We are a long, long way from the days of the “$99 installed home security system” with a five-year contract for servicing and monitoring. Today customers just go to the internet or local box store (if it’s still in business), order up a Wi-Fi camera, baby monitor or other “connected” device, hook them to their network with a QR code, and happily sit on their couch, changing their lighting, closing their blinds and checking on their kids via surveillance camera.
As we all know the market for “traditional” electronic security companies is changing rapidly, and the low to middle segments of home alarms are rapidly disappearing as customers bypass traditional methods and buy one of the many “lick and stick” alarm/camera systems that are available today. While we professionals may scoff at these systems and the type of detection they provide, the consumer is letting us know that they will hook just about anything to their home network without installation assistance, and think their self-installed system will “secure” their home and family.