Re: Want to build your own alarm gizmo?

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 19, 11:19=A0am, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Apr 19, 8:54 am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Apr 19, 12:46 am, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > On Apr 18, 11:45 pm, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > On Apr 18, 11:19 pm, mleuck <m.le...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > > On Apr 18, 8:00 am, "Bill" <billnomailnosp...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > > > You would come across these things and say "What is that?" (Bec=
ause it was
> > > > > > the only one of its kind in the world!)
>
> > > > > That's exactly why people don't do much of that anymore, too much=
 of a
> > > > > pain for the next guy to troubleshoot
>
> > > > RHC: In all honesty, why would any company want to bother with an
> > > > activity that eats up valuable time for one customer which could be
> > > > far more wisely spent making money serving many others. It's simply
> > > > not a good use of your limited time resources.
>
> > > > You might want to do it because it's a challenge; because it's a bi=
t
> > > > of a hobby, or because you're doing a friend a favour, but as a mat=
ter
> > > > of business course, absolutely not ! Any activity that is outside y=
our
> > > > core business activities means you are not conducting your business=
 as
> > > > efficiently as you can or should. IMO, it should be strictly the
> > > > domain of the hobbiest and the DIY crowd
>
> > > > ..... but then wtf do I know.....:))
>
> > > Don't you ever do anything because it's a fun challange, even if it
> > > cost you time and money? That device that I built is now sitting in
> > > my basement but ........ I know I can do it now and it really was a
> > > lot of fun figuring it out. I wouldn't do it on a regular basis
> > > but .......... once in a while it's ..... ummmm fun! How ever I guess
> > > the other part of what you said is partially true too. I'm one of the
> > > few lucky ones that I can make a living at my hobby. Gadgets and
> > > gizmos and inventiveness, and being able to improvise and work outsid=
e
> > > the so called "box". Otherwise, all this alarm stuff only, would be
> > > pretty repetitive and ultimately boring. A number of people that I
> > > meet in this trade will tell me that they think what they do is borin=
g
> > > and that they wish that they could do something else. I tell them if
> > > that were true, they'd be doing it.
>
> > RHC: Sure I do far too much stuff because it's fun or a challenge, but
> > I recognize it for what it is...a waste of my time and resources. I
> > don't find installing and servicing alarms boring;far from it. It's
> > still a challenge to solve a problem for a client but I do it with off
> > the shelf hardware.
>
> > The day this becomes boring is the day I get out of the
> > business....that's exactly why this is my fourth business venture-
>
> Jeeze Robert, cancha hold down a decent job?
> Have you tried a support group?
> Rehab?
> Unemployment insurance?
> Holding up convenience stores?

RHC: Hahaha,,,,,no,it's nothing like that Jim...:))

These businesses were IN ADDITION to holding down a challenging full
time job with a large corporation in middle management for 27 years.
They were side businesses that started because of hobby interests much
like yours. They ran successfully for years until I lost interest, or
other concerns overrode them, at which point I simply stopped them (or
in one case, I sold the business). I needed these stress relievers on
the side which actually helped me in my main employment (although
management there often wondered if I was spending as much time on my
regular job as I should be....(I was). It was simply, when you spend
all day managing people and dealing with policy and personnel issues,
an evening outing to do something with my hands was like putting
grease on a bad burn....!!!!

The main side business I had was as a locksmith specializing in
physically securing homes against break and enter, including a lot of
lecturing on the subject at police meetings, insurance group and
neighbourhood watch meetings. This was the business that ultimately
lead me into the electronic alarm side of the security business after
the large corporation "bought me out" at age 50, and even today,
allows me to address far more of the customers common home security
needs than most other competing, local alarm companies. It also allows
me to offer "package deals" which make my higher alarm prices a
bargain when they compare the total costs of having someone else in to
do the "extras" (which I include at no extra charge). The second
business I had many, many years ago was as a custom rifle maker,
putting together high end, VERY fancy rifles (engraved, AAAA level
wood),  which I usually ended up selling to Americans. This business
didn't really make me a huge amount of money, but was more a "labour
of love" due to my life long interest in firearms. Back then I wasn't
being paid very well, and it helped put food on the table (I
supplemented beef with huge amounts of moose meat which kept the bills
down as well).  I bailed on this business when the firearms laws up
here became so intrusive and restrictive that it was no longer worth
doing (the "bullshit factor" rose too high for me). The other business
I had was mobile welding of all sorts of things needed by
people...repair of railings, fences, trailers etc....which I
ultimately sold to another interested party at a decent profit. All of
these left me with a superbly equipped machine shop in my home which
doesn't get used much today except for making up custom door strikes
to re-inforce doors against kick in ( the most common form of entry
here in my town)

So...yeah, you and I have clear differences of opinion on how to run
an alarm company; however, I have pretty much always done things
outside the box. I saw an opportunity to operate in a niche that
didn't exist....full priced systems with no long term contract. In our
local market, there is tremendous fluidity of job movement, and people
just refused to lock in for long terms.  It seems to have struck a
major nerve such that I am still usually booked two systems a week, a
month in advance. This business was set up to give a large cash flow,
versus huge equity at the end. Even so, I have managed to negotiate a
closing price that basically gives me about 30 to 36 months, given
they are doing the billing and monitoring (but that is hypothetical if
my son takes over the business...) Plus as you know, honesty and
quality work build up a name in the business that carries you well
into the future. And the amount of bullshit associated with a large
percentage of the alarmcos out there simply turns people off
totally....

But getting back to the original gist of the thread, I turn away more
business than I take on as I have said many times, instead referring
these people to other trusted friends in the business who "specialize"
in those aspects of security that I don't...ie: large corporations,
commercial work in general, and all forms of video surveillance.
Better to be good at a few things, than mediocre at lots....:))  Maybe
this wouldn't work for others, but it sure does for me....

PS: ..to change the subject......Just got back the results of the MRI
on my prostate and met with all the doctors this morning. Very low
grade cancer, very localized and overall the decision is "active
surveillance" testing PSA every three months, with a 30% probability
it will not increase (70% it will, but I can have any kind of
treatment I'm comfortable with up to the age of 75).

And ...oh yeah....I got another order for an alarm system from one of
my doctors...ain't life strange sometimes....:))))