerumors.com
_____________________________________________________
The company’s scores are so high there’s some concern that they can’t be completely trusted: that Apple users are so passionate — almost fanatic — about the company and its products, they’re not quite as objective as other computer owners.
Editor-in-Chief Michael J. Miller said “Clearly, the extent to which Apple customers like their computers makes them unreliable in judging how much they like their computers.”