Re: Alarm Farce...

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On May 23, 5:52=A0pm, Frank Olson
<use_the_email_li...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 17/05/2010 11:00 PM, mleuck wrote:
>
>
>
> > On May 17, 8:10 pm, tourman<robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> =A0wrote:
> >> On May 17, 7:28 pm, mleuck<m.le...@xxxxxxxxx> =A0wrote:
>
> >>> On May 16, 12:13 pm, tourman<robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> =A0wrote:
>
> >>>> RHC: Unfortunately, you and I discussing something like this we both
> >>>> totally agree on is like the "minister preaching to the converted".
> >>>> The really sad part is how unsophisticated consumers are taken in by
> >>>> all the phoney marketing hype.
>
> >>>> At least when you have taken no security precautions, you know it an=
d
> >>>> can accommodate to a degree for it. However, when you are sold =A0cr=
ap
> >>>> and lead to believe you have a real measure of security, you end up
> >>>> fooling yourself with a false sense of security. That's really sad..=
...
>
> >>> That's awful harsh Robert, you'd think they were ADT or something...
>
> >> RHC: ADT are saints compared to Alarm Force. ADT is a legitimate
> >> company, and basically a good one (on the commercial and large
> >> government side anyway), but Alarm Force....well....wait until they
> >> come south and then tell me you don't agree....:))
>
> > Not that I know much about the actual system but can you tell me any
> > instance where one of their installations failed during a real
> > burglary?
>
> I actually have two customers with "Alarmfarce" systems that were broken
> into. =A0Both had a single door contact on the front door and an inverted
> motion mounted 3.5 feet above the floor (pet resistance at it's best??).
> =A0 Scum broke into a back door, took the phone off hook so the system
> couldn't dial out. =A0These guys went out of their way to hit "AlarmFarce
> Protected Homes". =A0It doesn't take much in the way of research to find
> out exactly what you're buying and where the system has it's weak
> points. =A0Both customers were "locked" in to three year contracts and
> both wound up paying them off just to get their krap out of their houses.
>
> Shortly after the first customer came over to us, we moved into a new
> house that was pre-wired. =A0A week before our move, I called AlarmFarce
> (and a couple of others) to see what they were going to pitch at me.
> The basic system (at that time) was a single door contact and what they
> called a "pet proof" motion sensor. =A0It also came with their "famous"
> voice activated alarm box. =A0Our house is on two levels. =A0If they
> installed their "box" in the kitchen, my wife could be screaming "blue
> murder" in the master bedroom and the operator wouldn't hear a thing.
> The biggest surprise came when I asked if I could arrange for a security
> survey. =A0AlarmFarce doesn't do that. =A0All their "sales" are over the
> phone. =A0The first AlarmFarce guy you see after you make arrangements fo=
r
> the installation is the "technician".
>
> Here's the "catch". =A0If you express "concern" over the lack of coverage=
,
> they offer to "upgrade you" and that's when the "no fee installation"
> starts costing you big bucks. =A0$80.00 for an additional door contact,
> $180.00 for a motion, $200 for a glass break. =A0They're using
> unsupervised krap that's been "reboxed".
>
> They are successful because the buying public is inundated with their
> ads on practically every radio station you care to name and there isn't
> anything (or anyone) with a counter to their spiel. =A0They spend a
> fortune on advertising (which is probably cheaper for them than
> employing a sales farce).
>
> It's unfortunate that a lot of people wind up falling into the "myth"
> that they're the "most trusted name in home security". =A0Poppycock!
>
> --
> My wife says women are angels. =A0And even when us guys manage to clip
> their wings, they'll keep right on flying... =A0on their broomsticks.

RHC: Frank, one of my contacts in the locksmith trade used to be a
"technician" for Alarm Force. His requirement was to install 10
systems a day, which he did until he could no longer stomach it !
So you have to ask how much training does the average customer get on
how his "alarm system" works ?