Anyone running a local installation company, looking for business from the general public, who does *not* advertise in the yellow pages is an idiot. The first place most potentioal buyers of residential security systems look is the yellow pages.
I ran a small, modestly successful alarm company for many years. We ran 1/4 and 1/2-page ads in the yellow pages in the greater Hartford, CT area. Monthly cost was $1,000. or so. Virtually every competitor in the region ran YP ads for one simple reason. They work. Every knowledgeable businessman knows this. Done right, YP advertising can be extremely effective.
The only alarm companies that did not run YP ads were the con artists like Fowler who used deceptive telemarketing to run their scams.
Spoken like someone who doesn't know how to write an ad.
Sure thing. What's the name? Oh, that's right. I forgot. Jiminex is afraid to use his real name or give out any information about himself here.
... hide behind an alias and a phony email address, etc.
That's actually a Napco Freedom panel marketed by many alarmcos. It's designed with a clever door bolt latch sensor to help make the system easier to use and less prone to falses. It's not ideal for everyone, but it's a whole lot different than the old keyswtiches. Google "Napco Freedom" for details.
Money-Back Service Guarantee We'll refund your installation price and pay all monitoring fees if you are not satisfied with your security system within six months.*
FTR, I was not referring to ADT "corporate". They seem to do good work for the most part. They charge more than some of these characters who spend all their energy berating ADT. However, they are an industry leader and they do run an extremely "hardened" network of monitoring centers.
The problems I was speaking of mainly involve these so-called "authorized dealers" -- actually independent contractors who sell and install mostly inadequate, often poorly designed and installed systems. They sign people on for a multi-year contract and then "sell the paper" to ADT. Because their only financial interest is in the quick sale of that contract there's little incentive to do a comprehensive installation. In fact, there's a financial disincentive to spending enough time to do a quality installation.
Many of these dealers misrepresent what they are selling as a "free" system. The catch, of course, is that the customer is on the hook for 3 to 5 years of monitoring service at an inflated price. The misleading advertising by these firms has been so bad that attorneys general in various states, including Florida where I live, have sued them. Every year several of these crooked "authorized dealers" get fined hundreds of thousands of dollars. Because the money is so good they keep right on doing it though.
There are all manner of horror stories that have been posted here by vict... er, customers of some of these so-called authorized dealers. One poor fellow hired a Protection 1 dealer to protect his home. They drilled a hole through the DWV stack (the "poop pipe") from an upstairs bathroom, allowing toilet waste to literally fill the wall and ceiling area. He had thousands of dollars in damage yet the company dodged his demands for them to fix it for years. I think he sued them though I don't recall what the final outcome was.
The long and the short of it is, if you want ADT go with an ADT corporate office -- not an authorized dealer. If not, look for a well-established independent installing company. Check references carefully. Best of luck.
Only that doesn't explain why the standard downloading software can't access ADT panels. I can understand ADT wanting standard values, but you can load those with a template. Downloading takes care of the quality control issues. You don't need to lock out the rest of the world.
I know for a fact that Radionics initially developed datalock codes specifically at the request of their larger customers, who wanted to make it difficult for competitors to reprogram their panels. ADT has long been in the proprietary equipment game. Their direct wire equipment wasn't compatible with anyone else's. Their McCulloh transmitters didn't work with industry-standard receiving equipment. It's all about making sure competitors had to spend money to take over an ADT account, which reduces the likelihood of that happening.
What's really funny is that there are a lot of alarm companies that
*don't* advertise in the Yellow Pages and are every bit as successful (if not more so) than the ones that do. Robert seems to forget that there are more ways than one to "skin a cat"... :-)
Yes, it sure can. And most alarm companies of *my acquaintance* will default the installer code and remove the communicator information when you cancel your service (as long as you're paid up) which basically allows the system to function as a "local" alarm. I've had to change out three boards in the 23 years I've been doing this (mostly because the installing company either went out of business or couldn't be bothered). The software lockout (available on most systems) is employed rarely (we use it on leased systems and short term rentals only).
saleperson to go 3 years rather than the standard 5. That they can do without salesmanager approval. Also, have it written on the face of the contract that the monthly monitoring fee remain stable for the duration of the contract. That will require the salesperson to go to salesmanager who will need branch manager sign off. But it will get done. Also, have your salesperson take off 10% off the equipment price. No salesmanager approval needed for that. Make sure you know if it is ADT owned or are you paying for "intallation".
Oh man is that accurate! ADT hires resi and small business sales reps by the pouind. Your first day on the job at ADT, no experience whatsoever, no care as to what you sold yesturday, you are now "SECURITY SPECIALIST" or if you desire, "SECURITY CONSULTANT". Plan on staying 6 months if your lucky
And at best a whopping 5% download their panels. most companies big or small hand program their panels, and the download software they have also has other proprietary panels such as the Focus series etc..
I don't doubt that, I'm not saying it hasn't been done in the past or is being done now, I'm just saying that IS why ADT and/or Brinks do it these days
True back in the old days (I remember the ADT A910's) but again with the price of boards being so cheap its not hard to take any panel over.
ADT's training does not include Tom Hopkins or any of the other crap
J. I can appreciate you sticking up for your company, but as a former sm bus rep I can say that ADT could care less what you sold, but how much you sold. Total time spent training a new rep is a ride along with the SM and a half day sitting in the confrence room with your SM reading from the power point slides. Then its, "here are your sox sheets, go get-em tiger". Really, tell me what I missed. Three month later, out of the 4 that cam on board with you, your down 2. Six months later your down to 1. Two years later 50% of those in the confrence room have all under 1 year of experience. ADT cares only about volume and little about selling a good quality system. You go into a small mom and pop, look over the place and often, knowing you might loose it if you really quote what they should have, you go the basic package and get the system signed. ADT sales people are sales people, not security consultants by any stretch of the imagination. 6 months from now they will be back to selling used cars.
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