Race to Zero

Offer to pay the customer $20 to let you install it, and match the $25 a month. :)

Jim Rojas

Crash Gord> Here's an update;

I just emailed him to call us when he;

1 -Wants to be treated like a valued client and is sick of being treated like 1 of a million+ customers. 2 - Needs a real system installed.

At 25 bucks a month and no down, it will take t hem 10 years to break even.

They may not care about losing on one job. They may be thinking by having their name instead of yours on that building they will get other jobs they won't have to bid against you on.

I quit worrying about those things. These days it seems I do one or two big jobs that pays for everything, and alarm monitoring is a bonus every year.

Sheesh!! "AlarmFarce" better watch out. They've just matched prices... Oh... I forgot... Binky equipment is very much inferior. "AlarmFarce" offers "two way voice" with every system they install so they're "Basses" above "Binky"...

What is "Binky" providing the customer in terms of equipment (i.e. number of contacts, motions, etc.), just out of curiosity?

Two door transmitters, one keypad, one motion ...the second system was the same but had two pirs. Thing is both systems are easily wired...no need for RF at all.

You know...if everyone raced these idiots to zero we'd get rid of them a lot quicker.

Brinks installs the RF so they can also say that the transmitters are leased equipment as well. It's a good ploy.

That's basically how I use to do it to compete in the past. Beat them at their own game by offering a full perimeter system using all RF transmitters. This way if the customer doesn't pay, you can repo the transmitters as well, and leave them with the few basic wires.

The average home here in Tampa has 10-15 windows and 2-4 doors, so for about $250 in internet purchased transmitters, I can given them better protection for the same price large nationals charge for a basic system.

Jim Rojas

Crash Gord> Two door transmitters, one keypad, one motion ...the second system was the

Unfortunately there's a company in Canada that rents equipment on exactly those terms (zero down and $25.00 a month). For most apartment and small townhomes two door contacts and a motion will pretty well cover you. AlarmFarce tried selling me the same package for my house. I asked the rep (on the phone because they never send sales people) how that "protects" my family knowing they're leaving the entire "backside" of my house exposed. Oh, well... we'll throw in another motion for $75.00 (installation charge) and an added $3.00 a month. I had no idea double sided tape was so expensive (or involved) to install. By the way, all their equipment is "wireless" so you don't even have to have the intelligence of a primate to install it (what you do need is a valid drivers license).

RHC: It's my understanding that the wireless is non supervised as well. And they don't change batteries !! And they don't utilize line exclusion; just an "all in one " panel that plugs into a wall jack.

Yah gotta really wonder how any consumer can buy into their load of crap, but they are quite successful. My understanding is they are actually planning an expansion into the US with some 38 franchises in major metro centres. Frankly, it speaks volumes about the astuteness of the average "low end" alarm system buying consumer.

I met a fellow a while back at one of the locksmith shops in a nearby city. He used to be an installation manager for them. He said he was expected to install a minimum of 10 systems a day but gave it up because he couldn't stomach it anymore. And their customers rave about them (at least the ones that don't wake up and decide to leave). Wonders never cease !!

What if you throw in 6 months at half price and don't start the billing until next year?

Nah, let 'em have it. Nice work!

I told him God wouldn't let me compete with giving away the store. I need braces and my kids need new shoes.

His two middle eastern partners have 2/3 vote in the decision, so my guy's out numbered.

You win. Believe me.

No. The customer loses. Long term contract. Exorbitant service rates. Abysmal support. And all of this packaged very nicely with inferior equipment.

True, but I explained it all to them, including what their contract meant. It's amazing how dumb "professionals" can be about business.

RHC: Crash, I've been in this business for some 15 years now, and when I first got in it, I was immediately appalled by the mass marketers and their marketing approach. So I went so far as to put up a website to try to educate consumers looking for information on how to shop properly for an alarm system. However, in the ensuing years, I have never ceased to be amazed at the pure stupidity of a large percentage of the alarm buying public, and how they buy into the idiocy perpetrated by a lot of these large money hungry companies. I have finally come to the conclusion that anyone who gets themselves into a pickle with either a cheap system, or a contractual obligation that is grossly unfair, deserves everything they get - period ! Stupidity is its own reward.

And I'm continually amazed by the piss poor quality of a lot of installations put in by both large and small companies. My mind boggles every time I get a call from an installer from some small company or other, asking me how to do a takeover of a panel he knows absolutely nothing about (it doesn't seem to even occur to them, they shouldn't be doing a takeover on a panel they don't know shit about), or as happened today, such a simple question as how to turn the zone lights off on a DSC 632 when not using EOL resistors...%$$%#%^.....how f****ng stupid can they get...RTFM. And these guys are selling alarm systems...??????

I guess I'm getting old and cranky, but I just don't let myself get quite as upset anymore as I used to.....except when I see scam artists like Alarm Force actually selling their junk to supposedly intelligent people, it still totally blows my mind, and I realize that I have finally lost all faith in the inherent intelligence of the average consumer.....

I'm beginning to think it's time I retired...

RHC

I thought you did. Don't you play snowbird these days wintering in sunny Fla?

RHC: No not quite yet...semi retired is more like it ! Still running the business, doing some of the service work, and (like today) assisting my son doing installations. More and more though, I resent time spent on the business that keeps me away from the shooting range, or that doesn't allow me out on my Nomad to cruise the country roads on the nice days remaining. But, yes, come January, it's off to Florida for three months with the bike in tow. And this year, I have all the permits to allow me to take my IPSC guns down south to shoot in a couple of the National Matches in Florida (really looking forward to shooting with the local clubs in Florida and Alabama this year)

I've also found a home down near Tampa that I might actually purchase since it's been on the market for over a year and is a true bargain especially with our Canadian dollar being worth $1.03 US. But things are a bit up in the air right now since my mother is 90 years old and dying of cancer so who knows what's going to happen there (and when...)

But I have to admit, that huge monitoring cheque each month is still an alluring siren's song (even though most of it belongs to the f*ck**g government....:(((...)