Shelly Palmer NKBA Tech Series: Universal Control Systems

When it comes to incorporating technology into a space, one fundamental issue is control: employ one universal control system, or create proprietary individual systems?

In a new consumer insight video, NKBA Tech Advisor Shelly Palmer discusses the advantages of both systems, and how the decision could impact your business.

On one hand, it would obviously be ideal for a manufacturer if consumers bought their products and only their products; this is where a universal control system would come in handy. Consumers would have to buy only your products in order to successfully utilize the universal control option. However, consumers like choice — so wouldn’t it make sense to have proprietary individual systems that consumers can mix and match with other brands and products they already have?

But here lies another issue. What about customer service? If you open the control system up to other brands, and all of the sudden the other brand’s towel warmer stops working, can your customer service team support this non-core issue?

“Two schools of thought, two strategies, two different ways to go to market,” explains Palmer. “Both of which need to be seriously considered.”

Watch the full video below about Universal Control Systems.