Managed Services
El Nino has already packed a powerful punch and what is concerning to many is the fact that it has only just begun! We each face potential disasters including power outages, flooding and extreme shifts in temperature. The truth is, severe storms such as the ones we are currently facing can lead to expensive property damage to your home which is why it is important to consider what you can do now to limit the damaging impact El Nino might bring.
As a homeowner preventing water damage should be at the top of your list. Water damage can occur from obvious reasons like a flood, but there are also other reasons a flood can occur at your home. In the event there is a power outage your home may be subject to flooding due to appliance failures. Appliances including hot water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines can fail during a power outage and what is unfortunate is that when they do they become another source that can lead to water damage in a home.
The truth is, there is no way to predict what El Nino 2016 might bring. Will it flood, will there be power outages, will we sustain winds that will knock down power lines… no one truly knows but what we do know is that as a homeowner you should do all you can to limit any damage to your property.
Limiting Damage to your Home
It goes without saying that you as a homeowner should follow the instructions on how to prepare your home for El Nino. There are multiple media outlets that explain how to prepare for El Nino 2016, however, they really only cover items such as roofs and gutters, site drainage, slope stability and so on… but do be aware there is so much more you can do to protect your home. Limiting the damage to your home goes far beyond adding some mulch and replacing a few broken tiles on your roof, there are valued added systems to aid you in the management of home systems and to help you become aware of occurrences that can damage your property while you are away at work or even out of town.
The Internet of Things has made it possible for homeowners to have their home systems, appliances, security, and so on, remotely monitored and when disaster strikes the homeowner is alerted so that action can be taken. By taking a proactive approach to protecting your home you can limit the damaging effects of the El Nino-driven storms.
So what is that proactive approach?
Remote Monitoring and Managed Services
Protecting your Property
As a homeowner the most important thing for you to do during El Nino 2016, is to protect your investment. Remote monitoring and management systems will keep a close watch on a home and alert the homeowner to events that are taking place at the property so that action can be taken. Incidences like a power outage or pipes bursting can damage property and what’s unfortunate is that if a homeowner is away they have no ability to know what is happening, that is until they come home. A remote system monitoring has the capability of monitoring power failures, water level, temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide and more.
Threats to your home go far beyond theft and fire. Water pipes can burst leading to a flood and if that flood is not acted upon quickly, it can not only destroy your property but also everything inside your home including valuable belongings, home technology, audio video systems and so on. Other threats like carbon monoxide levels rising can occur without your being aware… even when you are at home.
Managed services allows your provider to remotely manage all connected devices including appliances, mobile devices, computers, laptops, home networks, thermostats and anything else on your network that is IP enabled. By employing a provider of managed services you never have to worry about things like network latency or device performance because everything on your system is monitored on a continual basis. If your network is slow, chances are your service provider has already begun to troubleshoot any network issues without ever having to come to your home.
For more on this please continue…
What is Remote Monitoring?
There are two sides to remote monitoring, one is designed to alert you to threats including theft, fire, water temperature, environmental temperature, water leaks, carbon monoxide, power failures and so on and the other deals with maintaining and extending the health of your home systems which can include home networks, computers, devices and so on. Put them together with a managed service contract and you reduce many risks thus resulting in money well spent due to money not being lost on expensive fixes or repairs.
The Benefits of Remote Monitoring
There are many benefits that remote monitoring can deliver (the list below is not a full list, many other items can be closely monitored):
Water Leaks:
- Water Leak Sensors: are installed in all flood-prone areas (Important for El Nino-driven storms).
- Sensors: detect the accumulation of water caused by inadequate drainage, flooding cause by storms or cracked or broken pipes, lose pipe connections and so on.
- Alarm: is then triggered to notify you, and a signal is sent to the monitoring center of your managed service provider.
- Action: is then taken right away.
Power Outages:
- Appliance Failures: washing machines, water heaters, refrigerators and so on at some point need to be turned back on or you will also have to deal with water leaks.
- Power on or Off: with the right devices and sensors you will be notified of a power outage so that your systems can be remotely turned back on.
- Remote Alerts: allow you to act quickly to reduce the risk of appliance failure outcomes.
Other Remote Monitoring Options Include:
- Temperature Monitoring.
- Power Failure Detection.
- Water Detection.
- Carbon Monoxide Detection.
- Gas Leak Detection.
- Humidity Levels.
- And more…
What is Managed Services?
Managed services are designed to maintain and extend the health of your home systems. It includes a robust management capability that allows a managed service providers technicians to remotely monitor, diagnose and repair many of the devices on your home network and AV system, saving you downtime and money.
Managed services centralize the remote monitoring and management of your home systems. Depending on the level of service you have agreed to, you can further reduce the risk of losing valuable home technology and systems while staying alert to any possible threats you might be facing. Many managed service providers allow you to choose a level of service that puts all the work on them so that you can do what matters most, enjoy peace of mind at home… and while you are away!
The Benefits of Managed Services
There are many benefits that managed services delivers.
- Devices: any IP enabled device can be managed remotely by your managed service provider including routers, cable modems, WAPS and so on.
- Remote Reboot: networked devices and AV streaming components can be rebooted remotely.
- Retrieve and Reset Passwords.
- Fixes Quickly From Anywhere and Anytime: you need it.
- Firmware Upgrades: done automatically.
- Master Switch Reset Capability.
- Security + Surveillance + Re-time Monitoring.
- Network Health Reports + Alerts: allows your managed service provider to fix IP device performance issues and troubleshoot network issues in the event of a slow network response.
- Remote Troubleshooting: allows your managed service provider to fix any and all issues on your network resulting in decreased downtime and end user headache.
- Universal Remote Programming: some managed service providers will add this as value added services to any managed service client.
- Annual On-Site Preventive Maintenance: some managed service providers give you up to 3 hours of general on-site service as a part of your service plan to tune up every device and system you have in your home.
- General Service: some managed service providers give you up to 2 hours of general on-site service as a part of your service plan. In the event issues cannot be resolved remotely or if you have other needs the managed service provider will come to you and resolved everything free of charge (up to 2 hours, dependent on service level agreement).
- Equipment Upgrades Discounts: some managed service providers give a discount to upgrade your systems to the newest technology.
Managed Services
Securing the Future of your Systems
At Shultz Audio Video, we know the investment you made in your home technology is important. When it comes to your home technology, everything needs to be easy and worry-free. That is why Shultz Audio Video offers uniquely designed customer care solutions for each of our clients.
Simple and Reliable
Customer care total systems management is a service designed to maintain and extend the health of your home systems. And, alert you to critical conditions like a flood in your home, and seamlessly managed your home systems and networked devices remotely. Reduce your downtime using our remote managed services; be assured that when disaster strikes you will be the first to know so that you can act quickly. Our services are aimed at ensuring your home technology is always running.
