Survey: Smart office tech is widely adopted, but results are mixed for many professionals
Smart office tech deployments hold promises of improved collaboration, energy efficiency, safety, health, and more. But does the technology measure up in reality? In January, ZDNet's sister site, Tech Pro Research, surveyed 246 professionals to get their opinions.
Most of the respondents (70%) said they work primarily in a traditional office environment, compared with the other 30 percent who work remotely as freelancers or telecommuters. Over three quarters said they currently use some form of smart office technology, with videoconferencing apps being the most popular by far.
When asked about their satisfaction with smart office products, 35 percent of respondents said they'd tried one or more products that didn't live up to their expectations. Many noted that the products they'd tried were too difficult to use, or that the products weren't fully supported by their company.
While most respondents seemed enthusiastic about the potential of smart office technology, there was a significant amount of skepticism as well. Almost a quarter of respondents said they wouldn't be interested in using any -- or any additional -- types of smart office tech, and when asked about benefits of these devices, 15 percent said they saw none.
This infographic contains other findings from the Tech Pro Research survey. To see all the data and analysis, check out the full report: Smart office technology: What's working, what's failing, and what users want out of it(Tech Pro Research subscription required).