Re: Panel grounding

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Dec 15, 9:18=A0pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Dec 15, 8:18 am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
> > RHC: The degree of attrition due to the economy has more to do with
> > people simply taking a look at their ongoing expenses and deciding
> > their alarm monitoring is not worth what they are paying, either
> > because of too high a price relative to what the local market is
> > offering for the same thing, or because they think back to the last
> > time they requested service, and were not happy for whatever reason.
> > They may also not be using their alarm regulariy and this forces them
> > to decide it's an unnecessary expense. Being further restricted by a
> > long term commitment serves only to make them shop around a bit more
> > in anticipation of being able to leave after the contract is up, which
> > in turn doesn't allow the original company much "wiggle room" to
> > negotiate when the term is up. It's all about service; keep them happy
> > and they are far less likely to leave you when they can.
>
> And, of course, one can always have the best of both worlds by
> providing exemplary service AND have long term contracts.
>
>
>
> > But even that situation is not all "black and white".....we'll all
> > lose some...that's life !
>
> I've lost a few in the last year. If they can't or don't want to
> afford it any longer, that's ok with me. I wouldn't hold anyone to a
> contract for that kind of reason. Most of the time I'll get a call
> saying they want to stop the monitoring for one reason or another or
> because they're not using it and I always tell them to consider the
> fact that they will no longer have a panic or fire alarm notification
> to authorities either. I also ask them to check with their homeowers
> insurance first to see how much their payments are going to increase
> when they get notified of cancelation of their alarm monitoring. Most
> of the time it's just about an even wash, so they keep the monitoring
> service.
>
> I've got a few right now that I'm monitoring free of charge for
> various hardship issues. One's teenage daugher has cancer, spending
> thousands on treatments. Another, the husband has cancer and has been
> out of work for months. Elderly couple, wife dying of Lou Gherigs.
> Couple of elderly people who just can't afford it anymore.
>
> Whadda ya gonna do? =A0Cut them off?

RHC: Yeah, like everybody, I have lost a few due to economic
hardships. Like you, I advise them to check with their insurance
company, but I also let them know in writing their warranty and
service disappear with the end of the monitoring (since it's bundled
together). I then send them a registered letter for my own protection,
giving them a month, and stating the date when monitoring services
will cease. I also have a clause in my contract that states my company
decals must be removed when the monitoring stops, and I enforce it.
Since they are always external decals, if they don't remove them, I
do. This may seem harsh, but I want nothing to do with "local"
systems; I don't believe they are more than a toy, and if this makes
me an "RMR whore" so be it.  Companies like ADT may see decals
plastered on homes without monitoring as just another way to get cheap
advertising but it does in certain ways, cheapen the worth of your
company if there's no response backing up your system.

I too have a few hardship cases. The only difficulty I found was
wording the offer in such a way that the client didn't feel like he
was receiving charity....