Re: Take Over Practices

["Everywhere Man" <alarminstall@xxxxxxx>]

Nomen Nescio wrote:
> Everywhere Man said:
>
> >I am having trouble understanding some of these replies in regards to
> >it appearing as if  we own the client even after they have fulfilled
> >the original terms. If a client wants to jump ship after the initial
> >term then let them.
>
> Personally, I agree with you.  But you're a Brinks dealer.  Does Brinks
> still use proprietary equipment that no other company can reprogram?  That
> could be an even more efficient anti-takeover technique than long-term
> contracts. <

Yes the panel is proprietary but honestly, when you really think about
it, it's no different than when companies disable local programming, or
when receiver numbers are burned into panels. What company unlocks
panels at the end of the term if a client wants to jump ship? Mark will
say Monitronics does BUTTTTTTTTTTTT do they do it for free? Nope.
Why on earth would an installing dealer want to use someone else's
private labeled equipment? When they do a takeover do they keep the old
company's yard sign on the lawn? Probably not. So why would anyone want
to keep the former company's logo anywhere in the protected premises?


>
> The last I recall, Ken Kirschenbaum was pushing five year monitoring
> contracts with five year automatic renewal periods.  I find that a wee bit
> excessive. <


Ken's contract is kind of funny. I can summarize it like this:
1- The company is always right
2- When the company is wrong refer to #1.
3- When all else fails blame it on GOD (act of GOD).
5 years is insane.
New York State doesn't allow for automatic renewals, which is a good
thing.
BTW, not every system I install is a BRINKS system. I inhouse all
accounts that are non-compliant with the BRINKS program (like 2 way
voice, wireless systems with more than 10 devices, partition panels,
renters, etc). I detest most takeovers. It's nothing more than adopting
another company's headache.
Either the customer is willing to jump because of price (so sooner or
later they will shop you too), or it's an unresolved service issue (in
which case you better swap the panel, and keypads, plus you have to
troubleshoot someone else's mess).
You guys fight over the 11% of the population that have alarm systems
and I'll make a living chipping away at the 89% who don't :-)

>
> - badenov