Apple tops Forrester satisfaction survey

While Microsoft pushes a series of ads that prompt customers to focus on the in-store price (remember, the price is not the cost), Apple customers are expressing satisfaction with the ownership experience. Research firm Forrester conducted a survey of 4,600 people about their experiences with several brands, including Apple, HP, Dell and Gateway.

Apple received a "Good" rating, meaning 80% of respondents rated their experience with the company's products highly (the actual measurement system isn't in the article's description). Gateway was next with an "Okay" rating (66% satisfaction), followed by HP at 63% (Lauren's choice!) and Dell bringing up the caboose at 58%.

This illustrates the tough spot Microsoft is in. They don't manufacture the hardware that their product, the OS, requires. Yet, people use "PC" -- which actually stands for "Personal Computer" -- synonymously with "Windows." It's unclear the article's summary where those customers' dissatisfaction comes from, the hardware or the software. While it's easy to say that Microsoft should switch focus from price to quality, it would be very difficult for them to implement, as they only control half of the equation.

[Via Electronista]

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Source: http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,54…

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Analysis / Opinion Apple Corporate Hardware

While Microsoft pushes a series of ads that prompt customers to focus on the in-store price (remember, the price is not the cost), Apple...

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I'd like to see this ran again after Windows 7 is mainstream. I'm not comparing it to Mac OS, but I feel it's the most stable and fastest version of Windows since 2000 WS/Server.

I'd say as a mainly Windows user, a great deal of user complaints come from the RIDICULOUS amount of bloatware that comes pre-installed on these machines. Most of it is utter rubbish, but much like IE6 was to XP; people don't get rid of it because it's there already. As a matter of fact, most of my friends allow me to wipe out their system on purchase in favor of a fresh install of Windows once I show them how all of this crappy software doesn't do a damn thing.

I feel like that's where OEMs and to an extent MS have dropped the ball. They need to provide the users with a CLEAN install of Windows, and the other software as an optional install disc.

Thusly, Mac users don't have this problem. Anything installed on a Mac comes from Apple, or is approved by Apple (My GF's Powerbook G4 apparently came with Norton Antivirus and Office 04). I guess the problem is that if all OEM's just had a clean Windows install, there'd be virtually nothing to differentiate the machines themselves.

April 20 2009 at 12:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

pwb

Let's be glad, be very glad that they control only one half of the equation. Otherwise they'd f... up the whole thing. OTOH, as a long time Mac user, it wouldn't hurt me very hard, now would it?

April 20 2009 at 12:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Joe

They may only control half the equation, but they're not managing that half very well.

April 20 2009 at 12:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply