According to Parks Associates, dealers should add connected home features to their portfolios, albeit carefully. Exactly which features will resonate first is not guaranteed, but the following rank high in appeal:

IP cameras allowing status and alerts
Smartphones and computers as user interfaces
Capability to control/access the security system

Other IP services receive lower appeal rankings overall, but still have a good sized set of consumers providing high rankings (see Figures 2 and 3). These new services present more challenges to dealers than traditional security because they are new to consumers. New concepts often equal misunderstood concepts, and even to some consumers, scary concepts. They ask themselves, “Will I know how to use it? Who will I call for help?” In this economy, many consumers will also ask, “Can I afford it? Is the benefit worth another bill?” But first, consumers must be familiar enough with the services to engage in assessment.

From the article, "When Residential Security Opportunity Rocks" Tricia Parks.

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