TBR Server 2H16 CSAT

Corporate IT Buying Behavior and Customer Satisfaction Study x86-based Servers Second Half 2016

Prepared for Lenovo Nov. 30, 2016

Contributors: Angela Lambert ([email protected]), Engagement Manager and Senior Analyst; Matt Bowden, Analyst; Amanda Darcangelo, Research Analyst; Krista Macomber, Senior Analyst, Data Center

TBR

T E C H N O L O G Y B U S I N E S S R ES E AR C H , I N C .

Contents

TBR

Table of Contents

2

3

Executive Summary

8

Key Findings

17

x86-based Server Attribute Analysis

22

Appendix A: x86-based Server Attribute Analysis — Sales Satisfaction

29

Appendix B: x86-based Server Attribute Analysis — Product Satisfaction

37

Appendix C: x86-based Server Attribute Analysis — Service and Support Satisfaction

47

Appendix D: Firmographics

54

Appendix E: Analytical Procedures and Survey Instrument

63

About TBR

2H16 | TBR — x86-based Servers Customer Satisfaction Study

©2016 Technology Business Research Inc.

TBR

Executive Summary

3



Executive Summary

TBR

Lenovo customers continue to report industry-leading satisfaction across sales, product and service attributes TBR builds its index from 4 key attribute areas comprising 24 total factors TBR

Rolling Mean Satisfaction Attribute

Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost One-time Services and Setup Delivery Time and Product Availability Sales Responsiveness Post-purchase Customer Care Online Product Information Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Performance Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Management Capabilities Product Design/Features Phone Support Availability Phone Support Technical Expertise On-site Response Time On-site Technical Expertise Online Technical Support Ongoing Services and Maintenance Replacement Parts Availability Self-support/Automated Support Social Media Support Will Buy Again Would Recommend

Dell HPE Lenovo Sales Mean Satisfaction 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.3 5.3 5.7 5.4 5.5 5.7 5.3 5.4 5.6 5.4 5.4 5.6 5.2 5.4 5.7 Product Mean Satisfaction 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.6 5.8 5.8 5.6 5.7 5.9 5.5 5.7 5.8 5.4 5.6 5.7 5.4 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.7 5.8 Service Mean Satisfaction 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.4 5.5 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.6 5.2 5.1 5.5 4.8 4.7 5.4 Loyalty Index 87.6 96.2 83.3 86.7 91.4 85.4

TBR

Rolling Satisfaction Index

Sales Satisfaction Index Product Satisfaction Index Service Satisfaction Index Loyalty Index Importance Multiplier TBR Weighted Satisfaction Index

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

76.3 78.9 77.0 87.2

77.0 81.1 76.5 93.8

81.0 82.4 79.8 84.4

99.7%

98.4%

101.9%

78.2

78.6

82.8

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Note: Detailed explanation of methodology and calculations can be found in the technical appendix (Slide 54).

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

4



Executive Summary

TBR

Lenovo maintains a dominant lead over its competitors; however, increased satisfaction with HPE narrowed Lenovo’s lead in 2H16 TBR

Rolling Mean Satisfaction Attribute

Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost One-time Services and Setup Delivery Time and Product Availability Sales Responsiveness Post-purchase Customer Care Online Product Information Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Performance Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Management Capabilities Product Design/Features Phone Support Availability Phone Support Technical Expertise On-site Response Time On-site Technical Expertise Online Technical Support Ongoing Services and Maintenance Replacement Parts Availability Self-support/Automated Support Social Media Support Will Buy Again Would Recommend SOURCE: TBR 2H16

5

Dell HPE Lenovo Sales Mean Satisfaction 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.3 5.3 5.7 5.4 5.5 5.7 5.3 5.4 5.6 5.4 5.4 5.6 5.2 5.4 5.7 Product Mean Satisfaction 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.6 5.8 5.8 5.6 5.7 5.9 5.5 5.7 5.8 5.4 5.6 5.7 5.4 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.7 5.8 Service Mean Satisfaction 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.6 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.4 5.5 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.6 5.2 5.1 5.5 4.8 4.7 5.4 Loyalty Index 87.6 96.2 83.3 86.7 91.4 85.4

Dell Dell’s TBR weighted satisfaction score declined from 1H16 as the vendor experienced declining satisfaction in 19 of 22 attributes. Despite declining scores and a third-place finish, Dell tied with HPE and beat out Lenovo for first place in replacement parts availability, a historically critical purchase decision driver for customers. HPE Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) was the only vendor for which customers reported an increase in satisfaction for a majority of the 22 satisfaction attributes. Additionally, HPE regained the lead in TBR’s Loyalty Index, with 96.2% of customers indicating they would buy again and 91.4% of customers saying they would recommend HPE servers to a peer. Lenovo Customer satisfaction scores continued to keep Lenovo in first place in TBR’s weighted satisfaction index, which it has maintained since 2015. Lenovo had similar scores to 1H16 with 16 of 22 attributes changing by less than 1%. Lenovo’s ability to maintain strong levels of satisfaction among customers allowed the vendor to remain in the top spot for 21 of 22 attributes, with replacement parts availability being the only attribute where Dell and HPE lead.



Executive Summary

TBR

Quality, reliability and performance are reported loyalty drivers, but services attributes are becoming increasingly important purchase criteria Services impact server sales In 2H16 customers reported a shift in importance toward services attributes such as on-site response time and ongoing services and maintenance. The increasing importance of these attributes indicates a need among customers to limit downtime through preventative maintenance or by quickly fixing issues, making it critical for, making it critical for server vendors to meet these needs.

Reliability and performance drive brand loyalty Across Dell, HPE and Lenovo, customers report a similar theme of reliability and performance motivating their decisions to buy again from their current vendor. As organizations choose to adopt off-premises cloud deployments instead of x86based servers, it becomes even more important for server vendors to meet these customers’ needs for reliability and performance, as a key reason organizations are reluctant to switch from x86 servers is a requirement for low latency and high availability, especially for mission-critical applications.

Sales and service attribute satisfaction trails product attributes

6

Out of the three TBR satisfaction indexes, Dell, HPE and Lenovo all scored highest in in the Product Satisfaction Index as scores in the Sales and Services Index fell slightly behind. While customers consider product attributes such as performance, initial hardware quality and ongoing hardware reliability to be critical to the purchase decision, these attributes are table stakes server customers expect from their vendor, and while they will keep customers loyal, they are unlikely to draw in new customers, which creates an opportunity for server vendors to tout their strengths in sales and service attributes.



