Gadgets and gizmos

Apple Inc. has topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for the 8th consecutive time, with a score of 87 points out of 100. Its closest rival in the list, HP, comes in at 78 points, followed by Acer, Compaq and Dell, all coming it at 77 points. This means that getting the top spot for eight consecutive years, Apple has become the gold standard when it comes to customer service in the industry.

“It’s pretty obvious that Apple is successful from a strictly satisfaction level, and that it’s doing things very well, much better than the rest of the PC makers,” said ACSI Director of Research Forrest Morgeson. “Apple’s consumers see it as a company that cares, that has a face and a relationship with its customers.”

Morgeson said that Apple’s continued dominance can be attributed to its iPad tablets, but stressed that the customer satisfaction score was not only based on the company’s product line, but also on tangibles that other companies have failed to duplicate.

The scale of ASCI is a comprehensive evaluation of customer satisfaction. The company said that it conducts around 70,000 interviews with consumers every year to determine how they feel on a number of variables, which include customer expectations, perceived quality, and perceived value. ASCI also looks at the loyalty and complaints of the customers. The ASCI index as founded at the University of Michigan.

Apple bested its score of 86 points last year, which means a slight increase in customer satisfaction. Rival PC makers have narrowed the gap against the company in recent years, with HP improving by one point over last year’s 77.

via: Apple Insider