This synopsis is just that, a quick, historical look at overall results.

It's DELL AGAIN!

May 8, 2000 -
BEST OVERALL DESKTOP & NOTEBOOK OWNER SATISFACTION
# 1 DELL, #2 COMPAQ

From a study released by Technology Businesses Research. Dell ranks number one in customer satisfaction for desktops, notebooks, and Intel-based servers for the first quarter of 2000. The survey is based on the responses of 550 information technology managers at large U.S. corporations. Dell's overall scores remain relatively consistent in desktops and servers. They improved most significantly in the notebooks category. The improvements came largely in the area of delivery and availability, where Dell has struggled some in the past. Dell customer loyalty ratings across all three form factors are the highest in the study, and scores are also notable in that its customers tend to be in greater agreement about the company's level of product and service quality..

Some vendors receive a wider range of scores. For example, some IBM customers confer high marks, while others score it poorly. That indicates inconsistencies by the vendor.

Compaq took advantage of IBM's inconsistencies, besting Big Blue in both desktop and notebook categories. Compaq replaced IBM as the second highest rated vendor for notebooks and desktops.

IBM fell to third place in notebooks and fifth place in desktops, behind Hewlett-Packard and Gateway. The company placed third in the Intel-based server category.

Compaq's other notable scores: It was the only vendor to receive "exceptional" scores for technical support response and on-site support expertise.

IBM's decline in desktops is due largely to delivery problems and uncompetitive pricing, the report says. It also notes that IBM offers a superior notebook product, but drops the ball on support. IBM placed fourth overall in the Intel server category. Gateway, HP, and Toshiba are the other major vendors appearing in the study. HP improved its scores in the server category, squeaking by Compaq to place second to Dell. It landed in third place in the desktops category, where the study calls the company an "average competitor" with improving scores in technical support response and on-site support.

Gateway placed fourth in the desktop category. The report notes that many customers question the reliability of the company's desktops, citing new systems with defective parts. However, the survey says Gateway responds well to problems and "restores customer confidence" by quickly shipping replacement parts.

Finally, top-selling notebook maker Toshiba rounds out the notebook category with a fourth-place finish. The company continues to score weakly in most areas, and customer loyalty rating is more than 21 percent lower than Dell's rating. . Source PCWorld and TBRI
MORE DETAILS ON JUNE 2000 ratings: http://www.pcworld.com/consumer/article/0,5120,16808,00.html

September 23, 1999 -
HAPPIEST NOTEBOOK OWNERS CHOSE
#1 DELL, #2 TOSHIBA, #3 IBM

More business travelers own Compaq notebooks than own any other brand, but the happiest travelers lug around a Dell, according to a recent Greenfield Online study. Twenty-six percent of study respondents own a Compaq computer, but only 66 percent of those owners are "very satisfied" with their choice. That's the lowest satisfaction rating for any of the top four notebooks named in the study.

Only 20 percent of those polled say they own a Dell notebook, but 81 percent of those owners are very or extremely satisfied.

Toshiba places second in ownership, with 23 percent of respondents owning its notebooks; 69 percent are very satisfied.

IBM notebooks, carried by 21 percent of respondents, are the third most widely owned but rank second in satisfaction, with 74 percent of IBM owners very satisfied with their purchase. Greenfield surveyed 1000 business travelers for the study. The average age of respondents was 38; 52 percent of them were male. Pollsters didn't ask what made respondents happy or unhappy with their notebooks. Those questions may be addressed in future studies, says Gail Janensch, a Greenfield spokesperson. Source: PCWorld

A PLACE FOR YOUR STUFF: There's a storage product on the market that's being built into some new machines, and offered as an option on others. Developed by 3-M, it's called LS-120 technology, and it's available for both PC's and for notebooks. Unlike limited function Zip drives, LS-120 drives are compatable with every floppy diskette you already own, and each SuperDisk Diskette holds up to 120MB. That's the equivalent of 83 regular floppy diskettes. Plus, SuperDisk Diskettes are available at a lower cost per megabyte than many other high-capacity, removable solutions. You won't have to drag a heavy removable storage drive around with you anymore. Instead, travel light. Just tuck a SuperDisk in your pocket. Product design compatibility makes seriously good sense. GREAT IDEA. For PC's, see: IMATION --- for Mobile Computers, see: OR Technology

HOW DID THE MANUFACTURERS STACK UP IN PRIOR YEARS?

Back in February of 98, the format changed a bit, breaking systems down into categories based on individual computing needs. In 1999 the results beame more concise, adding prices and pertinent product details.

In the January 1999 report, the top five were consistent, almost every way we looked at them. Best Reliability, Best Service, Best Prices, etc. Pretty good sign, wouldn't you say?. Link to detailed information is provided .

The historical reports will be particularly helpful as you assess long-term product/company reliability vs. brand new contenders with well ranked products. You'll need the whole story if you plan on spending your hard-earned money on a new system.

Take the time to do your homework now and you won't be sorry later.