Executive Summary

TBR

Attributes once considered important to the purchase decision have shifted to critical as organizations seek to limit costs and downtime Customers rated attributes as critical, important or less important Customers continue to report that performance, initial hardware quality, ongoing hardware reliability, virtualization and product design are critical; however, in 2H16 total cost of ownership (TCO), on-site response time and ongoing services and maintenance also joined the critical category. TBR believes that as organizations look to reduce costs and limit downtime, these attributes will play a key role in keeping x86 customers from moving to alternatives such as cloud. • Additionally, in 2H16 management capabilities and self-support/automated support both experienced declines in their importance to customers’ purchase decisions, indicating a shift from simplifying the management of IT environments and toward keeping them up and running with a low TCO. •

• • • • • • • •

Performance Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Product Design/Features On-site Response Time Ongoing Services and Maintenance

Replacement Parts Availability • On-site Technical Expertise • Management Capabilities • Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost • Online Technical Support • Phone Support Availability • Delivery Time and Product Availability • Phone Support Technical Expertise •

• • • • • •

Post-purchase Customer Care One-time Services and Setup Self-support/Automated Support Online Product Information Sales Responsiveness Social Media Support

Note: The stacks of attributes shown on the scales above are listed in order of the importance of each attribute to overall customer satisfaction this quarter, with the most important attributes at the top of each stack. ©2016 Technology Business Research Inc. 7. 2H16 | TBR — x86-based Servers Customer Satisfaction Study

TBR

Key Findings

8



Key Findings

TBR

HPE’s customer likelihood to buy again has continued to improve since 1H15, while Dell’s and Lenovo’s began to decline in 2H16

83.3%

96.2%

87.6%

92.1%

84.1%

88.8%

82.6%

80.8%

83.2%

83.7%

70%

82.6%

85.1%

80%

87.4%

90%

89.2%

100%

91.1%

VENDOR HISTORICAL SERVER LIKELINESS TO BUY AGAIN

TBR

60%

50% 2H14 SOURCE: TBR 2H16

1H15 Dell

2H15 HPE

1H16

2H16

Lenovo

TBR perspective

9

•

HPE customers’ likeliness to buy again has increased since 1H15 while Dell’s and Lenovo’s both declined from their 1H16 positions. HPE customers are satisfied not only with performance and integration, but also with TCO.

•

Lenovo’s buy again score declined considerably compared to 1H16, but was similar to the prior reporting periods. Customers who were unlikely to buy again most often reported product attributes including performance, reliability and cost as the top drivers.



Key Findings

TBR

Dell’s strong customer loyalty score was driven primarily by customer perceptions of Dell x86-based servers being reliable Top criteria for customers buying again and considering switching TBR

DELL LOYALTY: WILL BUY AGAIN 11%

1% Yes

Yes — Will buy again

% of Yes

Servers are reliable

68.5%

Servers integrate well with our IT environment

41.3%

Server performance meets our expectations

40.2%

Satisfied with TCO

40.2%

Maybe

No 88%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

10

Maybe/Will not buy again

% of Maybe/No

Servers are not reliable enough

38.5%

Server efficiency did not meet our expectations

30.8%

Dissatisfied with TCO

23.1%

Sales staff is not responsive enough

23.1%

Servers have inadequate online technical support

23.1%



Key Findings

TBR

Reliability, performance and integration helped HPE achieve 96% loyalty, besting closest rival by nearly 9 percentage points Top criteria for customers buying again and considering switching TBR


HPE LOYALTY: WILL BUY AGAIN 3% 1% Yes

% of Yes


66.3%

Server performance meets our expectations

47.5%

Servers integrate well with our IT environment

42.6%

Maybe

No 96%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

11


% of Maybe/No


25%

Server efficiency did not meet our expectations

25%

Dissatisfied with TCO

25%



Key Findings

TBR

Lenovo’s customers reported a lower likelihood to buy again than its rivals’, driven primarily by issues with reliability, performance and cost Top criteria for customers buying again and considering switching TBR

LENOVO LOYALTY: WILL BUY AGAIN 17% Yes


% of Yes


65.6%

Server efficiency meets our expectations

32.5%

Servers performance meets our expectations

31.3%

Maybe

No 83%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

12


% of Maybe/No


31.3%

Server performance did not meet our expectations

31.3%

Servers are too expensive

31.3%



Key Findings

TBR

Lenovo and Dell were unable to maintain their above-90% likeliness to recommend, while HPE customers reported strong loyalty in 2H16

85.4%

91.4%

97.0%

86.7%

82.8%

85.3%

81.3%

80.8%

83.8%

81.1%

78.9%

70%

82.8%

80%

85.2%

90%

87.3%

100%

91.1%

VENDOR HISTORICAL SERVER LIKELINESS TO RECOMMEND

TBR

60%

50% 2H14 SOURCE: TBR 2H16

1H15 Dell

2H15 HPE

1H16

2H16

Lenovo

Top customer recommendations After increases in the likeliness to recommend since 1H15, Dell and Lenovo experienced declines from 1H16 while HPE continued to improve and regained the No. 1 spot. Dell customer

“I'm satisfied with the quality of the system, reliability and dependability from start to end of life, and energy efficiency for the price we pay.”

HPE customer

“I am very satisfied with HPE keeping our servers up and running without any major flaws for the last few years. Anytime one of our servers goes down, an HPE tech is there with the parts needed to get us back online.”

Lenovo customer

“Lenovo does a good job of communicating and keeping us up to speed on all changes, updates and new products, and any help we might need to make our company work better and more efficiently.”

13



Key Findings

TBR

Dell customers were less satisfied with the vendor in 2H16, especially in product attributes, dropping Dell from second place to last place TBR

Dell: Server Performance Dashboard Attribute Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost One-time Services and Setup Delivery Time and Product Availability Sales Responsiveness Post-purchase Customer Care Online Product Information Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Performance Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Management Capabilities Product Design/Features Phone Support Availability Phone Support Technical Expertise On-site Response Time On-site Technical Expertise Online Technical Support Ongoing Services and Maintenance Replacement Parts Availability Self-support/Automated Support Social Media Support Loyalty Will Buy Again Would Recommend

2H16 Satisfaction 5.5 5.3 5.4 5.3 5.4 5.2 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.7 5.2 4.8 2H16 Loyalty Metric 87.6 86.7

Industry Rank 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 2 2 Industry Rank 2 2

Satisfaction vs. 1H16 -1.8% -3.6% -3.1% -3.1% -2.9% -5.9% -1.9% -3.1% -1.1% -1.8% -1.5% -1.3% -3.9% 0.4% -2.3% 0.0% -2.5% -0.5% -2.0% 0.7% -4.6% -5.9% Loyalty vs. 1H16 -3.8% -4.8%

Lower levels of customer satisfaction in 2H16 dropped Dell into third place overall Dell customers reported declines in their level of satisfaction for 19 of the 22 satisfaction attributes, including all sales and product attributes, compared to 1H16. Dell’s declining satisfaction resulted in the loss of second place in 13 attributes as HPE moved ahead of Dell. Despite declining satisfaction, Dell’s service attributes provided a bright spot in 2H16 Dell finished 2H16 in second or first place for eight out of nine service attributes, with on-site technical expertise being the lone attribute in which the vendor ranks last among competitors. Additionally, Dell experienced higher levels of satisfaction for two service attributes than in 1H16, helping the vendor to move past Lenovo to finish first in replacement parts availability, a critically important attribute in customer purchase decisions.

