Low customer approval rates are adding to the troubles of America Online Internet service, according to a survey.
According to the University of Michigan's America Customer Satisfaction Index, out of a possible score of 100, AOL posted a customer satisfaction rate of 59, lowest in the online category. Yahoo! led the way in that sector with a 76, and Microsoft's MSN came in next at 72.
The average for an Internet portal, a central jumping off place for the rest of the Web, was 68.
That low figure for the 35-million strong online service would usually topple a consumer company, said one of the study's authors. However, if that company is dominant in the field, consumer satisfaction is not a crucial factor, said University of California professor Mr Claes Fornell.
An AOL spokesman derided the survey, saying AOL offered more services than that of a portal and that the service's own figures show that its customer satisfaction rates are hitting record levels.
AOL/Time Warner, the world's largest media conglomerate that swallowed the AOL service in 2000, has been under investigation by securities regulators over allegations of financial irregularities. The company is also suffering severe money woes as the world's advertising markets dwindle.
AFP