Lying Competition

Anyone here ever have issues with other alarm companies - door knockers or real companies - trying to steal your clients by telling them you're out of business, etc.

Anything that should or shouldn't be done about them?

- Chris

Reply to
Chris
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On Monday, March 25, 2013 10:22:21 PM UTC-4, Chris wrote:

r real companies - trying to steal your clients by telling them you're out of business, etc. Anything that should or shouldn't be done about them? - C hris

Hi Chris,

I've mentioned this before in ASA but it's been a long time and maybe bears repeating.

After a number of years installing, one day I got a call from an irate cust omer that I hadn't seen nor heard from for over 5 years. Her message on my answering machine said something about how nasty my employee was to her ove r the telephone. Well, at that particular time, I was the only "employee" s o I hadn't any idea what she was talking about. I called her and she relate d how she had set the alarm off and had gotten into an argument with the CS operator who ..... she thought was "my employee" and she was cancellin g her monitoring. There was nothing I could offer her nor convince her of t he fact that the operator was not my employee. It was then that I realized that a few years after I would do any installation, my customers would forg et all about the "nice guy" who installed their alarm system and that the C S operators would become their alarm company in their minds. That's when I started to send out a quarterly newsletter. Even though I complained to the CS about how the operator had treated my customer, I never wanted to lose another customer because of their perception that the central station was t heir alarm company. From that point forward to this day (about 32 years) I have sent a quarterly news letter to my clients. It's just a simple black and white, 8 1/2 by 11, one sided, black and white, four column note. I alw ays mention something or make a comment about some community or media event , offer suggestions about testing their alarms. Tell them about a vacation I may have just taken and so on. Mention that there are companies that may try contacting them via telephone or door to door trying to steal accounts from other alarm companies. I tell them how to test their alarm systems, ma ke their homes look occupied when they're not home, to be careful during th e holiday season. I tell them about the other services I offer and maybe a little bit about a special job that I've done, home theater, computer netwo rking and inviting them to call me, with no obligations, if they have any q uestions about new technology that they're interested in or looking to buy, TV's, IPhones, computers, etc, etc, etc. As I read the alarm trade and hom e theater magazines, I'll cut out articles and post some of the statistics about burglaries and fires and other odd bits of information about technolo gy that I think end users might be interested in. And I always somehow wor k into the letter that if they should ever have any problems with their cen tral station company that monitors their system, to let me know and I will be happy to take care of it for them. Sometimes I will slip a month in gett ing the newsletter out. I actually get calls from people asking for another copy because they think it may have gotten lost in the mail. I've got two clients who send a copy to their kids who have grown up, gone to collage an d now live in another state.

It's worked for me for decades now. Never lost another customer for that or iginal reason and it keeps my clients reminded of who I am through the year s, even if they don't get to see me.

Ya gotta keep "you" in their memory or the central station becomes their al arm company and you are just a faint memory ...... if that. And when that s leezey company comes a-knockin, there's no "connection" to the guy who inst alled their system. You've become just the voice of the CS operator so ther e's no loyalty remainging for you and therefore no reason to not believe wh at they are hearing from ScuzBucket Alarm Company.

I know that writing a newsletter is a dauting task for many people but if y ou start writing one one day, you'll find out that once you get going, that a single page fills up pretty fast. Most times I have trouble keeping it t o one page. You could even send one out every 6 months.

Any way, that's my suggestion.

Reply to
Jim

"Jim" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com... On Monday, March 25, 2013 10:22:21 PM UTC-4, Chris wrote:

Hi Chris,

I've mentioned this before in ASA but it's been a long time and maybe bears repeating.

After a number of years installing, one day I got a call from an irate customer that I hadn't seen nor heard from for over 5 years. Her message on my answering machine said something about how nasty my employee was to her over the telephone. Well, at that particular time, I was the only "employee" so I hadn't any idea what she was talking about. I called her and she related how she had set the alarm off and had gotten into an argument with the CS operator who ..... she thought was "my employee" and she was cancelling her monitoring. There was nothing I could offer her nor convince her of the fact that the operator was not my employee. It was then that I realized that a few years after I would do any installation, my customers would forget all about the "nice guy" who installed their alarm system and that the CS operators would become their alarm company in their minds. That's when I started to send out a quarterly newsletter. Even though I complained to the CS about how the operator had treated my customer, I never wanted to lose another customer because of their perception that the central station was their alarm company. From that point forward to this day (about

32 years) I have sent a quarterly news letter to my clients. It's just a simple black and white, 8 1/2 by 11, one sided, black and white, four column note. I always mention something or make a comment about some community or media event, offer suggestions about testing their alarms. Tell them about a vacation I may have just taken and so on. Mention that there are companies that may try contacting them via telephone or door to door trying to steal accounts from other alarm companies. I tell them how to test their alarm systems, make their homes look occupied when they're not home, to be careful during the holiday season. I tell them about the other services I offer and maybe a little bit about a special job that I've done, home theater, computer networking and inviting them to call me, with no obligations, if they have any questions about new technology that they're interested in or looking to buy, TV's, IPhones, computers, etc, etc, etc. As I read the alarm trade and home theater magazines, I'll cut out articles and post some of the statistics about burglaries and fires and other odd bits of information about technology that I think end users might be interested in. And I always somehow work into the letter that if they should ever have any problems with their central station company that monitors their system, to let me know and I will be happy to take care of it for them. Sometimes I will slip a month in getting the newsletter out. I actually get calls from people asking for another copy because they think it may have gotten lost in the mail. I've got two clients who send a copy to their kids who have grown up, gone to collage and now live in another state.

