January 7, 2011
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End of life components
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Question:
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Ken,
How do you address devices that have a suggested end of life in the Service Contract (smoke detectors, CO detectors)? Could there be a phrase added? And if so how would it be worded and were should it be placed? (I would be happy to make addition)
Example: A residential customer that has three smoke detectors in their home. They have been serviced by our company for only a couple of months. When the initial tech was on site doing initial inspection and bringing them on-line they were told by the service tech that their smoke detectors were all over 10 years old and should be replaced. The tech would not give the option of the service plan due to system needing this done.
A week later the customer called into the office talked to someone in the sales who happily signed them up for the service contract. Then the following week the customer called in a work order to have all smoke detectors replaced. Citing the NFPA recommendations that they be replaced at 10 years.
Warren White C.E.T.
President
Rueschhoff Security
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Answer:
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End of life equipment was addressed in the Standard Service Contract [and other contracts that include service] some time ago. See this email article for more detailed response
http://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/earticle373.htm
The operative sentence in the Standard Form Contracts will read as follows:
"Batteries, electrical surges, lightening damage, obsolete components and components exceeding manufacturer’s useful life are not included in service and will be repaired or replaced at Lessee’s expense."
Be sure to check your contracts and look for this provision.
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Comments on New Year resolutions:
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Ken
I was not aware of this corp or limited liability being the only business structure allowed in 2011. I am sole proprietor. Sounds like I must change?
Please confirm I understand you correctly.
PG
********* It's not illegal, it's just not smart.
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Hi Ken;
You just added a boat load of resolutions onto my "to do" list for the new year.
John from NJ
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Comments on Municipalities considering non response January 6, 2011
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Ken –
I had to reply to this. BRAVO! I whole heartedly agree with your government budget guidelines. We are electing a new mayor (he’s retiring) in our town (4th largest in Illinois). Can I get you to run? Thanks for your candidness.
Ben J. Komar
Komar Associates, Inc.
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Ken,
Be careful, with suggestions like that you may be forced to take a pay cut and move to a smaller house at 1600 Pennsylvania ave in DC.
Please pass the TEA...
Mike Fletcher
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Ken
City of Miami has enacted the same and in fact are fining the alarm companies $250.00 if the customers alarm registration is expired or was never applied for and an alarm comes in.
Steve Schwartz
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Maybe all the alarm dealers should consider selling guns as an option. If government cannot protect you or your property. I guess Winchester will have to.
NJSPECTRUM
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I just wish we all could wake up and get together on these issues. We should stop paying tax when our tax money doesn't provide the services we pay for. We should stop paying toll (currently $13 two ways in NY) when there are potholes right at the toll plaza and bridges are falling apart. We should refuse to pay ripof tax on gas and many other items where the tax is beyond and above sales tax. And most important - we should protect our freedom and not allow dumb laws to pass.
The town of Great Neck, NY just made smoking on PUBLIC sidewalk illegal. The fine is $1,000 and up to 15 days in jail. That's more severe punishment than smoking pot. This law was issued by the same government who controls, sells and collects tax on cigarettes. There is more freedom in communist Cuba than in USA. Our government can make any law they wish to control what we can and can not do. On the other hand, these creeps bend backwards to terrorists and criminals. We don't have capital punishment. Basically we are telling the criminals - go ahead, kill. We can't hurt you.
Dusan
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OK Ken,
You yanked my chain on the suggestions to cut government spending. How about adding this too. Anyone collecting government assistance i.e. welfare, Medicare, or food stamps must pass random drug testing. If they have a cell phone or satellite TV they can afford the important stuff like food.
Tony Barlow, Pres/CEO
North Coast Signal Inc
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Yes, the City of Milwaukee Police will respond to Hold Up calls related to commercial property. It may take 45 minutes, or so, for a squad car to observe site.
City of Milwaukee Police has become an "Observation Agency". The police dept. has issued a policy to Not Respond to alarm calls from central station operators. The alarm company and central station are subject to 25,000.00 - 40,000.00 fines. The police may respond to a call from "First Responder", or a witness to alarm signals. (IE: someone viewing cameras that witness event)
The City of Milwaukee has protected itself against class action by passing another ordinance that says that the owner or property manager cannot be a first responder - unless they register themselves, as such.
All private alarm companies must use a registered alarm responder to apply for license.
I hope the city is saving lots of money!
There has not been a reasonable conversation with the City of Milw and Alarm Companies and their customers to address crappy alarm companies, false alarms, alarm registration fees, city or state low voltage license and standards.
Ed
badgeralarm
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Ken,
these austerity measures like non-response are going to be all the more difficult for people to deal with if they do not understand the underlying causes. Thanks for your insight and willingness to explain them so well. Your list covered many important changes we need to require of our government.
Perhaps there is still time to change and recover if we all act now; make the government spend our money with thrift. If our business models depended so much on police and fire response to be part of our profit centers, we should have found better ways to interact with them long ago. We should have made their budgets dependent on our support. Split some of the profit with them so to speak. I do not think simply coming to see them as 'essential services' will necessarily hold water as budgets are drastically reduced. After all, broke is broke.
As you have so rightly pointed out in the past, diversifying your 'portfolio' of customer-types is the key here. Perhaps now is the time to go back to the age when we actually sold things for a profit. People will need an alarm even more as unemployment increases.. Just not one that is monitored necessarily. And if our currency is inflated drastically, the dollar amounts on multi-year contracts won't mean much anyway.
Zeke Lay
Comtec
Oklahoma
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Ken for President! Or, if you don’t want those headaches, how about at least being in charge of the US budget!!
Gary Dawkins,CEO
Response Center USA