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

14



Key Findings

TBR

HPE overcame recent struggles to improve from last place to second place, as satisfaction rose in nearly all 22 attributes TBR

HPE: Server Performance Dashboard Attribute Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost One-time Services and Setup Delivery Time and Product Availability Sales Responsiveness Post-purchase Customer Care Online Product Information Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Performance Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Management Capabilities Product Design/Features Phone Support Availability Phone Support Technical Expertise On-site Response Time On-site Technical Expertise Online Technical Support Ongoing Services and Maintenance Replacement Parts Availability Self-support/Automated Support Social Media Support Loyalty Will Buy Again Would Recommend



Satisfaction vs. 1H16 1.9% 2.1% 3.0% 2.9% 5.0% 2.1% 2.0% 4.7% 1.1% 2.3% 3.4% 2.8% 3.6% 0.7% 2.7% 4.4% 2.4% 4.1% 2.0% 4.6% -1.0% -3.5% Loyalty vs. 1H16 7.8% 4.7%

HPE increased satisfaction scores in 2H16, improving the vendor’s industry rankings HPE moved out of last place and into second place, driven by improvements in 20 of 22 attributes compared to 1H16. Increased customer satisfaction also helped the vendor to improve its industry rankings in 16 attributes, including ongoing hardware reliability and replacement parts availability, in which HPE finished 2H16 in first place. HPE remained behind Lenovo with several attributes, providing opportunities to gain ground HPE’s improvements helped the vendor to pass Dell and become the second-ranked vendor overall; however, the vendor remains in last place for five attributes, including four services attributes. To challenge Lenovo, HPE will need to improve its performance in these areas, especially self-support/automated support and social media support, which declined from their previous levels, providing little opportunity for HPE to challenge Lenovo in the Service Satisfaction Index.

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

15



Key Findings

TBR

Lenovo’s customer satisfaction experienced little change from 1H16 to 2H16, helping the vendor keep its dominant lead and remain No. 1 overall TBR

Lenovo: Server Performance Dashboard Attribute Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost One-time Services and Setup Delivery Time and Product Availability Sales Responsiveness Post-purchase Customer Care Online Product Information Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Performance Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Management Capabilities Product Design/Features Phone Support Availability Phone Support Technical Expertise On-site Response Time On-site Technical Expertise Online Technical Support Ongoing Services and Maintenance Replacement Parts Availability Self-support/Automated Support Social Media Support Loyalty Will Buy Again Would Recommend



Satisfaction vs. 1H16 -2.4% 1.2% 0.0% -0.7% -0.5% 0.9% 0.9% -0.7% -0.2% -0.3% -0.9% -0.7% -0.2% 0.7% -1.2% -0.9% 0.9% 2.2% -0.2% -0.7% -2.8% 1.1% Loyalty vs. 1H16 -9.6% -12.0%

Despite little change in satisfaction, Lenovo remained in the No. 1 spot overall Lenovo continued to have the highest mean customer satisfaction in 21 of 22 attributes in 2H16, with replacement parts availability being the lone attribute in which Lenovo finished in last place. Although Lenovo has maintained a first-place ranking for two years, the vendor has fewer statistically significant advantages in satisfaction than the previous reporting period, as HPE customers report increasing satisfaction. Lenovo was unable to maintain its 1H16 level of brand loyalty Strong increases in satisfaction among Lenovo customers propelled the vendor to the top spot for loyalty in 1H16; however, stagnant levels of satisfaction in 2H16 resulted in Lenovo’s loyalty score returning to early 2015 levels. Lenovo’s buy again percentage fell to 83.3%, down from 92.1% in 1H16, dropping the vendor into last place. Additionally, Lenovo experienced a decrease of 12% in its customers’ likeliness to recommend the brand to a peer.

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

16



TBR

x86-based Server Attribute Analysis

17



2H16 Results by Vendor

TBR

Report attributes and statistical significance key Sales Attributes

Product Attributes

Service and Support Attributes

1. 2. 3.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

4. 5. 6.

Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost One-time Services and Setup Delivery Time and Product Availability Sales Responsiveness Post-purchase Customer Care Online Product Information

Initial Hardware Quality Ongoing Hardware Reliability Performance Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability Total Cost of Ownership Management Capabilities Product Design/Features

Phone Support Availability Phone Support Technical Expertise On-site Response Time On-site Technical Expertise Online Technical Support Replacement Parts Availability Ongoing Services and Maintenance Self-support/Automated Support Social Media Support

Statistical Significance Key

18

Higher mean than Dell — 99% confidence level



Higher mean than HPE — 99% confidence level



Higher mean than Lenovo — 99% confidence level






TBR

HPE’s and Dell’s mean product satisfaction lags behind Lenovo’s as the vendor continues to hold significant leads in most sales attributes OVERALL SERVER CUSTOMERS' AVERAGE SATISFACTION BY SALES ATTRIBUTE

TBR6.00 5.75

5.50 5.25

5.72

5.60 5.45

5.36

5.34 5.34

5.70 5.38 5.45

5.26

5.00

5.36

5.74

5.64

5.64

5.41

5.38 5.41 5.23

4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Sales Satisfaction Drivers •

Lenovo sustained its dominant position in sales attributes, taking the top spot in all six attributes, including significantly higher scores than both Dell and HPE in four of the six attributes.

•

Dell struggled to keep pace with Lenovo and HPE in 2H16, as the vendor finished in third place for delivery time, sales responsiveness and online product information while HPE finished in second or tied for second in all sales attributes except for purchase price.

19




TBR

Lenovo finished 2H16 in first place for all 7 product attributes; however, HPE is close behind the leader in second place OVERALL SERVER CUSTOMERS' AVERAGE SATISFACTION BY PRODUCT ATTRIBUTE

TBR 6.00 5.75 5.50

5.58

5.70

5.83

5.85

5.77 5.79 5.60

5.63

5.73 5.75

5.70 5.52

5.25

5.70 5.42

5.55

5.57 5.43

5.70 5.76

5.70 5.47

5.00 4.75 4.50

4.25 4.00

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Product Satisfaction Drivers •

HPE experienced a significant turnaround in 2H16 in product attributes, as the vendor no longer trails Lenovo by a significant margin in any of the seven product attributes. Additionally, HPE also tied Lenovo for first place in ongoing hardware reliability while finishing slightly behind Lenovo in second place for the remaining six product attributes.

•

Dell fell behind Lenovo, trailing the vendor by a significant margin in TCO, management capabilities and product design.

20




TBR

Lenovo’s sole third-place finish came in the support attributes with replacement parts availability OVERALL SERVER CUSTOMERS' AVERAGE SATISFACTION BY SUPPORT ATTRIBUTE

TBR6.00 5.75

5.50 5.25

5.71

5.61 5.49

5.59 5.46

5.38

5.38

5.53

5.65

5.58 5.46

5.41 5.46

5.46

5.53

5.52 5.49

5.63

5.67 5.65 5.63 5.23

5.00

4.75

5.39

5.46 5.13 4.75 4.70

4.50 4.25

4.00

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Service Satisfaction Drivers •

Dell and HPE chipped away at Lenovo’s lead in support attributes. While having the highest score in all but one attribute (replacement parts availability), Lenovo has fewer significant advantages than in previous reporting periods.

•

Lenovo continued to show its strength in social media support as the only vendor to break the 5.0 barrier, corresponding to “satisfied” on a 7-point Likert scale.

