Re: WHAT recession ?

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 14, 9:44=A0pm, "Just Looking" <S...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I didn't know that Paradox was still around. I guess it's too far north o=
f
> the ditch to think about.
> I looked at the offering from Paradox. Does Paradox still make that "Kosh=
er"
> panel that turns itself off from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown [a.k.=
a.
> the Sabbath]?
> I put a system in a synagogue about a year back and started thinking abou=
t
> that feature. It was a Honeywell panel so I am glad no one asked for that
> feature I don't think the local fire marshal would go for that on commerc=
ial
> fire, that's for certain.
> The 2gig panels have a feature that works with Z-Wave stuff and it seems
> controlling the thermostats is what gets people going. Unfortunately the
> trunk slammer type companies installing 2 gig panels can't really get the=
ir
> installers to use screws to mount hardware (double sided foam tape is the
> methodology used by the certified trunk slammer), let alone rewire a
> thermostat.
> I don't know about this thermostat stuff. I think teaming up with a
> reputable HVAC contractor would be a better way to go for that. Thoughts
> anyone?
>
> "tourman" <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>
> news:2dee5d8d-6bef-417d-b7be-e4f745d90b7e@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On Jan 13, 12:29 am, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
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> > On Jan 12, 8:34 am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > On Jan 11, 7:46 pm, nick markowitz <nmarkow...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > On Jan 11, 6:17 pm, Robert Macy <robert.a.m...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > > On Jan 11, 11:51 am, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > > > On Jan 11, 11:52 am, "Bill" <billnomailnosp...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote=
:
>
> > > > > > > "Jim" wrote in message
>
> > > > > > > > ...Jeeeeeze ..... now I actually have to go to work again.
>
> > > > > > > And are accounts paying their bills on time?
>
> > > > > > > Delinquent accounts lessening? Same? Growing?
>
> > > > > > Over the last few years I've lost a higher number of accounts t=
han
> > > > > > usual. Some (I'm sure) due to the economy. Lost jobs, people
> > > > > > moving to
> > > > > > another state because of job changes, etc. However ( and let th=
is
> > > > > > be
> > > > > > of interest to those of you who have been in this business for
> > > > > > many
> > > > > > years) I've been in this industry for 43 years. One of the
> > > > > > attrition
> > > > > > issues that I never considered was that I would start losing
> > > > > > accounts
> > > > > > because they died. Other related losses are due to moving to
> > > > > > Florida
> > > > > > for retirement, can't afford fee because they're retired on
> > > > > > limited
> > > > > > income. One spouse dies or gets sick and the other can no longe=
r
> > > > > > afford it. Sold house and moved in with family/to gated communi=
ty/
> > > > > > senior community, etc. So ..... the longer you're in business t=
he
> > > > > > more
> > > > > > you have to deal with this kind of attrition.
>
> > > > > > There are a few delinquet accounts that I'm carrying for a whil=
e
> > > > > > .....
> > > > > > just because they've been good customers for so long and are go=
ing
> > > > > > through hard times. Some I've had to cancel after a while. Othe=
rs
> > > > > > I'll
> > > > > > carry for a bit to see how it goes. Some I've carried have come
> > > > > > back
> > > > > > and I've forgiven past due. I play this by ear.
>
> > > > > > However. as far as growth, as far as alarm accounts go, I'd hav=
e
> > > > > > to
> > > > > > say it's about status quo or a little less. But ....... In the
> > > > > > last
> > > > > > 4/5 years I've increased my home theater and CCTV, automated
> > > > > > lighting,
> > > > > > whole house audio and residential network wiring, and setup
> > > > > > business.
> > > > > > It's not recurring income but the profit margin is lots better,=
 so
> > > > > > income is growing. And I peiodiacally increase monthly monitori=
ng
> > > > > > fees
> > > > > > in small amounts too.
>
> > > > > > How about you?
>
> > > > > I remember when my absolutely first consulting client died! He wa=
s
> > > > > more than just my first consulting client, he was a friend. Years
> > > > > and
> > > > > years of working with him, he had slowly gotten behind and owed m=
e
> > > > > enough to run our firm on for a year. Upon his death, I just walk=
ed
> > > > > away, couldn't push collecting the debt since he left a widow and
> > > > > subteen daughter, and a lot of debts behind. Months later, the wi=
dow
> > > > > showed up with a truck full of his electronic test equipment and
> > > > > said
> > > > > they didn't offer her much money for this stuff and asked if I co=
