Microsoft customer satisfaction drops to almost Vista-era lows

[Jos]

Windows 8 has received its fair share of criticism for deviating from the classic desktop experience and instead push a touch-focused UI across all devices -- even non-touch ones. Despite racking up respectable sales, a new report suggest it’s not just that the operating system isn’t seeing the kind of success Microsoft was hoping for; it’s actually taking customer satisfaction levels down to the lowest since Windows Vista was released.

According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, Microsoft’s score slid to 74 out of 100 in their latest report. That’s just one point higher than it was following Vista’s launch, and down four points since the company’s satisfaction rating peaked at 78 in 2011 before the release of Windows 8 dropped it to 75 in 2012.

"It seems clear that the release of Windows 8 did not give Microsoft a significant bump, as the release of Windows 7 did, nor did it dramatically lower customer satisfaction in a rather short time frame, as the release of Vista did," David VanAmburg, director of ACSI, said in a statement.

VanAmburg was cautious not to pin all the blame on Windows 8 this early in its life cycle. “If Microsoft's ACSI benchmark flattens next year or drops another point or two, then it is probably safe to say that Windows 8 will be the prime culprit behind a significant downturn in customer satisfaction.”

Microsoft isn’t planing on waiting that long to find out. Later this year the company will be releasing an update for its operating system, Windows 8.1, which is expected to address several common complaints from users. Among them are the return of the start button (but not the start menu), a boot to desktop option, and some much-needed search improvements. Codenamed Blue, this will be a free but major update for Windows 8 users. A public preview release is due this summer at Build, while the final code should ship in the second-half of 2013.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/52702-microsoft-customer-satisfaction-drops-to-almost-vista-era-lows.html

 

[Guest]

Not surprising. We think Windows 8 is very bad.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

First, the Windows 8 catastrophe....now the XBox One catastrophe....it's clear this company is anti-consumer to the core. They just keep pretending that the people who made them billionaires don't exists while they continue producing products for an imaginary consumer.

If the consumer does not drive your products how will your company succeed? I guess Microsoft knows the answer to that question. I, however, do not.

I think Microsoft's core staff has become tilted in favor a younger, more cynical generation of people who view consumers as criminals. Something is not right somewhere. It's like a nightmare. It just keeps getting worse and worse.

 

[Puiu]

Just give us non-fullscreen apps already! Just make it possible to window them. Putting a button that takes you to the same fullscreen mess is not fixing the OS.
I'm a windows 8 user and I like the fast boot times and better memory and battery management (among other desktop improvements), but I also do exactly like 90% of the users do: avoid metro.

 

[Opus]

I have never had any complaints with Windows 8. Although, at first, you gotta learn some things that are newer to you but in the end it proved to be the same learning curve that was involved with Vista.

 

[TechSam]

I don't understand why Microsoft don't just ask their customers what they actually want from their products.

I haven't been asked or surveyed by Microsoft about the Xbox One and I've been playing video games for 18 years!

 

[bexwhitt]

There is nothing wrong with windows 8 if you stay away from the modern UI.
I personally use startisback and ignore the irrelevant on a none touch screen tiles

 

[NTAPRO]

Not surprising. We think Windows 8 is very bad.

people say it's just like windows 7, with a few changes, so logically, it isn't bad at all

 

[cliffordcooley]

And I will predict it stays this way for as long as Microsoft maintains mobile functions, within operating procedures of a desktop OS.

 

[MrBungle]

Not surprising. We think Windows 8 is very bad.

people say it's just like windows 7, with a few changes, so logically, it isn't bad at all

The vast overwhelming majority of people are going answer "huh?" or "what's that?" when you ask them what the windows kernel is, to the vast majority of people the OS is the GUI so if the GUI is crap the OS is crap. The Modern UI is the most hated piece of MS sofware since MS Bob so it should come as no suprise that Windows 8 is receiving low ratings from consumers.

 

[cliffordcooley]

to the vast majority of people the OS is the GUI so if the GUI is crap the OS is crap.

If the interface is crap, then it really doesn't matter whats under the hood. If you can't control a Ferrari engine, it might as well be an Escort engine. If the Windows GUI is so foreign people have issues, it might as well be considered a bad OS.

 

[MrBungle]

There is nothing wrong with windows 8 if you stay away from the modern UI.
I personally use startisback and ignore the irrelevant on a none touch screen tiles

The fact that you had to install a 3rd party hack to make Windows 8 tolerable means there is something wrong with it.

 

[xplayer]

I can't get those people!! windows 8 is amazing, my pc start up and power off is amazingly improved, it now starts in like 10 seconds compared to about 1 minute when I was on windows 7, beside that everything is working perfectly with no problems, I really don't know what is problem with windows 8, for me its amazing and people must give it some time before they make there decision, all people around me who says that windows 8 is not good they never tried to learn all its features and they only used it for one week for maybe two not more!!

