Client Announcements

The TechGuys offer a snapshot of the wired UK home

Six months on from its launch in the UK , the TechGuys, the UK 's only national digital support service for UK homes, offers the following insight into the technical support needs of UK households:

1. "Cyber-mums"

The home-based, including mums, are increasingly responsible for sorting out technical issues - from computer viruses to wireless networking - as part of their everyday household tasks, according to TechGuys data..

More than half of calls to the TechGuys' telephone advice and support lines are from women. Calls peak at 4pm each weekday, suggesting that mums are slotting in IT support between the school run and the bedtime story.

David Bugg, chief TechGuy, commented: "Networking and virus issues are the main issues for callers, implying that the younger online generation are a principal source of the issues that arise. The growing popularity of social networking sites and instant messaging amongst today's teens inevitably lead to some technical issues that the TechGuys resolve on a minute-by-minute basis. Our national team also offers great advice on how to avoid some of the risks associated with the online world."

2. A snapshot of the UK's most technically challenged cities

Brighton is the city in the UK that made the most calls for help and support to the TechGuys in the first quarter of 2007. An average of one in every sixteen residents called the TechGuys for advice or a solution to a technical tangle. Norwich followed closely, with one in 22 calling in the TechGuys for phone or in-home support. At the other end of the spectrum, technically-savvy London averaged one call for every 95 residents.

City Calls to the TechGuys per capita
(Jan-March 2007)

Brighton

1:16

Norwich

1:22

Manchester

1:31

Liverpool

1:36

Plymouth

1:40

Newcastle

1:45

Edinburgh

1:46

Glasgow

1:78

London

1:95

3. A clear need for national support

Close to three quarters of a million people sought telephone advice from The TechGuys during the first three months of the year and almost 50,000 households have welcomed a TechGuy in to their home according to figures just released.

The most popular day for calls is Monday, suggesting that those who use gadgets such as PCs, TVs and DVDs at the weekend wait until the start of the week to look for help with problems, or general advice. On average, 20 per cent of all calls are received on a Monday, compared to just 7 per cent on Sunday.

David Bugg commented: “To have a peak of calls every weekday at exactly the same time is quite remarkable, especially outside of lunchtime, or after work which is when you may expect most people to contact us. It really does appear that technology has become part of the circuitry of modern life and technical support is on the list of jobs for mum alongside school runs and shopping trips.

"With more than half of households now using a broadband connection and with the PC now becoming truly personal, we're delighted to be doing our bit to demystify technology."

4. A wide range of support needs, including digital TV support

Top ten queries received by The TechGuys in the first three months of 2007
  1. setting up and securing wireless networks
  2. suspected viruses / spyware / phishing
  3. installing printers/scanners etc.
  4. upgrading hardware
  5. hardware and software compatibility
  6. computers crashing / freezing
  7. initial setup of computers, TVs or DVDs
  8. faulty equipment
  9. loss of photos/music/other information
  10. getting the most out of technology

More information:
Hamish Thompson | Twelve Thirty Eight Ltd | 07702 684290

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