Re: I wish this was fiction

["Bob Worthy" <securinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I had a little old lady call some years ago for an estimate on her home.
After reviewing the home and asking her the normal questions, I gave her a
quote of $1,100. She was taken back and with a gasp asked "how this could
be?" I went over it line item by line item. She then tells me that the other
company said it was "free". Of course, with a smile, I asked her, "if it was
free why did you even call me? I can't beat "free". She was probably told to
get three estimates. :o]  Anyway, I asked to see the quote to compare apples
to oranges and she said the salesman did not leave it and that he was
mailing it to her. Ok, well again, I cannot help her when she has the "free"
in her mind. A week goes by and I get the phone call. Now she is really
confused. The "free" deal shows up in the mail and it is $1,500. Long story
short I get the deal but I still can't believe that some in the industry
continues to pull this crap and am further in disbelief that people still
fall for it. Who was it that said, "it was their moral obligation to relieve
a fool of their money?"
"tourman" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1159376118.000041.276490@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Boy, I can really relate to that ! I suspect most dealers who have been
> in business for awhile can too.
>
> Most of my customers are reasonably well informed customers, and
> thankfully don't take that short sighted approach, but a lot of the
> takeovers that come my way from other places do, and are definately
> looking for "cheap" as the operative word. So I've taken to reviewing
> everything carefully before agreeing to take on their system. If they
> won't let me upgrade to basic acceptable levels, they can go elsewhere.
> As a result, recently, only about 5 out of 10 takeovers coming in the
> door "make the grade". The others go elsewhere I guess, to companies
> who haven't yet learned that the headaches associated with one bad
> customer cost as much or more as the service on 50 good accounts.
>
> You really have to wonder about the thinking of a person who would want
> to use a junky or poorly installed alarm panel (which would be about
> the equivalent of a 286 in the computer world...!!!!)
>
> I really don't understand it. There are lots of reasons I can guess at,
> but common sense seems to fly out the window with some when alarms come
> up.
>
> Go figure !!
>
> R.H.Campbell
> Home Security Metal Products
> Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
> www.homemetal.com
>
> Everywhere Man wrote:
> > Why is it that people will spend tens of thousands of dollars for newer
> > cars, televisions, stereo equipment, computer upgrades, golf clubs,
> > furniture, and every other bobble or goody but they have no issue using
> > a prehistoric system, or some DIY crapola they bought on Ebay to
> > protect that stuff plus the lives of their loved ones?
> >
> > I was going through some older lead files and ran across this doozy.
> >
> > There's a character in a multi-million dollar brownstone in Manhattan's
> > Upper East Side we designed a pretty sweet system for (all doors,
> > accessible windows, skylights, 2 fires on every living level, heats in
> > the basement, motions, glassbreaks, etc, etc, etc,). Bozo had just
> > purchased the house with a basic ADT system (the motion was 3 feet from
> > the floor next to the fireplace) in there from the year of the flood,
> > and couldn't understand why none of that equipment could be used. He
> > also couldn't believe he had to pay more than $99.00 for the
> > installation because ADT would activate his system for free (or so he
> > said). Customers love to throw comments like that out there in hopes it
> > spooks an alarm company to dropping price. He also mentioned he was
> > considering a DIY option without monitoring.
> >
> > So what does this filthy rich slob choose to do to protect his home?
> >
> > a- install our system at a cost over $5000.00?
> >
> > b- ADT activating their ancient system for free?
> >
> > c- the local alarm DIY option?
> >
> > d- Protect America's postage due security system?
> >
> > If you said C you are correct. He installed a Visonic Powermax.
> > And HOW you ask do I know this? He called me. And WHY you ask did he
> > call me? He wanted to know if I would help him program it.
> >
> >
> > Next we come across a lady from Scarsdale who saw the TV commercial for
> > a Free demonstration and wanted an appointment. The rep gets to her
> > house, introduces himself, and she says "it's right over here".
> > He asks her "what is right over there?".
> > She says "the alarm panel. It says all it needs is a battery can you
> > take care of that for me?"
> > He asks her if she's under a contract with anyone to which she says no.
> > He asks her who monitors the system and she says "oh I'm not interested
> > in any service can you just replace the battery?"
> > My cell phone rings and he's explaining this to me. I ask to speak to
> > the lady. She gets on the phone and before I can say boo she says "I
> > don't understand why there's so much trouble involved with replacing a
> > battery. I'm not interested in any service or paying any fees so either
> > fix it for free or I'll just find someone else to do it"
> > Apparently the world owes her a living as well.
> >
> >
> > Another Manhattan brownstone owner has an insurance company where the
> > policy requires he install a system. Now this guy has no interest in
> > installing a system so he offers to pay $99.00 just for the Certificate
> > of Installation. When he's told NO he demands to speak to the owner so
> > he can tell me how my rep just blew a $99.00 sale.
> >
> > And I thought the guy who wanted a system with no entry/exit delays, no
> > yard sign, no window stickers, and no SIREN was a goof.
> >
> >
> > The Service Call of the Week award goes to my favorite FC (Failure to
> > Communicate) customer (but not favorite service call) once again.
> > Yes, she called again to tell me how my alarm system doesn't work right
> > because every time the phone company disconnects her
> > the keypad acts up.
> > The concept of paying the phone bill escapes her.
> >
> > My all-time favorite customer for service calls is the fellow who
> > believes some type of spirit is tampering with his alarm cables, and
> > unplugging his transformer.
> > And before anyone says to have the guy call another certain alarm
> > company ................. HUSH.
> >
> > The more and more I come across this kind of crap the more and more I
> > believe the TV ads are running only on Comedy Central.
>