Mike Derham, chairman of Mighton Products, says that while demand for smart security may be growing, installers need to equip themselves with the best products in order to fully take advantage of it.
Homeowners are continuing to embrace smart home products, including home smart security systems and devices – the market is expected to see double digit growth, with a forecasted increase of around 47% by 2025, according to The Home Automation Market Report by AMA Research.
And we’ve seen a strong influx of new smart security devices in recent years to support that growth, with lots of new products demonstrated at this year’s FIT Show. We’re even starting to see them being integrated into fenestration production lines as ‘standard’ options.
On the face of it, this presents a wealth of opportunities for installers to tap into demand from tech savvy consumers – many of whom will already have a range of smart enabled products in their homes – and to add value to their offer by upselling a smart lock for their new entrance door, or smart sensors on their new windows.
Unfortunately, not all smart security systems and products are the same. Some may actually deter homeowners because they can’t demonstrate a good enough level of security, while others might not be retrofittable or will come with an off-putting subscription model.
At Mighton Products, we believe that smart security devices should deliver on three basic levels: they should offer the very best in smart and traditional, mechanical security; they should be quick and easy to install and to retrofit; and they should be offered without complicated and costly subscriptions.
Proven security
Research has shown that consumers are increasingly concerned about the security of any connected smart devices. According to a 2023 survey commissioned by UL Solutions, over 80% of UK consumers highlighted the importance of how a manufacturer protects against cyber attacks and privacy invasions.
And taking the manufacturer’s word for it, is not enough. Demonstrating that a device has been independently tested is ‘vital’ for 73% of respondents to the survey.
In contrast only 39% would consider a recommendation by a salesperson as vital to their buying decision.
Our Avia Secure family of smart hardware, therefore, has been developed to reassure homeowners that it is absolutely fit for purpose.
That includes the Avia Secure smart lock, which has more security features and Internet of Things (IoT) accreditations than any other smart lock on the market.
Boasting advanced, 256 bit encryption for the transfer of data, it won the IoT Breakthrough Award for Home Security Product of the Year in 2020, and was the first smart lock to be compliant with the UK Government code of practice for consumer IoT and ETSI TS 103 645 Consumer IoT security technical specification.
It’s also been designed, and thoroughly tested, to make it compatible with Apple HomeKit and Apple devices, which means it’s protected by the most secure operating system available.
And the Avia Secure family of products are also designed to meet the requirements of PAS:24 2016. In addition to the smart lock, that includes an SBD approved smart casement handle, a smart sash fastener and smart window and door sensors, plus a PIR motion sensor and a smart socket that can monitor power usage and appliance running costs.
Ease of installation
After cost, the same survey also revealed that ease of installation and configuration were also key drivers in the purchasing decision of smart devices for UK consumers.
All products in the Avia Secure range can be quickly paired with Apple devices and they’re also easy to retrofit, which means minimal disruption for homeowners. They’re battery powered so installers don’t have to worry about hard wiring them or losing valuable time and money to an electrician.
No subscription
Research also shows that consumers have become increasingly weary of products and services that require additional, long-term subscriptions, which can apply to some smart home security devices on the market.
Avia Secure however, is a ‘fit and forget’ system that can be sold as a complete package, or as individual components, allowing it to be perfectly tailored to an individual customer’s needs.
For installers who are looking to capitalise on increasing demand for high quality smart home security, and the opportunity to upsell and increase profit margins in what has become a more challenging market post pandemic, Avia Secure has got it covered.
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