Re: cleaner wiring solution needed (resend)

["Frank Olson" <feolson@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"Robert L. Bass" <robertlbass@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:hYqdnRWBlITHeKPfRVn-qA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Fire detection adds another dimension to
>> the liability...however, he has an obligation
>> ...paying me.
>
> While this client was obviously just a deadbeat deserving of whatever you
> could lawfully do, there are times when a gentler approach may be better.
> In the late eighties there was a downturn in the economy.  A lot of people
> were suddenly out of work.  A fair number of our clients informed us that
> they would not be able to pay for monitoring because they were out of
> work.
>
> I called each one back and told them that their alarm would be monitored
> for free for one year.  After about a year and a half things started to
> pick up.


<snip>  Robert.  I've gotta hand it to you.  You are "masterful".  So, your
story goes, that you monitored the clients "for free" for one year and in a
year plus a bit you did what??  Cancel their monitoring service??  Would
that the phone company, electric utility, gas utility, financial institution
(that held their mortgage) would be as generous.  How many of these so
called "friends" of yours wound up losing their houses after a year and a
bit?

When the economy picked up and new people bought in, did you actually retain
the business or did they give you a sob story about how much money they
spent and couldn't afford monitoring??  "Please understand Mr. Bass, and
since you carried Mr. Finklestein for a whole year couldn't you extend us
the same service?  You can??  Oh, Mr. Bass, you're such a Mensch!  I'll
phone my schwester Anna and she'll immediately transfer her account to you
as well."

Your "story" doesn't wash (in fact it's down right "fishy"), and certainly
doesn't pay the bills your own business incurred in that period.  What you
failed to think about is that in a "down-turned economy" your sales would
have dropped way off too.  Monitoring someone "for free" ensures they
perceive your service as a "zero overhead" business which begs the
question...  If you sell me an alarm system, or I buy the house it's
installed in, why not monitor it "for free"??


> Most people were working again.  I think we lost around five clients
> total. However, those were made up for many fold by referrals from
> appreciative clients who we carried for a year without payment.  During
> the time when many other small alarm companies failed or were sold, we
> actually grew our RMR base.

Sure you did...


>
> Obviously that would not help with a deadbeat client like the one you
> described.  But when good customers go through hard times the best thing
> you can do for your business is to treat them well.  They'll stay with you
> forever and you'll get their friends and families too.

Uh-huh...  This has got to be one of the most patently false "testimonials"
I've seen you write.  Which also begs the question (that you've never
answered):  "Did *you* really write "The Testimony"?"