Research from Parks Associates has found that about 38 million households had at least one member working at home during 2021 due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic; making these families a prime sales target for smart home devices, faster internet and new home services.
The findings saw remote workers frequently adopting value-added services and were willing to pay for additional fee services such as whole-home security and cybersecurity, faster broadband and smart home devices that made life easier while working at home.
"Remote workers tend to be younger and more affluent, and more than half (57%) self-identify as technology 'innovators' or 'early adopters,' versus only 49% of non-remote employees," said Elizabeth Parks, president and CMO at Parks Associates. "The affinity for technology among these remote workers drives higher rates of device ownership across almost every category we survey, so they are prime sales targets for smart home devices, new home services, and faster internet services."
Small-to-medium businesses are quickly adopting a zero-trust security principle and architecture, where workers, even remote, require continuous validation among users to counter modern threats. So remote workers are more likely to require advanced devices and strong internet connections to work effectively.
"Effective work at home requires a strong service 'partner' for the household tech and services," Parks said. "With service adoption, remote workers are more likely to be NPS promoters for their ISP compared to the typical consumer.”
Consumers in the future are more likely to adopt multiple forms of data services in the home and while on the go. Park Associates recommended service and solution providers adjusting service offerings to meet these needs as it is likely the remote workplace is not going away anytime soon.
The full research can be found in Park Associates’ report Work Transformed: Impact on Communications and Technology Markets.