21



TBR

Appendix A x86-based Server Attribute Analysis: Sales Satisfaction

22



Appendix A: Purchase Price/Acquisition Cost — Trends

TBR

Lenovo took the top spot for purchase price satisfaction; however, Dell and HPE are close behind in second and third place, respectively

2H14 SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Dell Customer Comments

1H15 Dell

2H15 HPE

5.45 5.36 5.60

5.74 5.26

5.55

5.13 5.06 5.27

5.15 5.03 5.12

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.13 5.00 5.12

PURCHASE PRICE/ACQUISITION COST SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

HPE Customer Comments

•

“The pricing is usually better than HPE, and I consider Dell a higher quality brand.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Education

•

“HPE servers are relatively cost competitive with a good overall TCO.” — IT Director, Education

•

“They are priced reasonably and perform to our high expectations.” — IT Manager, Education

•

“Prices are competitive and specifications meet our requirements and price.” — CTO, Telecom Services

•

23

2H16

Lenovo

Lenovo Customer Comments •

“They are very price efficient and they are definitely worth the money.” — IT Director, Computer Software

•

“The best money can buy.” — IT Director, Manufacturing

“Great value without sacrificing quality.” — CTO, Computer Software



Appendix A: One-time Services and Setup — Trends

TBR

As Lenovo continued to dominate one-time services and setup satisfaction, it gained a significant lead over Dell


Dell Customer Comments •

•

24

“The time required to deliver and set up the servers exceeded our expectations. We were pleasantly surprised with the improvements in this area.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Business and Legal Services

“Dell set up the servers on the date and time promised.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Pharmaceuticals/Life Sciences/Medical Devices

1H15 Dell

2H15 HPE

1H16

•

“They are always on time and get the job done right.” — IT Director, Manufacturing

•

“HPE sends out a tech person if needed to assist with the initial setup.” — IT Director, Retail

“They were quick, friendly, and on time.” — IT Manager, Industrial Manufacturing


5.72 2H16

Lenovo


•

5.34 5.34

5.65 5.23

5.54

5.32 5.03 4.95

5.07 4.99 5.16

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

4.94 4.90 5.17

ONE-TIME SERVICES AND SETUP SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR


“[Lenovo] offers on-site service and on-site training to our techs to resolve issues in-house as much as possible.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“They are professional and timely. What more is there to want or need?” — CTO, Industrial Manufacturing


Appendix A: Delivery Time and Product Availability — Trends

TBR

Lenovo finished 2H16 significantly ahead of Dell and HPE as it took the No. 1 spot in delivery time and product availability satisfaction

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


2H15 HPE

5.38 5.45 5.70

1H15 Dell

5.55 5.29 5.70

2H14

5.21 5.08 5.31

5.11 5.03 5.18

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.08 5.10 5.14

DELIVERY TIME AND PRODUCT AVAILABILITY SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


•

“Delivery is on time, and if we have any issue our Dell rep takes care of it.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Education

•

“Delivery and setup were on schedule and budget.” — IT Manager, Government

•

“Dell server delivery is very expedient and effective.” — IT Director, Retail

•

“Delivery of HP servers traditionally takes longer than I would expect.” — IT Architect, Industrial Manufacturing

•

25

“Come as promised after the product is ordered. Always timely.” — CTO, Telecommunications Equipment



“They have some of the fastest delivery and setup times across the industry and also provide updates in real time to their clients.” — IT Director, Banking/Financial Services

•

“The delivery came on time.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting


Appendix A: Sales Responsiveness — Trends

TBR

Dell and Lenovo experienced declines in sales responsiveness satisfaction; HPE increased in this area, but not enough to dethrone Lenovo

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


•

26

“The online product information is very detailed and useful. We also have a good working relationship with our sales and care team members.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Business and Legal Services “Our Dell team takes great care of us and always goes the extra mile to make sure we're taken care of.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Education

5.02 4.92 5.23 2H15 HPE

5.26 5.36 5.64

1H15 Dell

5.43 5.21 5.68

2H14

4.88 4.91 5.03

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

SALES RESPONSIVENESS SATISFACTION TRENDS

4.97 4.84 4.98

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


Lenovo Customer Comments

•

“Our project manager has stated the sales responsiveness is quick.” — Analyst/Specialist, Energy and Utilities

•

“We have a dedicated sales and service rep to contact for immediate attention to our needs. ” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“HPE has really turned things around in recent years. Sales responsiveness has been really notable.” — IT Director, Banking

•

“Good solution in a short time.” — IT Director, Computer Software

•

“They seem to be genuinely interested in helping the customer.” — IT Director, Manufacturing



Appendix A: Post-purchase Customer Care — Trends

TBR

HPE improved its post-purchase customer care satisfaction score and no longer trails the leader, Lenovo, by a significant amount

1H15

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“They follow-up each and every time.” — IT Director, Computer Software

•

“Post purchase care is very proactive, which is nice.” — IT Director, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“The post-purchase customer care that Dell gives us is top notch and very professional.” — IT Director, Transportation/Logistics

27

Dell

2H15 HPE

5.67

5.54 1H16

5.38 5.41 5.64

4.96 4.89 5.11

2H14

5.15

5.08 4.99 5.12

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.02 4.99 5.28

POST-PURCHASE CUSTOMER CARE SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

2H16

Lenovo



“They keep track of everything you require and make periodic checks to make sure you are totally satisfied all the way through the whole process and after as well.” — IT Director, Insurance

•

“Our agent went out of their way to make sure we were happy and satisfied and understood everything.” — IT Director, Banking/Financial Services

•

“The post-purchase customer care has been amazing and they are super supportive.” — IT Director, Computer Software



Appendix A: Online Product Information — Trends

TBR

While HPE improved in 2H16, Lenovo continued to possess a significant lead over its competitors in online product information satisfaction



“The Dell website has many relevant documents to find the right product for our needs.” — IT Manager, Education

•

“The online manuals and product fact sheets are very detailed to include capabilities, thresholds and limitations/ recommendations.” —Telecommunication Services

28

1H15 Dell

2H15 HPE

1H16

•

“The HPE website is a great source for the type of information I'm looking for.” — IT Architect, Industrial Manufacturing “Server specifications are well written and most of [the] items that we require for purchasing a server are listed.” — IT Director, Energy/Utilities


5.74 2H16

Lenovo

HPE Customer Comments •

5.23 5.41

5.56 5.30 5.69

5.05 4.91 5.19

5.05 5.02 5.05

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.03 4.98 5.03

ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR


“They have so [detailed] information we don't have to scratch our head.” — CIO, Computer Services

•

“The online product information shows all the specifications we need to be sure of.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting


TBR

Appendix B x86-based Server Attribute Analysis: Product Satisfaction

29



Appendix B: Initial Hardware Quality — Trends

TBR

HPE made a strong push to the top but fell just short as Lenovo took first place in initial hardware quality satisfaction TBR INITIAL HARDWARE QUALITY SATISFACTION

Dell

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“Very high quality, very few problems since day one.” — IT Director, Computer Software

•

“They have [passed] the test of heat and abuse, our users have complimented us on server uptime.” — IT Manager, Industrial Manufacturing

30

2H15 HPE

5.58 5.70 5.83

1H15

5.69 5.59 5.78

2H14

5.40 5.38 5.54

5.26 5.33 5.38

TRENDS

5.39 5.45 5.30

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


“I think I feel this way mostly because of how dependable the servers are out of the box. They allow our company to run the numerous workloads we have going concurrently without slowing down or having a notable dip in performance.” — IT Director, Computer Software


Lenovo Customer Comments “Hardware that we [are] using is really high-end quality and managing accurately.” — Project Manager, Computer Services/IT Consulting


Appendix B: Ongoing Hardware Reliability — Trends

TBR

HPE surged to the top, tying Lenovo for the No. 1 spot in ongoing hardware reliability satisfaction after finishing significantly behind in 1H16

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


•

31

“Very few problems with newer Dell servers. My organization tends to keep servers beyond three years, and Dell servers still maintain reliability.” — IT Director, Government “Dell Servers are extremely reliable and their performance is better than most other servers in the market today.” — IT Director, Transportation/Logistics

2H15 HPE

5.60 5.77 5.79

1H15 Dell

5.78 5.51 5.83

2H14

5.33 5.38 5.56

5.37 5.43 5.29

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.33 5.33 5.39

ONGOING HARDWARE RELIABILITY SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


“HPE servers just run forever. We have next to zero issues ever.” — IT Architect, Manufacturing

•

“HPE hardware is so reliable I'm able to extend the life of the server while reducing my TCO.” — IT Architect, Industrial Manufacturing



“We have had fewer outages since switching to [Lenovo] several years ago.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“I have been in this business for nearly 20 years and never encountered a major problem.” — IT Director, Computer Software


Appendix B: Performance — Trends

TBR

Lenovo maintained its performance satisfaction score, allowing the vendor to remain in first place despite HPE closing in on the lead

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“Performance has been top-notch as we've pushed several servers and have multiple applications or virtual technologies running.” — Telecommunication Services

•

“Dell servers are highly productive and efficient.” — IT Director, Retail

•

“Our company can feel assured that our servers will always operate at their highest potential.” — CTO, Computer Software

32

5.35 5.38 5.64 2H15 HPE

5.63 5.70 5.85

1H15 Dell

5.69 5.64 5.86

2H14

5.34 5.39 5.46

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

PERFORMANCE SATISFACTION TRENDS

5.45 5.48 5.40

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



“We have had some HPE servers for several years that still perform really well. The performance is unlike any other manufacturer’s out there and they are easily managed.” — IT Director, Government

“We've tried a few other companies, and [Lenovo’s] servers have by far the highest sheer processing power and uptime.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting



Appendix B: Virtualization, Efficiency, Scalability — Trends

TBR

Lenovo barely edged out HPE to take the top spot in virtualization, efficiency, scalability satisfaction

1H15

2H15

Dell

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“Very scalable hardware and easy to upgrade.” — CIO, Manufacturing

•

“Have had extremely good success with Dell performance in managing virtualization and growth.” — CIO, Hospital/Healthcare

•

33

“It is easy to virtualize and use our servers for many different capabilities in our environment.” — IT Manager, Education

HPE

5.52 5.73 5.75

5.31 5.37 5.52

2H14

5.62 5.60 5.77

5.24 5.25 5.40

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

VIRTUALIZATION, EFFICIENCY, SCALABILITY SATISFACTION TRENDS

5.40 5.45 5.29

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



•

“HP servers are easily scalable providing me with more flexibility when needed.” — IT Architect, Industrial Manufacturing

•

“I am highly satisfied with the value and scalability because we can do some many things with our HP servers that would cost our company a whole lot more money if we purchased solutions for them separately.” — IT Director, Computer Software


“[Lenovo] has the ability to scale well with the business.” — IT Manager, Computer Hardware, Microprocessors and Components


Appendix B: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — Trends

TBR

Despite a slight decline in TCO satisfaction, Lenovo held off HPE to remain in the top spot TBR TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP SATISFACTION

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“Dell servers save on energy. We are very satisfied with TCO and ROI.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Education

•

“TCO lower than expected.” — CTO, Business Services

•

“The TOC is better than similar offerings.” — IT Manager, Industrial Manufacturing

34

5.19 5.22 5.33 2H15 HPE

5.42 5.55 5.70

1H15 Dell

5.50 5.37 5.75

2H14

5.21 5.07 5.23

TRENDS

5.25 5.22 5.16

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


“Low cost for the quality.” — CIO, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“Very competitive pricing providing the lowest TCO in the industry.” — IT Architect, Industrial Manufacturing



“They are very cost efficient to own and operate” — IT Director, Computer Software

•

“Great value for the price.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting


Appendix B: Management Capabilities — Trends

TBR

Lenovo took first place in management capabilities satisfaction with a significant lead over Dell

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“The features on their servers meet all the requirements of management.” — IT Director, Transportation/Logistics

•

“The capability to remotely connect to servers and [make] internal configuration changes quickly is a huge plus.” — Telecommunication Services

35

2H15 HPE

5.43 5.57 5.70

1H15 Dell

5.50 5.42 5.74

2H14

5.13 5.23 5.40

5.22 5.30 5.16

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.15 5.15 5.22

MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



“They do not require many reboots, [are] easy to maintain and provide monitoring alerts when process/utilization spike or performance deteriorates.” — IT Director, Energy and Utilities

“[Lenovo] always considers consistency, performance and time management, which is why we trust our clients and technology with their brand.” — IT Director, Banking/Financial Services



Appendix B: Product Design/Features — Trends

TBR

Lenovo and HPE finished first and second, respectively, in product design satisfaction, with both vendors significantly ahead of Dell TBR PRODUCT DESIGN/FEATURES SATISFACTION

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

5.24 5.31 5.45 2H15 HPE

5.47 5.70 5.76

1H15 Dell

5.69 5.50 5.77

2H14

5.21 5.19 5.29

TRENDS

5.30 5.35 5.26

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

1H16

2H16

Lenovo




“Although Dell offers the very highestend builds, you have the option to scale down the server to meet customers’ budget. Many times a customer’s expectations of performance is met more easily with the right price.” — IT Manager, Computer Services/IT Consulting

“They are obviously designed well to be able to perform with excellence.” — IT Director, Insurance

“It blends well with the IT environment the company [has] and the competitive features they provide and up-to-date improvement of the features makes us satisfied.” — IT Manager, Retail

36



TBR

Appendix C x86-based Server Attribute Analysis: Service and Support Satisfaction

37



Appendix C: Phone Support Availability — Trends

TBR

All 3 vendors earned improved phone support availability satisfaction; however, Dell and HPE were unable to catch Lenovo

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“Right level of support always available when needed.” — CTO, Business and Legal Services

•

“We are able to receive support every time we call Dell for service.” — Construction/Engineering/ Environmental Services and Equipment

38

2H15 HPE

5.49 5.38 5.61

1H15 Dell

5.47 5.34 5.57

2H14

5.08 5.10 5.35

5.21 5.08 5.11

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.04 5.01 5.22

PHONE SUPPORT AVAILABILITY SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



