Re: Recomendation for reliable inexpensive monitoring service.

["Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

Martin Hirsch wrote:
> Hi
>
> Looking for better pricing than the 25-30 they want locally for alarm
> monitoring. Found many doing a Google search but can't determine who is
> good/bad.


And neither can anyone here. It's really kind of difficult to know how
you, as an end user, is going to be treated, as differentiated from an
installing dealer, by a central station. Some may defer to installers
..... some may not. The problem is, you, as an end user, don't know
which is which.

Keep in mind that if you aren't intimately familiar with your control
panel and alarm installation, that obtaining monitoring service direct,
will eliminate or, at least,  greatly reduce your source of repair
service. If you do get someone to do repair, you can pretty much count
on the fact that they're going to charge you much higher fees than they
would their regular monitored customers.

The other thing I kind of feel uneasy about is having someone far away,
or in another state monitor an alarm system. Dealing with someone who's
monitoring my alarm system seems to lend it self to doing business with
someone in your area. Not that someone from another state is not going
to do as good or a better job than someone locally, ..... it's just
that I feel better about having the ability to "go there" and see what
their business looks like and know that I'm dealing with someone who's
running a viable business. And if there's a problem, I'd like to know
that I can go there and actually hold a face to face conversation with
a manager, rather than a remote voice on the telephone. I think that
people who are familiar with the area that you are in, have a better
"feel" about reporting to authorities and know what's happening during
storms and other local emergencies much better than someone who's not.
So, at the least, I'd suggest that if you have a choice, try to find a
Central as near to you, as possible, if service is not a problem.

These are just some things I thought you might want to consider.

For some, the savings of a few dollars is more important.