Microsoft, Verizon rate low among IT pros
Microsoft and Verizon may need to learn a thing or two about customer service from IBM's Informix, according to a report released Wednesday by market researcher VendorRate.
Among IT professionals questioned, Microsoft's customer satisfaction ratings for the second quarter dropped in three key areas.
Out of a score of 100, Microsoft's server and infrastructure software rated 55, a 17 percent decline from the first quarter; its operating systems scored 67, down 9.5 percent; and its applications came in at 64, an 18 percent dip.
"Microsoft was cruising along with satisfactory scores in earlier reports, but it simply fell off a cliff in this quarter," Rick Schaefer, CEO of VendorRate, said in a statement.
Of all vendors measured, Verizon Communications came in lowest as an overall company for customer satisfaction, scoring 61 out of 100. Sprint Nextel and AT&T Wireless also came in near the bottom, at 64 and 67 points, respectively--a reflection of the telecom industry's poor showing overall.
(Credit:
VendorRate)
"Once again the telecom sector sinks to the bottom of all lists," Schaefer said. "Either telecom vendors don't get it, or they don't seem to care."
However, not all of telecom is broken. Telecom equipment maker ShoreTel made it into the No. 2 slot of vendors with a rating of 92.
IBM's Informix scored at the top of the list with a rating of 96. Formed when IBM bought the Informix technology in 2001, it specializes in online transaction processing, an automated system used by banks, airlines, and other industries to interact with customers.
(Credit:
VendorRate)
"IBM Informix was among the top rated vendors for the fourth straight quarter," noted Schaefer, "and this is the first time that ShoreTel made it into the top rankings."
Still, not everything that IBM touches turns to gold. IBM Global Services ranked near the bottom of consultants with a rating of 66.
VendorRate gathers ratings and reviews from IT and business professionals. For its second-quarter report, the company surveyed more than 1,500 IT professionals at trade shows, conferences, its own Web site, and "virtual events."
Those questioned by VendorRate ranked nearly 350 companies on 10 criteria, including customer service, reliability, integrity, budget, and effectiveness for a cumulative score of 100. The ratings were collected from April 1 through June 30.
Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats--journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He's a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. You can follow Lance on Twitter at @lancewhit. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET. 
Serious question its a huge variable for any company whether that be Apple,IBM, Etc
I was simply saying chill out...do something.
CNET editors note: This comment was edited.
Considering hating on certain companies no matter what they do has turned into a FAD
The problem is with the actual products Microsoft is delivering. Use it and then use the compitition be it either the BalckBerry vs Windows Mobile, the Mac OS vs Vista, or even Office 2007 vs 2003. Microsoft needs to actually look at what they are doing and get back to simplisity and making things work.
Why don't you just peruse the actual report yourself? Assuming they took a fairly broad sampling of IT managers and didn't cherry pick, it should be reflective of the overall scope of people in big business. Note that Apple scored well in some categories (there are a lot of categories), and fared poorly in others.
Despite what you see online, the number of rabid fanboys/haters, for any company, is relatively small. Very few people actually care enough. They just use the product and are maybe mildly aware of the feuds that go on. I'd say probably a 5% at the most were answering based on bias rather than personal experience. However, this number ranges through the whole group and doesn't really change anything.
When was I putting a spin on anything?
I was simply saying chill out...do something."
@monkeyfun14--Please enlighten everyone as to when you actually said "chill out". Do you read your own posts (never mind the article)?? I think my point is proven. Also, I really don't think you have any room to talk about "hatin" on a company, given some of your Apple related posts. You need to chill out, especially since your comment had to be edited (touch a nerve perhaps). I guess it's not so much fun getting a dose of your own medicine. There, I did "something".
http://www.jdpower.com/telecom/ratings/wireless-customer-care-ratings-(volume-1)
At what point can you say Sun Microsystems compare to the deployment of HP Prolient servers? I think your survey is lame and that your questions were one sided.
I work in a Microsoft environment and I call them from time to time. Even when I speak to guys in India, I still receive good service.
I believe your survey was done by people who simple hates certain companies or wanted to shed a bad light on those they dislike. Be reasonable and fair.
Informix isn't deployed by 'seats', although you can get per user licensing.
Ever shop at a Wal*Mart? Sears? K-Mart? Kroger? JCPenny? HomeDepot? Then your transaction passes through at least one or more store systems running on Informix.
Ever pick up and make a phone call? I'm not sure of the current statistics, but prior to the IBM acquisition 9 out or 10 phone calls is processed by a system running Informix.
Informix is also embedded in certain products sold by Cisco and Motorola.
Informix is probably the industry's 'dirty little secret' in the IT industry where a lot of people won't admit to owning it because its their competitive advantage.
You work in a Microsoft Environment because you're forced to work in a Microsoft Environment. Companies that choose to use Informix do so because they made an educated choice.
I don't have a theory about this one beyond the survey was poorly done. It is rather random in how it presents its metrics. You can spin out anything you want from the survey itself and make the data say wat you want it to.
