Brits look to different sources of help depending on age

Who we turn to for help with technology problems varies hugely depending on our age. While a third of Brits (33 per cent) surveyed rely on ‘trial and error’ when setting a video, DVD or other tech device, at the age of 42 the satisfaction of conquering a gadget through personal ingenuity declines as consumers turn to relatives for help, according to tech education website whatisyourtq.com.

By the age of 55, reading a manual loses its appeal and consumers prefer to turn to relatives for help overcoming technology stumbling blocks. Similarly, while the younger generation ask friends for help with new technologies, at 32 years of age more people go to relatives than friends.

Who do we turn to for help?

Neil Edwards, technology expert at PayPal UK comments: “The research reveals that where we seek help and advice when we encounter problems with technology changes significant changes as we get older. Consumers’ willingness to rely on ‘trial and error’ to solve their technology difficulties clearly declines with age. In contrast our reliance on relatives increases with maturity, apart from a dip in the ‘fiercely independent’ years of our teens and early twenties.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the research also shows that more men (40 per cent) than women (26 per cent) are too stubborn to ask for help and would rather persist until they’ve ‘cracked it’. Even when men have thrown the towel in, they won’t ask anyone for help and prefer to work through the manual in search of an answer. In contrast, women are much more open and almost half (45 per cent) will seek guidance from a relative – compared to less than a quarter (23 per cent) of men.

Neil Edwards says: “With so many new gadgets hitting the high-street it’s impossible for the majority of us to keep up to speed with them all. Although it’s nice to think that we can master every new technology challenge, it’s almost unfeasible to master it all without any kind of help as the research testifies.”

The research also revealed that consumers with children are more confident with technology. A quarter (27 per cent) of Brits without children described themselves as being ‘clueless’ when it come to technology, compared to only one in ten (9 per cent) of those with kids.

Neil Edwards add: “The research shows that Brits waste a lot of time and effort before they finally ask for help. Consulting a friend or relative can get the job done much quicker. We can all learn by sharing and seeking information, and in this 24/7 world we now live in getting the right information quickly and accurately is vital.”

Progressions in technology continue to spread across the nation with the arrival of new products and services – the latest being Video-on-demand and the importance of broadband. The research demonstrates how technology is increasingly prevalent in our daily lives with 70 per cent now regularly using a computer, almost three quarters (74 per cent) owning a mobile phone, and 77 per cent a DVD player or recorder.

Neil Edwards says: “Since its online launch in 1998, PayPal has constantly evolved by understanding and embracing new technologies. This, combined with our emphasis on being user-friendly, gives consumers a powerful and effective payment solution.

“PayPal recognises that the unknown can be daunting and has therefore launched whatisyourtq.com to encourage as much tech learning development as possible.”

To test your TQ as well as hints and tips on how to improve it log onto: whatisyourtq.com.