Need Advice For Packaged Home Alarm Purchase

[Mike]

This afternoon I spoke with a rep from ASG alarms. To alarm three doors and
five windows cost about $654. plus key fob alarm alerter. Costs $70.00 per
window to alarm wireless. Can burglars easily defeat the wireless window
alarms?"Three year contract and I don't own the equipment. I'm looking for
an independent contractor.

Mike

 

[Mike]

Then the awards are given for good products and good service?

Mike

 

[vic]

Mike ,

What area do you live in ? I can help you if you need any help. feel
free to contact me i work for ADT and i will help you the best i can.

[email protected]

vic

 

[Mike]

What is flipping paper? Selling LT contracts?
Mike

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Mike, "flipping paper" is a slang term used to describe the practice of
locking a client in to a long term contract and then selling the equity
built in to it to some other company or person. It's a reasonably common
practice probably more prevalent within the ranks of the small to medium
companies. I suspect the practice is far more common within the ranks of the
"lick and stick" mini system companies who's primary interest is running
primarily a quick, money making operation versus maintaining a long term
security company.

Regardless, if you are one of the customers in question, you start on day
one with your company of choice and end up with some other company (good or
bad) that you didn't choose to deal with.

RHC

What is flipping paper? Selling LT contracts?
Mike

I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
http://www.polesoft.com/refer.html

 

[Mr.Double-sided tape]

Yes they are. No company bats 1.000 (like the sales rep you dealt with)
but they apparently came closer than anyone else. I'm not endorsing any
company but I am saying you shouldn't eliminate them because of a sales
rep.

 

[Mr.Double-sided tape]

If it can be hardwired then choose that option. $70 for a wireless
sensor is actually a pretty decent price considering your market. I'm
curious as to why the sales rep didn't mention fire, or if he did why
you didn't consider it? IMO fire is the most important part of a
security system.
If the average crook thinks you have an alarm system he will break into
another house instead. The crook doesn't know what is protected and
what's not so rather than gambling with your house he'll pick off your
neighbor who doesn't have a system. Fire on the other hand doesn't care
if you have a system or not. Fire will strike wherever it wants, and
whenever it wants. If your budget is tight then reduce the burg side of
the system and add fire. Remember Mike, all systems can be added to at
a later date so you don't have to go for the full monty now if it's
going to hurt you financially to do so. Don't let the salesman sell you
what HE wants you to buy. Buy what you can and try to cover all bases
as best you can.
If you really like this company you just sat with, and if your budget
is topped out at 650.00 then ask the rep to swap the keyfob for a
smoke. At least it's a starting point and you won't regret it.

Best of luck,

Tom

 

[Mr.Double-sided tape]

Mike, 99% of these wars involve the same individual to whom you were
responding to. Someone once created a list of people Bass has flamed
over the years (in this newsgroup and 2 others) and it's in the
hundreds. Remember that a con man is always the nicest, or most
knowledgeable guy you could ever meet until he takes you for a ride.
Spare yourself the aggravation involved with who seems polite and who
seems nasty, and just stick to your search for a good company. I
sincerely hope your visit here pays off for you.

 

[Frank Olson]

While I owned a small central station alarm company for 24 years
I offered two options for monitored accounts.

This is a perfect example of the type of misleading comments you
frequently make. "Owned" and "offered"?? Uh-huh... sure. You started
your alarm company in 1980, and moved to Florida in 1999. How many of
those "24 years" did you actually "offer" anyone "two options for
monitored accounts"? How many of those "24 years" did you actually
*have* a CS?? Please don't tell me you *started* a company with your
own CS from *day one* (when you had absolutely *zero* experience in the
industry before and had never even been employed in it).

The customer could
take a one-year contract, renewable annually with the price
guaranteed for three years or they could choose a three-year
contract with the price guaranteed for three years. Either way,
the price was the same. I billed residential clients annually.
The first year of monitoring service was included with the
purchase of any system.

Uh-huh... and what was the "renewal clause" in your contract??

My C-S was very small, located in an office attached to my home,
which had originally been a doctor's office / residence. Because
we were not UL listed our overhead was lower than the typical c-s
alarm company. As such, we were able to keep our prices a bit
lower than our competitors. That worked quite well for us and
for our clients. YMMV.

