Works With Alexa (WWA) Brings Peace of Mind for Customers of Schlage’s Encode Smart Locks
We strive to make it easier for customers to discover, learn about, and buy the great products you build. Amazon offers numerous ways to increase exposure of your Alexa-connected products to the millions of customers who shop on Amazon.com every day. Programs like Works with Alexa (WWA) not only ensure you provide a great customer experience, but also raise the visibility of your Alexa-connected products on Amazon.com and other channels. To date, WWA program has helped generate billions of dollars for device makers. When your products are certified, they can carry the Works with Alexa badge on your product packaging, on your Amazon detail page, notation in Amazon search, and become eligible for additional placements within the Amazon Smart Home Store and dedicated Amazon Works with Alexa Store. Brands like Schlage® use WWA to build confidence in their Alexa-connected products, increase their visibility, and boost their business.
With a nearly 100 year track record, Schlage has always been proud to offer the strongest and most durable security products for homes, multi-family, commercial, and institutional buildings. Today, with its Schlage Encode™ series of WiFi- and voice-enabled smart locks and an Alexa Smart Home Skill, Schlage is leading the way with one of the most technologically advanced security products. Not bad for a company that made its name in 1920 with the original push button lock. Today, Alexa's voice and automation capabilities are a cornerstone for Schlage's innovation strategy.
“By 2018, users expected voice control of their locks,” said Mark Jenner, director of technology alliances for Allegion, maker of Schlage locks. “For Schlage, that meant Alexa integration was a must-have for our revolutionary Schlage Encode smart Wifi deadbolt, from day one.”
Does it surprise you that a century-old lock maker would today be on the leading edge of voice-enabled access control technology? It won’t once you learn that innovation and home automation have always been the name of the game at Schlage.
“Believe it or not, founder Walter Schlage patented an automated door lock in 1915,” said Jenner. “The idea was that when you turned the door handle, it turned on the lights. Though the device was never developed and sold, it shows that Schlage has always looked for innovative ways to meet and exceed customer desires.”
Some 90 years later, the company continued its tradition of innovation by launching its first smart lock. These devices allowed home and business owners to check the status of the lock remotely—meaning they never had to worry about having forgotten to lock the door. Remote locking capabilities arrived in 2013, using the Z-Wave wireless communication protocol and a third-party app.
But it was adding voice control that took Schlage locks to the next level, first with a custom Alexa skill then an Alexa Smart Home Skill. In 2018 the Schlage Encode debuted, an advanced WiFi- and voice-enabled smart lock that worked seamlessly with Alexa, Amazon Key and the Schlage home app.
“The latest Smart Home Skill API allows us to offer added security, like two-factor authentication, when using Alexa to unlock the door,” said Jenner. “Our customers get the convenience of unlocking their doors by voice and the peace of mind that a stranger can’t do it from outside.”
Many customers now see Alexa integration as a “minimum requirement” for smart home products. Schlage customers also demand quality in every aspect of its smart access control products, including how they function in today’s voice-enabled smart homes. That’s why the company obtained Amazon’s Works With Alexa (WWA) certification to build customer confidence that its smart locks will work seamlessly and reliably with Alexa. The Works With Alexa (WWA) program ensures quality, reliability, and responsiveness of devices that connect to Alexa.
“WWA certification means something to the customer,” said Jenner. “They see the badge and say, ‘I know this product will work.’ Certification tells them the product was tested at an independent lab and met demanding standards.”
Works With Alexa certification adds even more customer confidence. That’s because WWA certification requires products to meet WWA program guidelines, undergo third-party lab testing, and validate the product integrates with Alexa. Once certified, companies must maintain a consistently good customer experience. Amazon ensures this by continually reviewing customer feedback, product star ratings, service latency, and device cloud up-time.
“The process took just a few weeks to complete, after which Schlage could display the WWA badge on product listings on the website,” said Jenner. “The WWA badge bolsters our company’s reputation for innovation and quality.
Customers aren’t the only ones who benefit from WWA certification. Third-party testing assures manufacturers like Schlage that their products meet a rigorous standard while boosting their products' exposure and sales on Amazon.com. The WWA badge on product listings gives them an advantage when customers search Amazon's website for smart home or other certified Works With Alexa products. As an added bonus, WWA certification creates an additional marketing opportunity, such as creating and selling product promotion bundles.
“The WWA badge further bolsters customer perception and brand trust and sends an explicit message that we stand behind our product in every way,” said Jenner. “Our company’s innovation has evolved from the pure mechanical world to the digital world, and WWA certification assures customers that our smart home products will continue to meet and exceed the high standards they’ve come to expect from Schlage.”
You can get started and apply to certify your devices with Works with Alexa today by viewing the documentation below.