•

“They are always there and don't put you online with someone that doesn't know what they are talking about.” — CIO, Government

•

“I have always been able to reach the phone support without having to be on hold for long periods of time. They also always get my issues solved in a timely manner and make me feel important as a customer.” — IT Director, Computer Software


•

“They offer prompt attention to needs and generally resolve issues quickly. Additionally, they always provide training to our staff to resolve repeated issues in-house in the future.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“Phone support is available all the time and answered with priority.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting


Appendix C: Phone Support Technical Expertise — Trends

TBR

Lenovo remains the leader in phone support technical expertise satisfaction, albeit no longer with a significant lead over HPE

2H15

Dell

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“The agents are knowledgeable and empowered to assist. We can usually resolve any issues in one or two calls.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Business and Legal Services

•

“It is easy to get a human on the phone and their level of support matches my expectations, they listen to what I have to say and don't require me to go through steps I've already diagnosed.” — IT Manager, Education

39

HPE

5.66

1H16

5.46 5.38 5.59

1H15

5.24

5.08 5.04 5.32

2H14

5.59

4.99 4.94 5.25

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

PHONE SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE SATISFACTION TRENDS

5.23 5.01 5.14

TBR

2H16

Lenovo


•


“They are very knowledgeable when helping us with our issue. The person we talk with is able to resolve the issue.” — IT Architect, Computer Services/IT Consulting “They are very knowledgeable and provide quick assistance.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Insurance


•

“They have been available and responsive. Most importantly, they are knowledgeable and capable.” — IT Director, Retail

•

“Their phone people are absolutely qualified for the job.” — IT Manager, Industrial Manufacturing


Appendix C: On-site Response Time — Trends

TBR

Dell and HPE fell just short of catching Lenovo, which again took the top spot in on-site response time satisfaction

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“Technicians are available when we need them, arrive on time, quickly fix problem.” — IT Director, Government

•

“They have come fast and fixed the problem.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Retail

•

“Dell support responds immediately and does the job right.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Energy/Utilities

40

Dell

HPE

5.53 5.46 5.58

2H15

5.63

1H15

5.23

5.04 5.12 5.36

2H14

5.53

5.04 4.98 5.30

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

ON-SITE RESPONSE TIME SATISFACTION TRENDS

5.20 5.05 5.20

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



•

“Technicians always arrive promptly and follow through until the issue is resolved.” — Analyst/Specialist, Pharmaceuticals/Life Sciences/Medical Devices

•

“I am always surprised at how quickly someone is sent out for use when I request it. This is important, as the company cannot tolerate much downtime at all.” — CTO Construction/Engineering/Environmental Services and Equipment

•

“Whenever these has been an issue, HPE has dispatched with the responsive time.” — IT Manager, Government

•

“Very fast to arrive.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting



Appendix C: On-site Technical Expertise — Trends

TBR

Lenovo and HPE built significant leads over Dell in 2H16, with Lenovo finishing first and HPE second in on-site technical expertise satisfaction

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


2H15 HPE

5.41 5.46 5.71

1H15 Dell

5.55 5.33 5.66

2H14

5.03 5.12 5.34

5.20 5.06 5.20

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.00 5.01 5.29

ON-SITE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



•

“They are highly experienced and dig right in when they get there.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Electronics Manufacturing

•

“On-site techs appear to be HPE branded and have been familiar with the product line.” — IT Architect, Industrial Manufacturing

•

“They were capable when they were on-site, and they took the time to talk about the product and its functionality.” — IT Director, Retail

•

“The techs are knowledgeable, efficient, and often go above and beyond. We can have our problems addressed and be back up at 100% capacity quickly.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Business and Legal Services

•

“They know what they are doing and are quick to replace a part.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Hospital/Healthcare

•

“Every time they have showed up the problems have been addressed and fixed within a very short time frame.” — IT Director, Computer Software

41



Appendix C: Online Technical Support — Trends

TBR

Despite increased satisfaction among HPE customers, Lenovo remains in first place for online technical support satisfaction



1H15 Dell

2H15 HPE

5.46 5.53 5.65

5.49 5.31 5.53

5.05 5.02 5.29

5.22 5.03 5.10

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.04 4.98 5.22

ONLINE TECHNICAL SUPPORT SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16


•

“It’s a good site where you can research issues and often find resolutions.” — IT Director, Business and Legal Services

•

“My technicians rave about the online support and say it is really helpful in resolving their issues quickly.” — IT Director, Government

•

“The support website has a wealth of knowledge related to common issues or design questions. Online chat has been superb with supporting regular questions.” — Other, Telecommunication Services

•

“Online service and chat is more than acceptable and useful, we prefer it to the social media support.” — IT Director, Computer Software

42


2H16

Lenovo


“The online services through the website turned out to be a money saver and educational tool as well.” — IT Director, Banking/Financial Services

•

“I love the ability to talk to an expert through chat rather that taking the time to make a call and wait on hold.” — IT Director, Computer Software


Appendix C: Replacement Parts Availability — Trends

TBR

Dell and HPE narrowly beat out Lenovo to tie for first place in replacement parts availability satisfaction

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


2H15 HPE

5.67 5.65 5.63

1H15 Dell

5.63 5.40 5.67

2H14

5.29 5.24 5.40

5.33 5.25 5.18

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

5.15 5.19 5.25

REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABILITY SATISFACTION TRENDS

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


•

“Replacements parts always available within a 24-hour window.” — IT Director, Government

•

“Replacement parts are available always.” — Analyst/Specialist, Energy/Utilities

•

“When we do experience issues, replacement parts are shipped quickly and implemented in a very quick fashion.” — Telecommunication Services

•

“They are the best at parts. They have them immediately available and get them to us the same day or next day every time.” — CIO, Government

43



“We have only needed this once, but the response time for replacement parts was quick and efficient.” — IT Director, Retail

•

“If something goes wrong, we can order replacement parts rather than trashing the entire thing.” — IT Director, Computer Services/IT Consulting


Appendix C: Ongoing Services and Maintenance — Trends

TBR

Dell lost its first-place crown as Lenovo regained sole possession of first place in ongoing services and maintenance satisfaction

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


•

44

“It's easy to deal with any maintenance or repairs. The online tools are also easy to use and very detailed.” — IT EVP/SVP/VP, Business and Legal Services “Dell is very proactive in their ongoing support. They do not wait for us to call with a problem to communicate with us.” — IT Director, Hospital/Healthcare

5.20 5.11 5.38 2H15 HPE

5.52 5.49 5.63

1H15 Dell

5.63 5.38 5.64

2H14

5.11 5.11 5.27

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

ONGOING SERVICES AND MAINTENANCE SATISFACTION TRENDS

5.25 5.11 5.17

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo



“We've had a longstanding relationship with HPE. Several years ago, we had some issues, but HPE has really turned things around, especially with ongoing maintenance and selfsupport features.” — IT Director, Banking and Financial Services

