Re: Monitoring station response time

["Rocky_T_Squirrel, Esq." <gafa_usa@/nospam\hotmail.com>]

Hay Warren, just be glad you don't use the company we have, (Greenville MS)
they took 9 days to tell us they were shut down, and only then after  we
started bitching about fail to communicate from our customers.
RTS


"Warren" <warrens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:43358D5B.6070309@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> The changeover happened about three months ago.  The monitoring station
> is Mammoth security in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  It is a local station on
> the other side of the city from me.  The dealer will be getting a phone
> call on Monday as a follow up on my email today.
>
> I can't see it being a weather or power related problem as it is a
> perfectly nice day, no storms or anything else out of the ordinary.  It
> would be very doubtful that the Texas/Louisiana situation would have any
> effect on the station.
>
>
> Allan Waghalter wrote:
> > The response was excessive for normal response.  They may be having
manpower
> > problems caused by the importing of your dealer's information.  Try it
from
> > time to time.  If it is a national station, they might well be
overwhelmed
> > with alarm activity from the Texas/Louisiana areas being hit by the
> > hurricane.... Rita and Katrina.
> >
> > Occasionally they may just be too busy to call you more quickly, but it
> > should be the exception, not the rule.  If you are not happy, talk to
the
> > dealer.  He will have some pull with the central station as he is a new
> > customer.  By the way, do you know what central station he is using?
Also,
> > where do you live? (I see a candadian address).
> >
> > Regards,
> > Allan
> >
> >
> > "Warren" <warrens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > news:43356C73.4050009@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >>My alarm company recently changed to a new monitoring station and the
> >>response wait times have become considerably longer.  The panel is not
> >>programmed to send a cancel code.  If it were I wouldn't be concerned
> >>about several minute wait for a double check or confirmation call.
> >>
> >>I will be talking to the alarm company on Monday for an explanation.
This
> >>is the second long delay I've experienced with the monitoring company.
> >>Last time I phoned them after four minutes to say I was still alive,
only
> >>to be put on hold until they could check up on things.
> >>
> >>The panel has a duress code programmed.  I can think of no reason not to
> >>have one.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>R.H.Campbell wrote:
> >>
> >>>I would say.... that depends. If you disarmed the system right away (or
> >>>during the time when
> >>>the panel was still online with the station), then they could have
> >>>received a "cancel
> >>>code" along with the alarm, and most stations won't even call, since
they
> >>>know someone with a valid code has disarmed the system. Your station
> >>>might simply have been doing a double check (as many do) as a matter of
> >>>policy, which can be some minutes
> >>>afterwards depending upon how many alarms they are receiving at the
> >>>moment without cancel
> >>>codes.
> >>>
> >>>The normal interval to respond to an alarm (assuming no receipt of a
> >>>cancel
> >>>code) I expect should be immediately or within a minute, depending upon
> >>>how busy they are at that moment. Early morning and around 5 pm seem to
> >>>be the busiest periods of a workday when stations are running at peak
> >>>capacity, which would normally slow things down a bit (Lots of people
> >>>disarming their panels at work and screwing things up etc.....)
> >>>
> >>>With a cancel code, response can vary (assuming the station calls at
all)
> >>>and can vary greatly based on other
> >>>alarms being received at the same time. They should probably be
> >>>explaining to the end user they are just doing a double check ;
> >>>otherwise, the impression left is slow response as you felt. Cancel
codes
> >>>are one of the things that dramatically decrease problems for
customers;
> >>>however, they certainly can leave the impression of poor response.
> >>>
> >>>It should be noted however, that a lot of companies (and customers)
> >>>prefer NOT to use cancel codes and wish the station to call on every
> >>>alarm trip. This is a simple programming change in the alarm panel.
While
> >>>lack of a cancel code increases the workload on the station (and IMO
> >>>likely doesn't add much benefit to the end user), it certainly does
> >>>increase the false alarm rate substantially.
> >>>
> >>>If I lived in LA or another large community with lots of crimes against
> >>>people, I might be tempted to forget about cancel codes (and probably
> >>>also activate a duress code in my panel ). But if I lived in a normal
> >>>community where crimes against people was not a major issue, a cancel
> >>>code is much more likely to prevent a false dispatch and a fine than it
> >>>is to decrease the effectiveness of your alarm in any meaningful way.
> >>>
> >>>This is something you should discuss with your alarm company in regards
> >>>to your personal situation.
> >>>
> >>>Regards,
> >>>
> >>>R.H.Campbell
> >>>Home Security Metal Products
> >>>Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
> >>>www.homemetal.com
> >>
> >
> >
>