Customer Purchases of Windows 98 Upgrade Licenses Exceed 1 Million Units

REDMOND, Wash., July 17, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. estimates that more than 1 million upgrade licenses for the Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system have been obtained at retail by customers in North America since the product’s June 25 release. In addition, Microsoft reports high customer satisfaction with Windows 98, with nine out of 10 home users of Windows 98 stating they are satisfied with the product, as measured by Telecommunications Research Group (TRG), an independent market research firm.

“It’s nice to see Windows 98 off to such a great start,”
said Brad Chase, vice president of Windows marketing and developer relations for Microsoft.
“Delivering a high-quality product that provides customers with the best possible upgrade experience is our top priority, and we are happy to report that calls to technical support are approximately half of what we experienced with Windows 95.”

“When the product launched three weeks ago, we were thrilled with the enthusiastic response from our customers,”
said Larry Mondry, executive vice president of merchandizing for CompUSA Inc.
“Sales continue to exceed our expectations, and our customers report being very satisfied with Windows 98.”

Customers Report High Levels of Product Satisfaction

Extensive testing and a focus on quality in the development of Windows 98 have led to a high level of satisfaction among customers, as measured by a survey conducted by TRG. The research firm conducted a telephone survey with a random sample of 285 consumer users of Windows 98 in the United States (with an accuracy of plus or minus 4.9 percent at the 90 percent confidence level). TRG reported that nine out of 10 of these respondents said they were somewhat satisfied or very satisfied with Windows 98, and more than one in two have already recommended it to someone else. In addition, 72 percent of respondents felt Windows 98 was easier to set up and install than Windows 95, and 75 percent felt Windows 98 was a good investment for the future.

Product Support-Call Volume Lower Than for Windows 95

The quality of Windows 98 is also reflected in the level and type of calls taken by Microsoft Technical Support. Windows 98 is currently generating approximately one-half the volume of calls compared to Windows 95. Ensuring that customers have a positive upgrade experience was a top priority for Windows 98, and part of the reduction in call volume is due to Windows 98 being easier to install. However, Microsoft is actively monitoring customer feedback and is committed to ensuring that customers have the best PC experience possible. In an effort to ensure that customers receive the support they need, Microsoft Technical Support is continually updating Support Online http://www.microsoft.com/support/ to provide users with the latest support information and service via the Web. In addition, as on the previous three weekends, Microsoft plans to extend telephone support hours into the weekend, with no-charge support available on Saturday, July 18 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific time.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

For online product information:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/

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