Simple 'guests'version of Nuki App?

They other day, I saw that my Airbnb guests need to install the same Nuki app as I have on my phone. That app has way too many options for somebody that only needs to be able to open and lock doors.

Is Nuki planning to develop a Nuki ‘light’ App, with only functionality for a temporary user?

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It makes sense.
Very good idea.

Sam.

Agreed. They only need a button to lock/unlock the door and (in case) a button to unlock the gate (with Opener).

Agreed! Especially the lock discovery and notification can be annoying for friends/guests that I’ve send an invitation.

I can confirm that some guests arent amused to use their smartphone to open the lock. For this case i have purchased the Keypad. Guests get individually a code sent from Nuki, gives guests the possibility to open the door independently from their smartphone.

Hello Geert.
I also think a light version would be nice, however i do not see much sense in it because guests are basically greeted with what they need, the big white circle and when they click on it they have their option of lock/unlock/lock and go. The vast majority of guests don’t even bother checking what other things the app knows and even if they did they would not be able to see any options if the smart lock is protected with a PIN. That is the most important thing by the way, and if anybody from Nuki is listening please make sure you modify your tutorials so that an owner would be notified with big red letters something like this: “If you don’t protect your smart lock with a PIN anyone who installs the app and gets access to the smart lock, even if temporarily, will get access to all the settings, users etc!!!” Because right now setting a PIN seems more like a recommendation and i am not sure people understand the grave consequences of not having a PIN.

I am saying that the type of app (light or full) is not that much of deal based on my experience as an AirBNB host. The biggest issue is not people understanding how it works, but having them install the app and import the invitation code! Now i would rather have the devs at Nuki try to invent something easier than spending time on different versions of the app. Because right now what happens:

  • guest gets email with invitation code
  • guest clicks Redeem Now
  • guest does not have yet the Nuki App so they must first download it then click on the redeem now again
    This is the most difficult part for them to understand and where they usually have issues, not how to click on a big white circle.
    That is why we always recommend them to FIRST INSTALL THE APP and only after that click the redeem link. But:
  • a lot of people are very very basic users
  • most people don’t like to read instructions (but they won’t admit it)
  • communication is not always easy with guests due to language barriers, personality, skills and what not

Obviously this is still rather new technology, 99% of my guests use a smart lock for the very first time in their life and the best approach i think, regardless of the nature of the app, is patience and a lot of communication. Oh, and lots and lots of patience, did i say that? :slight_smile:

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I’ve wished for the same thing before.
It would be nice if you could simply send a link to open or close the door.
jpk

Yes please a Guest version … airbnb Guest like it easy :wink:

Johannes_De_Silentio what you say makes sense. But my first experience with guests and Nuki was not very successful. The lock was Off-line and stayed off-line and so they started investigating other options of the app. In the end a had to remove the lock because they just could not operate it.

I think the Off-line issue has now been solved.

Your comment about PIN is also an extra good reason to have a light version, without the option of changing the PIN if it has not been set by the heavy version :slight_smile:

Dear Geert,

As you see experiences differ from person to person :slight_smile:

Your primary problem was the system being off-line and as such guests trying to solve the problem on their own (without of course knowing that they are helpless). And an offline system is a HUGE pain in the … But you see, it was one problem leading to another: system offline → guest trying to be smart instead of just reaching out to you. This pattern is inevitable: whatever reason → guest will try to be smart :slight_smile:

I can even imagine that there are two versions of the Nuki app, say Nuki Guest and Nuki Owner and some “intelligent” fellow, seeing that the Nuki Guest is not working will install the Nuki Owner version. Who could stop him? And if we follow the logic: AirBNB generates a key for each guest, but guests rarely redeem all of them, so there would be probably keys available for that person to import into Nuki Owner and look around. What i am trying to say is that there is a gazillion of possibilities. But as long as the guest imported the key, arrives at the door, opens Nuki app, smart lock is available, can click on the damn circle, choose unlock and the door actually unlocks i am convinced that 99% of guests won’t ever try and see what else the app can do.

Don’t get me wrong, i am not against a light version, by no means. But there are so many other really bothering issues and Nuki has just a limited set of developers that i would rather them spend time on those and fix them than try to create a different version of a thing that exists already.

Regarding the setting of the PIN. Nuki team, make it mandatory! There should be no smart lock that is unprotected by PIN! It’s not something an owner should do if he/she wants, an owner has to do it, it’s compulsory and non-negotiable, period. When you get a device (debit/credit card) from your bank that basically is a door to a form of your assets (money) do they let you get away without setting a PIN? Do they tell you “please set a PIN, but only if you want to”? Would any sane person, even if given the possibility, walk around in this world with a card that has no PIN? Don’t think so. Then why aren’t you applying the same rule to a different device (smart lock) that protects a different, yet much more valuable asset (your home)? Oh, i know, because people are lazy, don’t know, don’t read, don’t care, don’t realize the implications etc. Because technology has become so available and easy to use that people think they can handle it always and they know better. Well then make them! When setting up the smart lock make a compulsory step where the person HAS TO put a PIN. Problem solved. And i bet you it will feel natural to everybody and nobody will complain, just as nobody complains when they set their PIN on their debit/credit cards. And if anybody complains they should just stick to the good old physical key because it means they are not mentally ready to use technology for such a serious purpose.

Guests will always have some issues, problems, what not. But i repeat: rather the enrollment process should be somehow simplified because once the guest installed the app and redeemed the code and as long as when they arrive to the place they can open the door easily and on the first try they will be happy and 99% of them won’t give a rats arse about what hidden settings the app might have.

Johannes, all valid points which we have on our todo list. Unfortunately it’s not always easy to balance the needs of all different usage scenarios of our Smart Lock. Especially for Airbnb rentals the recent addition of the keypad as well as the Opener in continuous mode made the guest experience much easier, because of no need to download the App at all. But we also know that there’s room for improvement and we’re dedicated to work on it. So please continue to let the ideas and experiences flow. We’ll work them into our roadmap as we progress (if they make sense :wink:).

What is that and how does it work Jurgen?

LE. Ah, never mind, i just read it on your site “for the main entrance doors of multi-party buildings”. Not for single homes. Good idea though :wink:

LLE. Well, i just ordered a keypad (and a keypad combo for another of our houses), as it seems it is the only solution for a guest not having to mess with the app. Hope the “if it’s stolen we’ll replace it” policy is true - and i also hope i’ll never find out :smile:

@Geert , maybe you should give the keypad a try. It would solve the app problems and give another way to access the house. Just a thought.