Re: Please recommend a non-monitored system

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 12:34:34 AM UTC-5, tourman wrote:
> On Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 12:01:21 AM UTC-5, tourman wrote:
> > On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 11:28:46 PM UTC-5, tourman wrote:
> > > On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 9:39:07 PM UTC-5, Jim wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 10:15:37 AM UTC-5, tourman wrote:
> > > > >=20
> > > > > Whoa..backup...calm down...take a deep breath.=20
> > > > >=20
> > > > > Although I will be leaving on my terms, just for the record, lets=
 set the facts straight. We do ALL the high tech things you have said you a=
lso do. Without the ability to keep with up with new solutions, you simply =
fall behind. We even consult at $100 an hour with other alarm companies in =
over their heads or those who lazily take the alarm.com avenue and find the=
y are still in over their heads. Frankly, I am getting tired of using our e=
xpertise in bailing out companies unwilling or unable to learn the new tech=
nology necessary to continue to operate. Unfortunately, my son truly enjoys=
 helping people - even those who compete with us.
> > > > >=20
> > > > > During the last four years, our customer base has DOUBLED with 80=
% of our business calling for high tech solutions. The average price of an =
alarm now is double or more what it was before, and the days of simple alar=
m installs are gone. Our problem is keeping up with growth and having the t=
rained staff to do what is needed to run a corporation. We are fully booked=
 at least a month in advance for any sophisticated system, and people still=
 wait. My son and his field people do the work and being 70 plus, I was sup=
posed to take a back seat, but find myself in full time duties doing office=
 management and front end assistance. We have also taken a front seat in wo=
rking with a few third party vendors in assistance and guidance in bringing=
 forth products designed for third party applications specifically for the =
security industry. Security now covers, electronic, physical and environmen=
tal services  =20
> > > > >=20
> > > > > Our client base are highly educated, highly paid people in profes=
sions or those who work for government. They are smart enough to know that =
a long term contract is not in their best interest, so gravitate to us quic=
kly. But they also demand top quality high tech installations and good, per=
sonal service. Other companies routinely complain about our low prices and =
month to month contracts, but interestingly enough, have quickly gone that =
route. My approach to them is do whatever is good for your business, but do=
n't complain when clients don't like your restrictions. Outside of that, I =
really could care less... =20
> > > > >=20
> > > > > After 25 years in business, there are many things about this busi=
ness that I despise and just as many that I love, same as you. Unnecessary =
long term contracts are one, alarm companies that lock their boards as a ma=
tter of course with no regard to the ownership of the board, and most of al=
l, companies like ADT that systematically rape and pillage other companies =
for their own bottom line gain. They should be industry leaders but instead=
 choose to only look at their bottom line. Sure, I know that is capitalism =
at its worst, but the history of their shoddy work is rampant here and now =
they are about to destroy a fine company up here called Protectron, likely =
putting 1000's out of work and dragging their monitoring services down to A=
DT levels. Their "takeovers" are simply the easiest money we can make since=
 most are simply "cash grabs" and anything but high tech...
> > > > >=20
> > > > > So you'll have to excuse my feelings towards them. I don't "hate"=
 them; I refuse to allow hatred in any form to soil my being. I'm not sure =
what word applies, but hate is not one of them. I do love this industry jus=
t as you do, but feel I have to speak out when I see things that are not in=
 a customer's best interest or the interest of the industry as a whole. And=
 whether you agree with them or not !=20
> > > > >=20
> > > > > As always, you and I will have to agree to disagree, but as Bob L=
alonde has politely suggested, I'll try to bite my tongue on the subjects t=
hat tip your wagon over. And since I rarely visit this site any more, you'l=
l likely have little reason to spue your brand of invective again. Take all=
 of the above any way you please..=20
> > > > >=20
> > > > > Some things like this group have lived past their usefulness I gu=
ess...
> > > >=20
