3Com Widens Modems Lead
Computer Reseller News - June 21, 1999
The annual CRN Channel Champions poll always makes one point clear.
When resellers have to choose between price and quality, they go with
premium-brand vendors that deliver exceptional quality every time.
For the third straight year, 3Com Corp., Santa Clara, Calif.,
and its premium-brand U.S. Robotics modems walked away with
the Channel Champions title. In fact, the vendor raised its
satisfaction rating and widened its lead over its rivals.
This year's Channel Champions survey also showed that the
competitive playing field has undergone major changes over the
past year. A vendor that failed to make the cut in earlier polls,
Diamond Multimedia, San Jose, Calif., is now 3Com's main
challenger. Last year's rivals-Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc.
and Boca Research-dropped out of sight in this year's polling.
3Com proved insurmountable in the overall ratings, earning a
reseller satisfaction score of 5.6 and putting it in a whole
other league from Diamond, with its 5.0.
The market leader also won outright in seven out of eight areas of the
survey. In price/performance, it tied with Diamond, with a 5.3.
3Com received its highest rating, 6.2, for product quality and reliability,
outdistancing Diamond's 5.3.
Resellers pointed to this as 3Com's major asset. "I use U.S. Robotics
because I can always get them to work," said Dorris Updyke, owner and
principal with Monte Vista Computers, Oakland, Md.
Now we use [U.S. Robotics] almost 100 percent because they connect at a
higher rate of speed, and we have less difficulty and overall maintenance
problems with them," he said.
Donna Currie, owner of BC Computer, Longmont, Colo., said she uses 3Com
products such as the OfficeConnect 56K LAN modem for Ethernet LAN
networks. "I haven't had a single one come back from an installation
that went bad," she said.
3Com said product quality and reliability are critical in this market.
"Users have little flexibility when it comes to downtime, and our
company understands that," said William Markey, director of market
development for 3Com's consumer marketing group, Rolling Meadows, Ill.
Markey said 3Com is logging fewer technical calls than in past years,
which shows that the company's focus on quality is paying off.
3Com earned its widest margin of victory in the area of compatibility
and upgradability, where it received a 5.9 and Diamond, a 4.9
"They are probably the best there is as far as plug-and-play ease of
installation," said Glen Reiver, owner of Global Computer Service,
Palm Desert, Calif. "I've never had any problems with them."
"It's just a solid product," said Eric Suzuki, owner of ETS Associates,
a reseller in Waimanalo, Hawaii.
Resellers also rated 3Com's support for its channel partners at a
higher level than its rival. In vendor response time, 3Com bested
Diamond 5.4 to 4.9. 3Com's technical support rating of 5.4 was also
well above Diamond's 4.8.
Some VARs said technical support is not a big concern because they
rarely need it with 3Com's modems. "I haven't had to call them at all,
because I've had no technical problems," said Updyke.
Resellers also were pleased with 3Com's return policies, an area that
3Com won with a 5.4 vs. Diamond's 5.0. Both vendors rated high in
product availability, but 3Com's 6.1 rating was a notch ahead of
Diamond's 5.8.
The one area where 3Com scored no better than Diamond was in
price/performance, where both earned a 5.3. "That's the only drawback,
the price," Suzuki said. "Relatively, in this market, [3Com's prices
are] very high."
3Com acknowledges that its modems are not cheap. "We don't apologize
for being a premium vendor," Markey said.
1999 Champion
Manufacturer: 3Com Corp.
Headquarters: Santa Clara, Calif.
Popular Products: U.S. Robotics; Courier V.Everything; OfficeConnect
Key Strengths: Product quality and reliability; upgradability
and compatibility; vendor technical support
Rank Last Year: First
Reseller Comment: "They are probably the best there is as far as
plug-and-play ease of installation. I've never had any problems with
them," says Glen Reiver of Global Computer Service, Palm Desert, Calif.
Copyright ® 1999 CMP Media Inc.
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