Kleinman on professionalism / digital copies of contract / Free Book offering - February 18, 2017
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DONT MISS our next WEBINAR on February 23, 2017 - STILL TIME TO REGISTER AND ATTEND    All You Need To Know About Selecting the Right Broker to Sell Your Alarm Business
Register here:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8548769256865453057
When: February 23, 2017 at noon EST
Presented by: Ron Davis and Steve Rubin
See full schedule of webinars below

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need for professionalism in alarm industry
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Ken
    Thank you for sharing my comments on "Monitoring Certificates" with others. Yes, I am a proponent of having third party oversight for the industry as I believe it would raise the quality of systems and service delivered to the end user.  Wherever UL (or other NRTL) certificates have been required by the AHJ, the false alarm rate has dropped or the loss rate was lower. The barrier to entry to the alarm industry is not high. One only needs to be licensed (or enter into an agreement with someone who is licensed with one of your contracts); have an account at Tri-Ed and/or ADI; and have an agreement with a wholesale monitoring company (also using one of your contracts). For an industry that promotes itself on preventing the loss of life and property, it doesn't seem a high enough barrier of entry. For those interested, I believe the approximate cost to set up an initial UL inspection is under $5,000 with an annual fee of around $3,000. AFA does do proportionately more fire alarm installation and service than most alarm companies but the principles are the same.
    And I am not interested in a brawl with the insurance industry on behalf of the alarm industry. (Where you got that idea from my comments I have no idea.) To the contrary, I want the insurance industry to hold the alarm industry to a higher standard. Where it comes to discounts for alarm systems, if the insurance industry really cared about the policies it wrote instead of just the premium dollars they received, they would care more about reliable assurances of the quality of protection of the properties they insure than a fancy certificate suitable for framing. 
Richard Kleinman, President
AFA Protective Systems, Inc.
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Response
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    The insurance industry isn't able to police alarm systems because they don't have the expertise, time, efficiency or desire.  Let them keep paying claims.
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digital copies of contract
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Ken
    We recently purchased your commercial, fire and residential security contracts.  I am hoping you can answer a quick question for me in regards to digital copies of signed commercial, fire, and residential contracts.  I have had to mail original contracts to certain customers for approval and signatures.  In return, the customer has emailed the signed copy back to me.  I am unsure if the digital copy is as binding as the original should it ever come into question? Should we be insisting on original signed contracts only or is a digital copy as valid?  I appreciate any insight you can give me.
    Thank you in advance,
Sue Packer
Vermillion Systems, Inc.
Walkerton, IN 
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Response
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    Digital or photostatic copies of contracts can be introduced as evidence in a trial, so yes, they are enforceable.  Best practice is to copy the entire document, not just the signature or front page.
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Free Book offering from fellow alarm company colleague
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    Alarm guy Jay Stuck has published his third thriller, Sweet Dreme, on Kindle.  As a special for my newsletter readers, Jay is making it free on Kindle from February 20 through Feb 23.  Save link until then
    George Dreme's third action thriller finds George in big trouble. Seems his CIA handlers are not happy that he went rogue. Our favorite hypochondriac hitman manages to shoot up a department store, pose as a "roady" in Nashville and winds up in South Florida in the middle of a hypochondriac's worst nightmare. It's just another errand for our sarcastic, funny and germ-hating anti-hero, and let's not even discuss the monkeys. Time for the usual colorful characters and lots of shoot 'em up action. George Dreme is back in a ripped-from-from-the-headlines scary thriller!
    Here is the link for the free book.  
    https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Dreme-Jay-Stuck-ebook/dp/B01M6E5AG6/ref=pd_cp_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M6E5AG6&pd_rd_r=Y3KG4V78PK4YVKJ2MFZ8&pd_rd_w=mgQm6&pd_rd_wg=ccZww&psc=1&refRID=Y3KG4V78PK4YVKJ2MFZ8
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                                WEBINARS:  Sign up for any or all of the webinars that interest you.

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FREE Webinar Series "All You Need To Know About" alarm industry issues. 
Register for one or all.  Each presentation scheduled for half hour to hour.  Not recorded.

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Title: All You Need To Know About Selecting the Right Broker to Sell Your Alarm Business
When: February 23, 2017 noon EST
Where: Your computer for power point, live video and call in on computer or phone
What will be covered: General discussion about finding the right broker to represent you on the sale of your alarm business
Who should attend: Alarm company owners
Presented by: Ron Davis and Steve Rubin from Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group, the 
Graybeards rdavis@graybeardsus.com srubin@graybeardsus.com
Register here:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8548769256865453057
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Title: All You Need To Know About modern nationwide central station operations and how to select the best central station for your needs
When: February 24, 2017 noon EST
Where: Your computer for power point, live video and call in on computer or phone
What will be covered: General discussion about what you should expect from your modern nationwide central station and how to select the best central station for your needs
Who should attend: Alarm company owners, general managers, sales managers, sales staff
Presented by: Morgan Hertel from Rapid Response MHertel@rrms.com
Register here:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/507826318172222465
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Title: All You Need To Know About Fire Alarm Systems and Taking Over Fire Alarm Systems
When: March 1, 2017 noon EST
Where: Your computer for power point, live video and call in on computer or phone
What will be covered: General discussion about issues to consider when installing, servicing or inspecting fire alarm and when taking over an existing system
Who should attend: Alarm company owners, general managers, sales managers, technician managers
Presented by: Jeff Zwirn JeffZwirn@alarmexpert.com
Register here:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4756737271107996417
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Title: All You Need To Know About Standard Fire Protection All in One Agreement Covering Installation, Inspection, Service of Sprinkler System, Portable Extinguishers, Kitchen Hood, Smoke Detectors, Fire Pump
When: March 2, 2017 noon EST
Where: Your computer for power point, live video and call in on computer or phone
What will be covered: General discussion about the Standard Fire Protection All in One provisions including scope of work, liability limitations, insurance issues, indemnity issues, how to handle subscribers who won't sign or want you to sign their agreement. 
Who should attend: Alarm company owners, general managers, sales managers, sales staff
Presented by: Ken Kirschenbaum, Esq.
Register here:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/658147149875346945
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Title: All You Need To Know About Alarm Licensing and Contracts for DIY 
When: March 9, 2017 noon EST
Where: Your computer for power point, live video and call in on computer or phone
What will be covered: General discussion about licensing in the alarm industry for DYI. Different types of licenses, where you need them and how you get them. How and when to use License Holders or Qualifiers for your business and how to become a license holder for a company. Risks involved in not being licensed. Contract you will need for nationwide DIY monitoring agreements.
Who should attend: Alarm company owners, general managers, compliance managers and license holders.
Presented by: Ken Kirschenbaum, Esq.
Register here:   https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2585168820901654273

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THE ALARM EXCHANGE

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