DIY Once Again Tops Pro Systems in 2020 J.D. Power Home Security Satisfaction Study
The home security satisfaction survey also revealed that COVID-19 has driven an increase in purchasing or upgrading home security systems.
TROY, Mich. — For the second year in a row, DIY security systems have earned higher customer satisfaction ratings than those installed by professional integrators in J.D. Power’s annual Home Security Satisfaction Study.
The study measures customer satisfaction with home security systems based on six factors: billing and payment; customer service; price; professional monitoring; purchase and installation; and quality of home security system. Companies are scored on a 1,000-point scale.
“The home security industry continues to be extremely competitive, and the pandemic has presented additional opportunities for providers to differentiate,” says Christina Cooley, director, home improvement and automation intelligence at J.D. Power. “Almost one-fourth of respondents indicate COVID-19 was the primary reason for getting a new or upgraded system. With the shift in purchase drivers, we see a shift in usage behaviors, including an increase in exterior home self-monitoring.
Cooley says the study also found that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way consumers interact with their home security systems.
“There also have been challenges for the industry this year. Some customers are engaging with their systems less, while others have had concerns with the effectiveness of their professional monitoring service as COVID-19 created issues in how home security providers support their customers. Ultimately, all these drivers led to relatively flat customer satisfaction compared with 2019,” she adds.
The satisfaction study is based on responses from 3,461 customers and was fielded July through September 2020. To participate in the study, customers are required to have a professionally monitored system which has been installed by the system provider or self-installed (DIY installed).
Professional Security Companies With Highest Customer Service Satisfaction
On the professional side, AT&T Digital Life ranked highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 878. Vivint Smart Home scored 847 for second place while Brinks Home Security, which placed first the previous two years, comes in third with a score of 842. The segment average was 840.
- AT&T Digital Life (878)
- Vivint Smart Home (847)
- Brinks Home Security (842)
- ADT (834)
- Xfinity Home Security (830)
DIY Security Companies With Highest Customer Service Satisfaction
SimpliSafe (899) overtook Ring (882) this year as the DIY security system with the highest customer satisfaction. The segment average was 882.
- SimpliSafe (899)
- Ring (882)
- Blue by ADT (880)
Now is the perfect time for security integrators to overhaul their offerings and sales approach. The pandemic has forced everyone to change and adapt. Don’t be left behind by the DIY crowd. Learn more about the study here.
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