Re: DIY - Sometimes....

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 9, 1:18 pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Jan 4, 8:22=EF=BF=BDpm, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> You look at it that way. Everyone else in the world would ask .... why
> in HELL would ANYONE offer only a month to month contract?

=2E...snip rest for brevity.....

RHC: Nope ! Dead wrong ! There are lots of companies that offer month
to month terms. They may ask for one year payment up front (which
makes it pretty much like a one year term), but the contract term is
month to month. Maybe not in your area, but becoming much more common
in ours (while before I used to be the only one....)

As far as servicing non monitored accounts, it is a matter of time
resources as much as anything else. With a large customer base ( too
large actually), I much prefer to maintain my allegiance to my RMR
paying customers. Same thing when I get asked to do video, telephone
wiring, cat 5 wiring, or simple pre wiring, I turn it away - no time !
>
> Annnnnnd yet you promote the fact that physical security is so very
> very important and should always be employed. And you've said that you
> were in the physical security business .......only, for years before
> you offered alarm systems. So what would be wrong with having just one
> more deterrent like a local alarm system?  Seems rather duplicitous to
> me that on one hand you say that you're so magnanimous with regard to
> your clients and won't lock them into a long term contract, even
> though it's detrimental to the value of your company, but you don't
> seem to have a problem turning away people who don't want to pay you
> for monitoring.

RHC: I don't know why I bother to even answer such a weird comparison,
but I will on this subject. If you truly believe that physical
security is only an "optional extra" that goes with the alarm, then
you are either deceiving your customers or you are a total amateur,
regardless of number of years in the business !! And on the matter of
the alarm, it's the "option" of the two - electronic versus physical.
But if you do put in an alarm as part of the customer's security plan,
you do it correctly (which means it's always monitored), or you don't
do it at all - period ! And as I said a bit later in the thread, yes,
a local alarm has some merit, but IMO and in our area with the noise
bylaws, not much. Frankly, alarms of all sorts are overrated....they
are one more thing that discourages a thief from coming up to the
premises, and they limit the time inside (thereby the losses), but
they don't stop anyone from coming in...
>
> > 3- With too many accounts now, I reserve my limited time and energy
> > for servicing my RMR paying customers.
>
> And I'd imagine at about this point you've occasionally wondered how
> much more you could be making on service calls,  ummmmm that is if you
> didn't have another source of income for yourself and if you really
> wanted to give your son a business that had some greater worth.

RHC: The service that is included are such things as batteries and
contacts for door and window changes. Any other actual physical work
is charged at local rates. Service is "something that goes wrong",
and is "free" kind of like the alarm system sold as "free" ...it's
bundled in the rate along with the warranty. Only my rate structures
don't screw the client as do the rates of the ADT's and Brinks of the
world....
> >
> > I gladly help people when they call me, but I simply won't waste my
> > time (even billable time) on a local system. Luckily, virtually
> > everyone I deal with sees the logic in
> > having their alarm monitored properly, especially when it comes
> > bundled with service and 100% warranty and all at a reasonable market
> > price !
>
> Sure ..... in the same way that the people who get the "Free" alarms
> installed.  There are always people out there looking to get something
> for nothing and by giving away a piece of the equity of your business
> to every customer, that's what they get. Something for nothing.  Of
> COURSE they see the logic to it .....  It's just that they don't know
> what you're giving up to give them what you do.

RHC: What I appear to be "giving away" is nothing more than providing
a bundled service to my clients and at rates which are a FAR better
deal than say the Borg would give. And as far as the equity in the
business, I know PRECISELY what the accounts are worth...to the
dollar. And your whole premise (in my case anyway) is also dead
wrong !

I've said all I'm going to say because I really don't give a damn what
a person such as you thinks. That clear enough for you ?