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.