Alternative to / replacement for Evohome ?

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  • FullBore
    Automated Home Guru
    • Jan 2016
    • 140

    Alternative to / replacement for Evohome ?

    In the light of this thread:- https://www.wordpress-1219309-438749...gma-of-Evohome what alternatives are there to Evohome?

    When I installed my system I spent hours researching it, and, generally speaking, I have been delighted with Evohome. What concerns me is the lack of enhancement to the product in recent years, and what has already been written in the other thread with regard to Resideo.

    I don't think I am going to rip out my 12 zone system before Summer, but I may well consider replacing it before the next heating season as I don't want to be locked in to a product which is no longer supported or marketed by Honeywell/Resideo.

    Ideally I would like a system which offers more, rather than less, functionality than Evohome. It may well be that one should be patient to see what is coming to the market, and not be an Innovator or Early Adopter, but at 77 years of age I can't afford to wait too long!

    FB
  • Somebody
    Automated Home Sr Member
    • Feb 2019
    • 78

    #2
    If it ain't broke, don't fix it?!? It's a mature, solid, first class functional product that others are trying to re-invent. What additional functionality are you looking for?

    Comment

    • paulockenden
      Automated Home Legend
      • Apr 2015
      • 1719

      #3
      There's lots of new, shiny, pretty things on the market, but I've not heard of any that are as good or as reliable as Evohome.

      All depends what you need, I guess. But for me comfort and reliability are the main factors, and over-ride the ugly kit and clunky looking displays.

      Comment

      • mtmcgavock
        Automated Home Legend
        • Mar 2017
        • 507

        #4
        As others have said if it Ain't Broke don't fix it!

        I set and forget my Evohome and it works flawlessly! Even if it was unsupported I don't see why it would make me change if the system still works.

        Comment

        • G4RHL
          Automated Home Legend
          • Jan 2015
          • 1580

          #5
          I often forget to look at the Control Panel these days. It just works if you leave it alone. I would prefer it though if I got an email telling me when a device’s batteries are getting low and which device, as I do with Evohome Security. I avoid the issue though by changing batteries once a year, they are cheap enough to do that. Elsewhere in this forum Rameses has written to inspire us with confidence for a good future!

          Comment

          • top brake
            Automated Home Legend
            • Feb 2015
            • 837

            #6
            why do you feel that the evohome is no longer marketed or supported?

            i would assure you that it is very much marketed and supported, and some interesting firmware upgrades are in the final stages of beta test and about to go into production
            I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

            Comment

            • G4RHL
              Automated Home Legend
              • Jan 2015
              • 1580

              #7
              Originally posted by top brake View Post
              why do you feel that the evohome is no longer marketed or supported?

              i would assure you that it is very much marketed and supported, and some interesting firmware upgrades are in the final stages of beta test and about to go into production
              I never see it advertised. You have to know about it. The so called approved installers/experts seem to know less about it than many end users. The app is outdated, needs much improving, as indeed is the Control Panel and despite many in this forum drawing attention to quirks and needed improvements there is never any sign of anything happening. You don’t always get a message to say the system is going down for maintenance. The manual is badly written and causes confusion as can be read in these pages. There is no customer contact to keep people happy and informed about the future and new products yet Resideo sits on everybody’s contact information and it would be so easy to do. I have a feeling this is a characteristic inherited from Honeywell who I understand have always not bothered much with “small scale” end users. Indeed a friend of mine who in his professional life dealt with Honeywell and who is now an Evohome user, says it was the same in the past.

              In a nutshell there is no engagement with the customer, the end users. The system though works well, I like it and recommend it, and whilst there is a school of thought that says “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” there are things that need fixing, such as the battery contacts in the devices, limitations in the app etc. Things reported on many times over the past 5.5 years.

              Recently there has been a little glimmer of light with people like yourself mentioning improvements coming and for that a big thank you.

              Also, although I have not checked it again Resideo’s privacy provisions were not DPA compliant, indeed I would say illegal but I stress I have not looked again recently.

              Comment

              • top brake
                Automated Home Legend
                • Feb 2015
                • 837

                #8
                thanks for feedback, what sort of engagement would be useful for you - i can then take this back to our marcom team

                i understand that there are limits to what we can communicate without a gdpr opt-in...
                I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                Comment

                • G4RHL
                  Automated Home Legend
                  • Jan 2015
                  • 1580

                  #9
                  Originally posted by top brake View Post
                  thanks for feedback, what sort of engagement would be useful for you - i can then take this back to our marcom team

                  i understand that there are limits to what we can communicate without a gdpr opt-in...

                  Thanks TopBrake.