•

“They have great maintenance on all of their products.” — IT Manager, Chemicals

•

“The contract that we have includes on-site maintenance and tech support. We have everything we need to succeed with our company thanks to them.” — IT Director, Banking/Financial Services



Appendix C: Self-support/Automated Support — Trends

TBR

All 3 vendors experienced declines in self-support/automated support satisfaction in 2H16

2H15

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


“These services are highly effective and efficient.” — IT Director, Retail

•

“Self-support enables us to save time.” — IT Manager, Mining/Metals/Oil and Gas

•

45

“I prefer to use their self-support, and it’s solid.” — IT Director, Pharmaceuticals

Dell

HPE

5.62

5.23 5.13 5.46

1H15

5.18

5.00 4.96 5.26

2H14

5.48

4.94 4.97 5.12

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

SELF-SUPPORT/AUTOMATED SUPPORT SATISFACTION TRENDS

5.08 4.96 5.02

TBR

1H16

2H16

Lenovo


•

“The self-support features help my techs save time in resolving low level issues.” — IT Director, Government “Self-support is not a complicated process.” — IT Director, Electronics Manufacturing



“They have great support and fix problems within great time frames.” — IT Manager, Computer Hardware

•

“The automated phone service is abysmal.” — CTO, Construction/Engineering/Environmental Services and Equipment


Appendix C: Social Media Support — Trends

TBR

Lenovo continues to dominate social media support satisfaction, easily defeating Dell and HPE to take first place

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Dell

2H15 HPE

1H16

5.39 4.75 4.70

5.05 4.87 5.33

1H15

4.82

2H14

4.40 4.40

4.48 4.46 4.69

6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 4.75 4.50 4.25 4.00

SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT SATISFACTION TRENDS

4.52 4.40 4.72

TBR

2H16

Lenovo




“We have not had any problems with the Dell server online services or social media support.” — IT Director, Transportation/Logistics

“We are not fan of social media support on HPE’s site, in fact, we stopped going to their support site, they have become terribly bad on their support site because they keep on changing the site, their Chinese support site management team is below standard.” — IT Director, Energy and Utilities

“It is amazing at how quickly someone contacts me when I ask a question or leave a comment on the Facebook and/or Twitter pages. Just the fact that these options exist is extremely helpful, and then add to the timeliness of contact, it’s just a great system.” — CTO, Construction/Engineering/Environmental Services and Equipment

46



TBR

Appendix D Firmographics

47



Firmographics

TBR

1H16 Sample Overview Surveys collected between Sept. 8, 2016, and Nov. 6, 2016

SERVER RESPONDENTS

TBR

Respondents

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Total

101

102

101

304

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

48



Firmographics

TBR

Servers Installed and Purchased

SERVER INSTALLS AND PURCHASES

TBR

Servers Installed Currently

280,226

Servers Purchased in the Past 12 Months

48,003

Average Percent of Installed Servers Purchased in the Past 12 Months Server Purchases Planned in the Next 12 Months Average Percent of Installed Servers Planned for Purchase in the Next 12 Months

17%

51,213

18%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

49



Firmographics

TBR

Company Size by Annual Revenue

COMPANY SIZE BY ANNUAL REVENUE TBR

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Total

I don’t know

3%

4%

1%

3%

Less than $100 million

13%

8%

8%

10%

$100 million – $249 million

15%

19%

14%

16%


19%

9%

19%

15%


13%

10%

10%

11%

$1 billion – $4.9 billion

20%

27%

30%

25%

$5 billion – $9.9 billion

9%

11%

8%

10%

$10 billion or more

9%

12%

8%

10%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

Notes: 2H16 firmographic data based on information provided by x86-based server sample only. Totals that do not add to 100% are due to rounding. Lenovo represents respondents who have purchased System x servers.

50



Firmographics

TBR

Company and IT Department Size by Number of Employees COMPANY SIZE

TBR

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Total

500 - 999 employees

28%

18%

25%

24%

1,000 - 4,999 employees

39%

38%

50%

41%

5,000 - 9,999 employees

11%

10%

12%

11%

10,000 or more employees

22%

34%

13%

24%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16

IT DEPARTMENT SIZE

TBR

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Total

26%

25%

18%

24%

Medium 51 - 300 IT employees

38%

39%

29%

36%

Large

35%

36%

53%

40%

Small

50 or fewer IT employees

Over 300 IT employees

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


51



Firmographics

TBR

Respondents’ Titles

RESPONDENT TITLE

TBR

Dell

HPE

Lenovo

Total

CIO/CTO

20%

23%

35%

25%

IT EVP/SVP/VP

8%

9%

12%

10%

IT Director

32%

30%

30%

31%

IT Manager

26%

23%

23%

24%

IT Analyst/Specialist

12%

13%

0%

9%

Other

1%

2%

0%

1%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


52



Firmographics

TBR

Industry TBR Aeros pa ce/Defens e Ba nki ng/Fi na nci a l Servi ces Bus i nes s a nd Lega l Servi ces Computer Servi ces /IT Cons ul ting Computer Softwa re Cons truction/Engi neeri ng/Env Servi ces Cons umer Pa cka ged Goods Educa ti on ─ Pri va te/Tra i ni ng Educa ti on ─ Publ i c El ectroni cs Ma nufa cturi ng Energy/Util i ties Government ─ Federa l Government ─ State/Loca l Hos pi tal /Hea l thca re ─ Pri va te Hos pi tal /Hea l thca re ─ Publ i c Ins ura nce Indus tri a l Ma nufa cturi ng Ma nufa cturi ng ─ Other Medi a /Publ i s hi ng Pha rma ceutica l s /Li fe Sci ences Retai l /Whol es a l e Tel ecommuni ca tions Tra ns portation/Logi s tics Other

INDUSTRY Dell 1% 9% 5% 17% 3% 8% 1% 3% 6% 1% 3% 3% 4% 1% 1% 3% 5% 8% 1% 2% 7% 3% 3% 4%

HPE 2% 10% 6% 11% 3% 1% 1% 2% 2% 1% 8% 2% 3% 4% 8% 4% 3% 12% 1% 1% 7% 3% 1% 1%

Lenovo 0% 11% 2% 21% 9% 8% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 2% 3% 3% 0% 9% 2% 0% 1% 15% 7% 2% 3%

Total 1% 10% 5% 16% 5% 5% 1% 2% 3% 1% 4% 2% 3% 3% 4% 2% 5% 8% 1% 1% 9% 4% 2% 3%

SOURCE: TBR 2H16


53



TBR

Appendix E Analytical Procedures and Survey Instrument

54



Analytical Procedures and Survey Instrument

TBR

Satisfaction •

At the beginning of the survey, respondents select what brand of servers they purchased most in the past 12 months. This brand is their “primary brand” for the remainder of the server survey questions.

•

Respondents rate their satisfaction with servers from their primary brand on 24 attributes using a 7point Likert scale. Respondents rate satisfaction separately for blade and rack x86-based servers. o

Question: How satisfied are you with each of the following attributes of {Primary Brand} {Blade/Rack} servers?