It's worked for me for decades now. Never lost another customer for that original reason and it keeps my clients reminded of who I am through the years, even if they don't get to see me.

Ya gotta keep "you" in their memory or the central station becomes their alarm company and you are just a faint memory ...... if that. And when that sleezey company comes a-knockin, there's no "connection" to the guy who installed their system. You've become just the voice of the CS operator so there's no loyalty remainging for you and therefore no reason to not believe what they are hearing from ScuzBucket Alarm Company.

I know that writing a newsletter is a dauting task for many people but if you start writing one one day, you'll find out that once you get going, that a single page fills up pretty fast. Most times I have trouble keeping it to one page. You could even send one out every 6 months.

Any way, that's my suggestion.

It also helps if you have a great Central Station.... After I joined the Monitoring America alarm co-op, I never looked at one of the Large Central Stations again :)

Reply to
Russell Brill

Yeah, I am dealing with some of that lately. Jack is back in Arizona.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

r real companies - trying to steal your clients by telling them you're out of business, etc.

Still going thru it after the cancer diagnosis lots of fools tried stealing my accounts and I sent registered letters to each and everyone of them inf orming them that I would take legal action if there sales peoples actions did not stop because I had customers ready to testify against them.

Reply to
NickMark

Monitoring America alarm co-op, I never looked at one of the Large Central Stations again :)

As it turned later, listening to the recorded conversation, the customer wa s being totally unreasonable. The system was sending in a low battery signa l and for some reason the customer didn't remember that she even had a stan dby battery and was telling the CS operator that she was wrong, that her al arm system didn't run on batteries. She didn't understand what was going on and took it out on the operator and obviously didn't want the alarm monito ring service anymore .... anyway.

Over the past 30 or so years I've had no major problems and very few minor .... what usually turns out to be "mis"understadings with my centrals.

Reply to
Jim

On Monday, March 25, 2013 8:45:35 PM UTC-7, Jim wrote:

rs repeating.

stomer that I hadn't seen nor heard from for over 5 years. Her message on m y answering machine said something about how nasty my employee was to her o ver the telephone. Well, at that particular time, I was the only "employee" so I hadn't any idea what she was talking about. I called her and she rela ted how she had set the alarm off and had gotten into an argument with the CS operator who ..... she thought was "my employee" and she was cancell ing her monitoring. There was nothing I could offer her nor convince her of the fact that the operator was not my employee. It was then that I realize d that a few years after I would do any installation, my customers would fo rget all about the "nice guy" who installed their alarm system and that the CS operators would become their alarm company in their minds. That's when I started to send out a quarterly newsletter. Even though I complained to t he CS about how the operator had treated my customer, I never wanted to los e another customer because of their perception that the central station was their alarm company. From that point forward to this day (about 32 years) I have sent a quarterly news letter to my clients. It's just a simple blac k and white, 8 1/2 by 11, one sided, black and white, four column note. I a lways mention something or make a comment about some community or media eve nt, offer suggestions about testing their alarms. Tell them about a vacatio n I may have just taken and so on. Mention that there are companies that ma y try contacting them via telephone or door to door trying to steal account s from other alarm companies. I tell them how to test their alarm systems, make their homes look occupied when they're not home, to be careful during the holiday season. I tell them about the other services I offer and maybe a little bit about a special job that I've done, home theater, computer net working and inviting them to call me, with no obligations, if they have any questions about new technology that they're interested in or looking to bu y, TV's, IPhones, computers, etc, etc, etc. As I read the alarm trade and h ome theater magazines, I'll cut out articles and post some of the statistic s about burglaries and fires and other odd bits of information about techno logy that I think end users might be interested in. And I always somehow w ork into the letter that if they should ever have any problems with their c entral station company that monitors their system, to let me know and I wil l be happy to take care of it for them. Sometimes I will slip a month in ge tting the newsletter out. I actually get calls from people asking for anoth er copy because they think it may have gotten lost in the mail. I've got tw o clients who send a copy to their kids who have grown up, gone to collage and now live in another state.

original reason and it keeps my clients reminded of who I am through the ye ars, even if they don't get to see me.

alarm company and you are just a faint memory ...... if that. And when that sleezey company comes a-knockin, there's no "connection" to the guy who in stalled their system. You've become just the voice of the CS operator so th ere's no loyalty remainging for you and therefore no reason to not believe what they are hearing from ScuzBucket Alarm Company.

you start writing one one day, you'll find out that once you get going, th at a single page fills up pretty fast. Most times I have trouble keeping it to one page. You could even send one out every 6 months.

