PCs and TVs acquired excessive marks from customers in a report launched Tuesday by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
The ACSI Household Appliance and Electronics Study for 2021-2022, based mostly on interviews with greater than 9,000 customers, charges a variety of merchandise on a scale of zero to 100.
Customer satisfaction with TVs is “sky high,” the ACSI famous in a information launch, knocking down a rating of 80.
“Televisions — and consumer electronics more broadly — have long been one of the more satisfying industries measured in ACSI,” stated ACSI Director of Research Emeritus Forrest Morgeson.
“When you consider the never-ending wave of technological innovations being introduced in the industry, along with steadily decreasing prices for these goods — recent inflation notwithstanding — it is not hard to understand why,” Morgeson, who can also be an assistant professor of selling at Michigan State University, instructed TechNewsWorld.
Streaming Satisfaction
It’s not stunning that total client satisfaction with TVs is so excessive, added Mark N. Vena, president and principal analyst with SmartTechResearch in San Jose, Calif.
“For almost a decade, TVs with embedded ‘smart’ interfaces have been gaining in overall share, allowing users to change settings more easily and intuitively, as well as access content in an effortless fashion via an ‘app’ orientation,” he instructed TechNewsWorld. “Consumer satisfaction is up because TVs have been easier to use.”
Streaming programming has additionally contributed to client satisfaction with TVs. “With TVs embracing streaming, they have become far more capable over time, and they are, in terms of appliances, relatively problem free,” stated Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst on the Enderle Group, an advisory providers agency in Bend, Ore.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
“With Streaming, the TV is again the center of in-home entertainment, and people seem to be pleased with the improvements over time and aren’t that concerned about premature obsolescence,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.
Desktops Outscore Laptops, Tablets
PCs, which incorporates desktops, laptops and tablets, additionally scored excessive on the index with a 79. Among the shape elements, desktops, at 80, scored increased than laptops and tablets, which each posted 79s, though the pill satisfaction quantity was three factors increased in 2022 than in 2021.
“It is a little surprising that PCs recorded higher customer satisfaction than laptops and desktops,” Morgeson stated. “Of course, it is important to note that PCs have far less market share relative than the other two, and the consumers of PCs are different consumers looking for different features and functionality in their computers. These different needs likely explain a large amount of the gap across the product types.”
Neither Vena nor Enderle, although, have been shocked by client satisfaction with desktops.
“Tablets and laptops are often used in punishing mobile settings that make them more prone to accidental damage,” Vena defined. “Because of their fixed nature, desktop PCs — especially all-in-one models — have a stronger reliability perception because they don’t move around.”
“Desktops typically don’t have to be carried, can have as big a screen as you can afford, have fewer connectivity issues, and don’t have battery life issues,” Enderle added.
Apple Tops in Popularity
Among PC makers, Apple had the best buyer satisfaction score with an 82, though Samsung completed an in depth second with an 81.
“Apple PCs have long been popular with their customers, and have often outperformed other PC makers,” Morgeson stated.
“For many years,” he continued, “this popularity was driven by the niche market Apple carved out, appealing to web and graphic designers. More recently, the strong popularity of the Apple iPhone, and its seamless integration with Apple’s PCs — like the MacBook — has drawn in a wider group of customers who have come to really like the product.”
Apple is the chief in total client satisfaction as a result of they management the full {hardware} and software program “stack,” Vena defined.
“That allows Apple to manage the overall user experience in a much tighter and cohesive manner, which is something that Microsoft can’t do because it relies on an OEM model,” he stated.
“Apple products tend to ‘just work’ because they are not as open, generally speaking, as Microsoft-based products from a third-party peripheral and device standpoint,” he continued.
“Microsoft tends to focus significantly more on backward compatibility with devices that enterprise customers demand,” he added.
Stellar Customer Service
Customer service is one other method Apple charms prospects. “Apple has great service,” noticed Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, a expertise advisory agency in Campbell, Calif.
“Over the last 20 years, they’ve developed a top-notch service model that includes physical service at the Apple stores and Genius Bars,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.
“When you have an issue with an Apple product, you know how to get it dealt with,” he continued. “It has a great online service for handling issues and if you’re in a city with an Apple Store, you can make an appointment with the Genius Bar and 90% of the time, it will help you take care of the problem.”
“That’s a really big differentiator for Apple,” he stated. “None of the other companies have the same kind of network to handle customer service the way Apple does.”
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
By distinction, the surveyors discovered that satisfaction with Microsoft’s software program dropped 4 factors, to 73.
“Microsoft offers a wide array of very different software solutions to its customers, and so it’s hard to attribute their decline to any one software product,” Morgeson stated.
“Yet,” he continued, “the increasing availability of competitive alternatives for many of their products — including low- or no-cost apps now available to consumers — is likely impacting consumer perceptions with software offerings overall.”
LG Leads Household Category
“Microsoft’s bread-and-butter apps like PowerPoint, Outlook, Word and Excel continue to gain new features that creates the perception of bloat that doesn’t necessarily help ease of use,” Vena added.
Then there’s Windows 11. “Satisfaction generally drops when a new OS comes out because people don’t like upgrading even though the process has improved significantly over the years,” Enderle stated.
The survey additionally confirmed client satisfaction with main family home equipment — washers, dryers, dishwashers, fridges, ovens, and microwaves — climbed barely year-over-year by one level to 79. LG Corp. led all firms within the family class, leaping three factors to 81.
“Our performance in the 2022 ACSI rankings indicates that LG is an innovative brand that provides products and features with true consumer benefits, but more importantly, without sacrificing product quality,” stated LG Vice President of Home Appliances Product Management Brandt Varner.
“As we continue to listen to the customer and prioritize their recommendations, our product quality remains our principal focus so that consumers know their LG appliance will offer outstanding performance with their needs in mind,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.