When it comes to system control, a positive user experience requires more than mobile devices, writes RTI vice president of sales and marketing Pete Baker.

For most consumers, the purchase of a professionally installed entertainment system is a terrifying proposition. An obvious reason for this is that it’s a huge investment. But consumers make other large purchases all the time, such as a car, with minimal anxiety. So what’s the difference?

Mainly, before they buy a car, they know they’ll be able to drive it. Entertainment systems, on the other hand, are unfamiliar territory and consumers fear that they won’t be able to operate their complex equipment.

As a dealer, it is vital to recognise and understand that system control is not only vital to closing the sale, but in making the customer comfortable and satisfied with their new system.

One thing consumers often think will make them more comfortable with their new system is bringing in an element they are familiar with for control: mobile devices. After all, tablets and smart phones are incredibly popular devices that they are certainly not intimidated by. In fact, from financial institutions to newspapers, consumers are increasingly looking for access to every aspect of their lives on their mobile devices through apps, especially on Apple products like the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad.

It’s no surprise that control of their home entertainment systems isn’t excluded from the list. Dealers can and should offer their customers access to their systems on these devices as a complement to the main control system, as they provide convenient remote access to their electronic environment from virtually anywhere in the world. Users can check in on their security systems when on vacation, set the temperature at home to the perfect setting before their arrival, or turn off the lights if they left them on. It’s a powerful combination of technologies and offers a cool added convenience benefit for consumers.

Where dealers need to be careful, however, is using a tablet or smartphone as the exclusive, primary control device. The reason for this is that these devices simply aren’t as practical as dedicated controllers. With the ability to use them to play games, read books, listen to music and a whole lot more, it is hard to count on the devices being in their intended room to control the media when it is required.

Another issue is that many of them rely on WiFi. So if the network goes down, control over the system does also. And without hard buttons for tactile control, it simply doesn’t offer the comfortable navigation of a professional control device.

It is a certainty that you will have clients who insist on control exclusively through their mobile device. However, it is your responsibility as a dealer to provide them with the best possible user experience. Relying solely on a tablet or smart phone would lead to frustration and have a very negative impact on the client’s overall satisfaction with the system in the long run. So for the same reason you would object if a customer wanted to sit 1m away from a 4m widescreen, you must object to the idea of using only a mobile device for control.

If your customer insists on using a tablet or smart phone as the primary controller, make sure they have a companion remote to enhance the experience. As a companion to these devices, such controllers provide instant connectivity and hard buttons for tactile control, eliminating the need for swipes or switching between applications on devices to perform basic control functions.

A companion remote or dedicated control device should be included in every installation to ensure a positive user experience and a satisfied customer. Remember, your business relies on referrals and word of mouth.

Nothing is more vital to your success than a happy client who loves their system, and nothing as potentially devastating as a frustrated one. So make sure they love everything about the control system, and not just that it works on their phone.

RTI  is distributed in Australia by Avation.