Re: Warning To Those Considering A Home Security Alarm System

["R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sir, I think you are overreacting to the situation. Sure this industry has
problems but name me one that doesn't. As a small independant, there are
lots of things I see about the big guys that I don't like, but some of the
same complaints can be aimed at some of the little guys too. But all these
things ARE in the minority. Most people are simply trying to do a good job
and give good service. Problems with the big guys are easy to spot; problems
with the little guys, not so easy. Service problems with the nationals come
about due to bureaucratic rules that conflict within the company - it's
called "institutionalized corporate stupidity". Large corporations can only
survive with structure, and this structure doesn't always allow for the
kinds of service flexibilities that a small owner / installer can give
within a small company.

I've worked in a few different industries over the last four decades and I
don't think this one is any worse than the others I've been in. I agree with
you that we should be pointing out the problems within our industry where
exposing them can lead to the industry addressing them (and goodness knows,
I do enough preaching on the subject), but your blanket condemnation of the
Borg does nothing but brand you as someone with a personal axe to grind.

Sorry... you may mean well, but that's the way it comes across......

RHC

"Sonicduck" <jones1019@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1132627859.608781.216990@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
***   You are wrong.  I really have no vendetta against ADT.  One of
the major reasons I posted these complaints against ADT is only because
ADT IS the largest out there, and has a dealer program THEY DON'T
really like to admit they have.  These complaints are from a consumer
complaint website, and I also looked up Brinks (nothing much there,
even though I have heard tons of complaints against them), and Bell
South Security (nothing there), and Protection One (nothing there
either).  That doesn't mean they don't have major problems.  From what
I see and know THEY ALL HAVE HUGE PROBLEMS.  I think their are some
class action suits that could be filed, and I am checking into them.
They need to really clean this scam a minute industry up.  Not just
ADT, EVERYBODY.  It would be the best thing that ever happened to to
this industry.  Once the scam companies are gone, what is left should
do the trick.

sd....quacking louder...

R.H.Campbell wrote:
> Whoa ! What the devil are all these postings about ADT ?  It's obvious you
> have some sort of vendetta against ADT ? I never thought I'd ever see the
> day when I ended up actually defending them, but this stuff is CRAP. Your
> horror stories may or may not be true, but to continually lay out example
> after example like this doesn't indicate to any thinking person that this
> is
> how they handle things on a general basis. With millions of customers, I'm
> sure it's easy to find horror stories, but honestly, there are probably
> millions of other examples where things worked exactly as they should.
>
> Your horror stories tell the ng more about your hate for them than
> anything
> else. Knock it off ! Your credibility is gone my friend....don't waste
> bandwidth....
>
> RHC
>
>
> "Sonicduck" <jones1019@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:1132623147.027129.127910@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ADT Security Systems
>
>
>
>
> ADT Security
> · Sales practices
> · Service
> · Military clause
> ADT is by far the largest home security alarm service in the U.S. and
> also does a big business in providing service to business and
> government. ADT works with independent re-sellers and it also has
> partnerships with Sears and other retailers.
>
> It's important to note that you're buying two things when you get a
> home alarm system -- the equipment and the "service," which basically
> consists of monitoring your system and responding in whatever manner
> you agree to when alarms are received. Note that you must provide a
> working telephone line.
>
> Like cell phones, security services will offer all kinds of deals,
> including "free" equipment and, sometimes, "free" installation. Of
> course, it isn't really free. The cost is simply built into the
> contract you sign, which usually runs two years or more. Like any
> contract, the ADT contract means what it says -- and only what it says.
> Nothing your salesman tells you means anything. Verbal promises are
> meaningless.
>
> Therefore, read the contract fully before you sign it. Understand what
> you're getting into -- a multi-year contract that obligates you to pay
> whether the system works or not, whether your phone line works or not,
> whether you have a job or not.
>
> Sure, there might be a few cases where you could get out of the
> contract but it's a lot easier to be safe than sorry. Read it
> thoroughly. If you don't understand it, don't sign it until you find a
> disinterested third party, preferably a lawyer or paralegal, who can
> read it and explain it to you. Otherwise, you'll end up like the
> complainants whose tales appear in this section.
>
> Don't believe us? Check out the complaint below ...
>
> Patricia of Tracy, CA (10/20/05)
> We signed a contract with ADT in 1998 for a term of three years. The
> account was in my husband's name and his signature is on this contract.
> When I called ADT to cancel our services in June of this year, I was
> told that my husband had to cancel because it was his account. My
> husband called later in the week and was told that the company required
> a 30-day notice for cancellations. Since we had already sent our
> payment for the quarterly statement, the rep told my husband that we
> were going to be pro rated on our refund.
>
> Several weeks later we received a statement telling us that we owed
> $331.22 for the balance of the contract. We were expecting a refund,
> not a balance. We were very surprised to receive a copy of a second
> contract made out in my husband's name but showing my name in the
> signature. When I questioned the rep about the discrepancy in this
> "new" contract she didn't have an explanation.
>
> Damages: ADT constantly calls and wants to collect this money that we
> feel that we do not owe them. They send a statement every month trying
> to collect from us. We feel this will affect our credit report that we
> value very much.