Re: Any tips for a consumer about to purchase a system & contract?

["Everywhere Man" <alarminstall@xxxxxxx>]

David wrote:
> "Everywhere Man" <alarminstall@xxxxxxx> wrote in message news:1162855982.658926.110690@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > So Bill Jones moves into a house with a fully functioning alarm system
> > and decides he wants monitoring. Bill calls ABC alarm and tells them he
> > will agree to a month to month contract because long term is not in his
> > best interest. ABC charges  $20.00 per month. Let me see if I
> > understand this. ABC should send a technician out to this man's house,
> > reprogram his system, test his system, do paperwork, send signals,
> > instruct him on it's use, and then pay someone in admin to put the
> > account online for a guarantee of $20 gross to assume this liability?
>
> Not to interrupt your line of discussion with the previous poster, <

You're not interrupting.

> but it
> occurs to me that there is some middle ground here and I'd like to bring
> it up so that I can better understand things from various POVs.  You
> point out that there would be some upfront work to getting the existing
> system up and running.  The costs of such could be paid separately (in
> the same way that the costs of a new system could be paid separately)
> or those costs could be built into a service contract of some minimum
> term.  Does it really matter to you which approach is taken?  If so and
> if you have the time, could you explain why?  Thanks. <

OK in Bob Campbell's proposal the alarm company can wind up screwed. I
send a tech to your house umpteen miles away to program a system for
$20. $20 won't pay for the gas in the truck, and you the customer can
tell me adios  after the $20 service call.

In your proposal of having service costs paid up front and still a
month to month contract then you the client can get screwed.
Let's say I charge you $100 for arguement's sake for a service call,
and next month I decide to terminate the agreement. Now you're left
having to hire another vendor and pay another $100.

Using a contract term of say a year assures me that I will profit,
which I am entitled to do, while the client receives service, which
they are entitled to.
This is only for an existing system mind you.

Whole different can of worms on a new install.