In an industry where the highest valued companies (Microsoft, Apple or Google) can count their age in mere decades, IBM goes all the way to the 1880s. Hollerith’s counting machine, whose patent was later purchased by what will become IBM, pioneered the earliest type of digital recording of information. Yet, IBM’s success is the product not of squeezing the last electron from computer chips, but of selling peace of mind. About 50% of IBM’s revenue comes from services. By this account, IBM is the greatest customer service company there was.
via the Economist IBM: 1100100 and counting.