It's incomplete.
@ckh1272:
I don't have a theory about this one beyond the survey was poorly done. It is rather random in how it presents its metrics. You can spin out anything you want from the survey itself and make the data say wat you want it to.
It's incomplete."
@Vegaman_Dan--Once again, I am not trying to spin anything. You people really need to get a grip. If you're going to "throw" a theory out there, try to provide some evidence is all I'm saying. If not, you're just wasting space with conjecture. Oh wait a minute, maybe I am just trying to "bash" Microsoft (insert sarcasm). LOL!
I think this is the biggest difference between the Microsoft and Apple ads. Apple focuses on their merits and tries to put down the shortcomings, whether real or imagined, in their competitors. Microsoft focuses on price. But when it comes down to it, (and we could argue about who is the best and probably will to the end of time) customers at certain companies have a higher satisfaction rate than others and that is what matters in the long run.
They are not the same company. Verizon Wireless is partly owned by VZ Comm, but they have much better customer service.
Verizon Wireless showed well for customer service in JD Powers
How did that company rank in the survey as a result?
Something has skewed the results. To validate the survey, they should find out what the difference was from the last quarter that caused the large change in results.
I find it hard to believe that all these people found one company acceptable in one quarter and unacceptable in the next.
I agree with monkeyfun14 's original comment.
Well, this is about the time when a lot of folks are starting to upgrade Exchange to 2k7, and are installing SharePoint for the first time (both of which can be pretty frustrating to folks who haven't messed either one before). In that light, the drop doesn't really seem all that mysterious anymore. ;)
I'm sorry, Merg, that's just me. I was running late this morning and didn't have time for a shower so...
The truth is that Informix is supported by its user community. That is, those who use Informix choose to do so in spite of IBM's sales critters trying to convince them to migrate to DB2.
Post IBM acquistion, Informix's support team pretty much started to revamp how IBM Information Management does things. And at the end of 2003 they started to influence some of the other pillars in Software Group. (Hmmm. Sounds like I was there. ;-)
The fact that an Informix user has great support from IBM's support team, along with its user community, then its no doubt that it would rank high in terms of overall customer sat.
http://www.electronista.com/reviews/browser-tests-chrome-firefox-ie-safari.html
But I decided not to, so Nevermind.
???????????????
I would suggest a different source- or perhaps not let others think for you.
That reminds me of an old joke:
The only time Microsoft will make a product that doesn't suck is when they enter the vacuum business...
Lowest Rating for Communications - Apple
Lowest Rating for Budget - Apple
Much of the report was FUD, so why stop there?
Rated lowest for Communication Apple Desktop-Laptop--6.9" does not surprise me because their small presence in Enterprise. Once again, that is a mentality that needs to change on Apple's part.
As for microsoft, they can put out the best product on the planet and will still get a low score because they are at the top of the mountain. Like celebrities we just like to complain and make fun of them and try to tear them down. A survey of microsoft satisfaction is pointless.
I give sprint a high score because I have used them for the last 10 years and my reception is perfectly fine. I give microsoft a high score because my work depends on it so I'm glad I am employed and is payed well for it with lots of vacation time. Don't care if they are uber evil :)
I just called up comcast and asked if they support IPV6 yet and the guy on the phone did not know. what that was at all.
Just an iPhone user who has recently become quite disgruntled; I had to move from the Bay Area to a slightly less populated area. Just wishing to hear some good news/info from somewhere soon.
I guess the truth is that you can't keep a good product down.
IM_Gumby was the first to coin the term (Informix, the IT industry's dirty little secret.) because everyone is using it, but loathes to be a formal reference account because they view the use of IDS as a competitive advantage.
Comcast Business? Sorry but I'm not thrilled with their support, however price per bandwidth as a comcast business customer isn't too bad....
No dictionary at hand, eh? It is called "poll" in my world.
* vegaman_dan
* monkeyfun14 and
* ckh1272 (he tries to sound reasonable, probably their manager)
The way and the frequency these guys post and defend the monopolist in Redmond, one can only surmise these guys get paid for what they do.
No wonder Micro$oft is starting to go down the drain, with they spend money on guys like these, rather than putting their money where it would actually improve their products.
Also noticed some of my comments, not very Micro$oft friendly I have to admit, start to disappear from C-NET lately. Could it just be, that the veritable members mentioned above are also colluding to get rid of their perceived greatest nuisances by collectively "offense-reporting" some of the anti-Micro$oft stuff? Just wondering. I will watch you vegaman + monkeybun!
Oh and before I forget:
DIE MICRO$OFT DIE
- by vmlenigma July 15, 2009 5:03 PM PDT
- Being a former Verizon customer as of last week, I agree with the results. They gutt out the phones and make them useless, and when you call their Tech Support you either get someone who learned their english off a parrot, or just someone who just knows nothing about the phone, and the funny thing is that, they always seem to own the same phone I am inquiring about in this case my piece of crap LG8700VX. I do hope Verizon goes UNDER
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