IBM Moves Up in Both Notebook & Desktop Satisfaction Rankings; Compaq Shows Strong Improvement in Intel Server Satisfaction

Strategic Insights -

Large U.S. corporations are expressing growing satisfaction with their notebook and desktop systems, with IBM reclaiming its second position in notebook satisfaction and moving up to third position in corporate desktop satisfaction. Compaq, meanwhile, has shown significant improvement in Intel server satisfaction, moving up to second position. However, its drop in ranking in desktop and notebook satisfaction is largely due to increased competition from IBM. Dell remains the leading vendor in customer satisfaction across all three form factors, with a widening gap over its competitors in desktop satisfaction and a slightly narrowing gap in notebook satisfaction.

Key Takeaways:

  • Compaq moved up to second position in Intel server satisfaction, with significant gains in delivery time, service and support, and other areas.
  • IBM reclaimed its second position in notebook satisfaction, with improvement across the board of attributes and significant gains in delivery time, product availability, global support, repair time, and overall satisfaction.
  • Dell remains the leading vendor in customer satisfaction across all three form factors, with a widening gap over its competitors in desktop satisfaction and a slightly narrowing gap in notebook satisfaction.
  • Gateway has fallen back to a trailing position in corporate desktop customers' satisfaction ratings, with erosion across most of the attribute areas.
  • Hewlett-Packard has essentially held onto its gains from the previous quarter, remaining in the top tier for Intel server customer satisfaction.
  • Toshiba has recovered some of its losses accumulated over the past several quarters, although its satisfaction scores tend to run significantly lower than both Dell and IBM.

Statistics:

  • IBM moved up to third position in corporate desktop satisfaction, with a weighted customer satisfaction score of 84.2 out of 100 points.
  • Compaq moved up to second position in Intel server satisfaction, with a weighted customer satisfaction score of 85.5 out of 100 points.
  • Dell remains in the lead across all three form factors, with desktop satisfaction scores averaging 91.2 out of 100 points.
  • Gateway's customer satisfaction scores have fallen to an average of 76.5 out of 100 points in corporate desktops.
  • Over 500,000 systems have purchase intent, representing nearly two million systems in the installed base.

Sources:

  • "Corporate IT Buying Behavior and Customer Satisfaction Study" by Technology Business Research (www.tbri.com)
  • Interviews conducted between mid-October 1999 and early January 2000.