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Brits’ tech ignorance reported

by on27 March 2019


15 per cent of Brits have tried to destroy frustrating gear

Technology knowledge is so bad in the UK that 15 per cent of adults have reached the end of their tether and tried to destroy the frustrating device.

New research, commissioned by Wiztek, a provider of online and mobile tech support, reveals that forty-seven per cent of the population admit they’re clueless when it comes to resolving computer and tech issues. Eight million Brits have broken gadgets - in a fit of RAGE, the study found.

Those polled will typically endure 63 IT issues a year - including intermittent Wi-Fi, endless pop-up adverts and patience-testing paper jams.

And when trying to fix problems such as these, it’s just 12 minutes before they start to lose their cool.

The research of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Wiztek, found a third have become so fed-up by the tech woes they’ve purchased a replacement device rather than get it repaired.

And a fifth have fallen out with their other half as a direct result of their phone, computer or tablet not working as it should.

Wiztek CEO Paul Amsellem said that tech was an integral part of life – whether it be at work or home.

“And as such, we’d be significantly hampered in our daily lives – unable to check emails for important messages; use sat nav to get from A to B successfully or to keep track of appointments. So when our devices stop working or don’t operate as they should it understandably becomes extremely frustrating,” Amsellem said.

Forty-seven per cent of the population admits they’re not very knowledgeable when it comes to resolving computer and tech issues.

And of the 60 plus problems faced annually, the research found they will only successfully resolve 14 of them without help.

Instead, when attempting to fix IT and tech problems, 3 in 10 revealed they’ve made the problem worse.

A quarter admits they later regretted getting a helping hand from a mate to fix their gadgets because they were returned in a worse state than before.

The Wiztek research carried out through OnePoll, found 40 per cent of the population has been left unable to work following problems with IT equipment.

And 25 per cent have lost essential files such as cherished family photos and critical documents as a direct result of a tech failure.

“Tech and computing issues are a minefield. There are so many possible causes for everyday problems that even the most knowledgeable of people can get stumped. 

Downtime from tech problems can lead to many wasted hours and in today’s society where we are all so busy, time costs money,” Amsellem added.

TOP 20 - MOST ANNOYING TECH PROBLEMS:

1. Slow internet
2. Slow computer
3. Pop-up ads
4. Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting
5. Forgotten password
6. Slow downloads
7. Software updates making things worse
8. Can't log in
9. Printer won't work
10. Phone battery keeps dying quickly
11. Accidentally deleting something important
12. App keeps on crashing
13. Paper jams
14. 'Blue screen of death.'
15. Can't open email attachments
16. Keep seeing 'there is a problem with this website's security certificate.'
17. Ink not printing properly
18. Hard drive failure
19. Remembering where you stored files/data
20. Running out of hard drive space

 

Last modified on 28 March 2019
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