Not all of us custom integrators are large and established; some, like my company, LiveSmart Technologies in California, are relatively new and small. I started LiveSmart in 2015, aiming to serve communities in Orange County, California. It has been an interesting journey. I was passionate about home automation and saw the prospects of serving “the middle market” or “do-it-for-me” (DIFM) market that sits between the DIY enthusiasts and the multimillion-dollar homes.
For the first few years, we did mostly video surveillance systems ranging from small homes to larger commercial jobs. In addition to residential, our clients were churches, restaurants, golf courses, gyms and dance studios. Two churches featured over 55 cameras with multiple racks, recorders, POE switches and wireless Ubiquiti links to extend networks.
We wanted the home automation part of the business to be stronger. However, the market was telling us they wanted cameras and we responded. Occasionally we could upsell a client to some home automation capability, which was truly a win-win for everyone. In a couple of cases, the home automation component was the main system with cameras secondary. One high-end home in San Clemente had 80 Z-Wave light switches to go with four Kwikset digital locks, door/window sensors and a Sonos system.
However, LiveSmart is perfectly happy with the smaller systems and encouraging clients to “start small and add on later.” We maintain low overhead costs to provide affordable prices while maintaining profitability. We’ll tackle the small- to mid-sized projects as well as the larger ones, to broaden the appeal beyond the DIY crowd and into that do-it-for-me market I mentioned earlier.
LiveSmart can customize home automation offerings through our own app, which links via an API into the HomeSeer hub and software. Using our app allows us to enlarge buttons and fonts, group devices and controls on single screens as well as retain branding. For example, we feature a screen with overhead garage door control right by a live camera feed of the door opening and closing. Another is sprinkler control with a live feed of the garden showing the water spray. Nothing cosmic, just simple and useful.
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CE pros understand the comprehensive benefits of home automation systems, a concept often unfamiliar to DIY enthusiasts who might only purchase individual devices like thermostats or Wi-Fi cameras from retailers. These singular solutions lack the full potential and functionality of an integrated system. This should be our main emphasis when appealing to the do-it-for-me market.
To illustrate this to clients, we will offer a couple of examples: The first is a simple security system which automatically activates indoor cameras when the last person leaves the home with a simple button press. Live cameras can then be viewed while the home is vacant. When someone returns, the system detects the door has been unlocked via the correct code entry and the cameras are deactivated, preserving privacy.
Another is activating motorized shades based on time, temperature, or light levels, which typically is not possible with standalone devices. Integrating them into one system enhances functionality, suiting the unique preferences of homeowners and businesses. This takes education — and demonstrations whenever possible.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, I advocate for educational outreach. True DIY enthusiasts, those committed to self-installation, may not be swayed, but a broader do-it-for-me market awaits. This include maintenance contracts, which we promote as optional to help keep all systems fine-tuned and operating at their best.
In 2022, LiveSmart expanded into Northern California’s rural Sierra region to fill the gap left by distant services in Reno and Sacramento. We aimed to be the local “town tech guy,” prioritizing community engagement over digital marketing to ease technology apprehensions and demonstrate its many benefits. Admittedly, this is still work in progress.
We’re now taking a “dual market” approach, with installers in both locations and doing their best to bring both communities into the fold of affordable smart home and security systems.
Gary Russell is the President of LiveSmart Technologies.
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