Home network complexity challenges customer satisfaction Study finds that installation complexity -- quantified by help desk" calls -- reduces both satisfaction with and brand loyalty to home networking products and services

Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty regarding home networking equipment are related directly to product ease of installation and operation, according to Parks Associates Primary Perspectives: Complexity and Customer Satisfaction in the Networked Home. The study finds that satisfaction declines precipitously -- as much as 25% -- if a customer is required to make two or more service calls to install and operate home network equipment. Progress has been made in simplifying these products through standard device drivers and graphics-based installation wizards, but in order to secure long-term success in this market, developers and providers should continue devising new ways to reduce the complexity of home networking solutions.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) September 4, 2004 -- Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty regarding home networking equipment are related directly to product ease of installation and operation, according to Parks Associates Primary Perspectives: Complexity and Customer Satisfaction in the Networked Home.

The study finds that satisfaction declines precipitously -- as much as 25% -- if a customer is required to make two or more service calls to install and operate home network equipment. Progress has been made in simplifying these products through standard device drivers and graphics-based installation wizards, but in order to secure long-term success in this market, developers and providers should continue devising new ways to reduce the complexity of home networking solutions.

Customer service is necessary for customer satisfaction and retention," said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst at Parks Associates. However, the more home networking developers and providers can do to reduce service calls, the more satisfied their customers will be. Brand loyalty is directly related to initial satisfaction with a home networking product, so home networking players must reduce complexity if they hope to maintain a positive relationship with their customers."

The Parks Associates study Primary Perspectives: Complexity & Satisfaction in the Networked Home consists of primary research findings from surveys conducted over the past 12 months among broadband households with a data network. It provides perspective and analysis on customer service issues related to the deployment of home networks by identifying needy" consumers, examining the relationship between complexity and customer satisfaction, and quantifying the impact of satisfaction on brand loyalty. For more information about this study, please contact Elizabeth Parks of Parks Associates at 972-490-1113 or sales@parksassociates.com or visit http://www.parksassociates.com.

About Parks Associates: Parks Associates is a market research and consulting firm focused on all product and service segments that are digital" or provide connectivity within the home. The companys expertise includes home networks, digital entertainment, consumer electronics, broadband and Internet services, and home systems.

Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, multiclient studies, consumer research, workshops, and custom-tailored client solutions. Parks Associates also hosts Fall Focus and co-hosts CONNECTIONS (in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association) each year. http://www.parksassociates.com.
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