Price, complexity and security breeches…. Learn how to dispute the myths about home automation and bring new customers into the market.
Most of the public don’t know the benefits of home automation solutions in detail. Because of this, potential customers may buy into the myths surrounding home automation.
Today, the market increasingly demands that home automation integrators are multitasking professionals. Technically, they must be able to efficiently provide and install networks and devices in the customer’s home. Additionally, they must also be good sales reps, promoting and providing third-party automation solutions.
Wow! So much work needed to convince, convert and keep potential customers. How do you do this successfully?
In this post, we will provide you with convincing arguments to counter customer’s resistance to this market. Many of these ideas add to the tools the integrators can use to have a positive approach to sales and increase their business. First, let’s address the five main myths.
1. It takes a lot of money to automate my home.
2. My security will be threatened with automation devices.
3. I need to own my home to install automation.
4. It is very difficult to use automation today.
5. Residential automation is just a trend.
IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO AUTOMATE MY HOME
This is the main myth about home automation, but the truth is home automation doesn’t have to be expensive.
This is going to be the majority of the excuses customers use to not convert to home automation.
The cost of home automation is relative to the complexity of the design. The type of solution chosen – wired or wireless – will be determined based on customer needs and the dimensions of the residences. The whole process of creating a robust and integrated project begins with the mapping of energy consumption and consumer knowledge. The preparation of this step will be the starting point for an estimate of the budget required for the installation.
However, large residences – over 4305 square foot – will need power distribution networks and boxes. Due to the limited range of wireless exchanges, the integrator can opt for fully wired or mixed solutions (a hybrid with wireless modules). There is also the case of reforms, with reuse or replacement of networks.
Although it demands higher initial investment, long-term cost-benefit offsets the price of wired residential automation. It is estimated that up to 30% of the initial value invested can be recovered with energy efficiency and consumption optimization. Therefore, sustainability should never be overlooked in sales strategies!
Finally: the use of home automation increases the total value of the property. In a retrofit, it is estimated that it can add up to 10% of its price. With this information in hand, turning your potential clients into loyal customers will be easier than ever.
MY SECURITY WILL BE JEOPARDIZE BY AUTOMATION DEVICES
The vulnerability of automation devices depends primarily on good user practices. Risk is inherent to any equipment connected to the worldwide network, so we often hear that new daily cyber-attacks are planned to steal information and damage systems.
With the increasing connectivity of the home through the Internet of Things, the issue of privacy is more apparent than ever. According to the Parks Associates’ trend report, 50% of US users are concerned about data theft by hackers. Many consumers are also wary of companies using sensitive data without permission.
These issues must be dealt with by constructing a secure network infrastructure for the integration of the customers’ system. In wireless solutions, the integrator must put especial care in router security. It is important to enable the firewall and, if possible, connect the automation devices to Virtual Private Networks (VPN). This restricts access and makes it difficult for hackers to identify devices, thus reducing the risk by a Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS).
Another important evaluation that needs to be made is, what degree of connectivity does the user want?
The advantage of automated systems lies in the learning of the machine, which makes autonomous decisions according to data generated by the capture of ambient sensors. However, it is the automation interfaces that make the human-machine interaction, such as scene configuration, equipment settings, and user identification.
Not everyone who automates their home will be heavy-users to the point of needing multiple gadgets synchronized to solutions such as smart watches and voice assistants. Remember, the more you connect, the more data you’ll share and store in the cloud. Therefore, it is necessary to explain the pros and cons of the functionalities to the clients when developing the project.
IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO USE AUTOMATION TODAY
On the contrary! The best home automation solutions on the market today are characterized by usability and personalization. All components of the system, whether sensors, actuators or interfaces are adapted to fit ubiquitously to the space and daily life of the residents.
Also, applications developed by the manufacturer make the process of managing electric charges in appliances and lighting easier. Simply recognizing the automation device (micromodules) by QR technology or registering infrared codes enable its control. It is so simple that it can be done without any help from the integrator!
In addition, residential projects seek to provide different levels of access to customers through interaction with automation interfaces. This allows different users of the same system to adjust individual features through the application. The same process can be preconfigured by the integrator through the solution management software it represents.
The benefit of the practical setup is so great that it makes the automation product ideal for perfecting home accessibility.
An inclusive automation integration makes the whole residential environment suitable for use by the elderly, children, and people with special needs. More importantly, the introduction of voice assistants promises to reduce dependence on mobile devices in the long run.
However, keep in mind that the more complex the features, the higher the cost of selling home automation. If the customer is interested in few resources or demonstrates an “immature” product profile, it is preferable to create a flexible design. By keeping the ability to incorporate new functionality in the long run, everyone wins.
I NEED TO OWN MY HOME TO INSTALL AUTOMATION
No way!
Many potential customers make the mistake of believing this myth by ignoring the installation of wireless home automation. Mainly, real estate agents who don’t want to worry about changes in the physical structure of the house. What many have no idea about, is that these home automation features are much cheaper and easier to install!
Wireless-enabled designs have facilitated low-cost automation without losing the key features available in wired networks. On the same automation center, the consumer controls air conditioning, lighting, security of doors, curtains, and appliances. Other subsystems can be integrated, such as fire alarms, warning sirens and CCTV cameras.
This is a great alternative for those who have very old automation systems at home and do not need retrofit. The new wireless systems are constantly expanding, with the integration of new equipment and functionality into your applications. In the short term, they hardly become obsolete, guaranteeing the return on investment in the project.
The flexibility offered is so advantageous that you can explore new niche markets that share the same “pains.”
- Offices and closed working environments;
- Hotels and B&B’s;
- Buildings and public offices.
RESIDENTIAL AUTOMATION IS JUST A TREND
This is one of the easiest myths to debunk! This market is expected to grow 25% between 2015 and 2020, reaching the amount of total spending to $7 billion dollars.
In the future, home automation can become a staple in the sale of real estate, like the European market. Today, it is possible to see it as an investment. It is estimated that the systems installations increase the value of the property by up to 10%, and with the integration of wireless systems, its initial cost will fall even more.
Additionally, the smart home service is expanding into new business models. There are increasingly new ways to sell automation products and explore niche markets, such as compact apartments. In other words, residential automation is here to stay.
The current American residential automation market offers solutions for the elaboration of projects with different levels of complexity. However, the consumer still has resistance to these technologies, mainly in relation to the cost and difficulty of use. At this point, the integrator must work to change the mindset of this target audience, highlighting automation as a long-term investment.
Another way to penetrate the market is to improve its customer service and humanize its approach to the customer. Only then, will the integrator overcome these myths about home automation.
Showing the advantages of installing a smart home is a necessity for the integrator. He or she can do this by presenting data and previous work in a portfolio. In the design and installation of the job, they must act as an intermediary in the relationship between the client and the engineers, architects and designers.
The more proximity and transparency to the client, the greater their chances of success in new projects.