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Re: DIY - Sometimes....



"Bob La Londe" wrote:
>
> ...  I get a number of calls from folks who have moved into a home
> where we installed a system for a previous owner.  I politely tell
> them, "We charge a full one hour service call to come out, check
> the system, train you on how it works, and bring a spare user
> manual or print out a copy for you.  If you go on monitoring
> service with us we will waive the cost of the initial service call.
> If there is anything wrong with your system that requires materials
> or labor in excess of one hour you will have to pay for that in
> either case."  Their next few sentences always tell me what I am
> dealing with.

There are some similarities with online sales, except that we don't
charge for our time -- just the merchandise.  We frequently get calls
from people who've tripped an alarm that was installed by a previous
tennant or owner and don't know how to shut it off.  If I know the
system and they sound real I walk them through disabling it, remind
them that their smoke detectors may be disabled, too, and suggest
they contact a local alarm company for service.  Very few of these
calls are from people with DIY skills or inclinations.  If they want
to handle it themselves I provide parts and/or manuals as needed but
most don't.

> An amazing number think we should come out and service the system,
> run copies of user manuls and alarm information, and train them on
> it without being paid at all...

A lot of "service" calls come from people who think we are Napco,
Honeywell or whatever.  They search online for the manufacturer but
our link often comes up first (gotta love Google) so they call.  If
all they need is a manual I email one to them.  It's no big deal. I
have quite a few on my server and links to hundreds more on our
vendors' servers.  Since going out to service their alarms isn't an
option (half the time they're calling from Texas or Idaho it seems),
I don't mind helping out a bit.  You never know when it may turn into
a sale down the road.  Of course, for a local alarm company "you
never know... down the road" isn't goiong to pay for thecost of
sending a tech out.

> This little bit right here is exactly what I need to say to them to
> save myself a ton of headaches:
>
> "We charge a full one hour service call to come out, check the
> system train you on how it works and bring a spare user manual or
> print out a copy for you.  If you go on monitoring service with us
> we will waive the cost of the initial service call.  If there is
> anything wrong with your system that requires materials or labor in
> excess of one hour you will have to pay for that in either case."

That's fair and reasonable -- far better than many other companies
might do.  If they won't accept that you're better off not dealing
with them.

> I never ever waive the service call for somebody who has learned
> to, "beef," or who tries to play manipulation games.  While its
> probably to late in their lives to try behavior modification I
> still believe its wrong to reward bad behavior.

So Jiminex won't be getting much help from you, eh?  :^)

> If I installed it I will gladly service it no matter how old or how
> many owners the premise has gone through, but I don't work for
> free.  They can pay for a service call or they can go on service.
> I write the waived service call onto the contract as waived in
> exchange for minimum one year contract.  If they cancel early I
> bill them for the initial service call. Some try that.  Pay one
> month service and then cancel to get out of the cost of a service
> call.

When I owned a small alarm company we would service any system we
installed during the warranty period (I gave five years in the early
days but later cut it back to two), even if a new owner moved in.  We
got a lot of new monitoring contracts that way.  After warranty or if
someone else installed it, service calls were paid by the hour.  Like
you though, if they signed up for monitoring the basic service visit
to test, connect, teach and sign up was free.

> What I suspect you are getting as your "more difficult" clients are
> those who refuse to pay for service or monitoring, and yes there
> are many companies who will not service a system they are not
> currently monitoring, but I suspect that is not all of what you are
> seeing no matter what they actually say.

I don't disagree with you.  Unreasonable people rarely admit they've
jerked the previous contractor around.  But there are enough calls
from folks who say they've been screwed by the local company or from
folks who can't get service without signing a multi-year monitoring
agreement that I know that happens a lot, too.  Even here in ASA
numerous alarm techs say they won't service any alarm unless it's
monitored by them.  That's their right, of course.  They shouldn't
have to do business with anyone unless they want to.  For me it's a
plus because many of those clients search online for support.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

==============================>
Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650
Customer Service 941-232-0791
Fax 941-870-3252
==============================>



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