Jim,

That's a good newsletter in itself, and good advice if I ever take over the company.

It turns out that it wasn't so much the local company's fault, it was the l arge global company that treats everyone like a number sending out a work o rder to make updates for a customer that hadn't been with them for over a d ecade.

If I ever need a telegraph, I'll be sure to give them a call.

- Chris

Reply to
Chris

On Thursday, March 28, 2013 7:29:43 AM UTC-4, Chris wrote: That's a good newsletter in itself, and good advice if I ever take over th e company. It turns out that it wasn't so much the local company's fault, i t was the large global company that treats everyone like a number sending o ut a work order to make updates for a customer that hadn't been with them f or over a decade. If I ever need a telegraph, I'll be sure to give them a c all. - Chris

I don't know if you feel you'd want to ..... but maybe if you typed up a ne wsletter and submitted it to management as a "suggestion" ..... just sayin ... it might be the suggestion of the year and win you some brownie points.

Of course it could also come back and bite you when they tell you that now you can do a newsletter for them every month. :-)

Reply to
Jim

r real companies - trying to steal your clients by telling them you're out of business, etc.

As (almost) always, Jim has the ?right? idea. Door knockers, bogus cal ls, loss-leader advertising and many other take-over techniques are part of this business. I probably haven't posted here in ten years, but some thing s never change. The alarm business is chock full of people that deserve to be in jail. Stealing accounts through high means and low is rampant. Years back I worked for a localized alarm company. The owner was without a doubt the most unprincipled business person I have ever known )except for lawyers.) A guy named Robert Bass used to hog this forum, he had zero scrup les when it came to money. Yet, even he had policies relating to customer s ervice that far outshone some of the companies doing business. Large nationals seem to attract a fair number of thieves. Don't believe th ey are any worse than many ?mom and pops.?

Jake~ ps. hi guys :)

Reply to
ashburyjacob

er have issues with other alarm companies - door knockers or real companies - trying to steal your clients by telling them you're out of business, etc . > > > > Anything that should or shouldn't be done about them? > > > > - C hris As (almost) always, Jim has the ?right? idea. Door knockers, bogus calls, loss-leader advertising and many other take-over techniques are par t of this business. I probably haven't posted here in ten years, but some t hings never change. The alarm business is chock full of people that deserve to be in jail. Stealing accounts through high means and low is rampant. Ye ars back I worked for a localized alarm company. The owner was without a do ubt the most unprincipled business person I have ever known )except for law yers.)

A guy named Robert Bass used to hog this forum, he had zero scruples when i t came to money. Yet, even he had policies relating to customer service tha t far outshone some of the companies doing business. Large nationals seem t o attract a fair number of thieves. Don't believe they are any worse than m any ?mom and pops.? Jake~ ps. hi guys :)

Hello Jake,

Not too many left here anymore. Just like you .... some pop in every once in a while.

It's a lot nicer here now but not too many newbies come here. I believe tha t when people look at the history posts of the group they may think it's st ill the same way now as it was back then and just move on. Also, seems as i f every mfg, trade mag or anybody who can type with one finger has a websit e with a "forum" of some sort.

Whatever. There seems to be just enough going on to keep what few of us are left interested. And, for some .... like me .... since I've been here sinc e the mid/late 90's ..... it's just a habit to check in to see what's going on at least every few days.

Reply to
Jim

Hey Jake.

Always good to see one of the old farts drop in.

Bob

Reply to
Bob La Londe

r real companies - trying to steal your clients by telling them you're out of business, etc.

You are quite right ! Sometimes it seems as if some of the alarm companies are worse than the low life we are trying to protect our customers against. Thank goodness they are in the minority; however there are enough of them that they can do quite some damage.

Up here in Ottawa, I like many companies, do our fair share of takeovers. O ne of the larger firms up here in Ottawa (Kodiak Alarms for one)with about

10,000 customers, seems to be getting away with disreputable practices. ALL their alarm boards are locked regardless of who owns them; ALL of their bo ards don't have any kind of auto test programmed in, so they never know or care whether their client's systems are working or not.With so many custome rs going VoIP today, this is an invitation to disaster !! I know this throu gh multiple takeovers,as well as talking directly to their installers.

There are so many others that I have comprised a list of installer codes fo r local companies that lock their boards, and I willingly give it out to an yone who asks. I figure that's the only ways to beat these lowlife companie s at their own game. If they don't lock boards, they're not on my list !!

Then we have companies like DSC that deliberately encrypt their newest line of boards so they can't be unlocked...!!

Door knockers and others of their ilk will always be with us. For many, mon ey is always put before ethics in the way they operate. As long as customer s are stupid enough to believe you can get something for nothing in this bu siness, these guys will continue to flourish. It's been the same for the 20 or so years I've been in the business. I doubt anything will change any ti me soon....

Reply to
tourman

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