Professional lighting that feels like home 

December 21, 2020

Do you check your work email on your personal smartphone? Or have you ever switched from your own, up-to-date device to a work machine running an operating system that’s years out of date? Such cases represent the surge in the sophistication of consumer technology that in many cases, leaves businesses struggling to keep up.

Lighting is no different. As our homes have become increasingly smart, it’s no surprise that business owners want to carry the same functions into commercial and office spaces, without either the complexity or the price tag.

Perhaps you have a small chain of clothing stores, or some holiday rental apartments. Your organization might not be ready for the powerful, complex industrial systems designed to illuminate a large hotel or office building.

Historically, such systems have relied on specialized installers, or their functions have been very basic and analogue: dimmers and switches that don’t add a whole lot of functionality, and certainly fall short of the beautiful colors and moods that you might see in a high-end hotel or workspace.

Earlier this year, Signify partnered with Ansell, a designer and manufacturer of high quality luminaires, to bring the WiZ Connected platform to Ansell’s OCTO range of professional connected lighting products in the United Kingdom. In addition to connected luminaires, the product range also includes lamps, LED strip and accessories, all connected via the WiZ app. Hybrid WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity eliminates the need for a hub or central hardware controller, meaning that installation can be as simple as changing a lightbulb.

At the same time, WiZ Pro users can enjoy features specifically tailored to the needs of SME customers, like the ability to manage multiple locations in one dashboard and share controls across multiple users and devices.

We can see the effects straight away. For example, the owner of a cozy pub might like to create the perfect warm and inviting atmosphere, but be able to switch instantly to the lighting that staff will need for thorough after-hours cleanup. We’ve made that incredibly easy to do.

And it’s not just a question of visual appeal. The WiZ applications let business owners see where repairs and maintenance are due, monitor and optimize energy usage, and even automate lighting to our circadian rhythm, helping us feel and function better. Consumer-friendly touches – like integration with voice assistants Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri – are functional as well as familiar, and the ability to choose from pre-set moods provides a simple place to start for busy customers juggling multiple responsibilities.

You can think of WiZ like an operating system – that’s how we’re able to work with great partners like Ansell’s OCTO to bring the WiZ platform to a wide range of products. The OCTO WiZ Pro range uses a hybrid technology consisting of WiFi and Bluetooth. This hybrid technology is a world premiere for 2020, and the only dual protocol solution currently on the market. Mobile operating systems iOS and Android are successful today where Blackberry failed, because they were able to offer consumer technology that drove professional demand, too.

And just like the operating systems we’re used to, WiZ can update over the air, so we can continually add improved features, functionality and bug fixes without the need to replace the product.

It’s also exceptionally friendly to the installer. Installers can concentrate on their specialism – the electrical installation – and offer their customers an end result that’s really show-stopping.

We set out to make a professional-ready system that is as friendly and easy to use as a consumer interface. And as our homes and personal technology become increasingly sophisticated, we know we can continue to raise the game for our SME customers. The future is just a software update away.