Innovating SmartThings’ customer experience

How &Element brought Samsung SmartThings to life with interactive 3D demos

In recent years, more and more people have started transforming their homes and environments with the help of smart devices. Thermostats, security cameras, smart speakers and home hubs can make life easier, safer and more efficient with just a click on an app. However, while the adoption of those devices grows, most people still don’t grasp their full potential, particularly when it comes to integrating them into a cohesive ecosystem.

Users often see them as individual tools rather than part of a larger, interconnected system. For example they use a smart thermostat to adjust temperature or a smart speaker to play music, but don’t know how to integrate them together.

This is where Samsung SmartThings, &Element and Merlin Cloud comes to play.

What is Samsung SmartThings?

Samsung SmartThings is a platform that connects and integrates devices, allowing users to monitor, control and automate their home through a single, unified app. It is a central hub for managing a wide variety of devices from Samsung and other compatible brands making smart living more accessible and seamless.

It allows for personalised automation - opening blinds in the morning or turning on the coffee maker - tracks energy consumption and alerts in case of suspicious activities making your home a safer place. Its real power lies in creating an interconnected smart home ecosystem where devices work together to make life more convenient, efficient, and secure.

However, not all users are aware of its full potential so bringing up customer engagement and driving awareness, Samsung partnered with us - &Element and Merlin Cloud to bring an engaging, integrated customer experience to their stores.

What were the goals of the SmartThings collaboration?

First and foremost, we wanted to create global-scale experiences that provide real analytics, drive engagement and awareness, and increase conversations. We created engaging 3D visualisation experiences that helps clients understand the SmartThings app with these objectives:

Showcase the SmartThings ecosystem through a 3D visualisation experience.
Increase customer awareness and understanding of SmartThings’ potential.
Drive engagement with an immersive and interactive retail experience.
Adapt the experience for diverse markets in multiple countries.
Gather data on customer engagement to refine future experiences.
Lay the foundation for expanding SmartThings experiences and innovations.

How did we address our goals?

The system allows the customer to choose their household type, number of specific devices and people living at home and turns this information into an experience visualisation of their space. They can easily click through the devices in use, see how they connect and understand how that integration can help with Energy Saving, Home Control, Security and Household Management.

It suggests how different devices can interact in those different sectors. It encourages the user to explore the potential more deeply via a smart QR code that links to the app download page.

We deployed through Merlin Cloud, which allows tracking of real-time analytics on kiosk devices.

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Insightful analytics across locations

The system is supported by Merlin Cloud system that tracks the customer journey through the interaction. Real and actionable insights are collected from all devices, in all locations.

The smart QR code makes it easy for customers to experience the SmartThings App for the first time. This gives the customer a personalised way to explore the system at their own pace and learn about how products would integrate in their own home. Once they're confident on how the SmartThings ecosystem works it provides easy conversion options.

The data collected during the SmartThings retail experiences is pivotal in refining both the user experience and the SmartThings ecosystem. This includes metrics such as how long customers interact with the experience, which features or devices they explore, and foot traffic information.

Ultimately, the data ensures SmartThings remains user-focused, providing a seamless and intuitive connected home experience while driving ongoing innovation.

Deployed in 26 different locations

After successfully developing the interactive experience at Samsung’s flagship store, Samsung KX in King’s Cross, the SmartThings 3D visualisation experience was deployed across 26 locations in 12 countries throughout Europe.

This strategic rollout brought the connected home concept to life for customers in diverse markets, from the 7 locations in Germany to stores in Sweden, Poland, the UK, and beyond. Each deployment was tailored to fit the unique needs of local audiences while maintaining the seamless, engaging experience that highlights SmartThings’ capabilities.

By expanding its presence to countries such as Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, and Romania, Samsung has successfully introduced its innovative ecosystem to a wide audience, laying the foundation for the broader adoption of SmartThings across Europe.

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What is next for &Element and Samsung?

The next phase of the SmartThings project focuses on expansion, innovation, and leveraging advanced analytics to refine the customer experience further.

In 2025, heatmap tracking will be introduced in retail spaces to provide deeper insights into customer interactions, optimising experience layouts and engagement strategies. Samsung, &Element, and Merlin Cloud will develop new interactive experiences that showcase advanced automation and integrate emerging smart devices while scaling the project to new locations across Europe.

Data-driven improvements will improve the SmartThings app’s functionality, making it more intuitive and user-friendly. With a focus on continuous innovation and customer engagement, the SmartThings project is poised to redefine smart living for an even wider audience.