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Ever since 1994, PC World has polled readers to find out which computer makers offer the most reliable equipment and the best technical support. Thanks to the weak economy and some disturbing trends noted in last year's poll, this year's survey may be the most important one yet.

First, the disturbing part. After years of relatively steady improvement, the 2001 study showed a dip in customer service. Compared to participants the year before, our 27,000 respondents said that they waited on hold longer for help, that the tech reps were less knowledgeable, and that resolving problems took longer. One in ten people said their problems were never fixed, compared to one in thirteen a year ago.

The explanation seems simple. Like other tech companies, PC makers were slammed by the economic slowdown. Some cut back on service to trim costs. And that generally means laying off phone support staffers and emphasizing e-mail, online chat, and Web-based self-help instead.

Given the dreadful economy, it's hard to criticize these moves. But last year's survey showed PC World readers were particularly unhappy with e-mail and Web support. In fact, of the thousands of readers who said that they had e-mailed questions to manufacturers about their malfunctioning computers, only 25 percent reported that the answer they got back actually solved their problem.

So what's happened since then? You might expect that with flat-to-falling sales, customer service would sink even further. But it's also possible that PC makers have learned their lesson: Dell Computer, for example, last year discontinued its online interactive support tool, blaming poor "customer experience" as the reason.

We'd like to know what you think, so we're inviting all subscribers to participate in this year's Reliability and Service survey. "We're hoping to collect as much data as possible so we have a better chance of giving readers a thorough evaluation," says Senior Editor Ed Albro, who--along with Executive Editor Harry McCracken and Senior Research Analyst Lisa Huck--is overseeing the survey this year.

As an inducement, everyone who answers the questionnaire will automatically be entered in PC World's drawing for a new Dell Pentium 4 desktop loaded with great features like a 17-inch flat-panel display and a DVD-RW drive. Only subscribers can take the survey, but the Web page--which spells out the complete rules--explains how nonsubscribers can participate in the drawing. And even if you don't subscribe, you can still evaluate products at PCWorld.com.

Speaking of tech support, if you've had service problems lately, you may want to check out Daniel Tynan's "Do Online Complaints Pay Off?" Also in this issue, Scott Dunn helps you unleash Windows' hidden powers; Carla Thornton and Grace Aquino rate 16 handhelds and PDA/cell phones; and Aquino, Ed Albro, Alan Stafford, and Michael Gowan uncover 23 valuable add-ons and upgrades priced at $100 or less each. Comments? Send them to kevin_mckean@pcworld.com.

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