Interesting. I use a ULC listed independent monitoring station. My
overheads for monitoring are fixed every month. They don't rise or
fall, I don't have to the headaches associated with staffing,
certification, licensing (they handle all that). My monthly fee is
$15.00 (and that's Canadian dollars). We have a three year contract
that locks in the rate for that term. Not one customer has ever
commented negatively on any aspect of the agreement (even the Judges and
Lawyers we provide service to).

Nothing is universal. Some firms offer fair and reasonable
terms. Others don't.

Yours offered???

I raised my annual rate $12 once and lost three out of the then
current 500 or so clients.

BWahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Sure, Bass... sure...

People expect an occasional increase
from any service provider.

Heh... Not in a million years.

I've seen commercial fire alarm monitoring / service contracts
that ran from $50 to over $1,000 a month. The highest was an ADT
corporate bid for a condo property (3 buildings) in Miami. They
wanted over $140K for the installation plus $1500 a month for
service & monitoring. Quarterly inspection visits were part of
the plan. Given the scope of the project, I estimated that one
technician would need to spend between three and four hours per
quarterly visit. Not bad beans if you can get it.

Given the scope of your lies in Usenet I wouldn't be at all surprised
that this was another Bass Fable... Since you know so much about this
particular contract, how about posting the details. Leave the amounts
in, scratch (or cover) the customer information.

I sold the people the hardware for ~$19,000. A local electrician
installed it for another $20,000-30,000 (I forget the exact
amount). Last I heard they negotiated an inspection contract
with a UL listed outfit from the area that cost them about $350 a
month, including monitoring.

Uh-huh... shure...

<snip more fables>

 

[Mike]

DST, I've learned a lot about alarms and the security business from reading
the posts in this newsgroup.
I want to thank everybody who has taken the time to post constructive
messages
to the tthread I started. Clearly, many of the posts were revealing
"insider information"
Information that I would have unlikely ever read anyplace else. My take on
flamers, bullies,
thugs are the same on the street as they are in newsgroups - ignore them.
It's unfortunate when these types
disrupt a legitimate newsgroup such as alt.security.alarms.

Mike

 

[Jim]

Hey, don't try to convince me; talk to the poster Mike. You'll pardon me if
I don't bother to read through your posts on this subject anymore! I don't
care what you think although he might ! The only thing that matters is that
he goes into his shopping with his eyes open, understanding ALL the options,
not just the ones that best serve the industry. And that is my only
intention, irrespective of what you believe !!

My intention is not to convince you to do anything ........ except
trying to decieve
end users who come here into believing that what you say is viable. It
certainly is
POSSIBLE, but highly unlikely that they are going to find anyone who
runs their business in such an ........ shall we say ......
comparitively non-economically sound manor. Regardless of the fact
that term contracts do not directly serve the consumer, they certainly
indirectly benefit them by allowing a company to build a financially
sound and viable orgainzation based on a proven business plan, with
incentive and corporate benefits, established on sound and practical
business practices. Thereby helping insure that the company continues
to be there for the benefit of the consumer. Whether you agree with
that or not is of moot concern. The majority of business owners and
industry pundits do. And in the overall scheme of things .......they
count and you don't.

I don't think you're convincing any other dealer to change their ways any
more than I am!! We all do business in whatever way works best. But rest
assured, I WILL continue to caution consumers who come here looking for
information whether you like it or not. It is they, not you or I, who sign
on the dotted line, and it is they not you or I who will untimately decide
this question, each for themselves...

Likewise ...... as long as you continue to mislead consumers into
thinking that they should expect to find month to month agreements, I
will continue to advise them by giving them the FULL story rather than
using your style of abbreviated and diversionary critique and in the
process besmirching the reputation of hard working dealers, who've got
enough sense to establish their businesses in a sound economical
manner.

RHC

Signed: "The white knight"......))

Signed "The WHITER knight" :-»

 

[Mike]

Thanks,

Mike

Yes they are. No company bats 1.000 (like the sales rep you dealt with)
but they apparently came closer than anyone else. I'm not endorsing any
company but I am saying you shouldn't eliminate them because of a sales
rep.

 

[Jim]

Hey, don't try to convince me; talk to the poster Mike.

Oh and by the way, I notice that when you can't refute what I post, you
find it convenient to not respond.

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Yeah, as someone coming here from the position of trying to learn all you
can, I can imagine it must be difficult to know who's telling you the
straight goods and who has an axe to grind. Read all the posts carefully
and follow your gut instincts. This newsgroup is filled with a lot of good
people even though we don't appear to much like each other at times, and we
very much disagree over certain specific points, and even about business
approaches. But dig through the crap and you should get decent answers to
most of your questions.

