Apple Leads in Customer Satisfaction

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/18/apple_leads_2009_customer_satisfaction_survey.html' target='_blank'>http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ion_survey.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"ChangeWave's survey also asked recent buyers to rank their new PC purchase as being very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat unsatisfied, or very unsatisfied. Apple claimed the top spot with 81% saying they were very satisfied, compared to figures of 67% to 50% from other top PC manufacturers."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//at/auto/1235047595.usr18053.png" /></p><p>Those numbers are astonishing.&nbsp; Only half of Lenovo buyers are happy with their 90 day old purchases?&nbsp; I'm sorry, but when the best numbers for PC manufacturers are held by ASUS at 67% satisfaction, that's a problem.&nbsp; The challenge for PC manufacturers will be figuring out what exactly people are unhappy with and making changes to fix it.&nbsp; No one should be that unhappy with their new computer that close to the return period.</p>

[doogald]

There really is so more gold in those surveys. First of all, if you add the people who are unsatisified, Apple still does well, with 3% very unsatisfied (!), but Asus has 0% unsatisfied at all. Lenovo has 16% unsatisfied (combining somewhat and very unsatisfied), but that also means that 83% are satisfied (must be a rounding issue that they do not add to 100%)- hardly a terrible number.

I'd be concerned if I was Sony or Toshiba - 17% and 18% unsatisfied, respectively. Dell was also 12% unsatisfied. It really leaves Asus, Apple, HP and Acer (barely) whose users are 90% likely to be satisfied with the computer that they purchased.

[jdmichal]

This isn't that surprizing to me. It's a form of Cognitive Dissonance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance), called Buyer's Remorse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buyer%27s_remorse). Since the brain cannot handle having two conflicting thoughts, one of two things will happen to resolve this conflict:

They will believe they did purchase the wrong product, even though the one they have functions at an acceptable level and performs all required tasks.

OR

The person will convince themselves that they made the right choice, raising their opinion of the product chosen and lowering their opinion of all the alternative products.

The split between these two is often made on the basis of reinforcement of the purchase. If you buy a product, then the next day someone says, "You bought THAT?", the first will likely kick in. On the other hand, if you are reinforced, with that person instead saying, "Oh! I have one too! You'll love it!", you are likely to hit the second.

Now, with Apple evangelism spreading, combined with the media onslaught against Vista... Well, I think you can connect the dots.


That said, I do think that most PC manufacturers pretty much suck. They use the cheapest parts that they can get a consumer to buy, which often times is not hard due to the lack of education. I would like to see this same thing done, but make the split along high-end hardware and low-end hardware. Otherwise I would claim this survey is approaching unfair, as it is comparing items with drastically different average costs.


EDIT: Oh, good point doogald! Just more evidence that statistics can almost always be "massaged" to support any viewpoint.

[doogald]

Now, with Apple evangelism spreading, combined with the media onslaught against Vista... Well, I think you can connect the dots.

It should be noted that Apple has been leading surveys like this for many, many years now. This is hardly a new phenomenon.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Now, with Apple evangelism spreading, combined with the media onslaught against Vista... Well, I think you can connect the dots.

Media onslaught against Vista?

*sigh*

You make it sound like this is something that started twenty minutes ago.

I imagine this could be charted somewhat to buyer's remorse, but I can't believe that 90 days in, people are keeping a hunk of expensive plastic they're that unhappy with. That's just ridiculous to me.

Secondly, Apple computer buyers want Apple computers. PC Buyers generally don't care what brand they get (I said generally, don't nitpick me) and instead buy because they want Windows. I'm wondering how much of that dissatisfaction is with the hardware and how much of that is with the OS?

I'm guessing a good chunk of it might be the OS, which would account for users holding on to computers they don't love simply because if they return it, they will probably be just as happy with their platform of choice on another machine.

To put it another way: if you buy a Dell with Vista, and you're unhappy with it, at least part of you is going, "But why bother returning it? To get a VAIO with Vista?"

[jdmichal]

Secondly, Apple computer buyers want Apple computers. PC Buyers generally don't care what brand they get (I said generally, don't nitpick me) and instead buy because they want Windows. I'm wondering how much of that dissatisfaction is with the hardware and how much of that is with the OS?