uld
> > > > > use it. You bet! Along with the myriad of items buried in the tru=
ck
> > > > > were such goodies as BERT [bit error rate tester for communicatio=
ns
> > > > > channels], HP Function Generators, Tektronix scopes and spectrum
> > > > > analyzer with tracking generator option! and a full blown Intel
> > > > > Development System!
>
> > > > I have not taken on new clients for 4 years now I have enough work
> > > > just in my current base to keep me busy between all the crazy stuff=
 I
> > > > work on and build loss couple gain couple accounts as customer shri=
nk
> > > > and grow .
>
> > > RHC: Yes Nick, I'm pretty much in the same boat. I only do maximum tw=
o
> > > system installs a week which keeps me ahead of natural attrition as
> > > people move. Since I'm VERY near the 1200 account mark, it's just as
> > > well. Monitoring revenues keep me more than happy and compensated, so
> > > I can concentrate on giving top notch service to my client base. It
> > > seems this winter though, work has increased somewhat over the same
> > > time last year, but I just go with the flow, and try not to over
> > > stress myself . Minor service like battery changes and paperwork
> > > fills in the rest of the day
>
> > > Ain't life grand...:))-
>
> > Hey ...... what ever happened to that 700 account .... ceiling?
> > Remember?
>
> RHC: Yes Jim, I remember my statements well ! When my old partner
> retired and my son joined the company 10 years ago, I figured as long
> as I was careful to ONLY take on good accounts, I could go to about
> 1000 to 1200 accounts without service overwhelming me. I'm now just
> under 1200 and things are busy, but not excessively so. But I am
> limiting growth severely, only doing a couple of installs a week, and
> we've stopped doing takeovers pretty much completely. So as a
> business, we're coasting, but the money coming in is more than
> sufficient to allow us to do that at this point.
>
> I have to say, it's becoming difficult though to sit still and watch
> the large companies up here offer these new 2 Gig technologies, with
> whole house monitoring and all sorts of "whoopee" feature sets, and
> not respond. Especially so since I know how marginal most of this
> stuff is. Also they are targeting the high end of the market,
> appealing to consumers that like everything controlled from their cell
> phones. IMO, excellent "home convenience" but rather sub standard true
> "home security" compared to conventional panels with add on modules.
> But with monitoring rates bordering on $55 a month, you gotta wonder
> who's right and who's wrong...:).
>
> I do know if I so choose, I could do the same thing with the purchase
> of a $165 module for the newest line of Paradox panels, and offer
> pretty much the same kind of thing at NO increase in monitoring rate.
> Being well versed in IP technology, once again I'm tempted to move
> ahead and jump in, but I know if I do, I'll be swamped with business I
> don't want or need, living off the "avails" of their advertising
> stimulation. I've thought about expanding from my "core business"
> interests and offering IP cameras, since this is easy and reliable
> technology today, and can be so inexpensive to do, that it's a bit
> mind blowing (I set up 5 cameras around my home as an experiment, at
> very little cost, and I can see instantly from anywhere in the world
> via a smartphone)
>
> My son and I have some hard decisions to make soon, since I don't want
> to do the physical stuff anymore, and I personally don't want to
> expand into new markets. I can look after the admin side of the
> business, and do the tax work, but climbing ladders and running in
> attics ain't my cup of tea anymore. I also love the IP stuff, so that
> temptation is always there...
>
> So many decisions, so little time....(sigh)

RHC: Reply to "Just Looking"....Paradox is more than just around. They
sell in 41 different countries around the world, in 26 different
languages, and have feature sets that are not even used (nor
necessary) in North America (like "Stay D" ). They do have in their
higher end lines of panels all that you need to handle Jewish holidays
etc (and I believe DSC does too). I am a fan of Paradox but they are
not perfect. On the plus side, you can actually get through to their
tech support with no difficulty (unlike DSC where it's always next to
impossible). On the negative side, new panels are usually not backward
compatible as far as keypads go, so if you stock a line, you're forced
to keep spare stock on hand to service it. Also, they evolve their
panels very quickly, and this is not always a good thing from an
installation companies point of view. Plus programming their panels
without the use of a memory key is an arduous task, so be prepared to
buy unique memory keys for each line of panel. On the plus side, they
do just about everything except wash the kitchen dishes....

Overall, over 20 years of using them as my standard panel, I have been
95% satisfied. DSC as second line.....