April 30, 2011

 

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Comment

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OK Ken, I have to respond to the comments about continuing of charges after a building burns down.

 

Well I checked and I still have to pay my mortgage if my house burns down and I still have to make my car payments if I total my car, DUH!!!

 

If you are charging a typical residential or small business customer for MONITORING and the building burns then of course you are free to stop charging that customer while you are not monitoring the account, that's your choice and certainly the smart one from a customer relations viewpoint. But wait, You installed the system for $800 less than it costs you and you intend to make your profit over the period of the contract so you can stay in business and pay Ken to review your contracts periodically. Woops, the house burns down after 6 months, you are still $700 in the hole, should you be entitled to receive your payments? At last check if the customer bought a big screen from the store at the same time he installed the alarm he/she would still have to pay the credit card company for the big screen, why as alarm companies are we such wimps that we are afraid to ask for the money we are legally and properly owed. The customer is entitled to a thing called INSURANCE so they can pay someone else to pay for all their stuff (including alarms) when there is a tragedy. Ken, how about a clause that lets the customer pay an additional monthly fee to cover any force majeure that might befall them. Offer the customer the right to have the entire system covered and if they decline it then bill them till the end of the deal. REMEMBER after the fire, hurricane or earthquake, YOU as the dealer have the right to waive payments for a time or simply cancel the customers contract if you are so inclined but you should take your time in that decision because you can bet the customer is adding the alarm system at retail, to the insurance or FEMA claim and will gladly keep the money if you don't bill for it. Be compassionate but only after you confirm a true hardship exists, don't just be stupid and give money away.

 

Now for those guys who would sue the little old lady for 4 or 5 months left on the third renewal of her contract when she gets put in the nursing home etc. You have done serious harm to the reputation of the entire industry by using that approach and there will be a special place in the future for you to reap the rewards of your actions. (the Attorney Generals Elder Affairs office??? or maybe lower)

 

Enough today my previously overloaded mind is now empty.

 

Mike Fletcher

Heeth LLC

Florida