Expand Your Offerings: Technology Meets Energy Management

Early Thermostat control, circa. 1991
Photo Courtesy of Bedrock Learning

Technology has come a long way from the early days of home automation 25+ years ago. Back then people were no different than they are today; eager to go with a new idea that will save money. In the early days, energy management was done by brute force, cobbling together wiring, a switch and two thermostats to give the homeowner options and control. Imagine two rotary dial thermostats side-by-side on the wall, one thermostat for energy savings called “Economy Mode” and the other thermostat called “Comfort Mode.” The user would set the desired temperature level for each mode and switch between the two modes by the manual push of a button. Now comes the automation: to remotely switch between the two thermostats, “Economy” or “Comfort” mode, a contact relay was used.

Fast forward to today and it’s so much cleaner and easier to make this happen. Smart thermostats are the norm and with wireless technologies like IP, Zigbee and Z-Wave no wiring is needed. Set-up is quick and programming logic is simple. Add to that the opportunity to offer remote access and control over the Internet with recurring monthly revenue (RMR), it’s a great option to add to your offerings.

If you aren’t there already, consider getting into offering energy management. The opportunities are huge. Temperature control is only one option that opens the door for other offerings for energy management and savings. Today’s technologies make control of lights, fans, water heaters, window treatments and more possible. Promote them up front to every new security sale.

Everyone loves to save money, including your biggest asset, your existing customers, and you can help them help them do just that. You’ll be building customer stickiness, making money and opening up opportunities for expanded sales and RMR. And we all like that.

Would you like to get organized to offer energy Management with the right tools? Click here for Thermostat/HVAC and Motorized Window Treatments Worksheetsto help equip your sales and installation teams.

Helen M. Heneveld, president of Bedrock Learning, a training solutions company in Holland, Mich., has wide-ranging experience in smart home technologies, business strategies and training — from startups to Fortune 500 firms. Her unique ability to simplify, see through the hype, identify impactful new technologies and pinpoint potential opportunities shows in her passion to help others. Visit www.bedrocklearning.com.

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