Bay Area Services, a successful HVAC contractor in Green Bay, Wis., is using Internet-connected door locks, security cameras, and thermostats as a means to an end: to build his customer list and increase sales on service calls. According to Tom Beaulieu, president and founder, these products, “have been the ticket to get my salespeople into customers’ homes, and we have expanded our customer base because of it.”
About two years ago, he attended a meeting and was introduced to an Internet-connected system from Ingersoll Rand that had the capability to remotely control temperature, monitor door locks, and bring up video images of the home and its surroundings. Beaulieu said, “When I found out a door knob could send a text message, that really excited me.” The system utilized a smart phone to notify a homeowner who was entering the home and when it occurred in real time.