A new tech support research conducted by Parks Associate, a market research and consulting company, revealed that though the do-it-yourself (DIY) model is dominant, but not a preferred choice for consumers who setup new connected or mobile devices.

Park Associates reportedly conducted the research survey among U.S. broadband households interested in new technical support services. More than 70 percent of the respondents wanted the tech support to be able to quickly address problems, and 72 percent showed in interest in services that deliver comprehensive option and assistance.

Smartphones were the devices most commonly set up by broadband households over the past 12 months, and only 51 percent of consumers who purchased new devices overall would prefer the DIY method on the next setup.

Patrice Samuels, research analyst at Parks Associates (News - Alert) said, “Improvements in automated device discovery and intuitive interfaces have boosted DIY setup on new devices, but a significant percentage of people prefer assistance. Meeting this demand through premium technical support services provides outstanding growth opportunities for retailers, CE manufacturers, and service providers and creates opportunities to build long-term relationships with consumers.”

By 2017, the U.S. tech support revenues will reach over $8 billion and some Park Associates said that some of the notable preferences consumers wanted from their tech support services are the ability to fix every technical problem; provide explanation about both the problem and solution in easy-to-understand ways; take into account past problems while providing assistance; and more.

Samuels added, “Consumers want a solution that covers their support needs for all of their gadgets – computers, tablets, and smartphones; 72% of consumers interested in technical support feel the service should be able to fix every technical problem they experience. Support services will have to expand in order to effectively meet consumers' support needs.”

From the article, "DIY Model Dominant But Not Preferred, Says Park Associates' New Research."

Next: Verizon, AT&T Take Video Share, But at a Slower Rate
Previous: Parks Associates Talks Future of Household Broadband at CES 2013

Be the first to leave a comment.

Have a comment? Login or create an account to start a discussion.