America Online received a "huge vote of disapproval" from its users in a survey that showed nearly half its 8 million users were disgruntled enough to consider junking the service during its networking troubles earlier this year.
The survey by New York research firm FIND/SVP only looked at only 1,000 AOL users. It's still an awkward time for AOL to have a spotlight cast on customer disaffection: The company recently staged a fancy dog-and-pony show for analysts to win over Wall Street's affections.
Some 16 percent of Internet users are AOL alumni. Those may soon be joined by millions of others. Of AOL users, 8 percent surveyed said they'd definitely leave the service this year, another 8 percent "very likely" would, and 29 percent thought it "somewhat likely." The angriest were consumers that advertisers are trying to reach - users and families with more than one source of income.
The survey was conducted in February and March, when AOL networking problems shut out many users who tried repeatedly to dial in. AOL has since taken steps to fix those problems, but it may be too late for many.
"Granting that not all of these intentions will actually materialize, they still represent a huge vote of disapproval," the survey report said.
FIND/SVP waved the AOL figures before the press to peddle publicity for its 1997 American Internet User Survey released Thursday.
