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The changing face
of home security
»»DAVID HERBERT, BUSINESS
Development Director for Yale
Smart Living, talks about the
opportunities available for
locksmiths to increase their share of
the smart home security market.
In recent years, the idea of a
‘smart home’ has been much
more prevalent; but with so many
different definitions it can be a
confusing subject. Put simply,
a smart home is a home with a
gateway connected to the internet,
which allows users to control
and monitor their home, and all
the devices in it (such as heating,
lighting and security).
According to recent research
commissioned by Yale, consumer
awareness of the smart home
is high, with a good level of
understanding of the primary
features and benefits smart home
technologies can bring.
What’s more, the research
reveals that smart security is one
of the most popular drivers for the
smart home, with it showing as the
second most important of five key
drivers for the connected home,
after smart energy.
The survey, which reviewed 2,000
men and women in the UK, shows
62% of consumers expect remote
locking of windows and doors to be
a key feature of a smart home, with
51% expressing a strong interest in
smart locks.
It also revealed that homeowners
recognise the benefits of being able
to remotely let children, guests
or cleaners into their home from
anywhere in the world, and are now
beginning to demand the type of
services a smart lock can offer.
The research indicates that the
consumer smart home journey will
start with smart energy or smart
security but, once these products
have been installed and consumers
have experienced smart living, the
next step will be to expand their
system by adding more features.
This means the smart home is
likely to arrive organically, step
by step, rather than as a complete
installation.
As with any new technology,
consumers did note some
reservations in terms of the
reliability and security of a smart
home. The technology ‘not working’,
or ‘going wrong’ were
listed as key concerns,
which means trust and
reassurance in the system
and product supplier will
be vital.
Consumers want to
invest in brands they
trust, rather than the
hottest technology. This
was clearly revealed
when respondents
were asked to name the
leading brands in Smart
Home Security, where
Yale (18%) ranked much higher
than Apple (11%), Google (8%) or
Samsung (8%).
When it comes to fitting smart
products, 40% of Brits surveyed
said they would prefer professional
installation, with 27% preferring
“a mix of professional and
DIY depending on how much
technology is involved”, thus
providing proactive locksmiths a
key opportunity to promote their
services and increase sales.
Further interesting insights
revealed by the survey include the
fact that women are keener than
men on opting for professional
installation, and the 45+ and 55+
age group also prefer installation by
a trusted professional over DIY. This
is especially useful when it comes
to targeted digital advertising or via
social media for locksmiths.
In summary, now is the time for
locksmiths to move into the smart
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JAN/FEB 2016
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security market and take advantage
of the growing potential and
increased profits available in this
sector. Yale’s range of smart security
products are available in a variety of
options to suit all consumer needs,
making Smart Living the smart
choice for locksmiths looking to
increase sales in 2016 and beyond.
Yale offers standalone security
products including smart locks,
alarms and CCTV, to a complete
home security system, built around
an intelligent smart security hub,
which integrates with a wide range
of modular accessories. Yale is
also working with a number of key
home automation partners, such as
Samsung SmartThings to provide
the very best security protection
for smart home customers. This
is helping to increase demand
for locksmith services, as well as
providing them with a new lucrative
revenue stream.
Start your smart security journey
today by providing your customers
with the very best and latest
home security products on the
market, leading to repeat sales and
increased profits.
For further information visit
www.yale.co.uk