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9.9.20 – SSI – Art Sesnovich 

A recent study commissioned by Kwikset reveals smart lock purchasing habits and patterns based on the size of households. Here’s how to utilize that information.

In a recent infographic, we proposed that almost any piece of demographic information about a security dealer’s customers and potential customers can be instrumental in closing a sale of a connected electronic lock — or at least in helping them ask the right questions.

Most security dealers know the basic questions to ask, but what about the more “esoteric” questions — the ones that they might not immediately think of, but which can offer a peek into the buyer’s lifestyle and, perhaps, their security needs?

The recent infographic presented marital status as one of those more obscure areas of consideration. Now, we offer another one — not quite as off the beaten path but still one that may slip under the radar: the number of people in the customer’s household.

The infographic below clearly shows that from a random sample of 228 respondents who participated in a survey from TraQline, a company enlisted by leading residential lock manufacturer Kwikset to track purchasing habits and patterns, the two-person household purchased the most connected locks by a more than 2-1 margin over the next most active group, the one-person household. (NOTE: All respondents indicated that they had purchased a connected electronic lock.)

What can we surmise about this information? The most obvious theory would be that a person with a partner, spouse, aging parent, or other co-habitant has someone else whose safety they feel responsible for. Consequently, they are more likely to crave the increased security that a connected electronic lock can offer.

And with the likelihood of differing schedules, the ability for each person to have their own access code for entry, as well as being able to notify their co-habitant as to when they arrived home, provides a welcome level of peace of mind. These are valuable observations that a dealer can bring to a potential sale.

The smallest purchasing group (5+) is a bit of a mystery. On the one hand, if the household is comprised of a couple and three children, one might believe that it would be helpful for each person to have their own code, especially as it relates to notification of the parents when the children arrive.

Conversely, depending on the makeup of the group, there may always be someone in the house at any given time, so the need for heightened security may be perceived as a luxury rather than a necessity. What’s more, the perception may be that keeping all the codes straight could be confusing (although that is not really the case).

The single-member household was the second highest-purchasing group (though it was just a single percentage point over 3-person households and two points over 4-person households). One-person households, it can be argued, are concerned about security specifically because they live alone.

When they’re out, the house is vulnerable; even when they’re home, they become more concerned when they hear a creak or a funny noise. Protecting themselves is of primary importance because, frankly, there’s no one else to do it.

Unlike the question of whether a buyer is married or not, the number of residents in a household is a much more comfortable subject to broach. Regardless of the number in the household, the security dealer can make a cogent argument as to why that number of people necessitates the convenience and security of a connected lock solution.


Art Sesnovich is a principal and co-founder of Bulldog Communications.