Questions to sell automation
- Thread starter LightenUP
- Start date
LightenUP
Active Member
You all are more advanced in your set-ups, that is painfully obvious to me. I am mainly interested with Lighing control. All though I like the idea of thermestats and some limited camera stuff . Driveway probes or motion sensors are also requested from time to time.
If you were only selling for lighting control....Do you pose questions like:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith,
I am not sure if you are interested in this or not but, if you could turn one or a group of lights ON from your bed, Would you find some comfort in that?
That is probably a very obvious application. What are some other Lighting control type questions that have been unique in creating the buzz for the client?
We are applying vaccations, holidays, delay triggers, scene settings, fireplace on/off, can also offer remote access via a server. Again wanting to get even more creative with strange requests or recomendations from you on alternate ways to sell this stuff.
I have found that if they are interested in the technology they usually aren't concerned with price as much as performance.
The most unique for me is probably, could your children benefit from a slow fade ON or Off of their lighting?
For some reason that usually intrigues some folks.
If you were only selling for lighting control....Do you pose questions like:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith,
I am not sure if you are interested in this or not but, if you could turn one or a group of lights ON from your bed, Would you find some comfort in that?
That is probably a very obvious application. What are some other Lighting control type questions that have been unique in creating the buzz for the client?
We are applying vaccations, holidays, delay triggers, scene settings, fireplace on/off, can also offer remote access via a server. Again wanting to get even more creative with strange requests or recomendations from you on alternate ways to sell this stuff.
I have found that if they are interested in the technology they usually aren't concerned with price as much as performance.
The most unique for me is probably, could your children benefit from a slow fade ON or Off of their lighting?
For some reason that usually intrigues some folks.
Rupp
Senior Member
People generally are not interested in spending big bucks on lighting controls. The cost difference between what works a $2 light switch and a $50 light switch is a hard sell. What brings people in are the things they can't do cheaper like AV and Security. I know 4 installers and all of they state the same thing. Security systems and AV are what brings people to them. Once the Security system and AV equipment is installed they may want the conveniences of lighting. You will starve selling lighting controls only.
LightenUP
Active Member
Oh boy that is interesting. I was under the impresion that automation was catching on to the point of medium size applications. The big time house will always be the whole home systems but the mid-size jobs (mainly lighting, NO theatre) is in growing demand I would think. Most of those applications may not require all the bells and whistles. Are these sizes not appealing to your type of business model? Are their jobs too small to make any money?
Oh and by the way you are right, I am starving....It's the hunger that keeps me motivated.
Oh and by the way you are right, I am starving....It's the hunger that keeps me motivated.
I live in a new neighborhood and some of the companies have tried to sell so called home automation.
When they talk to people they are not interested unless the homeowner is willing to spend at least $15,000
and up. They install what I would call junk that usually doesn't work and then they leave town.
$250 for a light switch is not real. All they think of is to make a quick buck and leave. Some of the
alarm people are the same.
Now that construction has slowed these folks are probably unemployed.
One of these days the fast buckers will get run out and then people will get interested.
The Insteon 100% switch failure didn't help any. Smarthome should have backed their product
rather than refused to even honor the warranty. The installers that used these products
wouldn't replace them and there are sure at lot mad people who ate at least $1000 each for
bad switches.
Strange that the old cheap X10 switches are widely used and seem dependable, whereas
the $50 ones fail right and left. My neighbor lost 1/2 the (expensive)switches in his house
with a small power bump, yet the X10 ones he has worked fine.
It seems as though the old X10 is the only product that is ready for prime time. The others are
just experimental at best, with little or no warranty.
Cliff s
When they talk to people they are not interested unless the homeowner is willing to spend at least $15,000
and up. They install what I would call junk that usually doesn't work and then they leave town.
$250 for a light switch is not real. All they think of is to make a quick buck and leave. Some of the
alarm people are the same.
Now that construction has slowed these folks are probably unemployed.
One of these days the fast buckers will get run out and then people will get interested.
