My Journey to CES 2022 - OEMs Need the Tech Care Industry Now More Than Ever

CES 2022 is over, I’m back home (safe & sound), and if there is one thing I can report about the show it’s that the Consumer Tech Industry needs the Tech Care Industry now more than ever! In this post I’ll go over the issue again and then conclude with a solution that I think could please both sides.

In my two previous posts about my journey to CES 2022 (1. Tech Care Meets the Consumer Tech Association, and 2. What’s Your Tech Repair Strategy?) I highlighted my personal journey to CES, how/why it relates to my work at the Tech Care Association (TCA) and my main takeaway from talking with hundreds of tech manufacturers (OEMs). I’ll also be posting some videos from the show on the TCA YouTube Channel in the coming days.

As someone who absolutely loves new tech, I’d like to say that I spent a lot of time trying out all of the new stuff at CES – there was lot of cool stuff - but I didn’t because my mission was trying to find new opportunities for the tech care industry. I want these companies to continue to produce life changing tech but I also want them to open up more to tech care. I really believe that 2022 is the year we find a way to work together!

In my final post about the show I would like to make an appeal to all of the companies who are producing consumer electronics, which is an echo of a previous appeal that I made in 2016 titled “Repair Industry Research – Apple Needs Us”.

The appeal is a simple one that EVERYONE should be amenable to:

You need us tech makers and we need you – let’s work together to make happier customers and drive innovation!
It is impossible to have centralized tech care. The current system is outdated and not working. The entire system needs to be decentralized.
You will greatly improve customer satisfaction with decentralized tech care programs which will drive more sales to your brand.

WANT MORE TECH SALES?

Improve Customer Service With Better Tech Care!

A lot of the OEMs think, incorrectly, that their sales will suffer, and innovation will slow down if they open up their carefully guarded gates to outsiders – a kind of protectionist/isolationist strategy that has numerous flaws. The biggest of which is customer demand.

The simple truth of the matter is OEMs can’t handle the large number of customers who either need tech support or tech repair. Take Apple for example, where you must make an appointment to travel whatever distance might be required to get help, passing numerous tech repair shops on the way who often take walk-in business and provide fast, affordable service.

Other OEMs offer generous warranties with HUGE hassle factors that require you to ship in the item for service which will cost you time and money. The sad thing is that many issues are simple and could be resolved on-the-spot with an experienced tech repair professional. But as I mentioned in my last CES update (What’s Your Tech Repair Strategy?) most companies just don’t have a strategy for tech care.

These companies think they have a good strategy but they have no clue as to what the modern consumer wants from them. Which is really surprising because most new tech is designed to make peoples lives easier and give them something at the “push of a button” but then they rely on old school reverse logistics for after sales tech care.

IT’S WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS, STUPID!

If you make tech and want to put your company ahead of your competitor, then provide better tech care services after the sale! A chat works for some people. Phone call for others. AI is nice. But some people need more. I mean why do you think Apple has the Genius bar? Because they know some people (a lot evidently) want one-on-one service. But here’s the problem, demand is too high even for Apple, much less for a piece of tech relying on a Best Buy employee for help. Your sunk!

No one will ever make a piece of tech that doesn’t need tech care after its sold (support, troubleshooting, repair, etc.). Apple tried the best they could and if a company that is so advanced, well respected, and loaded with money can’t do it WHY do you think you can?

Apple dominates consumer tech in the US because they have the best tech care platform in the market, despite the fact that some people compare it to the DMV (Google it). But hope is not lost for everyone else because a better solution is available for anyone, even Apple.

THE OEM SOLUTION FOR BETTER TECH CARE

When it comes to tech care, people want fast, simple, convenient service. They don’t want to sit on the phone for hours or deal with an AI chat that turns out to be sales focused. Customers want to walk into a local business in their community that employee’s tech professionals that can help on the spot.

When it comes to tech sales you’ve got Amazon, Best Buy, Apple, and then everyone else. In the US Amazon doesn’t really have any locations, Best Buy has 956, and Apple only has around 272. The main issue is that it’s a lot easier to BUY something at these stores than it is to get tech care services (Press 1 for Sales). What’s the solution?

There are an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 tech repair locations in the US. No one knows for certain because before the Tech Care Association was created in 2021 no one represented this unique group of small businesspeople. The industry has three bigger brands in Asurion Tech Repair (formally uBreakiFix) with almost 700 locations, CPR with around 510 locations, and Batteries Plus with around 700 locations.

If you use the conservative estimate of 10K for the number of tech care locations, you see that there is an incredible opportunity to tap into this network for any and all tech makers to offer community-based tech care services. In other words, a trusted “tech hub” in their community that allows them to walk into a place and get help immediately.

Here’s the best part, a happy customer is more likely to buy more of your brand and refer your brand to their friends, family, and co-workers. These community “tech hubs” can be equipped to help with every aspect of tech care support, repair, reuse/refurbishment, and recycle. A complete life-cycle solution that empowers small businesspeople in EVERY COMMUNITY!

The last decade has proven that consolidation isn’t a good solution for business, it’s especially true in tech care. The best results will come from decentralized solutions. Making tech care a part of every community, empowering small business, and making customers happy will drive innovation and boost sales as customers gain greater confidence in your brands.

The Tech Care Association is leading the way for this solution. Contact us today and join the movement at www.TechCareAssociation.org.

Now here’s some more pictures from CES 2022: