5 Smart Home Automations That Will Instantly Make Life Easier (and Feel Like Magic)

Living Smarter, Not Harder — Right Here in the Highlands

Imagine waking up to gentle lighting, your favourite playlist, and the blinds opening themselves to let the morning light in — all without lifting a finger. That’s not the future. That’s a smart home, today.

Here in the Southern Highlands, we’re seeing more homeowners choosing smart home automation not just for the wow-factor, but to actually make life more intuitive, efficient, and beautiful. Whether you live in Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong or out on acreage, the right smart systems can adapt to your lifestyle and surroundings seamlessly.

And we’re not talking gimmicks. These are the automations that instantly add comfort, convenience, and even security to your daily routine — while staying elegantly hidden in the background.

Let’s dive into the 5 top smart home automations that genuinely feel like magic.

1. "Good Morning" Lighting + Climate Scenes

Wake up to a pre-set scene that mimics natural sunrise lighting, gradually warms your home in winter, and plays calming music from your favourite playlist. Crestron Home allows you to customise these scenes down to the tiniest detail. The bonus? You can activate it with a single voice command or tap of a button before you even get out of bed.

Perfect for: Cold Highland mornings, early-riser routines, or setting the tone for a calm day ahead.

 

2. Smart Access Control

Whether it’s a delivery at the front gate, a guest arriving early, or letting the kids in after school, smart locks and app-controlled gates are a game changer. You can open your gate or door from your phone (even if you’re not home), assign temporary codes to guests, and track who’s coming and going.

Bonus feature: Link your access control with CCTV to view live footage before granting entry.

Perfect for: Rural driveways, Airbnb properties, and family homes with teens or tradies coming and going.

 

3. "Leaving Home" Automation

One tap (or voice command) and your home powers down for the day: lights off, doors locked, climate adjusted, security armed. No more checking the back door twice or wondering if you left the heating on.

Crestron Integration: Build powerful routines into your wall keypad, smartphone app, or even smartwatch.

Perfect for: Busy households, forgetful teens, and people who like peace of mind on the go.

4. Smart Surveillance + Alerts

Your cameras are more than just cameras. Smart systems like Crestron and Ubiquiti integrate with your home network and automation. Receive alerts when a person is detected (not just movement), trigger a floodlight when someone enters your driveway, or get a snapshot sent to your phone if the back gate opens.

Perfect for: Remote homes, acreage properties, or anyone who wants to feel more secure without adding stress.

 

5. "Movie Mode" or "Entertain Mode"

Press one button and watch your lights dim, blinds close, speakers adjust, and projector or TV come to life. Whether it’s movie night with the kids or date night for two, these automations make the vibe effortless.

Perfect for: Media rooms, open-plan living areas, and anyone who loves to host (or chill in style).

Why Crestron?

At The Techery, we proudly partner with Crestron Home, one of the world’s most trusted names in whole-home automation. Their systems are known for:

Whether you want subtle automation or a full smart home experience, we’ll help you design the perfect balance of luxury and functionality.

Smart Homes, Simplified (And Actually Enjoyable)

We believe smart homes shouldn’t feel complex. Our job is to make it simple, elegant, and fun. We work closely with you, your builder, or interior designer to ensure every device works beautifully and intuitively.

✅ Locally installed and supported ✅ Clean, seamless installs by our in-house technicians ✅ Tailored to your lifestyle and space

🎯 Book a Free Demo or Consult 

Or just drop by and chat with our team at The Mill in Bowral. We’d love to show you what’s possible.

The Techery
The Art of Smart Technology & Rural Connection

Revolutionising Customer Service with smART Automation

In the rapidly evolving world of customer service, the shift towards smART automation is transforming how businesses interact with their customers. This advancement isn't just about adopting new tech - it's about enhancing customer satisfaction, streamlining operations, and personalising interactions!

smART automation is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of competitive strategy, helping companies deliver services that are not only efficient but also consistently attuned to the needs of the consumer! Here at The Techery, we’re all about staying ahead of the game but we have had internal discussion about at what point does smART Tech become too smART? Is that even a thing?

What is smART Automation?

smART automation integrates advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) to streamline and enhance customer service processes. By leveraging these technologies, businesses can automate routine tasks, anticipate customer needs, and deliver personalised experiences, all while maintaining high efficiency. Can it service for the Customer and the Business?

Benefits of smART Automation in Customer Service

Efficiency

Automation greatly accelerates response times and allows for the handling of multiple customer queries simultaneously. Systems powered by AI can quickly sort through requests and direct them to the appropriate channels, significantly reducing wait times and increasing customer satisfaction when done right (we’ve all been frustrated when our queries aren’t answered and we keep looping the same automated questions!)

Personalisation

Through machine learning algorithms, automated systems analyse vast amounts of customer data to offer personalised services. This capability allows businesses to tailor their interactions based on individual customer preferences and history, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Availability

With automation, customer service doesn’t sleep. Automated systems provide around-the-clock support, ensuring that customer inquiries are addressed at any time of day, vastly improving service availability and customer convenience.

Cost Reduction

Automating routine tasks reduces the need for a large customer service staff, thereby cutting labour costs and optimsing resource allocation. This shift allows businesses to focus their human resources on more complex and high-value activities.

Real-World Applications of smART Automation

Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Chatbots and virtual assistants are at the forefront of customer service automation. These tools manage initial customer interactions, handle common inquiries, and resolve simple issues quickly and efficiently, freeing up human agents for more complicated tasks.

Automated Self-Service Platforms

These platforms empower customers to perform transactions and manage their accounts without human intervention. From checking account balances to scheduling appointments, self-service platforms enhance operational efficiency and customer empowerment.

Predictive Assistance

AI can predict potential issues based on user behaviour and operational data, allowing businesses to proactively address concerns before the customer even notices a problem. This forward-thinking approach prevents issues and enhances customer trust and loyalty.

 

Challenges and Considerations

Integrating Human Touch

While automation offers numerous benefits, it's crucial to maintain a balance. For complex or sensitive issues, the human touch is irreplaceable. Businesses must design their automation strategies to ensure that human agents are available when empathy and deeper understanding are needed.

Privacy and Security

As businesses collect and analyse more customer data, the responsibility to protect this information becomes paramount. Ensuring robust security measures and ethical data use is critical to maintaining customer trust.

Future Trends

Advancements in AI and Machine Learning

Continued advancements in AI and ML are expected to make automated systems even more intelligent and capable. These technologies will drive further personalisation and efficiency in customer service.

Increasing Personalisation

Future technologies will allow even greater customisation of customer experiences, making services more adaptive and responsive to individual needs.

The Techery Team Photo

Conclusion

The integration of smART automation into customer service is not just a trend, it's a transformative shift that offers significant advantages. By adopting these technologies, businesses can not only meet but exceed the evolving expectations of their customers.

Our biggest win in utilising smART tech in our business is that we know that when we are interacting with our customer base we are 100% ON! There is not this...rush to get onto the next thing! We are able to truly honour what is raised in a conversation and hear people out and we feel strongly that with a small or large team, this is a super power to dedicate, genuinely, that level or time to the people you are interacting with.

Want to chat further? Contact The Techery.