Summertime, And The Selling Is Easy, (If You're A Smart Lock Dealer)
With kids home from school, and families taking vacations, summertime is an ideal time to sell the advantages of smart connected locks
Summertime is traditionally a slower season for business in general, a time when kids are off from school and adults are taking time off from work. But if you are a security or home automation dealer who sells smart locks, summer can be a hot time to increase sales and grow your business. And some of the very reasons for this are the reasons other businesses might slow down – school is out, and vacation mode is kicking in.
Many happy returns. “There are a number of reasons why a smart lock can be the best security option for parents any time of year but especially during the summer,” said Erik Glassen, senior manager, Brand Marketing at Kwikset. “The remote capabilities of smart locks give parents the ability to use their smart phone or tablet to control their lock and track their kids’ comings and goings. Plus, because smart locks work with simple user codes, each member of the family can have their own code. Family members can enter the home with a few simple button pushes, and then lock the door with just one. So, kids returning from a little league game or a friend’s backyard pool are never left waiting at the front steps for a parent. And keys never need to be left ‘hidden’ under a mat or inside a fake rock.”
Peace of mind comes easier with smart locks and user codes. Even if a child forgets the code, smart locks are not limited to providing access control “in person” at the door. These connected locks can, in fact, be controlled by any Web-enabled device; so, parents can use their smartphone to let their child into the house, and even lock the door after the child is safely inside.
Also, thanks to their ability to deliver notification, smart locks can let parents know via an automated message when the door is unlocked. If a smart lock is paired with a video camera or video doorbells, parents can upload a video of their child safely entering the home.
Vacations from worry. During the summer, many homeowners take vacations away from their home. But being away from home doesn’t have to mean completely losing touch with their property, especially with the remote access control capabilities of smart locks.
“When you have a smart lock that can be controlled through a smart phone or tablet, you can be sitting by the pool on a tropical island and be able to control your entire home automation system. You can also set up scenes that use the smart lock and other devices,” Glassen said.
This means that, even when vacationers are far from home, they can create custom scenes through their lock that will not only include actions like doors locking or unlocking, but also outside and inside lights turning on, and shades opening or closing. In fact, when homeowners are not around, they can make uninvited guests think they are.
As for invited guests, they can be given time-sensitive user codes that can be dropped at any time. Giving out user codes can replace passing out keys to friends, neighbors, or contractors – keys that can be lost or stolen. But while they are away, homeowners can still make sure things get done around the home: rooms can be painted, plumbing repaired, and goldfish fed.
Plus, smart locks connected to a home automation system can be empowered to keep and deliver valuable information about their use. In this way, vacationers can receive an audit trail of who has been granted access to their home, and when. This is another way that smart locks deliver peace of mind to families in pursuit of relaxation.
“If security dealers keep touting the advantages of smart locks, even during the heat of summer, they can potentially make smart locks a centerpiece of their home automation business all year long. And they can turn a lazy, hazy, traditionally slow summer season into a hot time for connected security sales,” Glassen said.