I'm guessing a good chunk of it might be the OS, which would account for users holding on to computers they don't love simply because if they return it, they will probably be just as happy with their platform of choice on another machine.

To put it another way: if you buy a Dell with Vista, and you're unhappy with it, at least part of you is going, "But why bother returning it? To get a VAIO with Vista?"

I think you credit them with too much. They don't differentiate between the computer and Windows. The OS is the computer is the OS. So Windows to them is a computer, and a computer is Windows. So I guess your conclusion is true, but the logic getting there is somewhat flawed.

Second, I would proposition that the only thing I've seen in the media that I would credit as an actual problem in Vista is its minimum requirements, which are simply unacceptably high. (By all reports, this has been fixed in Windows 7.) It's not really a problem for me, since I run a self-built gaming rig, but combine this with my earlier comment that Windows PC manufacturers will cram the cheapest hardware they can that will sell. I would not be happy buying one of these with Vista either!

Whether this is a fault of the manufacturers or the consumers is a philosophical point without an answer. I can't really blame the manufacturers too much, as consumers want a cheap computer and they are providing it. But at the same time, a vast majority of these consumers are uneducated and don't know any better. Actually, maybe I'll blame the salesmen in all of this. Though you would think they would want to push the higher-priced products too...

Anyway, all this is why I suggest that the survey would be much more valuable if it distinguished between high-end and low-end computers.

[Jason Dunn]

I've long felt that one of the biggest problems with Windows computers today is the out of box experience. It tends to go something like this:

1) Boot up new PC
2) Vista immediately says there's a problem because the anti-virus software is out of date, Joe Average computer user has a mini freak-out thinking there's a problem
3) Whatever crappy anti-virus product is on there demands you register it, activate it, etc.
4) Joe Consumer scratches his head looking at the desktop littered with icons from trial programs, and his system tray area loaded with apps

Macs provide a smoother, higher-quality out of box experience, and provide more value in the bundled software.

Windows 7, thankfully, is going to change some of this - but much of it can only be changed by HP, Dell, and the other companies. They have to focus more on the end-user experience...

[ptyork]

I've long felt that one of the biggest problems with Windows computers today is the out of box experience.

Macs provide a smoother, higher-quality out of box experience, and provide more value in the bundled software.

- but much of it can only be changed by HP, Dell, and the other companies. They have to focus more on the end-user experience...

Yes, yes, and yes. Bloatware is the bane of all out-of-the-box PC's. I think the other major factor in play is simply the luxury high that buyers feel when purchasing a Mac. First, they think they've bought a premium machine, and will thus judge it to be so in the absence of any major initial setbacks. Second, they feel the need to self-justify the premium price paid and will be very quick to sweep any issues under the cognitive carpet. Someone who buys from the bottom of the premium scale will attribute problems encountered to their "POS" PC and will be much quicker to develop buyers remorse. Someone who buys from the top will attribute problems to the industry as a whole, thinking "if I'm encountering problems with my Porsche, just think how bad it would be if I'd purchased a Kia."

[doogald]

Yes, yes, and yes. Bloatware is the bane of all out-of-the-box PC's. I think the other major factor in play is simply the luxury high that buyers feel when purchasing a Mac. First, they think they've bought a premium machine, and will thus judge it to be so in the absence of any major initial setbacks. Second, they feel the need to self-justify the premium price paid and will be very quick to sweep any issues under the cognitive carpet. Someone who buys from the bottom of the premium scale will attribute problems encountered to their "POS" PC and will be much quicker to develop buyers remorse. Someone who buys from the top will attribute problems to the industry as a whole, thinking "if I'm encountering problems with my Porsche, just think how bad it would be if I'd purchased a Kia."


Or just maybe the machines truly are better.

[Vincent Ferrari]

I think the other major factor in play is simply the luxury high that buyers feel when purchasing a Mac. First, they think they've bought a premium machine, and will thus judge it to be so in the absence of any major initial setbacks. Second, they feel the need to self-justify the premium price paid and will be very quick to sweep any issues under the cognitive carpet.

