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Question: Sub looking for employee information
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Ken,
I thought you might know the answer to this question. We have a client that is asking for service work and would like the technicians Name and Birth date. They claim it is for verification reasons. I can certainly understand where this information could be useful. And it is less information than a security guard would garner by asking to see a drivers license for ID. I am curious to know what employee/employer laws could be violated by giving such information. Thanks
Leo Taylor
ESI Security
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Response
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The information on your employee's id should be sufficient. I would not recommend giving out any personal information about your employee. It's your job to screen your employees, not your subscriber's job.
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Comments on Subs contacting employees directly
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Ken
It is not always the tech giving the customer his cell number
Many customers do not accept blocked calls therefore the techs are forced to allow the customer to acquire the number or not contact them for service info
Joseph Longo
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Ken
Our techs are required to block their numbers when calling. Adding "*82" before the telephone number will block the calling number from being displayed. From experience, customers have no problem calling techs at any hour of the day or night when emergencies arise, especially those that are explained in detail by the owners manual.
Anon
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Question re certified mail in Standard Form Contracts
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Hi Ken,
I am looking at your response to alarm contract cancellation issues [article Oct 12, 2013] and it says that there is no requirement in your standard contracts to send a cancellation notice via certified mail. You wrote:
"If you have any of my Standard Form Contracts you aren't going to find a requirement for certified mail."
I bought one of your All-in-One Residential contracts and when I look at paragraph 5 that talks about the terms of the agreement, it says that "The term of this agreement shall be for a period of five years and shall automatically renew month to month thereafter under the same terms and conditions, unless either party gives written notice to the other by certified mail, return receipt requested, of their intention not to renew the contract at least 30 days prior to the expiration of any term."
Do I have a different contract versus the one you are referring to, or there is a more recent version of it?
Best regards,
Adrian Y. Mishtal, Member
Home Security Solutions LLC
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Answer
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You are correct. The Standard Form Contracts require certified mail only in connection with canceling a renewal period.
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Question: taking over the monitoring & maintenance of 4 fire alarm systems
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Ken,
Thank you for all of the support you give to our industry. We use all of your contracts & recently updated to the most current versions.
We are going to be taking over the monitoring & maintenance of 4 fire alarm systems in a business park. There are four separate buildings which each have multiple businesses per building. Each space is individually owned either by the business or by someone who rents out the space. They are called “business condos”. The complex has a condominium owners association which is who I submitted my bid to and who is handling everything. I wanted to know what contracts I should use (per system) and who should I have sign off on them? Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Please keep me ANON if posted on your news letter.
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Response
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Commercial fire has only one contract, the Commercial Fire All in One. If the Condo Owners Assoc is contracting for the installtion of the systems then it can sign the contract, using the Sales part. However, if you're going to be taking any instruction from the individual unit holders I would treat them as the end user and require them to sign the Fire All in One also - it could say that the Assoc is paying you, not them.
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Webinars
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December 4, 2013 12 noon EST Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4919260455763006721
Title: 10 Things Residential Security Alarm Companies should consider BEFORE entering the world of Commercial Engineered System Fire Alarms
Presented by: Bob Williams, President of Briscoe Protective Systems and his Management Team.
Briscoe Protective Systems has been in the industry for 35 Years and has made the transition from a Residential Alarm Company in the late 70’s to a Engineered System Fire and Security Company that is an SDM Top 100 Company. Find us on the web at www.BriscoeProtective.com or on LinkedIn under Companies, Facebook and Twitter@BriscoeProSys
Description: There is a big difference between installing Residential Fire Systems and Commercial Engineered Fire Systems and there are “Key Factors” that Security Company’s should consider before attempting to go into this lucrative but challenging market.
Who should attend: Alarm company owners and fire techs.
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