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Show HN: I built a thing

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Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#61

Post by weaksauce »

pud wrote: post #56

Tell landlords they can offer the service to tenants for $10/mo. Split proceeds 50/50. Call every landlord in town. Landlords love upselling tenants (parking spaces, storage space, etc.)

This is great advice but it also brings up a point; why do these systems require a local number in order to operate? It seems that a firmware upgrade could possibly decimate the op's business.

Edit: I want to point out that I am in no way, shape, or form saying that the op could not make a decent amount of money on this(though, 10/month is a touch steep for someone living in an apartment) but I was just curious why the manufacturers of such devices limit them in such a way.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#62

Post by jamiequint »

imglorp wrote: post #49

I think you need a better domain name. QuestionsThree is a fun name, but it conveys no information. How about something like this: * openmydooor.com * buzzmein.com * apartmentbuzzer.com etc

He doesn't need a better domain name...

- Amazon is a fun name but it conveys no information how about buystuffonline.com

- eBay is a fun name but it conveys no information how about OnlineAuctionHouse.com

- Square is a fun name but it conveys no information how about chargecreditcardsonyoursmartphone.com

etc.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#63

Post by davemel37 »

pud wrote: post #56

Tell landlords they can offer the service to tenants for $10/mo. Split proceeds 50/50. Call every landlord in town. Landlords love upselling tenants (parking spaces, storage space, etc.)

If I was paying rent, and now I had to pay more money to open the door, that would probably deter me from renting from this building. Almost like a protection racket... You might be a tenant, but cough up extra money to get into your apartment... I would strongly discourage a landlord from trying something like this. This is not a typical upsell, if anything the tenant blames the landlord for the problem in the first place...

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#64

Post by thebranman »

I had a similar issue at an apartment building. I just setup a new Google phone number (with a local area code) and had the number forward to my cell phone, and then to my wife's cell phone if I didn't pick up. So while I didn't have the cool PIN thing, I could let someone in if I was out since it forwarded to my cell phone. I only bring it up because I wouldn't pay for this solution when the free one (which is nearly if not as good) exists.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#65

Post by mmetzger »

weaksauce wrote: post #61
pud wrote: post #56

Tell landlords they can offer the service to tenants for $10/mo. Split proceeds 50/50. Call every landlord in town. Landlords love upselling tenants (parking spaces, storage space, etc.)

This is great advice but it also brings up a point; why do these systems require a local number in order to operate? It seems that a firmware upgrade could possibly decimate the op's business. Edit: I want to point out that I am in no way, shape, or form saying that the op could not make a decent amount of money on this(though, 10/month is a touch steep for someone living in an apartment) but I was just curious why t…

Guessing they want a local number because the apartment complex doesn't want to pay for long distance calling.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#66

Post by trb »

Is there anything that prevents this from being a phone app and sell it in one of the app stores?

You could abstract away all the web and phone (press '9') stuff and just have a button "Open the door? Yes/No" if someone activates the buzzer.

Maybe add some easy management for pins that:

- always open (roommates/family/friends)

- open only one time (deliveries, not-so-close-friends)

- open only under certain conditions (time of day, day of month, etc)

Make it possible to easily share those pin numbers via SMS, Facebook, email, etc.

I think you have a product that's great for access management. You should highlight the additional benefits in your marketing, e.g.:

- easy to invite friends over for dinner

- easy to share apartment without the need for new keys

- easy to revoke access

- easy to let cleaning staff in during certain times of day

Another thought: Market it as a helpful add-on for AirBnB customers. You don't have to give someone a key to your apartment, just a PIN that only works for the time they rent the apartment (this is also useful for sub-leases). You can revoke access at any time, no matter where you are (big problem with keys).

Short version: I think you'd have a better chance packaging your product as a mobile app, abstracting away all the web/phone stuff and sell it as "entry management" instead of "automated buzzer".

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#69

Post by anigbrowl »

mmetzger wrote: post #65
weaksauce wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is great advice but it also brings up a point; why do these systems require a local number in order to operate? It seems that a firmware upgrade could possibly decimate the op's business. Edit: I want to point out that I am in no way, shape, or form saying that the op could not make a decent amount of money on this(though, 10/month is a touch steep for someone living in an apartment) but I was just curious why t…

Guessing they want a local number because the apartment complex doesn't want to pay for long distance calling.

I haven't paid for long distance calling since the 1990s. I think it's just people being lazy and choosing poor defaults.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#70

Post by dusing »

mkmk wrote: post #54

Very cool, congrats. You may want to read this post-mortem of a company that did the same thing, but then shut down after 50 paying customers. (I used to be a customer, and we re-built it ourselves once the service went offline) http://buzzer-o-matic.tumblr.com/

Is this wants wrong with the startup culture? They create a great product, have 50 paying monthly customers, and because it is not a million dollar idea they shut it down.

Why not keep it running and collect the cash as a side project, I can't imagine this needed much maintenance, its just printing money, maybe not millions, but still real money, and I bet it would grow organically slowly over the years.

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