DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Nov 14, 2013) - Parks Associates research finds growing consumer interest in smart home automation solutions, with 26% of U.S. broadband households planning to purchase a smart thermostat during the 2013 holiday season. The ongoing influx of these emerging devices is expanding tech support opportunities from initial setup and integration to include compatibility, network performance, and service support, which can extend throughout the lifecycle of a device.
Parks Associates and Support.com, a leading provider of cloud-based technology services and software, will address these issues in the complimentary webcast "Evolving Technical Support for the Connected Home," November 19 at 11 A.M. PST/2 P.M. EST.
"Roughly 25% of broadband households with new home management and home entertainment equipment report experiencing problems with these devices on a monthly basis, a surprisingly high amount," said Patrice Samuels, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "Robust technical support will help consumers to achieve the promise of these devices and mitigate consumer frustration."
Parks Associates research finds 30% of consumers with electronic door locks regularly experience technical problems with these solutions, including 9% on a daily basis. Over 20% of smart thermostat owners regularly experience problems, including 12% on a daily basis.
"IP-enabled controllers, a proliferation of intelligent sensors and the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets have made possible a wide range of new home automation and security applications. With the increasing dependence on connected technology, and the importance of helping consumers get the most out of new home automation purchases, technology support is more important than ever," said James Morehead, VP, Product Management, Support.com. "When customers reach out for technology support it is a moment of truth and can be the difference between a satisfied customer, a returned product or a canceled subscription."
As the digital landscape of consumers' homes, enabled by the Internet of Things, grows more complex, consumers will interact with, and encounter problems with, home automation and security, medical monitoring, home energy management and mobile devices.
The webcast, featuring Patrice Samuels and James Morehead, VP, Product Management, Support.com, will include new research on the consumer demand for support services, discuss why tech support services are so critical for the connected home, and detail the role free and premium support offerings can play in reducing costs, increasing customer satisfaction, and creating new revenues.
Complimentary registration at http://www.parksassociates.com/support-techsupport-webcast.
About Parks Associates
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions. http://www.parksassociates.com
About Support.com
Support.com, Inc. (
Contact Information:
Holly Sprague
Parks Associates
720.987.6614
hsprague@gmail.com