Smart Home Services You Can Start Today

If your experience is anything like mine these days, you may have noticed that there are a lot of “smart” devices coming to the market. Everything from the well-known thermostats and smart speakers, to our TVs, fridges, coffee makers, and even the light bulbs in our lamps have become smart.
For some, this huge influx of new tech devices into our homes can start to feel a little overwhelming.

For others, this screams opportunity. A chance to help people with their new devices and make a decent living while doing so.

I’ve outlined five smart home services you can start with just a few basic tools and some tech know-how, giving you a way into a fast-growing industry that’s only getting bigger.

1. Smart Device Setup & Integration Service

What you do:
Offer in-home setup of smart devices. From basic installs to full home integration. Customers choose how simple or advanced they want to go.

Considering that almost all our devices in the home today have some smart technology built in, and that many people either don’t want to, or just can’t, install and set them up properly. You can offer your expertise and services to help them with it.

Anyone who gets into this type of business should be comfortable working with low-voltage wiring used for thermostats and doorbells and have the ability to do minor drywall repair or alteration that may be required during some installations.

Service examples:

• Install smart thermostats, lights, speakers, TVs, and electrical outlets

• Configure devices with Alexa, Google Home, or Apple HomeKit

• Sync multiple brands into one smart routine

• Mount smart TVs, cameras, or hubs

• Set up mobile access and teach basic controls

Bonus:
Always keep extra small smart devices with you when doing jobs. Items like smart plugs and programmable light bulbs are logical upsells to people already interested in smart tech.
Amazon offers a great selection of smart devices that could make your client’s life easier.

2. Smart Home Security Setup

What you do:
Install and configure smart security systems, inside and out.

This one is similar to the basic installation of smart devices mentioned above; however, setting up security systems for homeowners can involve more cable running for outdoor cameras and sensors, and properly placing motion and sound sensors in the correct place.

Service examples:

• Install smart doorbells, locks, cameras, and alarm systems

• Set up motion sensors, glass break sensors, or flood detection

• Configure mobile alerts and cloud backups

• Train homeowners on using the app

• Offer a bundled security setup for new homeowners or landlords

  Add-on idea:

• Since most smart devices in the home will be connected to the home’s Wi-Fi, you can offer to check the router's health and the internet connection coming into the house.

3. Coaching for Seniors & Non-Tech Users

What you do:
Provide 1-on-1 help for people who already have smart tech but don’t know how to use it well. Perfect for seniors or overwhelmed users.

This is a great service for those who have a lot of “know-how” when it comes to setting up and using various brands and items, but don’t want to deal with installing the tech themselves.

This service could strictly be offered as a stop-in, demonstrating to clients how their tech works and how to use it. Keep in mind that if they are calling you for this service, they most likely will need help with some setup or correcting of misconfigured items in the home. Nothing you can’t handle, though, right!

Service examples:

• "How to use your Smart TV"

• Voice assistant training (Google, Alexa, Siri)

• Creating a custom routine or set of voice commands

• Make a simple, printed cheat sheet for daily use

• Group classes or private lessons

Bonus:
Offer this as a gift service that adult children can buy for their parents.

4. Smart Tech Consultant for New Homes & Renovations

What you do:
This service positions you as the go-to advisor for what tech to include in new home construction or renovations, where to place it, and how to future-proof the setup so that it can be updated later on with as little disruption as possible.
This is a much-needed service for builders and contractors alike.

This business is perfect if you love staying up to date on the latest smart tech and industry trends.

What’s involved:

• Consult with homeowners, builders, or designers during planning

• Recommend the best smart thermostats, locks, lighting, security, and speakers

• Help choose a smart home ecosystem (Google, Alexa, Apple, etc.)

• Create a custom plan with device locations and wiring suggestions

• Provide a simple, written tech plan the homeowner can follow or hand off to installers

Optional upsell:
Offer post-construction setup and training once the devices are installed.

If you’re a little unsure about how to start a consulting business, the book “Start and Grow Your Own Consulting Business From Zero” I found on Amazon could help.

Where to go from here:
Many of these ideas could be easily combined to create a more comprehensive smart home business. The industry is really just starting to grow, and with AI starting to get blended into the smart devices, more people than ever are going to need help with them.

Tim

For more on these businesses and many others, visit FullThrottleStartUp.com

Heads up: a few of the links in here are affiliate links. If you grab something through them, I might earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).