Research Reveals
Boomer’s Renowned “Do-It-Yourself” Drive Also Applies to Tech Problems, Often
with Frustrating Results
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., August 17, 2008 – The
generation known for Beatlemania, Free Love and Rock and Roll are taking their
place in another revolution—the Technology Revolution. Baby Boomers have
wholeheartedly embraced home computers, according to a new study[i]
conducted by support.com, the leader in solving personal computer problems
quickly over a broadband connection.
Not only are they dependent on computers, but Boomers often apply
their renowned tenacity to try fixing computer problems themselves when they
arise, choosing to “turn on and tune in” and take matters into their own hands,
rather than “drop out” when faced with a computer problem.
However, the support.com survey reveals that despite a
strong dependence on computers, the average Boomer will let a computer problem
go unaddressed for as long as 12 days. That’s nearly two weeks’ worth of
inaction and potentially thousands of dollars in lost time.
“Baby
Boomers are renowned for their ‘do-it-yourself’ drive, but in the case of
difficult computer problems, this can lead to aggravation,” said Scott Herring, vice president of marketing,
support.com. “support.com is an empathetic partner in providing Boomers with
guidance and peace of mind when it comes to their computers issues, all in the
comfort of their own homes. Each of our
expert Solutions Engineers are hand-picked for their ability to deliver
top-notch service over the phone in plain English, perfect for technology
neophytes.”
Whether
it’s a computer crash, damaging virus or a printer that’s been sitting in a box
for weeks due to complicated installation instructions, support.com is an easy
solution for anyone with a home computer or small business. A quick call to 1-800-PC-Support puts
frustrated computer users in contact with a North America-based Solutions
Engineer who will diagnose and solve the problem remotely – saving Boomers the
hassle of lugging a computer to the store or inviting a technician into their
home.
The study also
reveals:
- Ninety-one
percent of Boomers affirm computers are an important part of their lives;
- Computers have become so integral to Boomers’ lives
that more than 70 percent report a
computer breakdown would be more frustrating than their cable TV going out;
- Forty-eight
percent of Boomers could not function without their computers;
- Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of Boomers
attempted to solve an IT glitch by themselves, instead of seeking help or even
opening their computer’s manual;
- Most Boomers who have tried to fix their computers
themselves have done so out of impatience (30
percent) or because they simply did not know what to do (17 percent); and
- When things go wrong, Boomers want their computer
fixed quickly (35 percent) and
cost-effectively (20 percent) without
needing to take the computer to the shop (30
percent).
For more
information, visit www.support.com or call
1-800-PC-Support. support.com services are priced between $49 and $199
About support.com
support.com,
a leading provider in the growing remote technology services space, wants to
fundamentally change the way people fix technology problems. Previously, a computer meltdown meant
pleading phone calls to tech-savvy friends and family, a trip to the computer
store or a long wait for a technician to arrive and fix it. support.com’s suite of tools mean a qualified
technician can diagnose and repair most technology problems quickly over the
phone, typically for less than the cost of in-store or in-home service. Additionally, support.com’s services can
happen while you watch, so they are ideal for people who are concerned about
privacy and security. The company behind
support.com is SupportSoft (NASDAQ: SPRT), which provides software and
services that make technology work. The Company's solutions reduce technology
support costs, improve customer satisfaction and enable new revenue streams for
companies reaching 50 million users worldwide.
[i] The support.com Boomer survey was
conducted online by Kelton Research from June 4th to June 6th,
2008. Quotas were set to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of
Americans ages 42 to 62. In this particular study, the chances were 95 in
100 that a survey result will not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.9
percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interview had been
conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
Windows XP and Windows Vista Operating Systems
The Windows Vista blog is reporting that Microsoft is seeing a big shift to 64-bit PC's based on the number of 64-bit PCs connecting to Windows Update. In addition, Microsoft has just released a series of security updates for both Windows XP and Windows Vista according to Softpedia.
Internet Explorer & Firefox Browsers
While Firefox 3.0 & 3.01 have recently been released, ZDNet is reporting that the beta for Firefox 3.1 has been delayed by Mozilla. Meanwhile Internet Explorer 8 continues to move forward towards full release, Mircosoft IEBlog posted that Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, will be available in August. In the interim Microsoft IEBlog has released it's August Security Update applicable for all version of Internet Explorer.
MSNBC weighs in on how to set one up.
