Follow up on getting contracts signed from the 9-18-10 article /
Dissatisfied subscriber refusing to pay for CCTV from October 2, 2010
October 5, 2010
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Comments:
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Ken:
"And you will get a claims manager that knows the difference between a reed switch, prox card reader and riser cable" [Bart Didden in Sept 23, 2010 email article]
This line is right on the dot I have had the oportunuity of dealing with and without this knowledge and believe me the knowledge of our industry is essential to our defense. Thank you Mr Didden for being so involved.
claude savard
sos surveillance
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Ken,
I’d like to offer some comments to Tom and anyone else that care’s to listen.
I’ve been an agent exclusively to the security industry for twenty-two years. Our team, including legal counsel and claim representatives, understands the security AND insurance industry. We offer all lines of Commercial Insurance including General Liability/E&O, Auto, Property, Inland Marine, Workers Compensation, D&O, Cyber Liability, Crime and Employment Practices Liability. Our clients have the benefit of receiving preferred coverage and pricing all on one certificate. We also insure companies that offer Guard and/or Patrol services as well as PERS.
Our agency only writes GL/E&O policies with carriers that have a rating of A VIII or greater. One reason is that most contracts require carriers that have at least an A VIII rating. The rating is based on the insurance carrier’s financial ability to cover claims. The carriers that we use offer blanket additional insured endorsements as well as blanket primary and blanket waivers of subrogation. These endorsements are becoming standard requests.
Most contract administrators don’t want to entertain conversations and make exceptions on carriers that do not meet their financial criteria. Additionally, it can be costly and an administrative stress to be forced into changing carriers mid-term because a desired job requires a higher rated carrier. The insurance market has been soft for quite a while now and rates continue to remain very low. I have seen the A rated carriers consistently offer rates that are lower than the rates offered by the SAARG program. If a company is considering a change then they should obtain competing quotes from all possible markets.
We aren’t Geiko but will certainly do everything possible to make the quoting process simple and painless!
Alice Cornett Giacalone, Senior Vice President
Berrian Insurance Group
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Follow up on getting contracts signed from the 9-18-10 article
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Thanks, Ken.
You are correct in your answer. I hope when someone buys a company with 2,000 accounts that they have sufficient resources to go visit everyone of them to get their company contract signed. Since I've been in the alarm business since 1971 and retired from a large company with 25,000 plus customers I am familiar with the best way to get contracts signed. Thanks again Ken for a great forum.
John Elmore
Security By Elmore Inc
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Hi Ken,
This is in reply to Marty Wingers comments about getting out to see every client who's contract comes up for renewal.
Let us say that even a relatively small company with 1000 accounts, each with annual contract renewal dates were to follow Marty's advice. I figure that on average there would be about 83, renewals per month or about 20 per week. Multiply that by about 3 hours average time per visit, including travel time, would put him at about 60 hours or more per week just visiting clients. It's a nice thought but as for me, I figure I have got to set some time apart to install a few systems now and then.
Although, it might be an opportunity for someone to start a new sub contracting business to the Alarm Trade,called, "Contract Renewal Visiting Service"
Gene
Reliable Alarm
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Dissatified subscriber refusing to pay for CCTV from October 2, 2010
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Hi Ken,
It sounds like John from Security Solutions is doing several things wrong. I don't always get a deposit before starting a job, but I won't leave when the install is complete without a check. The other thing John may wish to consider is installing a UPS on the DVR. I have found" brown outs" to be deadly on the units HDD. Just a suggestion.
John from NJ
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There may be a catch with manufacturers. There are manufacturers who make good equipment, provide tech support and honor warranty. There are also manufacturers who sell crap, they know they sell crap, and in order to stay in business and not refunding every other sale, they become nasty, blame the installer, often charge restocking fee, sometimes even charge for tech support. Of course you never buy from them again, but the one unit you bought will give you bad name, dissatisfied customer and maybe even loss of profit if you end up replacing the unit. Since you're a business - not a consumer, nobody will help you resolve the issue.
Dusan