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Survey ranks computer companies' tech support
Dell Computer came out on top
April 16, 1997
Web posted at: 9:51 p.m. EDT (0151 GMT)SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- When Harvey McLeod bought his Packard Bell computer, he was looking forward to months of productive computing. What he got seemed like an eternity on hold.
He needed an additional system diskette. When he called Packard Bell's help line, he could not get through.
"I would say I made in the nature of 20 to 30 phone calls" within two days, McLeod said. On the third day, he dialed and waited. And waited.
"After about an hour, I put it on the speakerphone and continued working and just listened to it all day long and I never moved from this seat the whole day."
After six hours on hold, McLeod gave up and fired a fax to Packard Bell's management.
Part of it reads: "Since it's been over six and a half hours, I'm wearing thin, I'm hungry and I need to go to the bathroom."
Packard Bell ranks at bottom of survey
McLeod's disastrous experience seems typical, according to a continuing survey of PC World magazine readers.
"A lot of people, especially if they have not purchased a computer before, are in for a rude shock when they take it home and find out it doesn't work," said Daniel Tynan, PC World's executive editor.
Packard Bell wound up at the bottom of PC World's tech support survey. At the top is Dell Computer.
Scott Andersen of New Jersey is a satisfied Dell customer. His problem was a CD-ROM drive that would not work.
"Overall, I was extremely satisfied," Andersen said. "They sent someone out the very next day."
Average repair time: about one week
Andersen says he is glad he did his homework before buying. "I chose my computer based on the ratings of service as well as performance ratings."
PC World's Tynan says people usually have a more difficult experience than Andersen's. According to the magazine's survey of 12,000 readers, "It took on average about 26 hours to talk to a techie who could actually help you, and it took almost a week to get the problem solved."
Dell's average in the survey for repair time was five days. Packard Bell's was 11. Packard Bell acknowledges it has had tech-support problems.
"But not any more," insists Walter McFashion, Packard Bell's manager of customer satisfaction.
"We're maintaining the numbers right now to give the type service that we should," he said.
Bell says changes should help
McFashion said the company has made big changes that have resulted in a turnaround in customer satisfaction over the last six months.
For example, Packard Bell now color-codes the cables that plug into the back of the computers. To first-time users, the simple change was welcome and eliminated some installation problems. It also has added more, better-trained tech support personnel.
And Packard Bell computers are now shipped with software installed that will allow a Packard Bell technician to repair the computer's software remotely.
Tech support now usually appears in one of three forms:
- An 800 number for a limited time, usually 90 days to a year (Apple).
- A 900 number that charges $2 per minute up to a $35 maximum.
- An 800 number but with a credit card charge of $35. Compaq has such a system but refunds the fee if the problem can be fixed under warranty.
At the top of PC World's list along with Dell are Micron and Apple.
"People who get handled well by a company feel more valued," said Tynan. "They are happier and they are more likely to buy a machine from that company again."
Apple does well in surveys
Tynan jokes about the presence of Apple in a magazine that is so staunchly supportive of the PC format.
"Yes, Virginia, PC users do buy Macs."
Tynan explains that many of PC World's readers are managers of large departments who report on the performance of both PC's and Macintosh computers.
"Apple does very well in our surveys. Their machines are reliable; they give good customer service," Tynan said.
McLeod eventually gave up on Packard Bell's help line. He took the computer back to Office Depot, which refunded his money immediately. He bought an Acer instead, which, as it turned out also needed an additional system disk.
Acer got it to him the very next day.
Related sites:
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- PC World's Best and Worst
- Micron
- Dell
- Packard Bell
- PC World Online
- Center for the Technically Abused
- Virtual Sysadmin Problem Report
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
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