Most Smart Home Customers Prefer DIY Due to Cost, COVID-19, Says Parks

A third of smart home device owners have had a technical problem within the past 12 months, reported Parks Associates Tuesday. A loss of wireless connectivity is the top issue, followed by an unresponsive device, said the report. Just under 20% of smart home device owners had a smart home device professionally installed by the company that sold them the product; 16% hired a contractor to set up a device, said analyst Patrice Samuels. With low prices key to driving market growth, many smart home device makers have do-it-yourself setup strategies that lower costs to consumers, said the analyst. Sixty-five percent of consumers who did a DIY installation want to do it again. The increasing use of DIY setup strategies helps manufacturers save on support costs, said Samuels, saying remote technical support channels are increasingly important in light of COVID-19 social distancing practices. Some 45% of consumers are now more hesitant to allow technicians in their home, she said. The type of remote support available to consumers will vary based on the problem they experience, but “it remains important to understand consumers’ preferences.”