The Insteon 100% switch failure didn't help any. Smarthome should have backed their product
rather than refused to even honor the warranty. The installers that used these products
wouldn't replace them and there are sure at lot mad people who ate at least $1000 each for
bad switches.
Strange that the old cheap X10 switches are widely used and seem dependable, whereas
the $50 ones fail right and left. My neighbor lost 1/2 the (expensive)switches in his house
with a small power bump, yet the X10 ones he has worked fine.
It seems as though the old X10 is the only product that is ready for prime time. The others are
just experimental at best, with little or no warranty.
Cliff s
AnthonyZ
Active Member
Wow, Cliffs, talk about jaded (and highly misinformed to boot). If you were someone who got taken, I'm sorry but, X10 is the only reliable lighting tech? That´s arguably one of the most ridiculous things I´ve ever read on this or any other forum...and yes, that even includes AVS.
Ranger Digital
Active Member
Sales 101: Never give the customer an opportunity to say NO especially in an opening statement. You are sunk with your first quesiton if they say NO I AM NOT.
Of course that is just guru talk, it all boils down to getting the warm leads to begin with. There is either interest upfront or not. Its not like you can yank jo schmo off the street and sell him a set up. dont waste your time as the return rate is not worth it. time is better spent elsewhere.
Ranger Digital
Active Member
Rupp
Senior Member
Sorry to hear that. In this market, home automation is the last thing on many peoples mind. It was a hard sell when the market was good. Most home automationist that hang around "these types" of bulletin boards are DIYers and the "others" generally have the builders installer do the work. Getting in with a high end builder is the only way I see to make a living at this and even then you will need to install AV, security, and a little automation.
AutomatedOutlet
Senior Member
Hmm, we certainly see lots of installers VERY busy just installing the automation when tied to the security. I'm not sure where these comments are coming from about that they only way to do it is if you have AV tied to it. The installers that we work with here in the Dallas area are busier than ever.
With uncertain times, people get a lot more concerned about security. I'm seeing more and more installers leading with the security/automation controller and then adding the lighting and HVAC control is a natural addition.
With uncertain times, people get a lot more concerned about security. I'm seeing more and more installers leading with the security/automation controller and then adding the lighting and HVAC control is a natural addition.
Rupp, you're right. We sold our house during the summer of 07 and I had quite a bit of automation. No one seemed to be interested, although some spent some time on some switches. I could see the log what was touched, what room they were into. That's the fun part I like 
Know exactly when I could get back into the house, as soon as they left, I'd get a SMS.
I guess the chance of finding another hobbiest buyer would be very slim!
Know exactly when I could get back into the house, as soon as they left, I'd get a SMS.I guess the chance of finding another hobbiest buyer would be very slim!
AnthonyZ
Active Member
Responses for Rupp and AO...
I've been a 'CI' (I actually abhor that title) for nearly 8 years. I do very,very little (2 new construction gigs in '07. 1 at $2.5 million and 1 at $850K) builder work and vastly prefer direct with homeowners. Why? Because as much as I love what I do, I prefer to make a living and not deal with notoriously cheap (not to mention high maintenance) builders.
AO, approx. 1/2 my work is 'whole home' in nature (a la HA). I am also as busy as I´ve ever been now. What I've found over the years through lot's of contact with and contract design, programming and trim for other dealers, is that AV centric dealers quickly 'get it' with security based installs while security centric dealers design goofy/cheap AV. No offense meant. Just my observation.
I've been a 'CI' (I actually abhor that title) for nearly 8 years. I do very,very little (2 new construction gigs in '07. 1 at $2.5 million and 1 at $850K) builder work and vastly prefer direct with homeowners. Why? Because as much as I love what I do, I prefer to make a living and not deal with notoriously cheap (not to mention high maintenance) builders.
AO, approx. 1/2 my work is 'whole home' in nature (a la HA). I am also as busy as I´ve ever been now. What I've found over the years through lot's of contact with and contract design, programming and trim for other dealers, is that AV centric dealers quickly 'get it' with security based installs while security centric dealers design goofy/cheap AV. No offense meant. Just my observation.
