Kwikset to Display Assortment of Smart Locks at ISC West 2018
Among the variety of locks on display will be the Kwikset Convert, the company’s new Z-Wave smart lock conversion kit.
(l-r) The SmartCode 888 Touchpad Electronic Deadbolt and Obsidian Touchscreen Smart Lock.
SSI spoke with Nick English, the North American sales manager for Kwikset’s residential access solutions, for an overview of what the company will be showing at ISC West this year. You can visit the company at booth 23003.
What is the top product or offering your company is showing off at ISC West this year, and what makes it unique or special?
Kwikset is going to be showcasing The SmartCode 888 Touchpad Electronic Deadbolt. Featuring an easy-to-use, five-button keypad for keyless entry, the SmartCode 888 Touchpad Electronic Deadbolt delivers convenience and peace of mind to homeowners with complete remote locking/unlocking via smartphones and tablets, as well as total home control. The SmartCode 888 Touchpad Electronic Deadbolt — a lock with such superior value that it can be included by the integrator into virtually every smart home or security package — features a sleek, all-metal design and traditional styling and is designed to integrate with a variety of smart home systems.
An important feature of the SmartCode 888 is the incorporation of the new Z-Wave 500 Series chip. The new chip provides a number of enhancements, including extended wireless range and wireless security features that reduce the vulnerability of the network during enrollment, as well as increased battery life.
What other products or offerings would you like to highlight, and what are some of their unique qualities?
It will be a busy show for Kwikset, as we will be showing four other innovative locks:
Obsidian Touchscreen Smart Lock. Obsidian is a visually striking, low-profile touchscreen electronic deadbolt featuring “game changing” design. Obsidian deadbolts exemplify Kwikset’s commitment to combining modern design with a high level of security. Named after a dark, glass-like volcanic rock, Obsidian merges a sleek and modern exterior; a class-leading, minimal, all-metal interior; and advanced mechanical and electronic security features.
Eliminating the keyway also removes the threat of “lock picking” and “lock bumping,” attacks using special keys to defeat conventional pin and tumbler locks. Obsidian also includes Kwikset’s patented SecureScreen, an important feature that can help mask “smudge” attacks, in which passcodes can potentially be jeopardized by detecting frequently used numbers from the oily residues on the touchscreen surface. Like the SmartCode 888, Kwikset Convert also incorporates the benefits of the new Z-Wave 500 Series chip.
Kwikset Convert, the company’s new Z-Wave Smart Lock Conversion Kit. What makes it unique is the fact that it will turn mechanical locks – even non-Kwikset locks — into smart, electronic locks. What’s more, it will do so by replacing the interior half of an existing lock without changing the exterior; consequently, Kwikset Convert will appeal to design-focused homeowners who want the convenience of keyless entry and home automation that a smart lock brings while maintaining the style of the front door or matching an existing handleset. As a result, it will appeal to owners of both condominiums and vacation property whose homeowners associations require all exterior locks to be uniform in appearance. And the new Z-Wave 500 Series chip extends wireless range while providing important wireless security features.
Contemporary versions of the SmartCode 914 Touchpad Electronic Deadbolt and SmartCode 916 Touchscreen Electronic Deadbolt. With their updated, modern designs, these two new stylish versions of the industry’s leading wireless, access control locks continue to deliver convenience and peace of mind to homeowners with complete remote locking/unlocking via smartphones and tablets. And the contemporary style expands the range of design choices for the consumer. Like all the other locks, the Z-Wave 500 Series chip adds wireless range and critical security features.
Nick English, North American Sales Manager, Kwikset Residential Access Solutions.
What else is new or noteworthy about the company for 2018?
The SmartCode 888 Touchpad Electronic Deadbolt is not only a well-designed product that provides a high level of security, it represents a change in how security dealers can approach smart lock sales. Kwikset places a premium on helping dealers sell locks as part of a complete security or smart home package, rather than as an add-on or “a la carte” item. The relatively low MSRP of the SmartCode 888, $129, allows them to do just that, as consumers, by and large, will be able to justify the inclusion of a smart lock into their security system or smart home package for such a reasonable price.
What is your company’s overall value proposition to installing security dealers/integrators? Why should they do business with you?
Obviously, our major value proposition is to provide the pro channel (security dealers/integrators) with high-quality locks that deliver the maximum levels of security. What’s more, we are constantly expanding our selection and design choices so that security dealers and integrators have the widest possible range of product options to offer their consumers. But not to be overlooked is our smart home industry expertise, which we share quite frequently with our pro channel customers. We have successfully positioned ourselves as a strong resource to not only help security dealers/integrators sell more of our locks, but to help them understand how to position the lock as a “centerpiece” of today’s smart home. In doing so, we are arming them with the knowledge and expertise to sell additional smart home devices and substantially increase their RMR.
Another reason to do business with Kwikset that is often overlooked is that our line of electronic locks is purposely designed and created to match our line of both traditional and contemporary mechanical locks that most consumers already have in their homes. Because our locks are designed to look like all of the other hardware in the home, in both finish and design, Kwikset offers a much better integration into the aesthetics of the home, while providing the best quality and innovation in home automation and electronic features.
What do you see as home of the top opportunities in the marketplace right now?
As far as opportunities for integrators right now, one of the most demanded features of smart or home automation systems today is remote access into the home. Homeowners recognize the need to be able to take action when a child is locked out, or a package needs to be delivered. A smart doorbell or a camera will notify them of these events, but without a smart door lock they cannot take the appropriate action necessary. Ultimately, the homeowner is not truly in control of their home’s access until they have a Kwikset electronic door lock installed and enrolled in their automation system.
Security dealers and integrators should understand that, more and more, consumers are looking for entire smart home ecosystems. No longer is it sufficient to sell just a security system or just a lock; the full functionality of both products is brought out by having them work together. And the more smart devices that are added to the ecosystem, the more functionality is created. The point is that consumers are beginning to learn the benefits of a complete smart home package and how each of the devices complements and optimizes the others. This provides us with an opportunity to sell more locks to the pro channel and, as noted above, to help the pro channel sell entire smart home ecosystems.
The other opportunity lies in uncovering markets that have been previously overlooked. Our Kwikset Convert is a perfect example – a lock that can be used by renters and vacation property/condo owners, groups that have been ignored due to the restrictions they face on changing the appearance of their home exteriors, either by landlords or by Homeowners Associations (HOA’s).
Anything else you would like to add?
We’re excited about attending ISC West, as we are every year. It’s a great opportunity to not only showcase our latest products but any developments in terms of our overall strategic direction or technological advancements. Plus, it’s an opportunity to solidify existing pro channel relationships while creating new ones.
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