Apple still satisfaction king despite budget PC makers' gains

In a poor economy, some budget PC brands are finding its customers are happier than ever, according to this year's instalment of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), an annual study completed by the US University of Michigan each year.

In the 2009 rankings for PC makers, which are set to be released today, the brands whose rankings saw the most improvement were Compaq and Gateway. Compaq's score of 74 represented an increase of 5.7 per cent, the largest gain among computer makers in the last year, and equalling the highest customer satisfaction ranking for the brand - owned by HP - since 1996. The Acer-owned Gateway brand also saw an uptick in satisfied customers, attaining a score of 74, a 2.8 per cent increase from last year.

Claes Fornell, director of the National Quality Research Center at the University of Michigan, which conducts the study, said: "My guess is price has something to do with it." "[Compaq and Gateway] machines are typically priced somewhat below competition. Other than that things are stalling a bit in the industry, not moving one way or another."

The study asks 80,000 consumers to rank brands based on expectations of the product, previous experience, and comparison to an ideal version of the product. For PCs, a score of 78 out of 100 is considered good.

Despite those gains by Compaq and Gateway, the 2009 ACSI scores show that Apple continues to lead the pack by a mile, with a score of 84. Its next closest competitor, Dell, stands at 75, which was also the average score for all PC makers. HP moved from 73 to 74. Apple did see a slight decrease (from 85 last year), and on average all PC makers saw a 1.3 per cent increase from 74 last year to 75 in 2009, reflecting an overall satisfied customer base, as well as very little change in dynamics in consumers' experience with their computers.

With an 11-point lead, Apple is one of only two companies evaluated by ACSI that dominates its category so strongly, according to Fornell.

"It's unusual in any industry to have a lead like the one Apple has," he said. "Google has a similar lead."

His explanation is that compared to others in their respective categories, both are "better at marketing what they have to offer to the public".

That marketing, besides drumming up good feelings in consumers, is also pushing up Apple's bottom line. The company just recorded its best non-holiday quarter in its history, selling 2.6 million Macs, a four per cent increase from the same quarter a year ago. PC makers, on average, saw their sales dip 3.1 per cent for the same quarter, according to IDC.

Original article: Budget PC brands see biggest gains in consumer satisfaction from CNET News.com