Re: Need Advice For Packaged Home Alarm Purchase

["Mike" <wxyz09@xxxxxxxxx>]

This afternoon I spoke with a rep from ASG alarms.  To alarm three doors and
five windows cost about $654. plus key fob alarm alerter. Costs $70.00 per
window to alarm wireless.  Can burglars easily defeat the wireless window
alarms?"Three year contract and I don't own the equipment.  I'm looking for
an independent contractor.

Mike
mikey" <loismustdie@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:drearo$ck0$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> There is far too much being made of long-term contracts here.
> Bob, have you crunched numbers? My guess is that your AVERAGE "contract"
> over the last 10 years has lasted about 3 years, maybe 4
> No?
>
> "R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:QxhCf.25069$ve.546811@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Mike, I won't bother to add too much more to this thread except to advise
>> you to be just as careful of this gentleman's statements as you should be
>> with anyone that posts here.  He assumes far too much !! Read both sets
>> of
>> rationale, and make your own judgments. Often, those who can't justify
> their
>> positions, use personal attacks as their only "weapon". I stand by
>> everything that is posted on my website !
>>
>> But for the record, I find it necessary to "correct" a few of his points.
>> His statement that most alarmco's insist on long term contracts IS
> accurate
>> and for the reasons he states, although the equity issue is entirely
>> blown
>> out of proportion. It is only one of many things that buyers use when
>> evaluating a company for purchase. However, that is no reason why you as
>> a
>> shopper should not seek the shortest term contract you can find in the
>> marketplace. Just because he, and a large part of the industry feel they
>> have to lock you in to a contract for their own self interests, and which
> in
>> most cases doesn't do a damn thing for you, doesn't mean that you as a
>> consumer should accept it. In a free market, there are many ways to
>> market
> a
>> product, and only those with little appreciation for marketing will
>> insist
>> on doing things one single way, and especially "because that's the way
> it's
>> always been done". It is my opinion that without a long term contract,
> some
>> of the very largest companies simply couldn't keep their attrition rates
> at
>> anything near normal levels (attrition means the number of accounts lost
>> each year as a percentage of their installed base). Any dealer that is
>> prepared to step up to the plate and provide service on a monthly basis,
>> KNOWS that he has to keep you happy or see you disappear with a month's
>> notice ! Ask yourself, who's really putting their money where their mouth
> is
>> !! You remain "in the drivers seat", and this actually can serve to help
> in
>> protecting you against poor service from your alarm company !! (and this
> is
>> certainly NOT to suggest that you can expect bad service from the
>> majority
>> of alarmcos...most know that this is very much a service busines) But you
>> see my point ! Why leave yourself open if you don't have to ?
>>
>> If you choose to sign a long term committment for say, a cellphone, it
> means
>> you have been given the phone for less up front, and they recover lost
>> revenue over the term of the contract. Alarms are no different except
>> when
>> you own the alarm outright, or have paid a fair market price up front,
> there
>> is no justification other than protecting their revenue stream, for
> locking
>> you into an alarm contract. Forget the industry self serving statements;
> it
>> IS that simple from YOUR perspective !! Pay high up front, low
>> ongoing.......pay low up front, high ongoing ! The choice is yours, but
> the
>> point is, you should have that choice - not be forced into it because
> there
>> are no other choices in the market !! And you certainly shouldn't have to
>> pay high at both ends as you'll soon find out dealing with the large
>> conglomerates !!
>>
>> Even with month to month terms, I guarantee my rates in writing for five
>> years as you can see on my website, and this is no big deal if you know
> how
>> the monitoring market works. Prices per monitored account go down at
>> wholesale level the more you have monitored ! This gentleman
>> particularily
>> seems to feel that I attack other dealers in the industry; however, that
> is
>> simply a reflection of his oversensitivity to the way I and many others
>> work. In our local area alone, there are at least five companies that I
> know
>> of working strictly on monthly term (one has 2000 accounts), and this
> gives
>> them (and me) a decided advantage over companies who insist on locking
>> clients in. I hear the same "sour grapes" all the time from other
> companies
>> too !! Simply disagreeing with some of what our industry does, doesn't
> mean
>> I'm attacking anyone (except in his mind...) and least of all, the
> industry
>> as a whole that I've worked in for the last 12 years ! As you say,
> everyone
>> has their unique opinion.... AND their unique way of working. Mine
>> happens
>> to differ from the industry norm, but it works very well for me (and my
>> customers) !!
>>
>> It's unfortunate that the local dealers didn't call you back. That is
> their
>> loss and may be (unfortunately) ADT's gain....
>>
>> RHC
>>
>> "Mike" <wxyz09@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:z8gCf.12509$zh2.11315@xxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>
>> > Jim, thanks for taking the time to post your informative reply.  My
> belief
>> > is everybody has their unique opinion.
>> > I've contacted two independents in my area.  One had been sold twice
>> > and
>> > neither one called me back.
>> > So far, Brinks is out and ADT is on the list.
>> >
>> > Mike
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
>