According to JD Power integration with smart home technologies is key for home security, with such functionality not only meeting the needs of customers, but further adding to convenience.
The analyst's 2018 Home Security Satisfaction Study-- a survey of 1983 owners of professionally installed and monitored home/residential security systems-- points out overall customer satisfaction is at 834 out of 1000, a 3 point increase over 2017. It also makes home security the 4th highest-scoring product industry in all service industries JD Power evaluated in 2018.
"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," the analyst says. "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."
The study shows the availability of smart home features is "elemental in driving satisfaction," with a total of 49% survey participants having smart home features integrated with their systems, up from 44% in 2017. Among all home security providers the study evaluates, overall satisfaction is higher in the case of integrated smart home features.
The two most common methods of security system operation are touchscreens (56%) and mobile devices (40%). Customers say such control methods are "less complicated" compared to other means of controlling the system. As for purchase drivers, on top is "peace of mind" (60%), followed by "protect property" (56%). Such reasons far exceed incentives such as "discounts on insurance" (20%) or "wanted to get a newer, more up-to-date system" (21%).