And, of course, support.com is ready to help keep the hub PC running smoothly and safe from security threats.
These days,
hungry dogs and sloppy siblings take a backseat to crashed computers and
corrupted files as likely homework excuses.
To avoid headaches down the road, getting technology ready for the
school year is one prerequisite to add to the Back to School to-do list. support.com, a leader in delivering remote
services to diagnose, repair and optimize personal computers, is ready to help
with its PC Tune and Protect service.
Whether
your student lives at home or on campus, PC Tune and Protect will help ensure your
computer is ready for the demanding school year. Our expert Solutions Engineers will connect
remotely to your PC and fine-tune your settings for optimal performance and
install up-to-date virus and sypware protection. Our services can improve
performance and enhance security, without having to take your computer in for
service or wait for a technician to come to the home. The service is available by visiting www.support.com or calling 1-800-PC-Support.
support.com
offers these tips for parents when setting up technology for the new school
year.
In the
Home:
- First and foremost, protect your
children online. Set up parental control software on your
children’s computer, always know all their passwords, keep the computer in a
public place in the home and keep an eye on your child’s profile on social
networking sites.
- Set up a separate profile for each user.
This will ensure that each user has a desktop suitable for their
individual needs.
- Close out each school year by
backing up all your kids’ files from the previous year to a removable storage
device. You’ll always have access to that second-grade
science project, but it won’t be taking up precious space for next year’s
projects. Not sure where to start with
backing up? support.com’s expert
Solutions Engineers are ready to lend an empathetic hand with Data Back-Up service.
On Campus:
- College students often conduct work
on open WiFi networks, so be sure the computer has the most up-to-date virus
and spyware protection.
-
An extra battery pack is helpful
when pulling long hours in multiple locations.
Never buy a used battery pack, but save some money by buying a
non-name-brand battery built to fit the computer.
- Pre-owned computers are a
cost-effective way to send your student off to college with a “new” computer. Look for something with a minimum 1.8
dual-core processor, 2 GB memory and 120 GB hard drive with built-in WiFi to
keep pace with the needs of today’s college student. A well-appointed computer can also serve as
an entertainment center and communication hub.
- Have a back-up plan in place.
Before writing a single sentence, have a plan for saving and backing up files
to prevent disastrous data losses.
support.com suggests keeping important files at least in duplicate on
the computer and on a removable storage device like a thumb drive. Online back-up sites can also provide a third
line of defense for critical projects.
Don’t let
an all-night cram session turn into a nightmare. Keep emergency numbers handy, like Mom’s
cellphone, the 24 hour pizza place and 1-800-PC-Support. In case of a last-minute computer emergency,
a support.com expert Solutions Engineers can quickly diagnose and repair
computer problems and set your scholar back on the road to academic excellence.
Recent video circulating the internet shows that John Mayer has a second talent-- providing
empathetic (though, in John's case, not wholly effective) tech support over the
phone.
Considering
John is otherwise occupied with his Summer tour and not available to
provide his services to everyone who may need them, support.com, a
leader in providing remote services to diagnose, repair and optimize
personal computers, thought we'd put together an UNOFFICIAL John Mayer Friends and Family (and Fans!) Discount.
Just use the discount code SUMMER to get 20% off all your remote PC support services at www.support.com or when calling 1-800-PC-Support.
Unlike, John, we bet we can actually solve your problem!
Ps. Thanks to a quick-on-the-gun call from John's publicist, I'll point out that John does not endorse this message.
About support.com
support.com,
a leading provider in the growing remote technology services space,
wants to fundamentally change the way people fix technology problems.
Previously, a computer meltdown meant pleading phone calls to
tech-savvy friends and family, a trip to the computer store or a long
wait for a technician to arrive and fix it. support.com’s suite of
tools mean a qualified technician can diagnose and repair most
technology problems quickly over the phone, typically for less than the
cost of in-store or in-home service. Additionally, support.com’s
services can happen while you watch, so they are ideal for people who
are concerned about privacy and security.
Check out John Mayer-- caught on tape by the paparazzi delivering the kind of expert, empathetic tech support worthy of a support.com work-from-home Solutions Engineer.
As Jim Leff (writer, jazz trombonist, co-founder of Chowhound.com and someone I've had the pleasure of working with in a "previous life") proposes on his blog, "...really, it also points out a huge untapped demand for super-patient newbie tech support (a much narrower service than what Geek Squad tries to provide)." We couldn't agree more, Jim!