 

[ReederOnTheRun]

I'm glad they are giving it some requested features. WIndows 8 isn't comparable to Vista though. Vista was unpopular because it had a lot of bugs and just didn't perform well in general. Windows 8 has been unpopular because people can't figure it out or just don't like the look of the start screen. The actual performance of the system is great. After people get past figuring out how WIndows 8 works (assuming they didn't hate the aesthetics), all the people I've heard from agree that it is the best Windows OS to date.

The exception to this are the actual apps. I still can't find a single one worth downloading. Plus, it should be a no brainer to make the apps work on the desktop in windows. Luckily, the apps can be ignored or deleted if they aren't wanted.

Hopefully they'll include more options for customizing the start screen and all that too. I like it, but I get bored of the predefined color schemes and limited background choices. There are third party fixes, but Microsoft supported fixes are preferred.

 

[spydercanopus]

I bought a Surface Pro a month ago and the paint is chipping off around the edges and the hinges.

The charger doesn't seem to work correctly most of the time by bouncing between charging and not.

The Wacom stylus which sold me on the product has calibration issues.

The battery is terrible.

It has Windows 8.

 

[spydercanopus]

Not surprising. We think Windows 8 is very bad.

Perhaps they don't serve the customer, they serve the government? They are creating the ideal tools for a world at war with itself. The SPYBOX and Windows 8 are proof they don't care what you want. They care what powerful people need to control you.

 

[Littleczr]

Been using windows 8 ever since it's release along with start 8 from Stardock. I don't even use the Metro UI but I love all the other changes like task manager etc.. Metro UI is just taking up space like a lazy college kid.

 

[soldier1969]

Windows 8 is just a newer shinier Vista. Ugliest UI ever. Too many changes to be popular with the mainstream user. Windows 7 just works and is still too new for the average person to want to change over to. Xbox One looks like a VCR from the 90s with too much emphasis on the TV media hub side of things, with 18 month old PC parts thrown in and call it next gen...Sticking with Windows 7 for a long time to come, it works, I game on Pc and upgade every 2 years which no console can manage.

 

[Guest]

What's wrong with it is that it isn't consumer-friendly. I really don't care if Windows 8 boots up in 10 seconds. I'm writing this on Windows 7 and it's plenty fast for me.

I have no use for the new interface; I have no need for a touch screen. Most of my work involves purely business functions. Those silly windows are a distraction.

If Windows 8.1 doesn't give me a full, easy way to get to the traditional screen, with start menu, then I'll just buy another Windows 7 machine like I did two months ago.

 

[veLa]

Makes sense. They keep neglecting the users that care and made them money. Not to mention 8 is Vista 2.0

 

[Demigod001]

Ive never had a problem with windows 8 the start page is fine for me but having said that. I only use 2 of the "METRO" apps, the mail and finance, and half the time I still get them in my web browser, windows apps would be better. For everything else I use desktop programs


Am I the only one who gets annoyed that everything is an app now?

 

[ReederOnTheRun]

Ive never had a problem with windows 8 the start page is fine for me but having said that. I only use 2 of the "METRO" apps, the mail and finance, and half the time I still get them in my web browser, windows apps would be better. For everything else I use desktop programs


Am I the only one who gets annoyed that everything is an app now?

I'm pretty much the same way, but all I use are the Netflix, Minesweeper, and Camera apps. I am okay that they have a Windows Store now, but they have to make it more desktop friendly. Maybe introduce an ultimate desktop app section in the store where developers can submit regular desktop programs to, and allow Metro apps to be used in windows on the desktop. Then all they'd have to do is get better Metro apps and tweak a few things here and there, and everybody would love it.

 

[Guest]

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

The best Microsoft's OS made by them is one with 12 years old on the market... and
The second best is one with 13 years old !!!

Now, you can do your homework.

 

[Guest]

They don't have to kill Metro, it's actually a pretty good (fullscreen) replacement for the 18 year old start menu.
They do have to kill off all metro apps, the metro store, metro charms and other metro specific UI components. And make the metro start screen ALOT more customizable, like our desktop used to be.

 

[tipstir]

Smart Windows, but not too smart in the file system clean-up. Still plagues this OS badly. On the Windows RT that system works best but again limited to Microsoft Store. Windows 8 Pro I have that on netbook works just have to change the RES from 800x600 to 1024x768 works!

Windows 8 Pro should have had a desktop version without touch. Not everyone has desktop monitors with touch features. Using the mouse makes it odd feel to it.

Windows has come a long way but still they need to work on how the file system cleans itself without user having to touch it. System should say hey time to clean up the file system/registry process as started. Clearing Clipboard, Ram etc.. Freeing up space. If it does this then when it updates also should remove any installers used too. Otherwise the system bogs down badly.

Windows 7 doesn't have these new tones or fancy popup screens. This OS will be the last of it's kind. Windows 8 has 7 features but it also has the future new look and features. Start of things to come.