The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) today released their 2011 customer satisfaction ratings for the PC industry.  Not surprisingly, Apple once again led the industry in customer satisfaction by a wide margin.

“Apple’s record of customer satisfaction preeminence in the personal computer industry continues unabated in 2011, as the company adds another point to its already exceptional score. At 87 (+1%), Apple outdistances its nearest competitor by 9 points.“

While the correlation between customer satisfaction and corporate performance has been well analyzed, Apple’s stellar performance during their reign atop the ACSI rankings are impressive.

“In the eight years that Apple has led the PC industry in customer satisfaction, its stock price has increased by 2,300%,” stated  Claes Fornell, founder of the ACSI and author of The Satisfied Customer: Winners and Losers in the Battle for Buyer Preference. “Apple’s winning combination of innovation and product diversification—including spinning off technologies into entirely new directions—has kept the company consistently at the leading edge.”

Of special note is the differentiation between Apple’s record-setting score of 87 and the 9-point gap to its nearest competitor.  As we’ve discussed here before, customer experience mediocrity rarely pays. However, by delivering a truly differentiated customer experience, Apple’s overall performance has significantly outpaced its competitors: While Apple’s stock climbed over 2,300%, Hewlett Packard’s stock grew by only 22% for the same period.