A Forrester study of which brands makes consumers happy shows Apple slipping. Amazon remains top of the tech heap. January 21, 2014 10:36 AM PST Not as enjoyable anymore? (Credit: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET) Some organizations inspire a feeling of dread. "Oh, I have to deal with the DMV today. Where's my Xanax?" Apple, though, has long held a reputation for making its customers feel like they're bathing in chocolate sauce. With a glass of champagne in their hands. So it's curious that a new study by Forrester suggests that Cupertino is slipping a touch. As The Wall Street Journal reports, this is the third year that Forrester has been measuring the satisfaction people feel (defined along parameters such as ease of interaction and enjoyability of interaction) when dealing with certain tech companies. For the first time, Apple is lagging slightly behind Sony, Microsoft and Samsung. Yes, in that order. The numbers, gleaned from the emotive opinions of 7,500 Americans, suggest there isn't much between these brands. Their scores all reflect what Forrester calls a "good" ranking. Still, does it mean that the boys and girls in polo shirts aren't smiling so much anymore? Does it mean the stores are too full, the atmosphere too sweaty, and the geniuses more unwashed? More Technically Incorrect Google Glass at the movies gets man interrogated On 'SNL', A-Rod says he'll sue his iPhone Man pulls real, cute kitten out of computer Amazon to ship things before you've even thought of buying them? Security camera captures decidedly low-tech Target 'hack' Only one tech brand, though, is indisputably excellent. That is Amazon, which scored a full 8 points more than any other tech brand, specifically for its Kindle customers. Indeed, customer joy at dealing with Amazon's as yet droneless services have soared over the last year. Forrester's surveys have recently not been kind to the Apple brand. A couple of weeks ago, another piece of its research suggested that Microsoft was now a more trusted brand than Apple. Whatever the research company, whatever the survey, it's always worth sniffing it constantly while reading. However, who would be surprised if Apple is already working on an entirely new iteration of its customer service? In a world in which fewer and fewer people are bothering to go to physical stores, customer satisfaction will be expressed (and measured) through very different prisms.
A Forrester study of which brands makes consumers happy shows Apple slipping. Amazon remains top of the tech heap.
Not as enjoyable anymore?
(Credit: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)
Some organizations inspire a feeling of dread.
"Oh, I have to deal with the DMV today. Where's my Xanax?"
Apple, though, has long held a reputation for making its customers feel like they're bathing in chocolate sauce. With a glass of champagne in their hands.
So it's curious that a new study by Forrester suggests that Cupertino is slipping a touch.
As The Wall Street Journal reports, this is the third year that Forrester has been measuring the satisfaction people feel (defined along parameters such as ease of interaction and enjoyability of interaction) when dealing with certain tech companies.
For the first time, Apple is lagging slightly behind Sony, Microsoft and Samsung. Yes, in that order.
The numbers, gleaned from the emotive opinions of 7,500 Americans, suggest there isn't much between these brands. Their scores all reflect what Forrester calls a "good" ranking.
Still, does it mean that the boys and girls in polo shirts aren't smiling so much anymore? Does it mean the stores are too full, the atmosphere too sweaty, and the geniuses more unwashed?
More Technically Incorrect
- Google Glass at the movies gets man interrogated
- On 'SNL', A-Rod says he'll sue his iPhone
- Man pulls real, cute kitten out of computer
- Amazon to ship things before you've even thought of buying them?
- Security camera captures decidedly low-tech Target 'hack'
Only one tech brand, though, is indisputably excellent. That is Amazon, which scored a full 8 points more than any other tech brand, specifically for its Kindle customers.
Indeed, customer joy at dealing with Amazon's as yet droneless services have soared over the last year.
Forrester's surveys have recently not been kind to the Apple brand. A couple of weeks ago, another piece of its research suggested that Microsoft was now a more trusted brand than Apple.
Whatever the research company, whatever the survey, it's always worth sniffing it constantly while reading.
However, who would be surprised if Apple is already working on an entirely new iteration of its customer service?
In a world in which fewer and fewer people are bothering to go to physical stores, customer satisfaction will be expressed (and measured) through very different prisms.
