Re: DIY alarms with $10 monitoring?

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Oct 26, 11:24=EF=BF=BDam, "Bob La Londe" <nos...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> "Robert L Bass" <Sa...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in messagenews:qfednW=
H7C8mNyXjXnZ2dnUVZ_qmdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
>
> > "BigCheese" wrote:
>
> >> Yeah, they're really looking to tap into the DIY market. Seen a few
> >> discussions on some of the DIY forums, must be looking to compete with
> >> Alarmrelay. They're also reselling alarm.com monitoring dirt cheap,
> >> bastards.
>
> > Why do you call them bastards. =EF=BF=BDDoesn't almost every small deal=
er in the
> > country resell monitoring from one or another of the national CS's? =EF=
=BF=BDEven
> > if they sell it dirt cheap, that shouldn't affect your business at all.
> > DIY doesn't really compete with professional installation. =EF=BF=BDTho=
se who are
> > willing and able to DIY will never buy an installed system and those wh=
o
> > can't rarely consider DIY. =EF=BF=BDIf you do a good job and your price=
s are at
> > least reasonable, your business will do alright, regardless what some
> > other company is doing.
>
> > I once got a call from a very irate alarm installer (he might have only
> > been a salesman; I'm not sure). =EF=BF=BDApparently, he gave a customer=
 a bid for
> > a Napco system and the client later searched for Napco online to see if
> > the price was fair. =EF=BF=BDWhen the client saw that my prices were ab=
out 1/4 of
> > what he wanted he asked why. =EF=BF=BDInstead of correctly pointing out=
 that DIY
> > comes with limited support, parts warranty only and no on site service,
> > the guy flipped out and lost the sale.
>
> > I tried to explain to him how to win the sale in that situation but he
> > could only see that I charge less and that made him angry. =EF=BF=BDTou=
gh for him
> > but I didn't hear from the client anyway. =EF=BF=BDHe probably hired so=
me other
> > local installer. =EF=BF=BDOh, well.
>
> I run into that with digital video recording all the time. =EF=BF=BDWhy c=
an't I just
> throw a card in this computer I already have and put in those 49 dollar
> cameras off of Ebay. =EF=BF=BDMy reply is always the same. =EF=BF=BDYOU c=
an. =EF=BF=BDSave your
> receipts and check their return policies. =EF=BF=BDIf you are happy insta=
lling your
> own system and it works for you it may be the best option for YOU.-

That's pretty universal, I think. I often get, ....... "I saw a CCTV
sytem at ( Rat Shack, Costco, Sams, Best Buy, etc) for $400.00. How
come yours is $5000.00?  "

I invite them to go and purchase the system that they saw and I'll
install it for them at $ X.XX per device plus additional parts. I
warranty my installation work for a year.  What the cameras ultimately
can see .....along with repair or obtaining replacement of equipment
is the owners responsibility.  Service calls are $95.00 for the first
hour. $65.00 for every hour thereafter. Chages are made for both
removal and reinstallation of equipment.

I sort of rattle the above off  .... like it's a memorized liturgy.
They quickly get the point and the conversation continues about what I
am proposing.