Tech Support an Opportunity for Service Providers

According to Parks Associates, the do-it-yourself model of tech support is the dominant, but not preferred, method for consumers setting up new connected or mobile devices, suggesting an opportunity for service providers in offering tech support. Parks estimates that U.S. tech support revenues will exceed $8 billion in 2017.The firm reports that among U.S. broadband households purchasing new devices, 81% set up a new tablet on their own, 72% set up a smartphone on their own, and 60% set up a new home network on their own. However, only 51% of these consumers overall would prefer the DIY method on the next setup. Smartphones were the devices most commonly set up by broadband households over the past 12 months."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," said Parks analyst Patrice Samuels. "Support services will have to expand in order to effectively meet consumers' support needs."The interconnectedness and interdependence among devices in the digital home blur the lines for ownership of a problem, so approximately 25% of consumers with a networking-related problem contacted their broadband service provider for assistance, regardless of where they purchased the home networking equipment. In response, providers such Comcast and CenturyLink have expanded their support services to include services, traditionally out-of scope, available on a premium or paid basis.