Apple and Samsung Tie for Top Spot in PC Customer Satisfaction Index

Politics, News Sept. 21, 2023, 7:10 a.m.

Apples 20-year reign in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for Personal Computers (PCs) ends with a tie against Samsung, both scoring 83 points. Tablet users are notably dissatisfied.

In a surprising turn of events, Apple's longstanding reign as the undisputed champion of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) in the Personal Computers (PCs) category has come to an end. For nearly two decades, Apple had enjoyed an unchallenged position, but now, it finds itself sharing the top spot with its arch-nemesis, Samsung. The ACSI evaluates customer satisfaction across three key categories: personal computers, major household appliances, and televisions. It delves beyond the mere product to assess the overall user experience, considering factors such as app/software availability, accessories, features, and even call center satisfaction.

According to the latest ACSI report, Apple and Samsung both notched up impressive scores of 83 points, signaling a rare tie. Apple's Mac and iPad garnered this score, representing a modest 1-point improvement from the previous year. However, this uptick wasn't sufficient to maintain Apple's exclusive dominance in the PC category, as Samsung surged ahead with a 2-point gain.

The report, which gathered data from over 14,000 randomly selected customers between July 2022 and June 2023, revealed intriguing trends. Desktop users emerged as the most satisfied cohort, boasting an 84-point rating, followed closely by laptop users with 80 points. Tablet users, however, expressed less satisfaction, registering a lower score of 76 points. Notably, there's a 5-point gap between the leaders, Apple and Samsung, and the laggards, which included Amazon, Asus, Lenovo, and other brands, all scoring 78 points each.

When dissecting customer experience, several factors came into play. Users found delight in design, graphics, sound quality, app availability, ease of operation, accessory choices, processor speed, and feature sets. However, there were declines in call center and website satisfaction compared to the previous year. Remarkably, the ability to minimize system crashes remained consistent with the previous year's scores.

Tablet users raised eyebrows with their dissatisfaction, despite the all-touch interface. They posted a meager 74-point satisfaction rating, citing concerns over ease of operation and feature offerings.

The survey encompassed a range of tech giants, including Apple, Samsung, Dell, HP, Acer, Amazon, Asus, Lenovo, and other notable brands. As the ACSI landscape undergoes a seismic shift, the tech titans are left grappling with this newfound equilibrium in customer satisfaction, setting the stage for fierce competition in the years to come.