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

["tourman" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Everywhere Man wrote:
> tourman wrote:
> > Hmmm....is "everywhere man" really foul mouthed Jim in disquise. I'll
> > assume NOT, and respond properly assuming you are indeed someone else,
> > who doesn't honestly happen to agree with me, because I wouldn't want
> > to insult anyone other than him. <
>
> No "Everywhere Man" is not Jim. This is Tom. The other foul mouthed
> poster who doesn't buy into your business crippling philosophy.

RHC: Hey Tom, good to see you back. I can never tell who's who when
people use aliases.
>
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>
> WHAT? People switch providers for pennies let alone dollars.

RHC: Glad I don't have your clientele. Tell me where you live and I'll
be sure to never open up a business there.....:))
>
>
> > You can
> > call it "stirring the pot"'; <
>
> I call it like I see it and like I have seen it for 8 years now.

RHC: Yup ! Although I know from conversations with you, you and I agree
on far more than we disagree on. And for a young fellow, you are just
about as crusty as any of the old dealers I know...can't imagine what
you'll be like when you're my age..GAWD !!!
>
> > however, you might be very surprised how
> > many companies there are that don't lock into long term contracts (a
> > couple of the regulars on this newsgroup don't either, but choose not
> > to say so publicly, and I certainly won't say who). They take the same
> > view I do that the customer's ongoing freedom of choice is more
> > important to their continued loyalty than some arbitrary term
> > committment. My (and I assume their) customers stay because they want
> > to, not because they have to. <
>
> That's easy to do when the company is a one man show working out of the
> house. Try doing that with some real overhead. You cannot pay a tech to
> program a system if your only guarantee is $20
>
> > Meanwhile, I'll continue to pick up the clients who have had their
> > belly full of the Borg and their ilk, and would rather get a quality
> > monitoring service and warranty package without signing their life
> > away. Different strokes for different folks !! <
>
> If it works for you fine but you're misleading people into thinking
> there are numerous companies who operate like you do.

RHC: Actually there are lots Tom ! But definately small guys with low
overheads. In my case, it honestly doesn't pay to make more money
because the government taxes the shit out of everything you make. I did
a spreadsheet once and if I charged $5 a month more for monitoring (up
to $20 where it really should be), I'd make $55K more a year and the
government would get about $35K of that. Screw them ! I'd rather give
it back to my clientele through reduced prices. I hate the government
so badly, that it really has warped my judgment over the years. I've
never forgiven them for what they've done to our gun laws, and how that
shafted me many years ago.  From where I stand, the only thing
government does for small business is tax the hell out of them, throw
additional bureaucratic roadblocks in front of them all in the name of
assisting them, and generally acting as a disincentive to making any
money.

But back to the point of discussion, I've been doing a lot of
travelling in the States lately, and everywhere I go, I try to meet
alarm dealers locally and get the "lay of the land" from them (just got
back from Alaska). There is an amazing difference in this business from
place to place. I think we all have to be careful in making assumptions
about business practices prevalent in other areas. This business caters
to many communities of interest, and they differ markedly from one to
the other. Within reason, what works for one company may be quite
different in other areas.
>
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > NOW...if "everywhere man" is actually our very own foulmouthed Jim, but
> > in disguise, I only have one thing to say to you. Fuck off somewhere
> > asshole and die ! Or better yet, go flog shit for ADT. You deserve each
> > other !! <
>
> Oh how nice. Another one wishing death on a poster. Tell me Bob, why
> should Jim die? Would the reason you want him dead have to do with a
> debate about alarms and business practices? Yeah that's a real good
> reason to wish death on someone. I don't agree with you either so
> should I die too?
> If all of you twisted rump monkeys had your wishes granted over who
> should die this forum would be empty. Then again it would be close to
> empty if everyone who said they were leaving for good really left, but
> we all know that's an attention seeking ploy.

RHC: No, in my case, I really did leave for many months when I felt I
had nothing left to offer anyone coming in looking for information.
Frankly, it was always the same questions and the same answers, and it
got a bit boring. Then Sympatico dropped the news group from their
server, and I couldn't get on at all for awhile until I discovered how
to get on with google. However, I decided to come back (would you
believe 'cause I missed all you crusty SOB's), but now only on the same
terms and in the same manner that people use to deal with me. Enough of
this "Mr. Polite" stuff !! And you !....you make like a hard case on
the outside, but frankly, from private e mails we've had, I know you
are a damn good dealer that cares a lot for the quality of your
installs, and your customers, so don't lay that phoney hard cased shit
on me ...:)) We'll just have to agree to disagree on some things.

Jim and I disagree on business practices, same as you and I, but he
chooses to take it down to levels that are childish insults. I haven't
the time or inclination to bother with foul mouthed people like that in
real life, so why bother here !! My death wish is a poorly worded
figure of speech, not to be taken literally (unless you happen to be
ADT ...:)) I guess I was totally flabbergasted that anyone could say
that and actually mean it when we heard that RLB was sick ! Maybe a bit
of that poor taste rubbed off on me for a moment.....

Rump monkey ??..... that's a new one ...