Keeping Your Customers Secure
Technology offers a variety of peace of mind benefits
- By Juan M. López
- Nov 01, 2015
As interest in connected home technology
rises, consumers are beginning
to pay attention to its many
safety and security benefits. In fact,
a recent study found that over 70
percent of homeowners feel connected home products
help increase their peace of mind when it comes
to home security.
Connected home technology offers a variety of
benefits, especially when installed in a space such as
the garage, which homeowners use almost every day.
LiftMaster has been innovating and changing the
connected home industry since the introduction of
our MyQ technology in 2012. Safety and security is
one of our key values and we are bringing that same
focus to our connected home products.
If your customers are looking to integrate connected
home devices, specifically in the garage, make
sure they keep these factors in mind for added safety,
security and convenience.
Security
With connected home technology in the garage,
your customers can reach a level of home security
and peace of mind that was previously unattainable.
Chances are your customers already receive alerts
on their phone for a variety of reasons, but now
with MyQ technology they can get alerts on their
smartphone when the garage door opens, closes or
is left open.
Imagine if your customer had just left for work
only to suddenly realize they had left the garage door
open. Or if they were on vacation, sitting in a meeting
that was running late, or halfway through their
grocery run, would they have any options? In all these
cases, your customer could receive a text when the garage
door is left open and close it directly from the
free MyQ app. There are so many real-world scenarios
that can be addressed by connected home technology
for added security and peace of mind.
For an additional layer of protection, several connected
garage door openers also offer a built-in timer.
Open garage doors can be targets for break-ins, but
with a built-in timer the garage door will automatically
close as soon as vehicles are clear, eliminating the potential
for theft and damage.
Safety
The garage door can be the heaviest moving object
in the house, so it’s very important to ensure it operates
safely. Make sure your customers are looking
for connected devices integrated with signaling capabilities—
either visual or audio warnings—to ensure
those nearby are aware when a garage door is closing
or opening.
Ensure your customers choose a connected garage
door opener that is Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
compliant to reduce the risk of injuries and property
damage. In addition, if your customers’ connected
garage door opener doesn’t have photo eyes, which
are a key safety feature, it needs to be replaced. According
to industry estimates one-in-15 garage doors
may lack the latest safety features or may not be operating
safely.
Ease of use
First-time buyers may be overwhelmed by the sheer
number of connected home devices and apps available.
Encourage your customers to focus on products
that are simple and user-friendly; the best connected
home technology will have an intuitive and straightforward
user interface.
Convenience
Ensure your customers are considering connected
home products that improve accessibility and convenience.
Seventy percent of homeowners use the garage
as the main point of entry to and from the house; with
MyQ technology, they can open, close and control
their garage door opener anytime, from anywhere.
Plus, with MyQ, homeowners have the added convenience
of controlling home, garden or garage lighting
systems all from the app, and no longer have to worry
about stepping into an unlit house.
The connected home isn’t just a passing trend—
integrating connected home products can offer big
benefits for your consumers in terms of safety, security
and convenience. With these tips, you can help
your customers take the first steps
to a safe and secure connected
home.
This article originally appeared in the November 2015 issue of Security Today.
About the Author
Juan M. López is the director of marketing, connectivity and controls at LiftMaster.