Don’t be surprised when a customer gives you a smartphone app instead of a key to enter through the side gate.
Several brands of Bluetooth-enabled padlocks promise homeowners more security minus the hassle of those pesky keys.
They work like this: Your customer sends you an email inviting you to download an app associated with a particular model of smart padlock. Once you create an account, the homeowner can register you as a guest. Recognizing your phone, the lock automatically releases when you’re within range — say, 30 feet.
Owners can revoke access at any time, sparing them from having to retrieve their key if they fire you. Plus, the apps keep an activity log detailing when a lock was accessed and by whom.
For you, that means no more skipping service appointments. It also means you’d have solid evidence to present in court if you’re wrongly blamed for any sort of mishap, said Ray Arouesty, vice president of Arrow Insurance, which provides coverage for pool and spa professionals. He recalls several cases where a smartlock may have proved his clients innocent. There was the dog that escaped from the yard and was struck by a vehicle. Three separate claims were filed: The homeowner for the vet bill; the driver for front-end damage; and the Good Samaritan who was bit while trying to help the dog. The homeowner blamed the pool guy for leaving the gate open — only the tech didn’t work that day. He was home sick.
Another tragic case involved a child who snuck into the neighbor’s backyard to take a dip, and drowned. Again, a pool professional was allegedly at fault for leaving the gate open. He swore he closed it.
In both those cases, Arouesty said, the smartlock timestamps could have provided “incontrovertible evidence that the pool tech could’ve used to defend himself from those claims.”
Arouesty believes these devices may help with another problem: He recently covered a $1,500 claim because a pool pro lost a master key.