Delivering a unique brand of tech support services.
A dramatically-increasing number of older adults are using technology and going online. According to a Pew Internet study, 14% of people in the U.S. 65 and over were using the Internet in 2000; in 2015, that segment of the population jumped to 58%. As the number of people adopting technology grows, so does the need for technical support and training services.
In October 2015, the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing (FPCIW) partnered with Geekatoo to pilot test the company’s tech support program at Vista del Monte (VDM). Geekatoo has since merged with HelloTech, and is a nationwide network of local technicians who assist users with various technology troubleshooting and education. HelloTech also conducts compulsory background and criminal checks of its technicians, and provides specialized training to help its team tailor their services to the unique needs of older adults and retirement communities.
In a month-long pilot, FPCIW assessed the impact of the HelloTech’s services on VDM’s community residents, and to evaluate the company to potentially service other Front Porch communities. HelloTech provided in-home visits, drop-in office hours, remote technical services, and community workshops.
- The technicians conducted a total of 72 in-person encounters with residents
- 39 unique individuals received in-home visit services averaging one hour
- 17 residents attended drop-in hours, and 30 attended one of two 1-hour long workshops
- The average satisfaction rate for service was 4.5 out of 5.0
- 92% of the residents who used the service indicated they would recommend HelloTech
- 75% of the residents who used the service said they were likely to use HelloTech again for technical support or tutorials
The high satisfaction levels among both community residents and staff during the pilot were convincing, demonstrating HelloTech’s commitment to high quality service in meeting the technical support needs of users. Based on its successful pilot with the community, Vista del Monte, with support from the FACT Foundation, now offers HelloTech as an ongoing program of the community.
Read the CIW’s Final Report on the HelloTech pilot.