> > > > WELL!!! All I can say then .... is congratulation. My observations =
were based on your method of operation a couple of years ago when your sole=
 goal motivation and operation was taking over ADT accounts. Apparently you=
r son has dragged you into the 21st century.=20
> > > >=20
> > > > However, I too have the same relationship with my clients AND......=
. additionally I've got the reinforcement of long term contracts that will =
fill my pockets should/if I ever get to the point that I want/have to retir=
e. .....and so do you .... but to a much lesser degree.  So then .... who's=
 better off ???=20
> > > >=20
> > > > I'd guess that my heirs will be rewarded greater than your heirs.
> > >=20
> >  Frankly, with the advances in home automation and especially video mon=
itoring, I'm not sure of the long term viability of monitoring as we know i=
t. Personally, I hope it continues long term but when large corporations li=
ke ADT publicly muse that they are worried about how to continue to convinc=
e clients that professional monitoring is still required, it certainly is s=
omething to consider. We all know from real experience how valuable it is, =
but I am told by many people they don't see a need for it much longer given=
 the technological advances coming.=20
> >=20
> > Increasingly, we are adding additional monthly fees for home automation=
 support because we've found that most clients love the service but have no=
 idea how to keep things working properly (especially if they refuse to rep=
lace cheapo modems and routers with better quality equipment that doesn't g=
o down on them...). These moneys we charge include the warranty and a lot o=
f unnecessary hand holding and other real service on top of the monitoring =
revenues. So that part of the revenue stream is probably safe long term. We=
've also struck agreements with private internet providers and voip supplie=
rs to resell and supply and bundle a far superior product for the client in=
to one monthly rate, and that too is a bit of an insulator.
> >=20
> > I sure hope ADT is wrong but they are smart enough to guage the future.=
 We're going to continue to attract much more business with no month to mon=
th term commitments, and take the money now, and not worry about that sort =
of thing in the far future. You being an old fart like me had better hope y=
ou are right because your time is coming sooner rather than later. My son i=
s not at all worried about that issue since he is diversifying the company =
so much, while still staying within our core business model.  Nor am I, sin=
ce I will only be taking out dividends from the corporation from time to ti=
me until I die. And next year, I have to start taking money out of my RSP'S=
 and that is BIG tax time for me (I think it's like your 401K service)
> >=20
> > And in your case, what do you care, you're too damn crochety to have he=
irs anyway....:))
>=20
> A couple of other thoughts came to mind just to clarify things. First is,=
 my goal early on wasn't to concentrate on ADT takeovers. I don't know how =
you ever came to that conclusion without making a lot of incorrect assumpti=
ons. I was and still am an ADT third party dealer with two accounts on thei=
r station. At their price point in the market, they are simply an easy targ=
et, but all their systems require signifcant updates or repairs before we t=
ook them on even back in those days. But we never actually targeted ADT; th=
ese folks just came to us, and still do.
>=20
> The other significant point is that my son has very big plans for the fut=
ure of this little business (which is not so little anymore). When at some =
time in the future he goes to sell, the corporation will likely not be sold=
 as a security company, but as a much more diversified, and much larger com=
pany, where value won't lie simply in RMR, but will lie in many other thing=
s he will be developing. RMR will certainly be part of it, but my gut insti=
ncts tell me it will be much than that at that time.=20
>=20
> I am truly amazed by how he has blossomed in this business, and become bo=
th a superb manager and a true entrepreneur. He seems to have a knack at ma=
king money from nothing, and is a "deal maker'supreme. When I worked in big=
 business, and had hundreds of managers reporting to me, I can't remember a=
ny of my close associates who had as much drive and initiative as he does. =
He WILL succeed big time I am sure.=20

In your case, you are running a conventional security business and by all i=
ndications doing all the right things. I'm not really sure we are in the sa=
me position anymore in our company...=20


(SORRY ABOUT ALL THE DOUBLE POSTS...DAMN KEYBOARD)