September 2022
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Article Thought leader: Smart security<br />
WEATHERING THE STORM<br />
In his latest thought-provoking comment, Ryan Bromley, Co-Founder of Kubu Smart<br />
Security, discusses a new segment of the home security market dubbed “Smart Security<br />
Sensors”, and explains how it could be a real differentiator for installers...<br />
A<br />
recent report from the Builders Merchants<br />
Building Index, has highlighted an issue<br />
that - if it hasn’t already - will soon be<br />
hitting the Fenestration industry. And when it<br />
hits, it’ll most likely hit like a hurricane...<br />
The report showed that although Builders<br />
Merchants have seen year on year growth in<br />
revenue, the actual volume of sales (i.e. units sold)<br />
has dropped by 11.3% through Q2!<br />
So far the drop in volume has been masked<br />
by some pretty scary price inflation,<br />
but it won’t be too long until that<br />
mask starts slipping and the<br />
true face of our current plight is<br />
on show for all to see.<br />
I don’t mean to be a doom<br />
monger, but when times are getting<br />
tougher, it’s important that we foresee the<br />
issues and take strides to avoid them as much as<br />
possible.<br />
With fewer sales to share around, differentiators will<br />
be the key to you winning more business. Yes, you can<br />
offer different colours, profiles, glass, locks, hardware,<br />
etc… but I truly believe that offering Smart Tech is the<br />
one thing in today’s market that will make you stand<br />
out from the crowd.<br />
The ‘Smart Security’ market is generally broken down<br />
into the following four categories: CCTV (41%), Video<br />
Doorbells (29%), Contact Sensors/Alarms (24%) and<br />
Access Control (6%).<br />
CCTV and Video Doorbells can certainly help your<br />
customers improve their home security, but as they<br />
are not specifically fenestration related products, they<br />
are somewhat outside of our remit. However, access<br />
control and contact sensors are right up our street!<br />
Domestic Access Control products - such as “Smart”<br />
Locks and keyless/fingerprint entry systems have<br />
Above: What consumers are buying in the home security<br />
market. Left: Ryan Bromley.<br />
really started to gain traction these last few<br />
years. They finally seem to be losing the<br />
stigma of previous well documented product<br />
failures and are starting to see a surge in installs<br />
across the country.<br />
However, they are still seen as gimmicky by a large<br />
proportion of the population, are mainly focused on<br />
the security of doors, and are pretty expensive too<br />
(generally £300+ per door), making them a tricky<br />
upsell at the best of times – let alone when there’s<br />
less money to go around.<br />
Contact sensors on the other hand are<br />
pretty inexpensive, but have limited “Smart”<br />
functionality, are pretty ugly and are generally<br />
linked up to pricey alarm systems.<br />
This makes for both a convoluted upsell and<br />
complicated installation - so you as the installer<br />
either have to sub-out to someone else (and lose<br />
money) or go through extensive training (losing<br />
time or money or both). Neither scenario is<br />
exactly what you’d call preferable!<br />
“So what’s the solution?” I hear you cry…Well, we<br />
noticed a few years back that there was a huge gap<br />
in the market for a non-gimmicky, inexpensive Smart<br />
product that is both easy to install and improves<br />
home security. We call them Smart Security<br />
Sensors.<br />
Creating a whole new market segment, Smart<br />
Security Sensors are finally bringing the<br />
world of Fenestration Smart Tech to the mass<br />
market, in an affordable, no-nonsense way<br />
that provides you - the installer - multiple<br />
opportunities to win more business.<br />
Whether you choose to: upsell the smart<br />
sensors and make a few extra quid; build the<br />
cost into your quotes (like heating engineers<br />
do with smart thermostats) to differentiate<br />
from your competition; or simply install your<br />
doors and windows as you always have, but with<br />
the benefit of smart capabilities built in; there’s<br />
an option for everyone, and it couldn’t be easier.<br />
In fact, for you, the installer, there is literally NO<br />
EXTRA WORK! None. Nada. Nowt. Simply purchase<br />
your products from a Smart fabrication partner,<br />
install them as normal and you’re a ‘Smart Installer’!<br />
From a Kubu perspective, we’ve spent nearly three<br />
years forging this new market segment, stabilising<br />
product, implementing the supply chain and raising<br />
awareness in the industry, so it’s little wonder we<br />
are starting to see competitors emerge.<br />
Whether direct copies or innovative concepts,<br />
healthy competition can only be a good thing<br />
for us, as it is increasing consumer awareness,<br />
ultimately providing you with the sales tools you<br />
need to weather the coming storm.<br />
Will you be drowning your sorrows, or singing in<br />
the rain?<br />
Contact Kubu:<br />
0800 124 4308<br />
kubu-home.com/<br />
@GetKubu<br />
18 T I SEPTEMBER <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST