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Support Services

Role of Support and Training in the Smart Home

As the technology used in smart homes and security systems grows in complexity, consumers opting for professionally installed and monitored systems rely on their providers' expertise for configuration and support. This requirement is a growing concern for smaller integrators who fear that support costs will increase dramatically by including home controls with their installations. But while dealers report smart home devices have a high impact on support costs, the interactive services of these devices increase monthly revenue.

According to Parks Associates, only 5% of smart home device owners report having a support subscription service, so this valuable offering has plenty of room to expand.

Additionally, more training resources are available as newer, more complex products appear on the market. Product certifications, webinars, online resources, and mobile apps all help dealers reduce the number of truck rolls and subsequent support costs. The right education and training can prevent the development of trouble conditions on a customer account or other system issues, often increasing customer engagement and overall lifetime value.

Comprehensive training programs, when executed intentionally, can help technicians efficiently sell, install, and support smart home technology. Training is a meaningful investment for dealers of any size: by arming teams with the right educational tools, dealers can save time and money with more consistently successful installations.
 

A Future of Personalized, Predictive, and Proactive Experiences

The progress made by connectivity, artificial intelligence, video analytics, and integration among products increases the applications, services, and overall value of smart home solutions for consumers. The capabilities are expanding beyond the traditional access points, opening new opportunities to help transform the smart home into an increasingly more personalized, predictive, and proactive experience.

Consumers' expectations for their devices and household services will continue to expand in parallel with their capabilities, opening more doors for specialty providers in the home. The future is bright for those companies who recognize the value of choice and the opportunities to create additional stickiness and engagement through new services to consumers.

This is an excerpt from a white paper published in partnership with Alarm.com. This whitepaper addresses the expansion of professional services beyond home security—driven by the growth of connected devices, new technology, and unified offerings from professional service providers and DIY solutions.

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