Value Scale

55

1 Extremely Dissatisfied

2 Very Dissatisfied

3 Dissatisfied

4 Neutral

5 Satisfied

6 Very Satisfied

7 Extremely Satisfied

•

The mean satisfaction scores (S) for each attribute by vendor are calculated for both server types, and for blade and rack servers separately.

•

TBR uses an independent sample t-test assuming unequal variances or the standard student’s t-test. Three  levels are used in the analysis: 0.1 (90%), 0.05 (95%) and 0.01 (99%).




TBR

Importance •

Respondents rate the importance of the 24 total factors when making their purchase decision for x86-based servers. o

o

Question: When making your last server purchase, how important were the following attributes to your organization? Please move each attribute on the left into one of the categories on the right by dragging and dropping them. You can move as few or as many attributes into one particular category as you like. Categories: Value 1 2 3 Scale

•

Less Important

Important

Critical

Importance ratings are used for three key analyses in understanding customer perceptions and are applied to each vendor’s server responses.

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1.

Importance Multiplier by Brand — Average importance across all attributes for that specific brand (I) is divided by the average importance across all attributes of all brands to determine an Importance Multiplier (M). The Importance Multipliers are used to help determine the TBR Weighted Satisfaction Index.

2.

Attribute Importance Weight by Brand — Each attribute mean importance score by brand (I) is divided by the sum of that brand’s mean importance scores to determine a relative Importance Weight (W). The Importance Weights are used in the TBR Satisfaction Indices.

3.

Attribute Importance Level by Brand — To determine what attributes are “Critical,” “Important” and “Less Important” for each brand, the following methodology is applied. o Important Cut-off: Average WBrand y - ½ the standard deviation of the 21 WBrand y o Critical Cut-off: Average WBrand y + ½ the standard deviation of the 21 WBrand y o Less Important Attribute: An attribute with an importance weight that is less than the Important Cut-off o Important Attribute: An attribute with an importance weight that is greater than the Important Cut-off and less than the Critical Cut-off o Critical Attribute: An attribute with an importance weight that is greater than the Critical Cut-off




TBR

TBR Satisfaction Index •

The TBR Weighted Satisfaction Index comprises four indices: ((0.3*Product Sat. Index + 0.3*Sales Sat. Index + 0.3*Service Sat. Index)*Importance Multiplier) + 0.1*Loyalty Index

•

Attribute Scores: TBR uses the mean satisfaction score of all respondents by vendor to compare vendor performance by attribute.

•

Attribute scores are aggregated into three distinct indices (Note: If a vendor receives a perfect seven mean satisfaction score for all attributes within an index, the index score equals 100): 1. Sales Satisfaction Index — The sum of the sales attribute scores by vendor (six satisfaction attributes) 2. Product Satisfaction Index — The sum of the product attribute scores by vendor (seven satisfaction attributes) 3. Service Satisfaction Index — The sum of the service attribute scores by vendor (nine satisfaction attributes)

•

The fourth element of the TBR Weighted Satisfaction Index is a measure of loyalty:

4. Loyalty Index — The average percent of respondents who indicated they would buy servers from that vendor again and percent of respondents who indicated they would recommend it to a professional peer, all multiplied by 100. 100 ∗

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% 𝐵𝑢𝑦 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 + % 𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑑 2




TBR

Key Survey Questions

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TBR

Key Survey Questions Would you recommend {Brand} {segment} {notebooks/desktops/servers} to a professional peer? Yes Maybe/Undecided No Will your organization buy {Brand} {segment} {notebooks/desktops/servers} again? Yes Maybe/Undecided No If “No” or “Maybe/Undecided” to Buy Again Which of the following reasons best describes why your organization is not likely to purchase {Brand} {segment} {notebooks/desktops/servers} again? Please select up to five. [Brand] [form factor] are not reliable enough [Brand] [form factor] performance did not meet our expectations [Brand] [form factor] did not meet our efficiency expectations [Brand] [form factor] use too much energy [Brand] [form factor] did not integrate well with our IT environment Dissatisfied with the total cost of ownership (TCO) [Brand] [form factor] are a poor value [Brand] [form factor] are too expensive Dissatisfied with the management capabilities [Brand] [form factor] are difficult to set up [Brand] [form factor] are lacking necessary features [Brand] [form factor] are poorly designed [Brand] [form factor] have long delivery times [Brand] sales staff is not responsive enough Dissatisfied with phone support Dissatisfied with on-site support [Brand] [form factor] have inadequate online technical support [Brand] [form factor] have insufficient remote managed services Dissatisfied with ongoing services and maintenance Replacement parts are not available quickly enough We do not need to buy [form factor] because we are using cloud computing/on-demand services We are buying another brand of [form factor] instead

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TBR

Key Survey Questions

60




TBR

Key Survey Questions IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH PHONE SUPPORT RESPONSIVENESS OR EXPERTISE Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} phone support. IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH ON-SITE RESPONSE TIME OR EXPERTISE Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} on-site support. IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH ONLINE SUPPORT Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} online services and/or social media support. IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH REPLACEMENT PARTS, SELF-SUPPORT/AUTOMATED SUPPORT OR ONGOING SERVICES Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} ongoing maintenance, self-support features or replacement parts availability. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH PHONE SUPPORT RESPONSIVENESS OR EXPERTISE Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} phone support. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH ON-SITE RESPONSE TIME OR EXPERTISE Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} on-site support. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH ONLINE SUPPORT OR REMOTE MANAGED SERVICES Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} online services. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH REPLACEMENT PARTS, SELF-SUPPORT/AUTOMATED SUPPORT OR ONGOING SERVICES Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} ongoing maintenance, self-support features or replacement parts availability.

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TBR

Key Survey Questions IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH INITIAL HARDWARE QUALITY, ONGOING HARDWARE QUALITY & RELIABILITY, PERFORMANCE, MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES OR PRODUCT DESIGN/FEATURES Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} hardware reliability, performance, features or management capabilities. IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH PURCHASE VIRTUALIZATION, EFFICIENCY, SCALABILITY OR TCO Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} scalability or value. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH INITIAL HARDWARE QUALITY, ONGOING HARDWARE QUALITY & RELIABILITY, PERFORMANCE, MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES OR PRODUCT DESIGN/FEATURES Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} hardware reliability, performance, features or management capabilities. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH PURCHASE PRICE OR TCO Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} scalability or value. IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH DELIVERY TIME OR ONE-TIME SERVICES AND SETUP Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} delivery or setup. IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH SALES RESPONSIVENESS, ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION OR POST-PURCHASE CUSTOMER CARE Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} online product information, sales responsiveness or post-purchase customer care.

IF “VERY SATISFIED” OR “EXTREMELY SATISFIED” WITH PURCHASE PRICE Please explain why you are highly satisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} purchase price. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH SALES RESPONSIVENESS, DELIVERY TIME, OR ONE-TIME SERVICES AND SETUP Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} ease of doing business, delivery or setup. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH SALES RESPONSIVENESS, ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION OR POSTPURCHASE CUSTOMER CARE Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} online product information, sales responsiveness or post-purchase customer care. IF “EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED,” “VERY DISSATISFIED” OR “DISSATISFIED” WITH PURCHASE PRICE Please explain why you are dissatisfied with {Brand’s} {servers} purchase price.

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