PHOTO BY SDM STAFF

The announcement of a distribution agreement between TRI-ED, Woodbury, New York,andNest, Palo Alto, Calif., showcased a move by Nest to target the professional channel. TRI-ED will now carry Nest professional products in all of its branches across the United States, and its dealers have access to both the product and new online training.

“We are very pleased to partner with Nest,” said Pat Comunale, president and CEO, TRI-ED Distribution. “Nest’s professional product solutions will create a unique opportunity for security dealers to provide added value to their customers, while increasing value in their own business development as well.”

“TRI-ED brings an extensive distribution network that will help us to expand our reach across North America,” added Gene Lanois, general manager, Pro Channel, Nest. “We are excited to partner with them and their extensive dealer network.”

According to Nest, the company “reinvents unloved but important home products,” such as the thermostat and smoke alarm. The Nest Learning Thermostat™ remembers what temperatures customers like, creates a custom schedule for the home, and turns itself down when everyone is away. Once it’s learned the household’s schedule, Nest can save 20 percent on heating and cooling bills. The Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide™ alarm tells customers where the danger is and what the problem is.

In an exclusive interview with SDM, James Rothstein, chief marketing officer of Tri-Ed., Woodbury, N.Y., shared further details on the new distribution agreement and Nest’s move from a consumer-focused brand to having a professional focus.

“We’ve always thought Nest was a great brand and had great brand equity, but it was a consumer brand and we are committed to the professional channel. However, once they approached us to distribute the Nest Professional line, we were intrigued,” Rothstein said.

Nest Professional Dealers complete online training that allows for them to be familiar with the technology and apply it properly for their customers. And Nest’s ultimate goal is to develop new products that have the ability to integrate with top security panels and bring the features and functionality that Nest provides in such a great form factor to those systems, according to Rothstein.

“In addition to the tremendous brand equity that they have established, they’ve created a professional approach that requires training and qualifications to become a Nest Professional Dealer,” he added. “They have a business plan centered around creating new professional products and services. And because ultimately we want our dealers to be armed with great technology and products to grow their business, we were excited to add this to the TRI-ED line up.”

Rothstein says Nest’s approach isn’t purely carbon monoxide, purely smoke, or purely HVAC control — it is about adding value in a residential integrated system.

“Whenever dealers can offer a wider spectrum of features and functions it benefits them and it benefits the industry. So we are excited about adding this to our product line,” Rothstein told SDM.

Editor’s Note: In April Nest proactively halted sales of The Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide alarm after the company discovered an issue with the Nest Wave (a feature that enables homeowners to turn off their alarm with a wave of the hand) could be unintentionally activated and delay an alarm going off if there was a real fire. The company is correcting the problem, and TRI-ED will stock the new model once the correction has been made.