Today, technology is taken for granted. It offers simple solutions, meaningful supplements or helpful support in countless areas of daily life. But can it be that new technology is rather frustrating for many people and causes new problems? Because how much time do we waste watching the laptop update, setting up the new smartphone or watching the station scan on TV? High tech - more curse than blessing?

MediaMarktSaturn, wanted to know more. The colleagues at MediaMarkt Iberia therefore asked their customers: Does technology cause stress?
The study "Informe Tecno-estrés de los españoles" investigated and analyzed the fear of technology and its causes. To this end, 325 Spaniards between the ages of 16 and 75 were interviewed online.

The result: Almost all respondents (88%) stated that they feel stress when confronted with the installation or repair of an electronic device. 4 out of 10 respondents reported that they feel completely or at least very overwhelmed in such a situation. "The stress that technology causes in many people is associated with high emotional costs for the person concerned - usually due to a lack of knowledge," says clinical psychologist Patricia Castaño. She had accompanied the study scientifically. Mistrust and rejection of technological changes can deprive people of the ability to adapt to a changed situation. "If these situations recur and become more intense, it can cause various symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, depression and irritability," warns the expert. "Especially when they try to solve the technical problem.

MediaMarktSaturn attaches great importance to customer friendliness

In recent years, MediaMarktSaturn has pursued a strategy that places particular emphasis on customer friendliness. The focus here is on a wide range of services and products related to technology as well as a strong presence.  "The goal is to accompany the customer in the digital world, to become his partner and to help him get the best out of the technology," says Alejandro Codina, Chief Services Officer of MediaMarkt Iberia, describing the goal. "That's why our stores have areas designed specifically for organizing services." In addition, special teams of technicians such as TechBuddy or Deutsche Technikberatung help customers at home with all kinds of support. Not only in Spain does this system work well, as Codina knows: "Since the introduction of this service, we have recorded a customer satisfaction rate of over 60%".

If you take a closer look at the results of the study, you'll notice that it's a very good idea: Even if people aged 55 and over in particular need technical support, setting up a WLAN network also causes stress among young people (between 16 and 25 years). Also interesting: One in four respondents seek advice from a friend, acquaintance or relative when installing new software or setting up a laptop - but just as many try to solve the problem themselves.

Many Spaniards try to be self-taught

In general, many Spaniards are quite adventurous with technological or electronic difficulties and try to be self-taught. At least a third of respondents said that they set about configuring the options of their Smart TV or updating their antivirus or other computer programs. Most of them (74%) stated that they used the relevant operating instructions. Those who use external help, on the other hand, do so due to a lack of technical knowledge. 11% say that they ask for help either because they don't have the time or because they (9%) don't like technology. And one in four respondents said they went back to the store because they didn't understand how the device they just bought worked. By the way, this percentage is quite balanced between men and women.

The 3 technological problems that cause most stress in Spaniards are a new smartphone (54%) - especially when switching to or transferring contacts and other information to a new device -, the first installation of a computer (48%), followed by the configuration of a WLAN network (46%).
This study result is particularly interesting for MediaMarktSaturn: a very high percentage of respondents (3 out of 4) and both men and women consider it very important that providers such as MediaMarktSaturn offer advice including a comprehensive range of services. This also includes advice at home as well as services for the configuration, installation or repair of all types of electronic devices.