Re: Why did you get in alarm business ? Here's my reason

[Bob La Londe <alarm_wizard@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 10, 5:55=A0am, NickMark <nmarkow...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> http://nickmarkowitz.blogspot.com/2012/04/reason-i-am-in-fire-alarm-b...

Glad you had a more altruistic reason than me.  I was starting to
develop a home based computer service business, when an old commercial
customer from my days at Alarm Data called me to work on his
computer.  After I fixed the problem he asked me what was going on
with my old company.  They had showed up cutting 1/2 the stuff out of
the contract I had sold him when I was still with them and tried to
get him to sign a new instalaltion contract.  Those were not things I
"sold" him but things he had asked for.  ADC had tried to stiff me on
my commissions when I left, they filed an older commission schedule
than the one I was working under with the department of labor when I
reported them, and they misreported the number and value of contracts
I had sold.  I actually told the customer I couldn't help him, but he
insisted.  I could see what they were doing.  Get a radically
different contract signed by the customer to subvert the paper trail
(I kept copies of all my sales when I left) in case I continued to
follow up on the money they owed me.   I had at that point written
them off and moved on.

Anyway, I told the customer no.  I was doing computer service work
now.  I had half dozen computers a week coming to my house, and it was
starting to pay.  I was developing a niche market in being able to
repair, upgrade, and service the older stuff, and I was stock piling
older PC parts.  Add in that I had some good connections for parts,
and I was doing ok.  He insisted, and I finally gave in.  It was
partly because I liked the customer and already had a good
relationship with him.  I did want him to get what he wanted, but I
admit it was also a little bit of revenge.  Getting back some of what
I was owed.  I did the job, and got my licenses and the rest is
history so to speak.  That customer is still a customer today, and I
have done a lot of work for them over the years.  Computer cabling,
phone system cabling and repairs, video, another business location,
etc etc...  They even asked me if I would be willing to take over
their work on-sites in other states.

Had Alarm Data just paid me what they owed me I would probably not be
a contractor today.  Atleast not an alarm dealer.  They would probably
have continued to do business in Arizona too.  Instead when they tried
to get back at me by selling jobs (good size jobs) well below cost I
looked up their information and confirmed my suspicions.  They never
had an Arizona contractor's license.  I called Jack and asked him what
their license numbers were just to be sure, and he hemmed and hawed
before finally admitting they didn't have an Arizona license.  He
wasn't even going to answer me until I pointed out that refusing to
divulge his license numers when asked was criminal in Arizona.  I
reported them.  They were served a cease and desist order by the Az
ROC.  Jack is now doing business in Arizona again as Jade Security.
The first few jobs he did were unlicensed.  (I checked)  Last time I
looked there was a Jade Security listed on the Az ROC website, and he
has not stepped on my toes so I have left him alone.

Actually its a class 1 criminal misdemeanor not to list your license
numbers on your advertisings, contracts, and sales material.  If you
are operating as an unlicensed contractor under the handyman clause
then the same materials must say "unlicensed" on them.  My alarm signs
and decals even have my license numbers on them.