XBOX 360’s Fail at an Alarming Rate
CNET UK performed a poll recently that had somewhat alarming results when it comes to exploring reliability in consoles. The PS3 and Wii did quite well, with a %16 and %6 failure rate respectively. Microsoft’s pet console, the XBOx 360, doesn’t fare nearly as well. The famed red ring of death has haunted the system to the tune of a %60 failure rate. With most products, a failure of over half of the products sold would lead to massive refunds and recalls, and probably a very tough time for the manufacturer. Microsoft, however, is still the arguable leader in this generation’s console race.
Part of Microsoft’s success could be attributed to the quality of customer service offered on the occasion of system failure. When my system failed after three years of use, I found the folks at Microsoft customer service to be very helpful. They paid for my shipping costs (should be completely expected), but then also threw in a little bonus. I got a free month of XBOX LIVE Gold. It turned out to be something of a catalyst for me, as I had previously avoided getting hooked on the monthly service. I now pay for a subscription every three months. Maybe that really is why Microsoft has saved face, and still made money, despite the massive failure rate. Perhaps they have given enough rewards to customers as a result of system failure to overcome the negative press that comes with technical shortcomings.
Source: CNET
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