Re: Central Station Cancel Signal

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

Yes, I thought about doing that as well; however, I decided against it. I
spoke to my lawyer on this point, and as long as I've advised the client via
registered mail, I'm totally off the hook liability wise. But your approach
is much better actually...might get a few back who otherwise might continue
to mickey mouse things. However, it has happened so seldomly, that I choose
not to do it.

When I first started in the electronic side of my business, I installed
about 50 or 60 "local only" systems. Interesting enough, when the original
owners sell the home, I get a good percentage of the new owners coming to me
for monitoring services. Or they call me up to ask a question or whatever
and I hook 'em up from there.

People don't believe me when I tell them that I turn away more business than
I take on; I ONLY do automatic billing; I don't do commercial (unless it's
small, and I have the owners home system); I don't work in Quebec; I only do
takeovers on DSC or Paradox equipment; I try not to takeover systems of
small guys in the business without calling them first to save the sale (the
same applies to Protectron with whom I have a gentleman's agreement to
advise them first); I don't do any of the "free system" nonsense; I refuse
to install the "all in one" mickey mouse squawk box alarms; I don't do DIY
anymore, and I pick and choose the clients I do want to take on (most by gut
feel...).

Frankly, I'm still more interested in doing the physical security on their
homes since I consider it FAR more important in the overall security of
their home, and the alarm is a secondary issue (ironically, however, it ends
up being the majority of the business revenue coming in since I've grown a
lot larger than I had originally planned)

Sometimes it's a strange business world out there. Clearly what works for
me, likely wouldn't work for a conventional alarm company (but then, mine is
not an alarm company.....)

RHC

"moe" <moe@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OnP1f.1760$Lp.359@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>I fax the insurance company a cancel letter to let them know I am no longer
>in the picture in terms of monitoring the system.  If the customer doesn't
>pay I sure won't trust them to inform their insurance company.
> "R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:jL6dnY__8InQINreRVn-hA@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Good question ! During selling of the alarm, it is pretty easy to
>> determine if the client intends to continue with the monitoring or not.
>> But I have been wrong three times. In each case, I sent the client a
>> registered letter telling him there is no warranty or any kind, or
>> service on his panel (nor will I service it at an additional price), and
>> that he must tell his insurance company of the cessation of monitoring.
>> Plus, as part of my contract, he agrees to remove my decals when
>> monitoring stops....they belong to me. And since they are exterior
>> mounted decals, I actually make a visit to remove them.  However, bottom
>> line, he has paid me a fair and full market price for the system, so I
>> make my profit up front on the alarm itself. I simply dial in and remove
>> all monitoring information, and reset the unit to factory installer code,
>> and turn the TLM and the dialers off.
>>
>> I've found that in selling high end systems to my particular clientele
>> (who generally are in the two income, higher echelon income bracket),
>> this just doesn't happen. I guess these folks are smart enough to realize
>> their alarm is crippled without proper response, and they probably feel
>> $15 a month is peanuts to pay for a combined package with an ironclad
>> warranty. Interestingly enough, the three people who cancelled within 6
>> months, were all from Eastern European countries where they don't have
>> monitoring services (or so I'm told).
>>
>> I lose far more clients from people selling their homes and moving than I
>> do from people simply deciding they don't want monitoring. However,
>> reasonable prices and good service with the first client wins me back
>> about 75% of the new purchasers (which I'm told from other dealer friends
>> is a higher percentage than normal)
>>
>> Works for me.....
>>
>> RHC
>>
>> "alarman" <alarman2000@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:f2I1f.41555$lq6.6373@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>> Since you don't do locals, and don't require time contracts, what would
>>> you
>>> do if someone purchased a system, then stopped monitoring service after
>>> a
>>> couple of months?
>>> js
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>