IBM System x Support Services: Delivering value to customers leads to high satisfaction November 2012 TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS RESEARCH, INC. 0 IBM System x Support Services CSAT Whitepaper November 2012 2012 Technology Business Research Inc.
IBM has set the pace for x86 server service and support satisfaction by meeting high customer expectations Executive Summary IT organizations face constant challenges as they balance new workload requests and growing data center demands with tight budgets. To successfully achieve their objectives and deliver on their mission, IT organizations need a trusted partner to mitigate the risk of data center downtime so their staff focuses on value add tasks and projects. IBM has delivered against high expectations for reliable, high performing systems and consistent service experiences among its customers over time. s Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study demonstrates that IBM continually delivers high levels of quality within its service and support for System x (x86) servers by combining timely service delivery with deep technical expertise and know how. RANKING OF SERVER SERVICES & SUPPORT PROVIDERS, BY QUARTER* 2Q10 3Q10 4Q10 1Q11 2Q11 3Q11 4Q11 1Q12 2Q12 1 IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM 2 IBM 3 *Graphic based on two ranking methodologies: 2Q10 4Q11; 1Q12 and 2Q12 *Graphic based on two ranking methodologies: 2Q10 4Q11; 1Q12 and 2Q12 IBM TSS offers a broad spectrum of scalable, customizable services, including basic 24x7 hardware support, various types and levels of software defect/configuration/how to support, preventative support and full managed support solutions. While hardware quality and performance are the foundation for expectations of a premium experience, delivery of technical support solidifies IBM s role as a partner for businesses working to optimize server capabilities and value. As a result of these efforts, IBM has held the No. 1 position in s quarterly Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study for third party server support providers in eight of the last nine calendar quarters. Customers rank support services as a very important component of their x86 server buying decision. s research demonstrates that IBM has consistently merged these components to meet high customer expectations. 1 IBM System x Support Services CSAT Whitepaper November 2012 2012 Technology Business Research Inc.
IBM drives high overall satisfaction by exceeding expectations across customers support experiences IBM positions its support services as a tool to add value across its customers environments by balancing fast and efficient support with deep technical expertise. IBM s strong services heritage and focus on adding value throughout its customers product lifecycle is reflected in its customer satisfaction results. In the second quarter of 2012, for example, IBM earned highest mean satisfaction rankings in 10 of 11 support attribute areas, including on site and phone support, pointing to its efforts to deliver a consistent, valuable experience across its support services engagements. 5.50 AVERAGE SERVER CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION BY SUPPORT ATTRIBUTE SECOND CALENDAR QUARTER, 2012 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00 Denotes mean satisfaction for given support attribute DELL IBM KEY IBM SUPPORT SERVICES STRENGTHS Influential in Buying Decision* IBM s 2Q12 Mean Satisfaction Position Onsite Response Time #1 Ongoing/Maintenance Services #1 Delivery Time #1 Onsite Technical Expertise #1 Phone Support Responsiveness #1 *Defined as an average importance ranking of critical or important by customers in the 2Q12 Services & Support Customer Satisfaction and Buying Behavior report 2 IBM System x Support Services CSAT Whitepaper November 2012 2012 Technology Business Research Inc.
IBM earns high satisfaction marks by exceeding expectations in the support services areas that mean the most to customers Through its quarterly Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study, has identified three key aspects of IBM s technical support experience that have helped it achieve its consistent No. 1 ranking for third party service and support: Timeliness: Customers note that IBM s ability to rapidly provision and deploy support services and parts which attributes to IBM s support staff coverage that extends throughout the U.S. equates to less server downtime. As a result, believes customers have come to rely on IBM as a key partner to help keep their businesses up and running and their IT staffs focused on higher value tasks. IBM s strength in support service timeliness, which mitigates risks to business results and represents a set of key buying criteria for enterprise customers, was marked by IBM s No. 1 rankings in Online Support, Delivery Time, and On Site Response Time in s 2Q12 Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study. IBM customers, in their own words, echo this sentiment. In s 2Q12 Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study, IBM customers noted that the company has well trained personnel, good troubleshooting skills [and] fast parts availability, and that phone support is easy to use and provides answers quickly; great follow up. Technical Expertise: Enterprise IT departments are increasingly being asked to optimize complex server environments under tighter timelines and rationalized budgets. Unlike typical IT operations, which focus on capacity utilization, new device implementation and performance organization, unique expertise is required for technical support personnel to accurately and efficiently diagnose and resolve unexpected outages with server, storage and networking equipment. As a result, IT decision makers are partnering with trusted services vendors that have longrunning reputations for providing their server customers with comprehensive technical expertise. IBM has established itself as a key partner for customers with high expectations for technical expertise, as exemplified by IBM s No. 1 ranking in On site Technical Expertise and Phone Support Expertise in the 2Q12 report. IBM customer verbatim responses reflect these feelings, stating that IBM has highly knowledgeable personnel with many years of experience and are able to diagnose any issue and that the IBM reps know their stuff. Customer Care: With similar expectation and satisfaction levels between vendors for hardware quality and performance in the broad marketplace, IBM differentiates by driving high levels of customer satisfaction through the sales process. IBM s top ranking in Post purchase Customer Care and One time Services & Setup in the 2Q12 Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study indicates that customers see business value in 3 IBM System x Support Services CSAT Whitepaper November 2012 2012 Technology Business Research Inc.
IBM s relationship centric approach. Customers added, We have very little downtime because customer care is able to fix problems and issues quickly, and [we are] satisfied with the business value provided. Conclusion: IBM exceeds expectations in the support areas that mean the most to customers, leading to consistently high satisfaction IBM s ongoing delivery of high performing, quality x86 servers and complementary support services has created a culture of high customer expectations. Despite the high bar set by its customers, IBM continues to exceed expectations and set the pace for x86 server support services customer satisfaction in the industry. Such is evidenced in s quarterly Corporate IT Service & Support Customer Satisfaction Study, where IBM has earned a top ranking in eight of the nine past quarters, by leveraging consistent delivery and a strong value proposition across the support services landscape. Specifically, IBM has earned a reputation as a partner than can provide timely service with deep technical expertise and an eye for customer care criteria customers look to when considering future server purchases. About Technology Business Research, Inc. is a leading independent technology market research and consulting firm specializing in the business and financial analyses of hardware, software, networking equipment, wireless, portal and professional services vendors. Serving a global clientele, provides timely and accurate market research and business intelligence in a format that is uniquely tailored to clients needs. analysts are available to further address client specific issues or information needs on an inquiry or proprietary consulting basis. For More Information has been empowering corporate decision makers since 1996. For more information, visit www.tbri.com. This report is based on information made available to the public by the vendor and other public sources. No representation is made that this information is accurate or complete. Technology Business Research will not be held liable or responsible for any decisions that are made based on this information. The information contained in this report and all other products is not and should not be construed to be investment advice. does not make any recommendations or provide any advice regarding the value, purchase, sale or retention of securities. This report is copyrightprotected and supplied for the sole use of the recipient. Contact Technology Business Research, Inc. for permission to reproduce. IBM Document Number: MTW03010 USEN 00 4 IBM System x Support Services CSAT Whitepaper November 2012 2012 Technology Business Research Inc.