Re: avoiding being "locked out"

["Crash Gordon" <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I hit that growth wall a few times...the last time I decided to go for it..
got way too big and I HATED it...smaller is better.


"R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:M6WdnWXmYtqHsJTeRVn-iQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hey...good stuff ! Damn few companies of our size (mine anyway) actually
> get into business with a formal business plan, even a simple one. And even
> fewer have thought of an exit strategy. You can't get where you're going
> unless you know where that is, and with government tax thieves only a
> heartbeat away, you definately need to plan for the other
> end............gawd, I sound like a funeral director !!!
>
> My partner is looking to sell his company right now, and has three bidders
> each doing their "due diligence". He offered them to me but frankly, I
> didn't want to get that big that quickly, because it would end up being an
> unplanned expansion that I would have little control over. And I would
> need another employee for sure.
>
> Glad to see the Borg won't be inheriting your customers; that would REALLY
> be letting your clients down.
>
> RHC
>
> "Crash Gordon" <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:js9Oe.96$U05.1702@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>I have an exit strategy in place should I ever decide to completely get
>>out of business, my attorney holds a packet of information which among
>>other things contains all the codes I use t access and/or lock alarm and
>>access controls. If something happens to me the company and the packet
>>passes to the family if they don't want to continue with the business a
>>long time associate who owns another family owned alarmco will buy the
>>accounts - his co. is much bigger than mine and has been around for over
>>50 years. My clients will be well taken care of, they may have to pay a
>>little more, but they'll be ok.
>>
>>
>> "R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:sdadne2aKLj0bpXeRVn-pQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> The big difference is you use the lockout feature for it's intended
>>> purpose, and willingly return the panel to factory when the client
>>> chooses to leave. Unfortunately, there are a minority of companies that
>>> don't operate as ethically as you do.
>>>
>>> There is another danger as well with wholesale locking of all boards,
>>> especially with very small companies that lock their boards and then
>>> just disappear. These are the guys that get about 10 accounts, then
>>> decide this "free system" stuff is not all it's cracked up to be, and
>>> simply disappear. Their customers are then left with a locked board to
>>> contend with.
>>>
>>> R.H.Campbell
>>> Home Security Metal Products
>>> Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
>>> www.homemetal.com
>>>
>>> Crash Gordon" <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:6S%Ne.2$FY6.1560@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> The main reason for locking the panel is to protect proprietary
>>>> monitoring information and protect the owner from having programming
>>>> changed (possibily by a moonlighter that doesn't know enough abt the
>>>> system), all my panels are locked. If a client wants to change
>>>> monitoring co's all they have to do is call for it to be unlocked and I
>>>> remove our proprietary info.
>>>>
>>>> Unfortunately, some less than ethical companies may use this feature to
>>>> hold their clients hostage.
>>>>
>>>> hmmm.... I have to admit that it may be useful if the client hasn't
>>>> paid for monitoring in 9 months.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> <powercat@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>> news:1124629286.071477.270930@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Greetings I know a commercial alarm system installer who moonlights on
>>>>> residential set-ups.  Basically I do the unpleasant part (running the
>>>>> wiring) and he does the programming and is paid appropriately for that
>>>>> task.  What he does not do is sell alarm monitoring to avoid a
>>>>> conflict
>>>>> with his "real" employer.
>>>>>
>>>>> This all sounds very fair to me.  He does say "pick an alarm
>>>>> monitoring
>>>>> company that won't "lock out" your panel and prevent you from
>>>>> switching
>>>>> later".
>>>>>
>>>>> In short how do you know if a company is engaged in that practice
>>>>> (obviously I can ask).  This sounds very shady to me especially if I
>>>>> own the equipment.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for any comments.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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