Integration with internet-connected smart home technologies has become the new frontier for home security system operators and, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Home Security Satisfaction Study (https://tinyurl.com/y8zrhxvm),S that functionality is creating the opportunity to meet more needs and provide added convenience.
Overall customer satisfaction with home security systems is 834 (on a 1,000-point scale), up 3 points from last year, making home security the fourth highest-scoring product industry of all service industries evaluated by J.D. Power this year.
“Sleek touch-screen control panels and the ability to operate the system through mobile devices have become the two most popular home security system interfaces for consumers and they are playing a key role in driving higher levels of customer satisfaction because they simplify the use of the system,” says Christina Cooley, director, Home Improvement and Technology Practice at J.D. Power. “When compared with other connected services that come into the home—such as cable TV, telephone and utilities—home security is far and away the leader in customer satisfaction, indicating that this industry understands the needs of consumers and is evolving quickly to address changing preferences.”
Following are some key findings of the 2018 J.D. Power study:
° Availability of smart home features becomes elemental in driving satisfaction: A total of 49% of home security system customers have smart home features integrated with their systems, up from 44% last year. Among all home security system providers evaluated in the study, overall satisfaction is higher when customers have smart home features integrated with their systems.
° Touch screens and mobile phone operation improve usability: The two most common methods of operating a security system are touch-screen control panels installed in the home (56%) and mobile devices (40%). Customers whose system uses either of these methods say they are “less complicated” to use than other ways of controlling the system.
° Peace of mind and property protection are top purchase drivers: The primary reasons customers purchase home security systems are “peace of mind” (60%) and to “protect property” (56%). These reasons far exceed such incentives as “discounts on insurance” (20%) and “wanted to get a newer, more up-to-date system” (21%).