Initial setbacks? I'm on my fourth Mac and I know not of what you speak. Setting up a Mac takes a few hours. Setting up a Windows PC takes longer just to uninstall all the garbage they install so that they can sell PC's at commodity rates. Also, to call the "perception" issue a "major factor" insinuates that there's no advantage to a Mac and that it's all a placebo. That kind of talk coming from a Mac user would be instantly labeled fanboyish.

[ptyork]

Initial setbacks? I'm on my fourth Mac and I know not of what you speak. Setting up a Mac takes a few hours. Setting up a Windows PC takes longer just to uninstall all the garbage they install so that they can sell PC's at commodity rates. Also, to call the "perception" issue a "major factor" insinuates that there's no advantage to a Mac and that it's all a placebo. That kind of talk coming from a Mac user would be instantly labeled fanboyish.

Hmm, deja vu. Seems like this conversation already took place a few weeks ago. :) We've all already acknowledged the PITA factor of having to uninstall bloatware, so +1 for Apple over HP and eMachines.

Funny, though, I have just as many niggling issues with my MBP as I do with my Gateway tablet. Occasionally unable to make wireless connections or having them drop unexpectedly. Unexplained slowdowns. Hard disk thrashing. Burning testicles (from the MBP on my lap). Etc. Etc. It is the name of the technology game. If somehow you've avoided all of these, then please let me meet you in person so that I can shake your hand and absorb some of your magic mojo.

Saying there's a perception issue doesn't insinuate anything. I perceive my Lexus to be superior to a Toyota. It is in some ways, though in many it is no better (and in price far worse). However, any degree of absolute superiority doesn't necessarily change my perception. They are independent constructs. Sometimes reality can equate to perception; they are often highly correlating constructs. However, they are still independent. My point is that I'm much more willing to accept a small design flaw in a Lexus by saying "well, I got the best I could" than I would in a Toyota (thinking "if only I'd spent more--I got what I paid for").

[jdmichal]

I believe ptyork groks what I was trying to say the first time around. I have to admit I'm not very good with the psychobabble :D

[Spooof]

Initial setbacks? I'm on my fourth Mac and I know not of what you speak. Setting up a Mac takes a few hours. Setting up a Windows PC takes longer just to uninstall all the garbage they install so that they can sell PC's at commodity rates. Also, to call the "perception" issue a "major factor" insinuates that there's no advantage to a Mac and that it's all a placebo. That kind of talk coming from a Mac user would be instantly labeled fanboyish.

Hands down the setting up or transferring setup on OSX is way easier than windows; however how many of you visiting a tech blog do not blast a new image on a fresh windows machine. I immediately boot to a cd and wipe it clean. If it has unique drivers I might ghost it first.

[Jason Dunn]

...however how many of you visiting a tech blog do not blast a new image on a fresh windows machine. I immediately boot to a cd and wipe it clean. If it has unique drivers I might ghost it first.

You mean with a commercial machine, like a Dell or HP? I tend not to do that anymore myself - I usually just uninstall the crap, clean out the startup processes to trim it down, and that's about it. Maybe I'm getting lazy in my old age. :D

[jdmichal]

You mean with a commercial machine, like a Dell or HP? I tend not to do that anymore myself - I usually just uninstall the crap, clean out the startup processes to trim it down, and that's about it. Maybe I'm getting lazy in my old age. :D

I would definitely blast on a new image. I doubt they have such specialized parts that you can't find the drivers online -- or aren't already built into Windows. (Well, for desktops at least. Though even laptops are becoming pretty standardized in their parts lists.)

[Spooof]

You mean with a commercial machine, like a Dell or HP? I tend not to do that anymore myself - I usually just uninstall the crap, clean out the startup processes to trim it down, and that's about it. Maybe I'm getting lazy in my old age. :D

I am very lazy... most of my windows machines are work related so I get my infrastructure guys to image my machines. :D Plus I do not have an MSDN account anymore so they have to do it and we stay within our MS EA. Personally I think that it is much faster than uninstalling all the crap Dell installs. I have only played with one HP notebook in the past few years so I can't comment about their bloatware.