America
Apple phones most satisfying for US customers: Study
New York, April 24
Apple ranks highest in
overall satisfaction among wireless customers of T-Mobile (844) and
Verizon Wireless (837) in the US, according to a study.
Highly
satisfied owners spend on average, $6 more per month on wireless
services than owners with lower satisfaction, the study found.
Additionally,
brand repurchase intent among highly satisfied owners is 20 percent
higher than among owners with low smartphone satisfaction (ratings of 7
or lower).
Although smartphone owners continue to cite features
as the primary reason for selecting a device, the rate has declined
significantly to 32 percent from 38 percent in the 2013 study.
Now
in its 9th year, the J.D. Power U.S. Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction
Study measures customer satisfaction based on four factors (listed in
order of importance): performance (29%); features (26%); physical design
(23%); and ease of operation (22%).
The study measures customer
satisfaction with wireless OEMs across Tier 11 wireless carriers.
Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.
The study
found that a brand's ranking is closely related to the performance
satisfaction with its latest smartphone models, which often feature the
newest technology and features and services.
"Satisfaction with
performance differs by smartphone brand across carriers," said Kirk
Parsons, senior director and practice leader of telecommunications at
J.D. Power.
"When launching a new smartphone device, carriers should be mindful how they position the device features and services.
"This
can influence model selection and a customer's experience with the
device. When customers are satisfied with their smartphone model
selection, the OEM and carrier can benefit through customer loyalty and
repurchase intent," he added.
When the smartphone performs well,
it increases the likelihood of model loyalty and customer satisfaction
with the brand, the study said.
For example, advance performance
and technology such as facial recognition, finger print security
identification and latest OS platforms have helped drive satisfaction up
with the latest device launches for the Apple iPhone 6 series, HTC One
Max series and Samsung Galaxy 5 and Note 4 series.