Digital Home Tech Support: Analysis and Forecasts

This report provides analysis on the business of digital home customer support. It examines the market for technical support services for such digital lifestyles categories as PCs, Internet, and consumer electronics. It provides an overview of key companies providing both technology support services and solutions and includes market forecasts through 2013.

"The market for digital home technology support is one of the most dynamically-growing segments,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst with Parks Associates. “As consumers grapple with ever-more complex digital home technology headaches, ‘DIY’ is quickly becoming ‘do-if-for-me,’ which opens up significant opportunity for many players.”

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1.0   Notes on Methodology

1.1 Data Sources

1.2 Companies Briefed

2.0   Defining the Opportunity for Tech Support Services

2.1 Growth of Home Tech: The Good and the Bad

2.2 Headaches in the Digital Home

2.3 DIY or “Do-it-for-Me”?

2.4 A Starting Point: Sizing the Market in 2008

3.0   Digital Home Tech Support Categories

3.1 Categories of Digital Home Tech Support

3.2 Support at the Time of New Product Purchase

3.3 In-store/On-site Support

3.4 PC Performance Enhancement Tools

3.5 Home Network Installation and Configuration Software

3.6 Remote Tech Support

3.6.1    The Remote Tech Support Business

3.6.2    Services Offered by Remote Tech Vendors

3.6.3    Service Providers and Remote Tech Support

Remote Support in a Defensive Capacity

Remote Support in an Offensive Capacity

3.6.4    Enhancing the Delivery of Remote Tech Support Services

Quantifying Out-of-Band Support Opportunities

Remote Support Service Enhancements

Simplified and Persistent Connectivity

Enhanced Diagnostics/“Flight Data Recorder and Control”

Remote OS Capabilities Offer Efficiencies and New Capabilities

Enhancements to Existing Services

4.0   Forecasts

4.1 In-store and On-site Home Computer Troubleshooting

4.2 New Home Computer Set-up

4.3 Remote Home Computer and Home Networking Troubleshooting

4.4 Remote Home Computer Tune-up

4.5 On-site Home Networking Troubleshooting

4.6 On-site Home Networking Troubleshooting

4.7 Total Revenues

5.0   Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 For Service Providers

5.2 For Retailers and Home IT Support Companies

5.3 For Digital Home Product Vendors

5.4 What to Watch: Holistic Support Services

Growth of PC Households, Broadband, and Home Networks: U.S. Households
Consumer Sentiments about Home Technology
Likelihood of Buying a PC
Sizing the Potential for Tech Support Services
Percentage of Consumers Solving Tech Problems with DIY or Friends and Family
Resources Used to Help Solve Home IT Problems
Who Installed Home Networking Equipment?
For What Types of Home Computer Issues Would Consumers Consider Professional Tech Support?
Interest in Professional Support for Home Networking Issues
U.S. Revenues from Digital Home Tech Support Services: 2008
Key Categories and Solutions: The Customer Support Value Chain
Additional Computer Feature Purchases
Interest in PC Support Features
Services Purchased with Consumer Electronics
CE Device Support Feature Purchase Intentions
Use of In-home or In-store Tech Support Services
Geek Squad/Best Buy Services Overview
PC Performance Enhancement Tools
Home Network Installation and Configuration Tools
What PC Support Services are Most Desired?
Notable Remote Support Vendors
Top Services Offered by Remote Support Vendors
Remote Support Resolution Success Rate
Broadband Service Providers Contacted for Tech Support
Trusted Tech Service Sources
Single vs. Multiple Service Providers
Interest in Tech Support Services from a Broadband Provider
Broadband Provider Remote Support Services
Quantifying the Potential for Remote Out-of-Band Support
Daily Call Volume Breakout: Remote Support Vendors
Key Assumptions for In-store and On-site Home Computer Support Services
Key Assumptions for New Home Computer Set-up Services
Key Assumptions for Remote Home Computer/Home Networking Services
Key Assumptions for Remote Home Computer Tune-up Services
Key Assumptions for On-site Home Networking Troubleshooting Services
Key Assumptions for Home Network Set-up Services
Total Revenues: Digital Home Technical Support (Table)
Total Revenues: Digital Home Technical Support (Chart)
Customer Support Lifecycle

Publish Date: 2Q 2009

Pages: 60

Authored By:
Kurt Scherf - Vice President, Principal Analyst

Executive Editor: Tricia Parks
Published by Parks Associates

© May 2009 Parks Associates
Dallas, Texas 75230

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America.

Disclaimer
Parks Associates has made every reasonable effort to ensure that all information in this report is correct.  We assume no responsibility for any inadvertent errors.
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