As a technology enthusiast and someone who lives and breathes within this space, it’s easy to get excited about all of the innovation happening in the world of displays. That said, for as exciting as it is to learn about and experience advancements in the TV world, one thing has become increasingly clear: it’s a confusing category.
TV tech today is like alphabet soup. You’ve got OLED, QLED, Mini-LED, RGB Micro, QD-LED… The list goes on. Manufacturers have flooded this market with not only new technology but marketing terminology that can make even the most seasoned professional take pause. Now imagine a consumer trying to make sense of it all. God speed.
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To better understand how the industry views the current landscape, we recently conducted a brief survey of professionals across the custom integration and builder communities on this very topic. What we discovered is that there is a very clear disconnect between how professionals in the space view (and talk about) display technology and what consumers prioritize when shopping for a new TV. If anything, the results below showcase just how important the role of the integrator can be when guiding clients through the process.
Pros vs. Joes
Not surprisingly, integrators were extremely confident in their own understanding of the current slate of TV tech. When asked about their level of knowledge nearly 80 percent of professionals rated themselves as either “very” or “extremely” knowledgeable when it comes to display technology.
When asked to rate their perception of consumers’ understanding, the results shifted dramatically. The overwhelming majority of respondents believe their clients lack a clear understanding of these emerging technologies. Three out of four integrators believe consumers have either “limited” or “no” knowledge at all when it comes to modern display tech.
What’s worse, integrators place a good bit of blame on the industry itself for the lack of understanding. When asked whether today’s TV marketing clearly explains the benefits of the various display technologies, respondents were overwhelmingly critical. Nearly 60 percent of industry pros said marketing efforts are not very clear with another 17 percent saying it’s extremely confusing. Only 4 percent said marketing around TV tech was very clear.
Those sentiments are incredibly valid when you look at a TV landscape where brands promote terms like Neo QLED, OLED Evo, Mini-LED, Micro RGB LED, and more. For the average consumer, the line between genuine technological differences and marketing language can quickly become blurry—for better and worse.
What Drives TV Purchasing Decisions?
The confusion around the tech from the consumers’ standpoint means integrators and other partners in the space can position themselves as a key advisor in the display decision-making process. In fact, the survey found that integrators believe they are the single-biggest factor in driving display purchasing decisions.
So, what then are integrators pushing as the most important aspects of a TV when talking with consumers? Picture quality was the top feature (71 percent), which shows just how big a role the tech professional plays in educating the consumer and attempting to clear up any confusion. That was followed by longevity and reliability of the display (50 percent), design and form factor (33 percent), and screen size (33 percent).
Those same sentiments were shared when prompted to give their 30-second pitch to a customer on what truly matters when selecting a display. Reliability and picture quality were among the most-mentioned terms.
“Our clients trust us to evaluate the ever-changing television landscape and deliver only the highest-performing display solutions that perfectly match to their environment and expectation,” one integrator wrote.
Ultimately, what the scenario boils down to is working with the client to understand what their needs are as it relates to the space their looking to add a display to and then taking that information and using their trust in you as the expert to guide them to the best possible solution. Have the conversation with them. Get to know what their priorities are, how they’ll utilize the display, and what type of setting the TV will be placed in and make an informed recommendation from there.
Especially at this level, clients may be less informed around the technical jargon. But that’s why they turn to a professional who understands the differences between each type of TV tech and what they should choose for their given space or project. As long as you and your team are able to translate what all the marketing speak means and how it’ll impact the client’s experience, you will continue to be that trusted advisor.
