There is no doubt that our homes and daily lives are increasingly connected.
In Europe alone, 2023 figures show an estimated 75 million smart homes, with numbers expected to soar to almost 180 million in 2028. Adoption of smart, connected devices also continues to climb, averaging at around 80% across all age groups in the UK market.
With growing connectivity comes some very welcome flexibility. For example, almost half the UK’s employees are now hybrid working, and it is a similar picture in Europe – an arrangement offering benefits from reduced commuting times and expense to new options for work-life balance, as many of us know for ourselves.
But the other side of the connectivity coin is increasing digital dependency. From our connected work devices to smart appliances and smart central heating to gaming consoles, we want our home tech to work flawlessly – or to have a simple, rapid and reliable source of assistance when it doesn’t. Otherwise, the glitches can quickly affect our ability to work, keep house or play; for example, four out of five people report losing time in their hybrid meetings due to technical difficulties.
Keen to explore and analyse in more detail the issues around digital dependency and tech reliability, Asurion Europe commissioned research into UK citizens’ experiences and feelings on this (nat. rep., n = 2,200+ respondents), and what is needed to ensure they can confidently increase their reliance on digital devices and systems.
The findings are important for everyone involved in this space because they show starkly that tech frustrations and fears are an issue for people of all ages. These experiences and perceptions may also be stalling their investment in tech in their homes.
What consumers are telling us
| “Almost half (48%) of respondents associate their growing use of connected devices with technical issues and complications.” |
It is clear from the research analysis that digital dependency can all too easily come hand in hand with tech terrors. When respondents were asked about the occurrence and frequency of technical problems with their home digital tech:
- almost half (48%) associated their growing use of connected devices with technical issues and complications
- around a third (34%) experienced a significant issue – such as hardware failure, software or connection outage – at least once every 3 months with one of their devices
- just under a quarter (24%) experienced once of these significant issues at least once a month.
In addition, around one third (33%) of respondents felt that device problems and failures were wasting increasing amounts of their time – when they may have hoped their devices would help them save time or use it more enjoyably.
Generational surprises?
Another interesting learning point for the industry is the generational analysis in the research. At this point, you may expect that older respondents were most likely to have reported problems or frustration with their device reliability. Far from it.
| “The age group most likely to have experienced tech frustration were 18-34 year olds.” |
The age group most likely to have experienced tech frustration were 18-34 year olds, with 55% of them experiencing a significant issue at least once a quarter (compared to the 34% average) and four in 10 suffering (40%) serious failures at least once a month – again, much more than the average of 24%. Over half (53%) of 18-34 year olds complained that such problems were wasting their time.
This higher exposure to tech meltdown among younger users may stem from their higher level of device ownership than older respondents. But it is important for all of us in the industry to understand that coming from a tech-connected generation does not necessarily mean being tech-contented.
Blockers and unblockers
Asurion Europe’s research then looked at how these experiences and perceptions of digital dependency and reliability are affecting growth in the digitally connected home, and what can be done about it.
| “Over 60% said they would be willing to invest more of their money in connected devices if they knew they could connect them easily and get optimal reliability and performance out of them.” |
There are further thinking points here, with almost half (46%) of respondents revealing that tech issues were a blocker to them investing in connected home devices. Again, the industry’s younger customers were shown to feel most strongly about this; well over half (56%) of 18-34 year-olds affirmed that they were not yet investing further in digital devices and platforms because of their concerns about tech running smoothly and reliably.
There’s a solution at hand, however, with a strong pattern evident in the research showing that UK consumers would be much more confident to buy into home connectivity if we can address their tech terrors. Over 60% said they would be willing to invest more of their money in connected devices if they knew they could connect them easily and get optimal reliability and performance out of them.
A single point of contact
| “Two thirds of us (67%) would like a single insurance and tech support package to support all our home electronic devices.” |
There is also a strong appetite for a single point of contact on their home tech. According to the
Asurion Europe research, two thirds of us (67%) would like a single insurance and tech support package to support all our home electronic devices, no matter when or where we bought them. This figure peaks at 82% among the 18-34 age group.
This is an industry-wide reminder here that consumers are chafing against the hassle of dealing with multiple warranties, tech support hotlines or chatbots, or struggling to find the customer support details hidden away in a website. The smart home revolution is clearly happening, and consumers are steadily increasing their adoption of connected devices. But if we want to sustain this trend, increase their use of their connected devices, and help them to maximise the full benefits of smart devices, we can ease their journey on this – with an effective single tech support and insurance solution available across all their devices.
About the Author
Gavin Miller is CEO at Asurion Europe. As the world’s leading tech care company, Asurion eliminates the fears and frustrations associated with technology, to ensure our 300 million customers get the most out of their devices, appliances and connections. We provide insurance, repair, replacement, installation and 24/7 support for everything from cellphones to laptops and household appliances. Our experts are available online, on the phone, at one of our more than 800 stores, or can even come to you.
