While televisions and PCs are turning up the volume on customer
satisfaction, household appliances are left with some work to do
behind the scenes.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®)
Household Appliance and Electronics Study 2024, satisfaction with
televisions hits an all-time high after improving 1% to a score of
82 (out of 100). Personal computers (PCs), which include desktops,
laptops, and tablets, also enjoy a record score, up 1% to 81.
On the other hand, the household appliances industry — washers,
dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, ranges/cooktops/ovens, and
over-the-range microwaves — slips 1% to an ACSI score of 80
following modest declines in both product and service quality.
Dishwashers and refrigerators (both up 1% to 80) are the only
appliances that improve year over year, while the
range/oven/cooktop category experiences the biggest decline,
slipping 4% to 79.
While the industries overall remain relatively stable,
manufacturers are consistently looking for ways to differentiate
their offerings and boost the user experience. And more and more
are turning to artificial intelligence (AI). But enhanced tech
might not be enough.
“Brands are racing to incorporate the latest AI technologies.
Nearly 80% of consumers have at least one smart TV in their home,
and experts predict that 60% of PCs shipped in 2027 will be
AI-capable. But while brands are rating strongly for
product-related customer experience benchmarks, aspects of the
service experience are decreasing, proving the real challenge lies
in maintaining high-quality service alongside these innovations,"
says Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan
State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI.
"Manufacturers that can bridge the current gap between cutting-edge
products and consistent service will emerge as leaders in these
competitive markets."
Samsung stakes its claim atop the TV industry
Samsung takes the top spot in the television industry, improving
2% to an ACSI score of 84. This satisfaction surge coincides with
its continued global TV market share dominance, which now includes
18 consecutive years in first place.
Last year’s leader, LG, slips 1% into a second-place tie with
the group of smaller TV manufacturers, which climbs 3% to 82.
Hisense (down 1%), Sony (unchanged), and Vizio (up 1%) finish at 81
apiece. TCL tumbles 4% into last place with an ACSI score of
79.
Most television customer experience metrics are holding
relatively steady in the low 80s overall, though a few – those
related to service – are decreasing. Outcome of the service repair
and courtesy and helpfulness of the service technician each drop
1%, while timeliness of the service repair falters 2%.
Apple distinguishes itself in the PC industry
Apple, powered by its laptop and tablet satisfaction, takes back
sole possession of first place after increasing 2% to an ACSI score
of 85.
Meanwhile, HP, just one point behind the leader, posts the
largest industry gain, surging 4% to 84. Samsung, which tied for
first last year, slides 1% to an ACSI score of 82. Amazon (up 3%),
Dell (down 1%), and Lenovo (up 3%) each score 80, just ahead of
Microsoft — debuting in the PC industry — with a mark of 79.
Acer, the group of smaller PC manufacturers, and Asus (each
unchanged) share last place at 78.
As for device types, desktop computers still lead the way
despite slipping 2% to 82. Tablets, however, significantly narrow
the gap after jumping 7% to 81 — the same mark as laptops, which
improve 1% year over year.
Whirlpool washes away the household appliance
competition
Whirlpool secures first place among household appliances,
improving 1% to an ACSI score of 83. It has introduced new
innovations, such as its SlimTech insulation for certain
refrigerators, without compromising on fundamentals like durability
and performance.
LG is stable with a score of 82, just ahead of Samsung
(unchanged) at 81 and the group of smaller appliance makers (up 1%)
at 80. Haier, which includes the GE and Hotpoint brands, stumbles
4% to meet Electrolux (up 1%) at 79. Bosch sits in last place after
falling 3% to an ACSI score of 78.
In terms of appliance types, Whirlpool tops the dishwasher (83)
and over-the-range microwave (86) categories outright and ties
Samsung for highest refrigerator satisfaction (83). Samsung also
claims the top score for washers (84), while LG leads the way in
dryers (85). Haier takes first in the combined range/cooktop/oven
category with a score of 81.
Most product-based customer experience metrics hold steady and
maintain their positive ratings. Durability (83) and exterior
design (83) stay at the top of the list, followed closely by
capacity and layout (82), ease of cleaning (82), energy and/or
water efficiency (82), and mobile app quality (82).
Yet, the decline in the service scores is most notable. Service
metrics, including the ease of arranging service, service
technician courtesy, outcome of the service repair, and repair
timeliness, all decrease between 5% and 9%, proving that companies
need to make sure their service quality keeps up with their
technology advancements.
The ACSI Household Appliance and Electronics Study 2024 is based
on 13,113 completed surveys. Customers were chosen at random and
contacted via email between July 2023 and June 2024. Download the
study, and follow the ACSI on LinkedIn and X at @theACSI.
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the data
and information in this release without the express prior written
consent of ACSI LLC.
About the ACSI
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) has been a
national economic indicator for over 25 years. It measures and
analyzes customer satisfaction with approximately 400 companies in
about 40 industries and 10 economic sectors, including various
services of federal and local government agencies. Reported on a
scale of 0 to 100, scores are based on data from roughly 200,000
responses annually. For more information, visit
www.theacsi.org.
ACSI and its logo are Registered Marks of American Customer
Satisfaction Index LLC.
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Denise DiMeglio 610-228-2102 denise@gregoryfca.com