TECH ADVISOR
Should I Install a Control System?
The Answer to the Question is the Ever-Annoying, ‘It Depends’ By Henry Clifford It’s 2020, and we’ve come a long way since the advent of smart home control systems so expensive that only the very wealthy could afford them. We live in a world chock full of choices (maybe too many!). Consumers are often confused by the array of shiny objects available to make their lives easier, leading some of them to seek out the services of home technology professionals like my company, Livewire. We cater to these harried consumers by collaborating with them to pick the best solution. Our presentations are oriented around showing choices using a “Door #1, Door #2” analogy. By stepping back and assuming the role of trusted advisor, we avoid being labeled as trying to “sell” something.
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Residential Tech Today | March–May 2020
I’ve always found that the best professionals seem to answer questions with another question. Ever try getting your lawyer to actually tell you what to do? All of the good ones give options, then step back and let you decide. Home technology is no different. The second we move into advice-giving mode is the moment we lose control of the sale. By staying on the same side of the table with the client, shoulder to shoulder, we stay involved in the process because we’re building the most important element in any relationship – trust. Here are the options we present whenever trying to help a client decide whether or not a control system makes sense for them.
Door #1 – One App to Rule Them All We explain to the client that just like a universal remote, home technology can be controlled through a single user experience. Manufacturers like Crestron, Savant, Control4, Elan, and others offer solutions able to control audio, video, security, lighting control, video surveillance, HVAC, and more through a single app. These companies generally manufacture not only the control system software but many of the subsystem components as well. These subsystems may or may not be best in class and sometimes are a function of the control system company needing to diversify revenue streams. COMMON APPLICATIONS: • Large homes or estates
