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63% of consumers prefer to handle technical support issues over the phone

Industry webinar features discussion with RouteThis, ASSA ABLOY, and Wyze on top issues facing support staff in the connected home space

Parks Associates research reveals US internet households have an average of 16 connected devices in their home, and 52% experienced at least one technical problem last year, while 38% experienced two or more. In addition, the research finds that 63% of consumers prefer to handle technical support issues over the phone. The research firm will host the industry webinar “Supporting the Smart Home: Getting to the Right Solution” on Thursday, October 4, 1 pm CT US (2 pm ET), in partnership with RouteThis.

“Even after educating the consumer on the benefits of a device or service and making the sale, the smart home manufacturer’s work is not done,” said Chris White, Sr, Analyst, Parks Associates. ”Providing remote support can be challenging and costly. In the worst case, the owner returns a fully functional device due to connectivity problems, which are out of the manufacturer’s control.”

Connected devices depend on a strong, stable Wi-Fi signal, and devices on the edge of a home's Wi-Fi are particularly vulnerable. The webinar highlights the opportunity for self-service tools to meet the needs of connected consumers and support staff. Parks Associates' research shows that 55% of smart home product owners contacted the device manufacturer to request support, with higher rates for networked cameras, smart garage door openers, and smart sprinklers.

Webinar speakers:

  • Kevin Kraus, VP Technology Alliances, Smart Residential Solutions, ASSA ABLOY
  • Jason Moore, Co-founder and CEO, RouteThis
  • Chris White, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates
  • Jing Xue, Director of Product Management, Wyze

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com

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