CE Pro May 2023 - 11

Wellbeing Apps Offer Healthy Integration Opportunities
JMIR Publications shows that
MOBILE WELLBEING APPS,
which are most used to
track fitness, nutrition, or
mindfulness, are growing
more popular as consumers
prioritize health and
wellness goals. In 2023, an
estimated 1 billion people
worldwide will use wellbeing
apps, choosing from over
10,000 options to help with
every aspect of their routine
including activity tracking,
fitness reminders, sleep
analysis, goal setting, and
nutrition management.
With so many options
offering specialized features,
consumers often
find themselves jumping
between multiple apps at
any given point in the day.
For a wellness enthusiast,
a smart home platform can
be an ideal progression that
extends the functionalities
of an automation system to
tie into health goals.
Customers with a smart
home system already know
the ease of use that comes
with controlling their technology
directly from their
phones. Custom integrators,
then, can provide value to
their customers by communicating
this utility about home
control through the lens of a
wellbeing app, which can also
prompt conversations about
adding new smart home solutions
that support wellness.
The overarching factor determining
whether a wellbeing
app helps users achieve their
health and wellness goals is
lifestyle fit. Though results
vary app to app, a study by
cepro.com
mobile apps can improve
targeted behavior change if
they have the right level of
involvement in consumers'
lives - not too much and
not too little.
Lifestyle fit is also a key factor
for smart home platforms.
Consumers who have enjoyed
the benefits of wellness
apps will be delighted with
the scheduling and scene
functions of a smart home
system. This can be split into
three categories: seamless
integration, ease of use, and
personalization.
Seamless Integration: A
smart home platform can
help a customer achieve
better wellbeing by uniting
multiple app-like features
together under the same
desired routine without any
need for additional legwork or
management.
For example, control
systems control give users
the option to sync their smart
lighting and shades to their
own circadian rhythm or to
match natural light outdoors.
Temperature control can also
be automated to align with
the best results for better
sleep, and air purification can
allow homeowners to monitor
their levels for cleaner air. Audio
and video settings can be
integrated to produce natural
sounds that bring homeowners
closer to nature.
Ease of Use: Smart home
users want a low-maintenance
and stress-free
experience, so apps with a
quick setup are the most
successful while those that
require too much effort can
negatively affect customers'
wellbeing. Whole home
control interfaces with easily
customizable " Quick Action "
buttons fulfill these consumer
desires, giving customers their
requested response with the
touch of a screen.
Let's say a customer wants
to implement daily meditation
every night before bed.
The integrator or customer
can save a " Quick Action "
called " Meditate " to dim the
lights, lower the shades, and
play a guided meditation
soundtrack. They can set the
next " Quick Action " for " Bedtime, "
which will turn off the
music, adjust the thermostat,
and lock all the doors. The
ease of use with this feature
can encourage customers to
meditate more often, as can
the visual reminder of seeing
the " Meditate Quick Action "
button next to the " Bedtime
Quick Action " button.
Control systems allow you
to set and forget your routines
while multiple solution
settings work in tandem.
Personalization: Personalization
is the number one
expectation among mobile
app users. Home control apps
can offer personalization to
an even greater degree because
all the elements of your
lived experience in the home
are attached to it.
For example, a customer
who wants to wake up earlier
in the morning can simply
adjust their circadian rhythm
settings on their home
control app by 15-minute
increments each week until
they reach a time that works
for them. Integrators can
also utilize the personalization
feature to check in with
their clients and see if their
system needs any adjustments
or additions.
Author MICHAEL SHORT
is the Sr. Director Marketing
Global Residential, Marine
& Hospitality at Crestron.
Integrators can help with the priorities that go into a good wellbeing
app such as seamless integration, ease of use and personalization.
May 2023 CE Pro | 11
http://www.cepro.com
CE Pro May 2023

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