RESCUECOM, a U.S.-based Information Technology services franchise, today announced the results of its second annual RESCUECOM Computer Reliability Report, an unbiased analysis that compares computer vendors’ market share with consumer service call data from RESCUECOM’s 1-800-RESCUE-PC call center. Results of the report – based on 46,000 service calls to RESCUECOM — provide computer users with unique insight about the likelihood that they will require support beyond what is provided by the PC maker’s warranty.
“Computers are an important investment, one that plays an increasingly central role in our daily lives and as such, consumers demand to know which manufacturer’s products they can count on for the most trouble-free operation. We created the RESCUECOM Reliability survey to inform computer users about what they can expect before they purchase that new computer,” said David A. Milman, founder and CEO of RESCUECOM, in the press release. “Unlike big box consumer electronics retailers, RESCUECOM has no allegiance to any hardware manufacturer so our top priority is customer satisfaction. Because of our independence and large and diversified customer base, we can provide an objective and unbiased rating of computer hardware reliability based on real-world experience.”
The Report calculated the “Reliability Score” for each PC vendor based on the calculated difference between overall U.S. market share, over a three-year period, and the percentage of calls requesting service received by RESCUECOM’s call center. Higher scores indicate that less calls for service were received for the specific computer vendor versus expected levels based upon market share estimates (scores are in parentheses).
• Apple (357)
• Lenovo/IBM (236)
• HP (126)
• Gateway (103)
• Dell (94)
• Others (79)
Reliability Scores are based on a comparison of RESCUECOM’s call center data with the average U.S. 2Q markets share data from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, 2005-2007.
Other notable findings from the data include:
• Apple surged to the number one spot in the reliability survey, beating its closest competitor by more than 100 points.
• Lenovo/IBM, last year’s top performer, dropped to second place, but is still considered among the most reliable vendors topping the next closest rival by 110 points.
• Driven by strong market share gains, HP significantly improved its overall rating compared to last year, but remained in third place.
• Dell slipped in the ratings to fifth place, replaced in the number four spot by Gateway. While a solid manufacturer, Dell continues to deal with issues ranging from customer service and product availability problems, to lawsuits about its warranties and last year’s battery recall (which affected other manufacturers as well).
• Several manufacturers in the “Other” category including Sony and Toshiba showed improved year-over-year reliability scores.
Commenting on the results, Milman added, “The data in this year’s survey reconfirms observations from last year’s results, namely that Apple and Lenovo’s products and service continue to set the pace in the industry. HP’s resurgence and Lenovo’s strong performance during a period marked by its acquisition of IBM’s Thinkpad lines are also bright spots in this report. What this means is consumers are benefiting from competition and armed with this reliability information, computer shoppers can make more informed choices when deciding which computer they should buy this holiday season.”
Based upon the data, RESCUECOM suggests that consumers should:
• Stick with the names you know — The Reliability Score for less popular vendor’s computers (in the “other” category”) continues to lag behind the established vendors, likely indicating lower reliability based on quality and/or service.
• Consumers should carefully research extended warranty options, particularly if they intend to keep their computers longer than three years and should consider seeking additional repair and support options.
Illustrated in the chart below is data used to calculate the “Reliability Score” Index for the “RESCUECOM Computer Reliability Report.”
* Source: IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, Average of Q2 U.S. Computer Vendor Market Share data from 2005-2007.
** Source: RESCUECOM – Data based on 46,000 calls into 1-800-RESCUE-PC from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007.
*** Reliability score index is calculated as (US Market Share Average) / (RESCUECOM repair share) x 100
Source: http://www.rescuecom.com
The data seems suspect. How many of us would ring 1-800-RESCUE-PC if we had a computer problem? A Mac user would be much more likely to go to an Apple store or an Apple authorised dealer.
This is good news of course, but I must point out that the report has a very flawed design. Apples *are* more reliable, but this report is based only on how many people called the repair centre not on actual problem rates.
Since Apple users are more likely to (and heavily trained to as well), only call Apple for service or go to the local Apple store for the same, these numbers are necessarily skewed.
It’s also a bit disingenuous of them to call the scale a “reliability” scale, when in fact it’s really a scale that measures the amount of “problems” a user has with their machine. A poorly configured machine, or poorly set-up software can engender a lot of calls to the support centre, but that does not mean that the computer is necessarily “unreliable.”
