That’s the underlying question in PCWorld’s story Technology’s Most (and Least) Reliable Brands. Of course, many brands under discussion include so many products a sweeping generalization doesn’t fit. One thing does fit, however: brands with poor quality and poor customer support echo the attitude of their top executives. Some companies, and executive teams, make decisions to cut corners and cut support, so you can feel free to cut them loose.
Since the majority of small businesses buy technology products at retail or from local dealers, your personal point of technology contact makes a huge difference. Good dealers smooth the rough edges of bad brands, and bad dealers tarnish good brands. Even clerks at the retail level impact your satisfaction with a brand, something the executive team at Circuit City forgot when they fired sales people making “too much money” last year. I know I certainly rush out to buy from bad salespeople, don’t you?
All that aside, brands well known for high quality are a safer bet for individual products than brands with a reputation for poor quality. Think of cars. Honda and Toyota rank at the highest levels of quality by all objective measures, leaving other brands in their wake. Can you get a bad Honda or Toyota? Yes. Are you less likely to get a bad car from a company well known for quality than from a company known for poor quality and recalls? Yes.
A poor quality product can be fixed or replaced. But if the supplier of your brand doesn’t provide good service to fix or replace a bad product, vote with your feet and walk away.
