how about offering good old security services?
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I often say that you're in the RMR business. Selling contracts [my Standard Forms of course] with recurring monthly revenue is the business you're in. I am reminded, however, that the business you're really in is providing security services. It all started with burglar alarms. Intrusion protection.
At least one manufacturer is keeping its focus on that primary directive and achieving success with law enforcement because alarm verification reduces false alarms and helps police fight crime. Videofied is designed to transmit a 10 second video clip to the central station to show the reason for the alarm activation. The Detroit Public School Police Department decided to use Videofied in vacant buildings and found that the system contributed to a 70% closure rate for break ins. Here is the article link http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&article_id=2625&issue_id=32012.
In Grand Prairie, Texas the police department announced a "Partnership for Priority Video Alarm Response" program. It's described this way:
"Priority Video Alarm Response is an innovative approach that has proven successful combating property crime and reducing insurance claims. New video alarm technology has improved the traditional blind “Detect and Notify” process that sends police officers responding to alarms. Video intrusion alarms are not CCTV video surveillance – they are innovative alarms that send a short video clip of what caused the alarm to a monitoring station that confirms a probable crime. The new video enhancement provides an actual visual confirmation on what caused the alarm and real-time (visual) updates for responding police officers. Video intrusion alarms provide law enforcement an important technological tool that allows patrol officers to respond to fewer false alarm calls and increase apprehensions based on a priority response to video alarms. Apprehensions are the best deterrent. Existing alarm systems can be upgraded to video alarms by adding motionviewers (combined sensor/cameras) to the current system."
In Chicago, IL., police response is getting faster. There are 3 levels of priority, with level 1 reserved for burglaries in progress. That can be verified by Videofied.
Videofied is also being recognized by insurance companies because of its added value to an intrusion system. Greater success rate for police translates into less insurance payout by carriers.
According to Videofied you can add the system to your intrusion system for about $300. The additional feature of alarm verification in real time should be easy to sell and just as easy to bump up your RMR. Remember, the Videofied system is designed for intrusion verification. There are other manufacturers selling CCTV systems that have lots of bells and whistles and are attractive to your subscribers. You've got a customer base and it's time to update those systems with CCTV, both for verification purposes and subscriber viewing.
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correction on Florida cancellation notice
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Ken,
On your comments about the "Automatic renewal in Florida" post on March 30, 2012, your first statements referred to a 30 day cancellation rather than the statutory 3 days. To better understand this, are you referring to the initial 3 day right of refusal is now 30 days for the Pinnacle customers? If so what does this have to do with auto renewals of the contract term limits. Being legislative committee chair for the Alarm Association of Florida, I am more than familiar with the law on renewals here in Florida after working for 3 legislative sessions on it. I don't recall a statutory 3 day cancellation clause on a contract renewal. Am I missing something?
Bob Worthy CPP, President
Secur Technologies, Inc.
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Response
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Bob you are correct. The confusion was caused by the article's title, Automatic renewal in Florida. It should have had the title of Alarm Co agrees to 30 day cancellation notice in Florida. Thanks for picking up on this and quickly bringing it to my attention. Here is the article again, with the correct title:
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Alarm Co agrees to 30 day cancellation notice in Florida March 30, 2012
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According to an article in Security Sales & Integration on March 13, 2012, Pinnacle Security [of Utah] agreed to provide consumers who are at least 70 years of age a 30 day cancellation right instead of the statutory 3 days. This agreement with the Florida State Attorney General followed that offices investigation of improper sales and business tactics.
This agreement of course applies to Pinnacle only and no other alarm companies are affected. This is no doubt going to created some confusion among alarm companies as they hear of it and think that the 3 day notice in their consumer contracts are no longer the law, or perhaps no longer competitive. In California for example, I believe ADT agreed with the California State Attorney General to limit its consumer contract term to 3 years. Other alarm companies thought that they too were bound by that term limit, which they are not.
Certainly no one condones deceptive business practices and of course it tends to affect the entire industry.
Check automatic renewal laws in your state here https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/autorenewal.htm.
Thanks again to Bart Didden for bringing this to my attention.