The global smart home market is expected to be worth more than £200 billion by 20291 – but new research suggests a lack of technical support could be holding back further growth, writes Gavin Miller, CEO of Asurian Europe.
The figures are revealed in a survey commissioned by Asurion Europe, which found that almost half of respondents associated the growing digitalisation of our homes with increasing technical issues and problems.
Half of UK consumers are reluctant to spend more on technology for their homes because of a fear of potential tech problems. Yet 60 per cent would be willing to invest more in connected devices if they knew they could connect them easily and get the most reliability and performance out of them.
For those with limited mobility, these concerns are all the more pronounced. Any disruption in the use of smart home devices, which can be empowering and strengthen independent living, could pose a serious inconvenience.
Digitally dependent homes
Adoption of some form of smart, connected device across all age groups averages around 80 per cent – with nearly half of those aged 16-34 more likely to own over three devices.2 And the UK connected home market is comfortably outperforming pre-pandemic figures – suggesting a lasting uplift in consumer interest in connected home devices.3
Against this backdrop of our increasing ‘digital dependency’, Asurion Europe commissioned new research to gauge the response of UK citizens to the digitalisation of their homes – and discover what they needed to be comfortable with their growing reliance on technology.
Not surprisingly, reliability is key in the digital home. Yet around one-third of respondents reported experiencing a serious tech breakdown every three months – issues such as a hardware failure, a software failure or a connection outage – and almost a quarter had a significant event occurring every month. For younger people, the figures were even higher, with more than half saying they experienced a tech meltdown at least four times a year – possibly because their device ownership is greater than their older counterparts.
Most respondents were clear about the solution – tech support that would ensure their devices worked reliably and performed well, with rapid recovery from any technical issues. There was also a clear desire for a single point of contact to avoid the administrative nightmare of dealing with multiple tech support connections or hotlines. Two-thirds of respondents wanted a single insurance and tech support package to support all the electronic devices in their home, no matter when or where they bought them.
Fixing tech troubles
Boosting growth in the connected home is the rapid rise in hybrid working since the pandemic – with four out of five previously office-based professionals in the UK now working from home at least one or two days a week.3
The quality of home tech service and support was a particular priority for respondents working at home at least some of the week. When asked what good tech support and recovery should look like, they focused mainly on response times – they were looking for most problems to be resolved within 24-48 hours.
There are many temporary solutions to digital tech problems – connectivity issues can be managed by going to a local café, for example, and a mobile SIM can be moved to an alternative emergency device for a short period of time. However, these quick fixes are not suitable for much longer than an emergency period. Full restoration is crucial.
With more than half of respondents aged 18-34 saying failures of their home electronics were wasting more and more of their time – and 41% of respondents aged 55+ saying their tech troubles were piling up with every new device – the spotlight is on technical support like never before.
Offering help for everything from device compatibility to cyber security – as well as emergency support – it could hold the key to the truly smart home of the future, bringing ever greater ease to everyday life.
References
- https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/smart-home/worldwide
- https://www.techuk.org/resource/state-of-the-connected-home-2023.html
- https://www.techuk.org/resource/state-of-the-connected-home-2023.html
- https://www.hrdconnect.com/2024/01/09/81-of-uk-workers-work-from-home-why-do-senior-leaders-want-them-in-the-office/
https://thiis.co.uk/comment-how-tech-support-keeps-smart-homes-running-smoothly-for-those-with-limited-mobility/https://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/vecteezy_asian-senior-holding-mobile-smart-phone-communication-online-900x601-1.jpghttps://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/vecteezy_asian-senior-holding-mobile-smart-phone-communication-online-900x601-1-150x150.jpgLiane McIvorAnalysis & InsightsNewsroomOpinions & CommentsAsurian Europe,HoME,Mobility,smart home,technology,wheelchairThe global smart home market is expected to be worth more than £200 billion by 20291 – but new research suggests a lack of technical support could be holding back further growth, writes Gavin Miller, CEO of Asurian Europe.The figures are revealed in a survey commissioned by Asurion Europe,...Liane McIvorLianeMcIvorliane@thiis.co.ukEditorTHIIS Magazine
