For the past three reporting periods, the company was also ranked number one in customer satisfaction for its corporate desktops. Leading customer satisfaction scores in TBR's studies for both corporate notebooks and desktops show that Gateway's investment in purely North American technical support for U.S. customers is being rewarded. According to the recent TBR report, it is the quality of Gateway's customer relationships that largely contributed to its status.

Gateway's mean satisfaction positions continue to set new records. In spite of industry-wide shortages, Gateway rated significantly higher than the industry average in replacement parts availability and ease of doing business. Customer loyalty improved substantially and scores for phone support, notebook value, delivery and repair time remained stable.

"Customer care is a top priority at Gateway," said Ed Coleman, Gateway chief executive officer. "We're very pleased that customers continue to appreciate our high standards for quality and service. It is our goal to continually exceed our customer's expectations with progressive process improvements designed to deliver high quality products in a timely, professional manner."

"Of all players, Gateway's performance has improved most significantly and its momentum continues to build," said Julie Perron, Technology Business Research manager of primary research. "Gateway has established an excellent reputation for customer service, a particularly notable achievement considering its corporate customers have the industry's highest-Gateway