Business
Consumer Reports: Apple leads in support - by double digits (updated)
In Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey for the June 2008 issue 80 percent of the users that contacted Apple's technical support reported that they had their computer problem solved. The industry average last year was 60 percent.
The survey polled subscribers on their experiences with technical support from September 2006 through January 2008 and represents more than 10,000 desktop and laptop machines.
CR's annual Laptop tech support Ratings and Desktop tech support Ratings rank Apple as follows (Surveys are available to subscribers only). Reader score out of a possible 100:
Desktop support:
- Apple - 81 percent
- Dell - 56
- Gateway - 54
- HP - 47
- Compaq - 47
Laptop support:
- Apple - 83 percent
- Lenovo - 66
- Dell - 60
- Toshiba - 55
- Gateway - 54
- Sony - 51
- HP - 48
ComputerWorld has more details on the surveys.
- Apple's free walk-in support at its own retail stores was also a factor in how users rated the company's tech support, Tapellini said. In-store help, according to the survey, provided the best trouble-shooting by far, she said, solving problems 90% of the time.
- Consumer Reports again recommended that Mac owners pony up for AppleCare. The company's support track record and its short-by-industry-standards 90-day complimentary support combine to make the extra expense worthwhile
Look for a press release from Apple soon and don't be surprised to see Apple touting this massive win in upcoming "I'm a Mac" television commercials.