Another thought is that market share includes computers sold to businesses, many of which would have in-house IT support. To simply divide number of calls by market share is a gross oversimplification.
@Paul Ebert:
> A Mac user would be much more likely to go to
> an Apple store or an Apple authorised dealer.
True, but that means Apple’s customers are much happier with Apple support than other companies customers are with their respective companies support. Either way, advantage: Apple
Blah blah blah. The % of people who call repair centers is an EXCELLENT way to measure reliability.
“Suspect”? I wouldn’t call the data “suspect”. I’m sure it’s spot on – but not so sure it means anything. I’d be less suspicious if Apple’s market share – and Dell’s, and HP’s, and … – weren’t shifting quarter by quarter. Or if the reports were based on all system repair calls. They are not counting Apple Care calls, or calls to HP or Dell, just to their own service. This leads to excellent facts, but no useful information.
Mac users are well aware of the outstanding repair records most Macs have accumulated over the years. And their exceptional – annoying, even – longevity. How can you bear to just dump a Mac that’s been working just fine for several years, is still working just fine, but you want a (dual-core Intel?) new model? It’s just too painful. My son has my old G4, my step-grandson has my wife’s G4 iMac – both are still going strong.
Dave
What freakin’ timing! Did Apple pay them to release this today?
Lookit, even though we like our Macs, and they are more reliable than PCs, the data is bunkum. Paul Ebert is right on, Mac users are much less likely to call a repair outfit that specializes in PCs.
Furthermore, the report claims that Apple “surged” to beat last year’s winner (Lenovo) by more than 100 points.
So if you believe these people, Apple was a significantly less reliable vendor than Lenovo was just last year?
Feh!
Bad methodology is bad methodology, regardless of whether or not you like ttheconclusion. Or maybe you’d prefer to believe the methodology suddenly became sound this year when you wouldn’t have believed it last year.
Here’s another explanation. The few Mac users who called 1-800-RESCUE-PC 2 years ago stopped calling last year because they figured out these people didn’t know much about Macs.
Result: Reliability “surged.”
Yet another explanation: More people this past year have a retail store in their area to take their troubled Mac to.
Calls to 1-800-RESCUE-PC drop, therefore reliability “surges.”
Tarot cards, anyone?
Clicked on all the buttons on their website, couldn’t find the term “Mac” anywhere…
Yep, I’d call them if I needed help.
This seems an appropriate place to mention the PowerBook 17inch screen lines on the W85 serial machines that Apple refuses to do anything about. I just got a nice new yellow one a couple of days ago. Go to http://www.crosspond.com/apple/welcome for more info and to register yours.
Speaking of tech support, here’s a nice Leopard Easter Egg:
I totally agree with the first post. Even if I had a computer out of warrentee, I would not call Rescue.com for service. Give me a break. The culture around Apple computers and repair is not compatible with this survey, no matter how much I wish it was true. The same can probably be stated in different ways for each of the other brands.
• Apple (357)
• Dell (94)
Even the best-to-worst automaker ratings don’t have a gap that large.
Amazing that Dell can even stay in business.
Don’t laugh. It looks like an Apple monitor from the Performa era.
With the DOS Compatibility Card you might have even gotten that screen too.
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“The data seems suspect. How many of us would ring 1-800-RESCUE-PC if we had a computer problem? A Mac user would be much more likely to go to an Apple store or an Apple authorised dealer.”
A Mac owner would poke his eyes out before calling any 1-800 number that had PC in it.
The only thing this “survey” reliably measures is the mix of RescuePC’s customers.
Flaws:
1) it compares quarterly data not total installed base. Because calls are generated based on the total number of systems in the field, not just those sold last quarter, using this methodology a company with increasing market share would look better than one with decreasing market share based on that market share change alone, not any change in reliability
2) Even if that were corrected, it doesn’t randomly sample the entire population of all PC and Mac users. It measures the percentage of those people who choose to call a hotline dedicated to supporting PC systems.
ive had lots of computers and i’d have to say my sony is the best. too bad it doesnt run osx. sony and apple would make a good combo. heck even my imac had to get a new logic board because the modem malfucntioned. that was 300 bucks