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Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 9:24am

Something really fun is happening right now.  Every device that you can think of is adding control via smartphones and tablets.  Even washers and dryers are smartphone controllable now; a few years ago that would have been unthinkable.  Some people like me, love to be able to control everything possible from their smartphone.  Others may not want to have to use or find their phone in order to adjust lighting or fire up the washing machine.  The key is figuring out which customers want to use this technology and which ones do not in order to choose a lighting system that works best for them.

Age group is the easiest way to start. Typically the “I want to use my smartphone for everything” segment is under age 35.  Obviously there are some techie folks who fall outside of this, but this is a good starting point to identify the smartphone users.

Take a look at other controls within their house.  If customers have a huge home theatre system, they are most likely going to have a universal remote and will be comfortable using their phone or tablet to make lighting adjustments.

You can tell an awful lot about a person’s tech preferences by the type car they drive.  If it’s an older straightforward car without a lot of bells and whistles, they are most likely going to like switches and ease of use to control their lighting.  If they drive a late model luxury or sports car, they are probably going to prefer multiple levels of control for their lighting system that can be found from a single device.

The point here is to make sure that the lighting control system you install is the right choice for the user.  Choosing whether it is an automated system with only a small amount of control, or a fully open system with many controls can make the difference between an owner’s happiness and frustration.  Choosing a product that has the ability to do both can allow you to make adjustments after installation much easier and less expensive as customer preferences are learned.