We're a rummy, hard headed bunch of farts, but we wish you well in your
shopping and your choice of suppliers....

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com

DST, I've learned a lot about alarms and the security business from
reading the posts in this newsgroup.
I want to thank everybody who has taken the time to post constructive
messages
to the tthread I started. Clearly, many of the posts were revealing
"insider information"
Information that I would have unlikely ever read anyplace else. My take
on flamers, bullies,
thugs are the same on the street as they are in newsgroups - ignore them.
It's unfortunate when these types
disrupt a legitimate newsgroup such as alt.security.alarms.

Mike

I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
http://www.polesoft.com/refer.html

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Nah, you hard headed old fart...) You don't believe anything I tell you,
so why bother answering. Your mind is made up, as is mine. If any customer
looks hard enough, he can find companies that do business that way (whether
you believe it or not...). And saying the same thing over again and again
doesn't convince me, so who are you talking to....)

Go right ahead and tell 'em they should lock themselves in when there is
often no need.... if they buy it, then so be it ! But they're gonna get BOTH
sides from me, and they can make up their own mind......

Now do us both a favour and let the thread die.... (at least until next
time.....)

RHC

Oh and by the way, I notice that when you can't refute what I post, you
find it convenient to not respond.

I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
http://www.polesoft.com/refer.html

 

[Mike]

I'll ask about hard wiring. The sales rep did mention fire ie, heat
sensors. Sorry Tom, I have not mentioned it in my postings.
Correection - I didn't ask about fire when I talked with the ASG rep. B & A
companies mentioned fire to me.
I went into this budgeting up to $1,000.00.

 

[Frank Olson]

I think it's only fair to add a comment to the above. Do a
Google search on this newsgroup using any of the filthiest street
language you can think of. You'll find that the fellow who hides
behind the anonymous name "Alarminex" has filled this newsgroup
with vitriol for years. 99% of his posts are nothing but foul,
personal attacks.

After you do the Google search Robert's suggested, do one with the words
"Robert L Bass Liar" and see what get... happy reading.

 

[Mike]

It's been an interesting experience participating in this newsgroup.
I believe I've got a handle on who I should take seriously.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Mike]

I've learned consumers need to go into an alarm system with their ducks in
order, Bob
None of my immediate friends have an alarm system. On my block I don't see
any alarm company signs
in front lawns. I'll keep looking.


Mike

 

[R.H.Campbell]

I'm not surprised, although I know you have (had ?) one until recently. I
don't think alarm system penetration is nearly as dense in Ottawa as most
places in the USA. I'm actually surprised, because in spite of the fact that
we don't have near the violent crime rate as the US, we DO have a very heavy
rate of break and enters ! Either that, or the alarmco's up here haven't
done as good a job as they should in promoting the benefits of security
systems.

After 12 years in this business, I am even more convinced of the importance
of good physical security for a home. I did a takeover the other day, and in
the course of doing my usual "audit" of the home, I advised the client to
improve things like the front door strike, patio door bar and basement
window bars. I also impressed upon him the importance of putting his decals
on right away. Well wouldn't you know it, the kids entered through his
basement window three days later, and cleaned him out of all of his wife's
jewelry. The alarm worked as it should, but in that very short period
between the time the alarm went and the cops arrived, they'd done their
dirty deed ! The alarm sure didn't scare them much; just made them work a
little quicker !! Had there been bars there, (or maybe even just the
stickers he forgot to install), they either wouldn't have bothered to tamper
with the window at all, or more likely, opened it, and not spent the time to
destroy the bars, and simply run off. Nobody can really know, but he called
me back to do the complete job (including a home safe) after that (you know,
"close the gate after the horse has gone"....((..)

I hate it when that happens; no news is sometimes good news in this
business.....(

Anyway, drop over some time soon for a cold one. It will be good to see you
again in person. I'll continue to refer any medical business that comes my
way over to you. Also, if you want any ADT Ademco takeovers, I give loads
away; might as well send some your way too....

RHC

I've learned consumers need to go into an alarm system with their ducks
in order, Bob
None of my immediate friends have an alarm system. On my block I don't
see any alarm company signs
in front lawns. I'll keep looking.


Mike

I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
http://www.polesoft.com/refer.html