LONDON, 2016-Nov-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Puzzled parents go “cap in hand” to their kids for IT advice three times a month on average, a study from Currys PC World has found.
The poll by the UK’s leading electrical retailer revealed two-thirds of the nation’s mums and dads admit to struggling with technology and six in ten are regularly calling on kids to help.
Our tech savvy juniors rank the second in line for the go-to for technology related advice (36%) only being beaten by the internet (49%) and coming in joint second with the ‘switch it off and on’ again technique (36%); ranking higher than simply seeing red (22%) or asking partners for help (20%).
Setting up new devices, getting pictures off and onto devices, making video calls to family and installing security software are among the common reasons to holler for the kids to help. But the most common error by over half of respondents (52%) was continually inputting incorrect usernames and passwords and, as a result, getting locked out of accounts.
And 15% said they need help after getting ‘timed-out’ when trying to make purchases online. Other common blunders that parents make is using commas rather than full stops in email addresses and forgetting their mobile number.
With seven in ten mums and dads admitting to making basic mistakes that are easy to rectify, it’s perhaps not surprising that over one in four (27%) kids have not let them live it down. A further one in ten parents say their children now talk to them like they’re stupid when it comes to the latest gadgets. One respondent was on the verge of throwing a printer out when he realised it wasn’t plugged in, while another poor parent even tried to use his car key zapper to get in the front door.
Despite the frustrations faced, the poll revealed that parents are relying more than ever on technology and gadgets to keep their home lives running more smoothly – with a whopping three quarters (73%) of parents using tech to keep their family lives in check. The laptop was named the most useful bit of kit, with two thirds (32%) using theirs to organise family life, followed by smartphones (27%), tablets (21%) and PCs (14%).
Robert Stacey, Head of Computing at Currys PC World, says: “We are all guilty of having a technology breakdown every now and then, but the fact is that these gadgets have revolutionised the way we live our daily lives, making them essential to the family home.
He continues: “Our children have grown up in a digital world meaning it’s natural for them to be able to solve tech conundrums quicker than their parents. But at Currys PC World we want to ensure that technology is demystified for everyone so whatever your age you can get the best out of your family technology – and with rise of more smart home gadgets you may even be able to outsmart your kids!”
TOP 10 TASKS PARENTS NEED HELP FROM THEIR CHILDREN FOR
- Setting up a new device (i.e. tablet, laptop)
- Getting pictures from camera to laptop
- Facetiming / skype video call
- Attaching a document to an email
- Uploading pictures to Facebook
- Installing security software
- Sending a picture message
- Tuning in a new TV
- Synching a wireless printer
- Joining wifi
About Dixons Carphone
Dixons Carphone plc is Europe’s leading specialist electrical and telecommunications retailer and services company, employing over 42,000 people in eleven countries.
Focused on helping customers navigate the connected world, Dixons Carphone offers a comprehensive range of electrical and mobile products, connectivity and expert after-sales services from the Geek Squad and Knowhow.
Dixons Carphone’s primary brands include Carphone Warehouse and CurrysPCWorld in the UK & Ireland, Elkjøp, Elkjøp Phonehouse, Elgiganten, Elgiganten Phonehouse, Gigantti and Lefdal in the Nordic countries, Kotsovolos in Greece, Dixons Travel in a number of UK & Ireland airports and Phone House in Spain. Our key service brands include Knowhow in the UK, Ireland and the Nordics, and Geek Squad in the UK, Ireland and Spain.
Business-to-business (B2B) services are provided through Connected World Services, PC World Business and Carphone Warehouse Business. Connected World Services aims to leverage the Group’s existing expertise, operating processes and technology to provide a range of services to businesses.
Dixons Carphone was voted ‘Retailer of the Year’ at the Retail Week Awards 2016.
For more information, please contact the Currys PC World team at M&C Saatchi PR curryspcworld@mcsaatchi.com
Source: Dixons Carphone