Re: Please recommend a non-monitored system

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

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 s=
et the facts straight. We do ALL the high tech things you have said you als=
o do. Without the ability to keep with up with new solutions, you simply fa=
ll behind. We even consult at $100 an hour with other alarm companies in ov=
er their heads or those who lazily take the alarm.com avenue and find they =
are still in over their heads. Frankly, I am getting tired of using our exp=
ertise in bailing out companies unwilling or unable to learn the new techno=
logy necessary to continue to operate. Unfortunately, my son truly enjoys h=
elping 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 al=
arm now is double or more what it was before, and the days of simple alarm =
installs are gone. Our problem is keeping up with growth and having the tra=
ined staff to do what is needed to run a corporation. We are fully booked a=
t least a month in advance for any sophisticated system, and people still w=
ait. My son and his field people do the work and being 70 plus, I was suppo=
sed to take a back seat, but find myself in full time duties doing office m=
anagement and front end assistance. We have also taken a front seat in work=
ing with a few third party vendors in assistance and guidance in bringing f=
orth products designed for third party applications specifically for the se=
curity industry. Security now covers, electronic, physical and environmenta=
l services  =20
> > > >=20
> > > > Our client base are highly educated, highly paid people in professi=
ons 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 quickl=
y. But they also demand top quality high tech installations and good, perso=
nal service. Other companies routinely complain about our low prices and mo=
nth to month contracts, but interestingly enough, have quickly gone that ro=
ute. My approach to them is do whatever is good for your business, but don'=
t complain when clients don't like your restrictions. Outside of that, I re=
ally could care less... =20
> > > >=20
> > > > After 25 years in business, there are many things about this busine=
ss that I despise and just as many that I love, same as you. Unnecessary lo=
ng term contracts are one, alarm companies that lock their boards as a matt=
er of course with no regard to the ownership of the board, and most of all,=
 companies like ADT that systematically rape and pillage other companies fo=
r their own bottom line gain. They should be industry leaders but instead c=
hoose 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 th=
ey are about to destroy a fine company up here called Protectron, likely pu=
tting 1000's out of work and dragging their monitoring services down to ADT=
 levels. Their "takeovers" are simply the easiest money we can make since m=
ost are simply "cash grabs" and anything but high tech...
> > > >=20
> > > > So you'll have to excuse my feelings towards them. I don't "hate" t=
hem; I refuse to allow hatred in any form to soil my being. I'm not sure wh=
at word applies, but hate is not one of them. I do love this industry just =
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 w=
hether you agree with them or not !=20
> > > >=20
> > > > As always, you and I will have to agree to disagree, but as Bob Lal=
onde has politely suggested, I'll try to bite my tongue on the subjects tha=
t tip your wagon over. And since I rarely visit this site any more, you'll =
likely have little reason to spue your brand of invective again. Take all o=
f the above any way you please..=20
> > > >=20
> > > > Some things like this group have lived past their usefulness I gues=
s...
> > >=20
> > > WELL!!! All I can say then .... is congratulation. My observations we=
re based on your method of operation a couple of years ago when your sole g=
oal motivation and operation was taking over ADT accounts. Apparently your =
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 fi=
ll my pockets should/if I ever get to the point that I want/have to retire.=
 .....and so do you .... but to a much lesser degree.  So then .... who's b=
etter 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 monit=
oring, I'm not sure of the long term viability of monitoring as we know it.=
 Personally, I hope it continues long term but when large corporations like=
 ADT publicly muse that they are worried about how to continue to convince =
clients that professional monitoring is still required, it certainly is som=
ething to consider. We all know from real experience how valuable it is, bu=
t I am told by many people they don't see a need for it much longer given t=
he technological advances coming.=20
>=20
> Increasingly, we are adding additional monthly fees for home automation s=
upport because we've found that most clients love the service but have no i=
dea how to keep things working properly (especially if they refuse to repla=
ce cheapo modems and routers with better quality equipment that doesn't go =
down on them...). These moneys we charge include the warranty and a lot of =
unnecessary hand holding and other real service on top of the monitoring re=
venues. So that part of the revenue stream is probably safe long term. We'v=
e also struck agreements with private internet providers and voip suppliers=
 to resell and supply and bundle a far superior product for the client into=
 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. W=
e're going to continue to attract much more business with no month to month=
 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 you=
 are right because your time is coming sooner rather than later. My son is =
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, since=
 I will only be taking out dividends from the corporation from time to time=
 until I die. And next year, I have to start taking money out of my RSP'S a=
nd 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 heir=
s anyway....:))

A couple of other thoughts came to mind just to clarify things. First is, m=
y goal early on wasn't to concentrate on ADT takeovers. I don't know how yo=
u ever came to that conclusion without making a lot of incorrect assumption=
s. I was and still am an ADT third party dealer with two accounts on their =
station. At their price point in the market, they are simply an easy target=
, but all their systems require signifcant updates or repairs before we too=
k them on even back in those days. But we never actually targeted ADT; thes=
e folks just came to us, and still do.

The other significant point is that my son has very big plans for the futur=
e of this little business (which is not so little anymore). When at some ti=
me in the future he goes to sell, the corporation will likely not be sold a=
s a security company, but as a much more diversified, and much larger compa=
ny, where value won't lie simply in RMR, but will lie in many other things =
he will be developing. RMR will certainly be part of it, but my gut instinc=
ts tell me it will be much than that at that time.=20

I am truly amazed by how he has blossomed in this business, and become both=
 a superb manager and a true entrepreneur. He seems to have a knack at maki=
ng money from nothing, and is a "deal maker'supreme. When I worked in big b=
usiness, and had hundreds of managers reporting to me, I