PC makers make (small) progress closing Apple's customer satisfaction gap

Apple's customer satisfaction index rating slipped a bit in 2009, but PC makers such as Gateway and HP managed to improve their ratings, according to the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index.

Apple is still leader of the pack with a score of 84, down from 85 in 2008. The ACSI uses a 100 point score (statement, standings, Techmeme).

However, the real news was the customer satisfaction with PC makers. HP's Compaq brand mad a sizeable jump to 74 from 70. Acer's Gateway jumped 74 from 72.

The common thread between Gateway and Compaq may be value for the dollar in an economic downturn. Both brands are positioned as value plays.

Here's the scorecard:

Other odds and ends:

• Google remained the top search brand with a score of 86. Yahoo and MSN were steady at 77 and 75, respectively. It should be noted that the survey was pre-Bing.
• USAToday.com was the top Internet news and information brand with an ACSI score of 74.
• There was some interesting movement in the automobile industry with Detroit brands showing jumps in customer satisfaction.