Yes, I know Home Depot does have a section on their website called “Hubspace,” which is a good start for many people wanting to have a smart home. What I am looking for is not for the do it yourself crowd, but for a bigger market.
This thought came about when I got in a discussion about the channel and, yet again, I heard someone say we need developers. Don’t get me wrong, we need developers, but the tools in the market for software and from many companies are pretty close to plug and play.
Hands on the keyboard are not hands and eyes in the field and, in so many cases, we have IoT devices that need to be installed remotely. I think we have a disconnect there.
Don’t get me wrong – distributors like Get Wireless do a great job of supporting integrators and installation efforts. The question is, would a broader network make for a better market?
In general, I think IoT has not figured out its relationship with legacy systems.
For example, think about HVAC systems. If I am not in crisis mode, the only time I think about HVAC systems is when a van passes me on the road. I actually read their bulleted offerings on the truck and none of them say “IoT” or “Smart Installations.” Most of them are about fixing what’s in place and it shows in their logos of brands like Carrier, Lennox, Rheem, Trane, and others, or they have graphics depicting men or trucks “in motion” running to solve the problem.
Our HVAC IoT solutions are focused on new installations. It feels like a niche market that runs into the bust and bubble of construction.
Back to Home Depot… The materials are there but, unlike the website, I have yet to hit a “HubSpace” aisle. So, the possibilities of what can be improved by IoT installations is incoherent and disjointed. In addition, Hub Space is really a phone app connecting to various vendors using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
I realize that the vast majority of humans are not looking for “cheap and cheerful” IoT that just works. But, I think we are close to being there. While it has taken time to develop and, particularly now, with the ability to activate via eSIM, the chance is there to become more mainstream.
We can mask the wizardry of wireless and just work, which means electricians, plumbers and general contractors can safely go to Home Depot and pick up what they need if it’s on the shelf.
I recognize that, from Home Depot’s perspective, this is asking them to have a marketing plan that goes beyond the deal flyer and needs a business model that sells systems more than parts. But, given the size of displays for cabinets and kitchen appliances, you would think a little room could be set aside for a central hub space and that contractors would find the possibility of upselling solutions to their customers a good deal.
Here a are few more ideas as to why it would work.
- Hubspace Smart Home is already in motion, so making it more contractor-friendly would be relatively easy to initiate.
- Hubspace already sells thermostats, so adding support for larger HVAC systems is not that a very big stretch.
- Contractors are already coming to the store, so Home Depot has a head start on reaching the market.
- Nowhere else is the diversity of IoT solutions more centralized than a place like Home Depot, where pools, kitchens, HVAC, window shades and everything else a home needs are all available for installers and integrators to price out solutions.
- A dedicated department could provide customer support and education to not only consumers, but commercial buyers as well.
- New strategic partnerships and business models can develop that add to the value of being the place to shop for smart solutions.
I have made my case for Home Depot to increase its prevalence in IoT and smart solutions. I would love to hear the counter arguments and, more importantly the ways to make a more mainstream channel.
Edited by
Erik Linask
