Dell ranks number one in customer satisfaction for desktops, notebooks, and Intel-based servers for the first quarter of 2000 . The survey is based on the responses of 550 information technology managers at large U.S. corporations. Dell's overall scores remain relatively consistent in desktops and servers. They improved most significantly in the notebooks category. The improvements came largely in the area of delivery and availability, where Dell has struggled some in the past.
Some vendors receive a wider range of scores.
For example, some IBM customers confer high marks, while others score it poorly. That indicates inconsistencies by the vendor. Compaq took advantage of IBM's inconsistencies, besting Big Blue in both desktop and notebook categories. Compaq replaced IBM as the second highest rated vendor for notebooks and desktops. IBM fell to third place in notebooks and fifth place in desktops, behind Hewlett-Packard and Gateway .