PC World weighs in on ways to take and share photos efficiently.
For complete newbies to digital photography, support.com offers a Digital Camera Set-Up and training service that will have you ready to get the most out of your new camera in under an hour!
Enter once per day for your chance to win a colorful Dell Inspiron lapton and $100 in services from support.com!
Between book reports, work brought home from the office, personal communication and household tasks like bill paying, a computer crash can bring the modern family to a screeching halt. support.com provides instant technology services remotely over the internet, so that all a busy woman needs to do is sit back, relax and watch while a North America-based service technician fixes the problem.
To build awareness for the convenience factor of its services, support.com today announced the Wired Woman Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes, which opens today, will be featured in the July 8 issue of Woman’s World Magazine to arrive on subscribers’ doorsteps in mid-June. Enter once per day to win a stylish Dell Inspiron 1525 notebook PC and $100 in premium tech support services from support.com.
The Wired Woman Sweepstakes ends August 1, 2008. For full contest rules and to submit your entry, visit www.support.com.
We can't even tell you how often we hear from customers who share Steve Toback's sentiment (though, notably, often not his level of tech prowess.)
"The real point of the post is this: I don't know if it's just me, but lately I've been afraid that, when I die and my life passes before my eyes, all I'll see is all the time I wasted screwing around with computers and other gadgets. And that scares me."
We feel strongly that we offer a service that's not just for people who don't have the absorbed knowledge of a career in tech, or proximity to "the Valley." We offer a service for anyone who recognizes that a weekend with your family has value far above the cost of a PC Tune up or guaranteed Virus Removal.
Steve- Next time your wife is 3-deep in restarts, have her give us a call and we'll get everything straightened out. We guarantee it!
In a blog that rings true for many support.com users, Susan Hanley at Network World talks about her ongoing frustrations with Vista.
Twelve hours out of a weekend on the phone with offshore tech support sounds like enough to drive anyone batty!
If you are experiencing continued issues with Vista, our expert technicians are ready and willing to help- and we promise, no phonetrees and all our support techs are North America-based. We know how frustrating it is to give up your weekends to these kinds of problems. Let us help.
In one of the largest fake media outbreaks in years, more than 500,000 users might have been exposed to unsafe files.
Read the story here, and remember to never open a file of unknown origin.
The mommy blog CoolFindsForMoms.com posted about their experiences with support.com. Check out their review here.
We've always believed that we're offering a service that is perfect for SAHMs and moms in general (who inevitably end up being a home's IT department)- immediate service, no need to invite a stranger into your home, all the services happen "while you watch" so there is less of a chance of someone snooping though your private files... We're excited to see folks in the mommy blog community picking up on this.
By linking it to Technorati and other directories.
Technorati Profile
Anthony Rodio, support.com's EVP of worldwide operations, will be speaking at the CONNECTIONS Conference, put on by Parks Associates. He'll be on a panel with some other movers and shakers in the support arena:
CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Metcalfe’s Law or
Murphy’s Law? Customer Support for the
Digital Home
Digital home technical support from a
holistic perspective, from simple
deployments to complete “Digital Home
Trusted Advisor Services”
Speakers
Timo
Auer, VP, TV, Content & Digital Home,
TeliaSonera Group
Martin DeBono,
VP, Sales and Business Development, Pure
Networks
Gil Eyal, CEO, Enure Networks
Fred King, VP, Sales and Marketing,
PlumChoice
Anthony Rodio, EVP, Worldwide
Operations, support.com
Singu Srinivas, President, HiWired
MODERATOR
Kurt Scherf, VP and Principal
Analyst, Parks Associates
Here is an agenda with details on the conference and the day's programing.
Ben Arnold at InventorSpot offers up this helpful (and reasonable) list of tech gifts for mom this Mother's Day.
How do I know this list is spot-on? Because my own mother has been bugging me for a Kindle since last year.
When giving mom the gift of tech, don't leave her out in the cold... support.com can help her get all her gadgety goodies up and running smoothly, and you don't have to lift a finger! Just have her call 1-800-PC-Support or visit www.support.com for a slew of services, including MP3 Player/Digital Camera set-up and configuration and more. Oh, and let her use your credit card, too. She did, after all, spend 10 hours in labor, on a cold and rainy night, uphill in the snow, full of guilt and remorse... just to bring you into this world and she's never regretted it for a moment. Did she mention the snow?