Apple Dominates Computer Support Ratings

AUSTIN, Texas — Apple Inc. dominated the home computer support ratings released Monday by Consumer Reports, and, in what's becoming a typical pattern, it wasn't even close.

The magazine said consumer PCs again ranked among the most trouble-prone of the products it surveys each year, and the computer makers' tech support operations weren't strong enough to alleviate a lot of those problems either.

Apple was the only company to score higher than 80 out of 100 in both desktop and notebook support. In fact, no other home-computer maker scored higher than 66 on either type of PC. Lenovo Group Ltd. received a 66 for its laptop support, the highest non-Apple score.

Dell Inc. finished third in notebooks with 60 points, and second in desktops with 56 points.

The magazine collected readers' feedback on their experiences with 10,000 desktop and notebooks PCs. It found that overall tech support from all the companies "solved problems for only about 60 percent of the respondents who used it." Apple solved problems about 80 percent of the time, the report said.

Though Dell scored above average on both notebooks and desktops, the survey found, rival Hewlett-Packard Co. provided "inferior" support for both its H-P and Compaq brands.

H-P and Dell - the world's largest computer makers - have launched various programs to beef up their oft-criticized tech-support for home users. In February, H-P said it had spent hundreds of millions of dollars to restructure its tech-support operations and open several new call centers, including facilities in Alabama, Missouri and Oregon.

Dell has closed four of its North American call centers over the past year, but it still employs a large tech-support work force in the United States. It recently announced a new program that, for a fee, will match a customer with the same, small set of U.S.-based agents to contact whenever an issue arises.

Many U.S. computer owners have complained about difficulty in understanding agents based overseas. Consumer Reports found similar problems in its survey. Of respondents who had difficulty understanding their agents, most blamed hard-to-understand English, said Donna Tapellini, an associate editor at the magazine.

Other communication problems included impatient phone agents and vague instructions, she said.

Consumer Reports typically suggests that readers avoid paying for extended service plans on most products. Though the magazine encouraged home-computer buyers do the same with most brands, it said respondents who purchased the extended service packages from Dell and Gateway reported better tech-support experiences.

"In the case of Dell and Gateway, you're likely to get better hand-holding than if you don't have it," Tapellini said.

Most computer makers have year-long warranties, although Apple's warranties last a "fleeting" 90 days, the magazine noted. Apple provides free support beyond the warranty period at its retail stores.

"Keep in mind," the magazine said, "that fine tech support is available from third-party services ... and from free online forums."

Dan Zehr writes for the Austin American-Statesman.

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Most computer makers have year-long warranties, although Apple's warranties last a "fleeting" 90 days, the magazine noted. Apple provides free support beyond the warranty period at its retail stores.

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the8thark said:

I agree with the above totally. For me the packing really exemplifies this. We all know the imac packaging. The fancy box white and all fit snuggly inside it. And mine even came in 2nd slightly larger brown box so it could be shipped easier. Same for the ipod I bought, but it was a black inner box.

And for the last PC a friend bought, it was a dell desktop and it came in a brown box, rather plain. And sure everything inside it was packed nicely, but ti was just so plain like here's your computer, another sale we don't care.

But the only thing that bucks this trend is the operating manuals that came with each computer. The imac's one was so tiny. Like a few pages and that's it. But it told me everything I needed to know. Sleek, elegant but t could have had a little more in it though.

And the Dell's manual. Not a bible but it was a thick booklet. A lot of pages. To explain basically the same thing as above. How to use a computer.

Well I don't know if that really relates tot he topic at hand in this thread. But it's what came to my mind when I was reading the posts here.

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a320ca said:

Exactly! It just shows that a little bit more effort or quality went into Apple's
marketing. They actually care about what their product's packaging looks like and what it says.

Regarding phone support, I have to agree that one of the things that drove me away from Dell was their phone support. The last couple of times I could hardly understand, nor get across my point to "Claude" in India.

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Village Idiot said:

Fixed.

Some of you guys are funny. Apple as a corporate entity does not care about about what they're packaging looks like, they care about money. That's what any business cares about. Businesses use marketing to show people what they want to see to make them feel as if they're being treated special.

It's like a concierge at a casino. You think you're getting special treatment but they treat every single person the same way. You make them happy and comp them enough to make them think they're being treated special so they spend as much money as possible there.

Nothing personal, it's just business.

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