                  It is basic communication with customers that is missing. Telling them what is happening and lies ahead, of new products, hints on user, when often reported issues have been or are being addressed. I never think of looking at Resideo’s web site and perhaps I should but then many think of the product as Honeywell and will have no idea it is now marketed by Honeywell under a different name. Resideo does not seem to promote itself. People have heard of Honeywell but if I mention Resideo to anybody his or her face goes blank. It is as if Honeywell has gone from being well known to an unknown.

                  Things like the web site for users can be better. For Evohome Security I go on to the European site as it is easier and more informative than the one used in the Uk where you access security via the heating site.

                  I regularly get emails from Philips about their Hue product, whilst I am a beta tester and so know a little in advance what might be coming, they send out emails to users to draw attention to new product, offers and different uses of it. The emails have a hyperlink to the relevant page and I am sure for very little outlay they gain financially as a result. These are I believe going out worldwide. If I want to know what may be around under the Evohome name my first port of call is The Evohome Shop. A friend of mine who has installed Evohome Security had never heard of it until I told him of it, how simple it is to install and operate. Indeed it’s messaging system to my email is more or less instant as opposed to the heating app when there can be a delay.

                  My background has nothing to do with marketing but it is the basic rudimentary aspects that are missing. Keep in touch with your customers, inform them, make them feel wanted and you have their interests at heart. They are more likely to spend and recommend. The whole world should know about Evohome. It knows about Hive and other similar products. My CH service man, who arranges Intergas installations, had never heard of it until I showed it to him. It is not an exclusive club but can come across that way. It’s a great product. Shout about it!

                  Incidentally, and I am probably a pain by how, I have had a look at Resideo’s site and I am not convinced it is data protection compliant. There appears to be no way of ensuring privacy settings are set to what a user wants. It implies a user is opted in and has to take a long route trying to find out how to opt out. That is not legal. The default must be opted out. Indeed the fact that it is difficult to understand what the settings are and how to adjust them is itself contrary to data protection law in Europe. Mind you, please have a little peace of mind, Resideo is not alone, there are many that are worse where if you check and can find the page you find you are opted in to everything rather than being opted out of everything. The best and simplest approach is no more than a box that comes up asking a user if he wants to opt in - if he wants to that is, NOT opt out.
                  Last edited by G4RHL; 7 March 2020, 03:15 PM.

                  Comment

                  • G4RHL
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Jan 2015
                    • 1580

                    #10
                    I should have added that even if you go on to Resideo’s site you really do have to dig around to find Evohome and many will never see it.

                    Comment

                    • top brake
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Feb 2015
                      • 837

                      #11
                      this is the site for evohome https://getconnected.honeywellhome.com/en/

                      Resideo is a standalone NYSE listed company and seperate from Honeywell now
                      the products use the Honeywell Home brand under licence
                      Last edited by top brake; 7 March 2020, 06:27 PM.
                      I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                      Comment

                      • bruce_miranda
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Jul 2014
                        • 2307

                        #12
                        Nobody who has never heard of Evohome is going to search for Evohome. They will probably search for smart heating system, smart thermostat, app controlled thermostat, app controlled heating system etc. And absolutely none of those searches brings up Evohome as even an option to consider. Your SEO and Online marketing guys need some lessons in 21st century marketing. The problem is that if you think that Evohome isn't a consumer installation, you should then atleast actively market to the installers. None of my plumbers had heard of Evohome but they use Honeywell products all the time.

                        Comment

                        • G4RHL
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Jan 2015
                          • 1580

                          #13
                          Originally posted by bruce_miranda View Post
                          Nobody who has never heard of Evohome is going to search for Evohome. They will probably search for smart heating system, smart thermostat, app controlled thermostat, app controlled heating system etc. And absolutely none of those searches brings up Evohome as even an option to consider. Your SEO and Online marketing guys need some lessons in 21st century marketing. The problem is that if you think that Evohome isn't a consumer installation, you should then atleast actively market to the installers. None of my plumbers had heard of Evohome but they use Honeywell products all the time.


                          ...and as has been said elsewhere, if anybody does find the Resideo web site they are unlikely to find out about Evohome. It seems to be focussed on a different app and Evohome is so deeply buried that few will find it or find out much about it. Almost an afterthought yet it is integral to a good heating system that Resideo I assume wants to promote. Surely the app promoted should also include Evohome? One app for all.

                          Comment

                          • paulockenden
                            Automated Home Legend
                            • Apr 2015
                            • 1719

                            #14
                            At least they'll know about it if they read the new issue of PC Pro.... ;-)

                            Comment

                            • G4RHL
                              Automated Home Legend
                              • Jan 2015
                              • 1580

                              #15
                              Originally posted by paulockenden View Post
                              At least they'll know about it if they read the new issue of PC Pro.... ;-)
                              I better buy it then! I don’t have a PC though. Well not one of those Windows things.

                              Comment

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