Re: Problem with ADT Security Company

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

BIG difference there Mike, certainly not in structure, but in INTENT and
AFFECT !

First off, with a month to month contract, the client can leave whenever he
wants, because a month is not an undue period of time to lock someone in (if
that could even be considered being locked in). This period co-incides with
his standard industry monthly billing and is no different than most other
kinds of service billing (calculated monthly however actually billed). The
customer knows up front, and it's only common sense, that the contract
continues month over month to coincide with his billing. But the customer
still remains "in the driver's seat" so to speak at all times, with full
freedom to choose his own ongoing destiny. And the customer knows we must
continue to earn his ongoing business, not demand it through a long term
committment !

However, with an auto renewal long term contract for 1 to 5 years, the
customer becomes locked in for a second (and perhaps third) time, because he
or she didn't take some positive action to stop the renewal. This second
long term is not being used to pay for the "free system" anymore, but to
simply lock in the client's revenue stream for an undue length of time to
benefit ONLY the alarmco. There is NOTHING of value or benefit to doing so
for the client !! And in so doing, the client has lost his freedom to move,
shop around, or cease the service without paying out a substantial sum of
money.

THAT my friend is a HUGE difference ! It's a lot like "negative option
selling" that Rogers got so badly mauled for recently. Most customer hardly
remember what kind of system they have, let alone when a multi year contract
is coming up for renewal !!!!! Yet if they don't, they're committed. It's
the same sort of bulls*it that Alarmbridge pulls here locally with their
hidden small print stating that the client must advise in writing three full
months in advance of the desire to stop monitoring, or the contract
auto-renews for another full five years.

You buy a cellphone with a contract; after the term is up, you go month to
month. Although it's not a perfect analogy, if you buy or lease a vehicle,
you either own it outright eventually, or if leased, you turn it back in at
the end of the term. Your dealer doesn't hit you with another term if you
forget to call him up. If you sign a long term natural gas contract, BOTH
sides are committed to a certain rate for a given length of time. Neither
can change that rate. But alarmco's see fit to raise their rates sometimes
annually based on a "cost of living" increase, and the consumer has no
realistic option to act if he doesn't agree with it.

It seems only in the alarm industry do we get away with this lopsided sh*t
because for some reason, consumers let us do so !! Beats the hell out of me
why !!

Unethical ? You're damn right !

RHC

"mikey" <loismustdie@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:jvOdne27GqkpLsjeRVn-2Q@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Unethical? Whoa, you're out to lunch here, Bob... your month to month
> contract auto renews each month, what's the difference?
>
> "R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:y8-dnULD9McpDsjeRVn-hg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> The first contract you signed in 1998 likely had a renewal clause that
>> automatically renewed the contract for the same period of time once again
>> unless you took action sometime just prior to the end of the contract to
>> advise them (usually in writing) that you wish to cease dealing with
>> them.
>> Check your original contract to see it this is the case. If it is, you
>> are
>> likely stuck, and will have to buy the balance of the contract out.
>>
>> This kind of thing is a clear example of how many companies abuse this
> long
>> term contract business. The first contract was entirely legitimate since
> you
>> were buying into the phony "free system" concept, and they make up the
> REAL
>> cost of the equipment and original labour in the inflated monitoring rate
>> over a guarantee term of so many months. However, hooking you into
>> another
>> term simply because you failed to take action at the end of the original
>> term, while quite common in this industry, is certainly "opportunistic",
> and
>> borders on unethical business practices (IMO).
>>
>> It always pays to remember, there is no free lunch. While these kinds of
>> companies make it easy to buy in, the cost of just about everything after
>> that is usually excessive. And this generally applies no matter which
>> company you are dealing with that markets this way.
>>
>> Remember this experience and let it guide your actions when you choose
>> another alarm company....
>>
>> R.H.Campbell
>> Home Security Metal Products
>> Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
>> www.homemetal.com
>>
>> <cindychoy99@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:1129678881.491964.236340@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >I first installed my ADT Secruity in 1998, and I signed a two years
>> > contract for it. It was working fine these years, until I have a
>> > contractor replaced the windows of my house. The contractor who worked
>> > on my windows cut the wires off the security system, and I tried to
>> > call the ADT Technician to come over to reconnect the sensors back to
>> > my new windows. The technician come over for an esitimate, he told me
>> > that there would be a 3 hours work, and the first half hour would be
>> > $120.00, and thereafter, $30.00 for each 15 minutes. Thus, I have to
>> > pay $25.00 trip charge and those sensors have to be purchased again
>> > from them, and each of the sensors will be charged for $15.00.
>> >
>> > My godness, they have a deal for the new customer, $99.00 for
>> > installation with 2 years contract. For our old good customer, they
>> > won't give us any advantage on it, but try to earn some money from us.
>> > I think that $505.00 is not worth to spend for reconnected the system.
>> > Therefore, I called the ADT representative for cancel the alarm
>> > service. Their representative told me that I have signed another 4
>> > years contract for it. I swear that I didn't sign any contract except
>> > the first one I signed on 1998. I asked the representative a copy of
>> > the contract, there is a name written down there but not my signature.
>> > I called them back and told them that's not my signature, now they said
>> > that they have to send me another package to deny the contract.
>> >
>> > It's really a nightmare for me. Is there anyone who used to be in the
>> > same situation, and can give me advise on it. Your help with this
>> > matter is greatly appreciated!
>> >
>> >
>> > Thank you in adanve for your reply,
>> >
>> >
>> > Cindy Choy
>> >
>>
>>
>
>