Jeff Unterreiner, Senior Vice President, Connected Living at Assurant Solutions, examines opportunities to help consumers stay connected to smart devices and products:

What is the most important next step to engage consumers in smart home solutions, connected entertainment services, and/or value-added services like tech support and connected health?

The most important next step to engage consumers in smart home solutions is to understand what consumers want and expect in terms of service and support from the various companies involved in providing products, services or connection. At Assurant Solutions, everything starts with the consumer. No matter what connected product or channel you talk about, consumers have one primary concern – how to stay continuously connected and informed in a way, time and channel of their choosing.

What is the biggest challenge your company faces in 2015?

The biggest challenge for any company in this new connected world is to stay ahead of evolving consumer preferences. It’s not easy. Studies show that most consumers can’t tell you exactly what they want from smart products, just that they will know it when they see it. That’s why we formed our Connected Living business and why we focus on generating actionable insights for our clients through ongoing consumer research.

What is the biggest driver for the connected consumer market?

The biggest driver for the connected consumer market is the fact that people are becoming increasingly dependent on connected products to manage their lives. For Assurant Solutions, it creates the opportunity to help consumers stay connected to the devices, products and information they need, and our clients connected to their customers.

What are the most important initiatives your company is taking in 2015? 

Our most important initiatives are centered on gaining a deeper understanding of the global connected market to help clients expand their opportunities worldwide.

Describe your vision for the smart home and entertainment markets in 2020.

Today, many consumers are unsure how to make use of these new technologies. By 2020, we expect most consumers to be fully comfortable in understanding and using smart products and services, increasing their reliance on staying connected to even greater heights.

Jeff Unterreiner will be speaking on the panel “Next-Gen Support Services: Connected Devices and IoT” at 3:45 PM during CONNECTIONS in San Francisco, CA, May 20, 2015. Other speakers include representatives from HFN Inc./Nanoheal and Support.com.

For more information on CONNECTIONS speakers, sessions, or topics, visit www.connectionsus.com. Register to attend today!

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