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Mila is the European leader in on-demand tech support, working with many well-known global brands. Adam Williams, chief revenue officer and general manager, UK & Nordics, tells Alert why Retra members should consider partnering with Mila to make the most of the growing smart home market.
Alert: What effect do you think Covid has had on the smart home sector?
Adam Williams: With everyone spending more time at home
through Covid, people invested more in upgrading their homes including connected or smart technologies. Spending more time at home made people think more about how they could improve their home with smart technology, from security solutions such as smart doorbells, cameras and smart lighting; improved home comfort and energy efficiency with smart thermostats; and upgraded home IT and connectivity technology. These trends are here to stay. There has been a fundamental shift in flexible working, as people have realised the significant potential benefits of a new work/home balance, and to get the most out of this more people are starting to understand the tech solutions that enable them to get the most out of a smart home.
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There is an explosion in demand for smart home services: delivered by experts who have the skills to properly install and set- up smart technologies and – crucially – to make them work with the other products in people’s homes
Adam Williams, Mila’s chief revenue officer and general manager, UK & Nordics
Alert: What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in the smart home market? AW: The early stages of the smart home market were typified by plug and play gadgets at one end and high cost, integrated systems at the other, and smart home owners were largely split between early adopters who were real tech enthusiasts, or the more prosperous home owners willing to invest in more expensive systems. We are now moving beyond this early stage into one where
larger ecosystems of connected devices are becoming established in people’s homes; and the technology itself is becoming more integrated into the fabric of the home, such as smart heating systems, water control, integrated lighting and smart cameras and doorbells. These trends in turn are leading to an explosion in demand for smart home services delivered by experts who have the skills to
properly install and set-up smart technologies and – crucially – to make them work with the other products in people’s homes. Ultimately, there is no such thing any more as a smart home “category”: smart home is a service.
Alert: Where do you see the smart home sector heading in the future? AW: Within the next five years, the average number of smart devices in people’s homes will grow from around 20 to around 50. This is a profound change – it is not linear but exponential. As this happens, the smart home will longer be about this or
that device, it will be about the whole ecosystem. Does my smart home truly operate by itself in an intelligent way to minimise waste (energy, water), make me safer and more secure, improve home comfort (zoned smart heating and lighting)? We have seen global leaders such as Apple, Google and Amazon develop common standards (e.g., the Matter alliance); and manufacturers are working more closely than ever to improve compatibility between their products. Around these technology developments, smart home services
are also gathering pace, with home installation and set-up services becoming a natural part of the purchase process.
Alert: Why should independent electrical retailers embrace the smart home and how can they educate themselves on the market and the technology and skills involved? AW: Independent electrical retailers have always offered their customers the best service, with expert advice, product installation and set-up, and great aftersales support. That’s why customers go back to their independent retailer time after time in a world of hyper-competition: it’s all about service. As homes become ever smarter, with every aspect of home life
being affected, the independent retailer is in a stronger position than ever before to win customers through great service. Increasingly customers will turn to those retailers who can
break down the jargon, give great trusted advice, help them set the technology up so it actually does what they bought it to do, and look after them as they add more tech to their homes. To become successful smart home retailers, Retra members should work closely with their suppliers – the smart home brands – to get the best staff training and customer support. They should also partner with smart service providers such as
Mila, who can help them and their customers with a seamless home set-up experience that will keep customers coming back for more. Retailers should also make sure they leverage all their channels
– online, store, aftersales care and home visits – to offer customers the best information and support at every stage from choosing what to buy right through to ownership and, ultimately, expansion of the smart home ecosystem.
Associate Insight: Mila 51
Associate Insight: Mila
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