KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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More on Central Station no longer notifying low battery signals
January 13, 2024
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More on Central Station no longer notifying low battery signals from article on December 26, 2023
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Ken,
Regarding “Comments on Central Station no longer notifying on low battery signals”…There has been a lot of confusion all through this thread. If you go back to the original email, the first line from the central station (not NMC by the way) correspondence to the dealer reads: “As technology continues to change, we are seeing a sharp increase in Transmitter Battery Trouble conditions”. The central station was never referring to system low batteries which obviously need to be reported on by the central station. Again, the central station correspondence was referring to transmitter battery trouble signals. In my opinion, those signals shouldn’t even be programmed to go to central stations. There are tens of millions (if not hundreds of millions) of battery powered transmitters out there and it’s not realistic to think that central stations can respond to all of those transmitter low battery conditions. The central station was also correct in their correspondence when they said that the customers are notified of transmitter low batteries by the platforms (e.g. Alarm.com, Alula, Resideo, etc.) or locally from a notification on the keypad. In any case, I just want to make sure that everyone is on the same page because several of the recent responders are not talking about the same thing from the original email (i.e. transmitter low batteries v. system low batteries).
Thanks for all you do Ken!
Mark Matlock, VP of Sales
National Monitoring Center
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another comment
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Ken,
Regarding low battery signals, whether to call or not to call:
Early in my security career, WORLD SECURITY in Portland Oregon was monitoring the accounts for the company I worked for. Managed by Hank Scheibe, he came to our office and showed me how to log onto the central station and look for account activity for all our accounts. I could supervise our customers' alarm activity/signals from my desk. Once I saw a couple of false alarms at Smith residence and they were just installed a few weeks ago. I would call and ask the Smith's if they needed additional training, or did they forget their code, or..... Smith's were surprised that I was watching their account that closely, and they were surprised to learn of the tripped alarm(s). Apparently a family member had entered the home while they were gone (with permission) but did not tell them that they had tripped the alarm, twice. No harm, no foul, and no dispatch. Needless to say, the Smith's were very happy with this level of Customer Service from me, their salesperson. Other signals I would contact customers about would be NO monthly timer test coming in and Low Battery signal(s). Whether it be a jewelry store, or a cabin in the woods. I would call and MAKE SURE the customer/owner was aware of these signals. I was not hoping the employee/family member / neighbor who rec'd the call from the monitoring station would advise the owner. I made SURE the owner knew his/her alarm panel would be in jeopardy without electricity/ phone interruption. AND, that high or low temperature sensor alarm needs to be paid attention to. Customers were glad I called and would ask me how to clear the keypad, set up a service call, etc.. Many times I've had a customer say it's time to update the call list because so-n-so doesn't even work there anymore. And let me give you my new cell phone number.
In my opinion, there is too little customer service follow up after the sale these days (if any at all!) and if Central Station(s) are not going to respond to such alarm signals/activity, then YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN B TO ENSURE YOU ARE DOING YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST AT MONITORING YOUR CUSTOMERS' ACCOUNTS. I just described mine.
Cynthia Branen-Hart
Retired Security Consultant
Oregon
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Response
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Central stations have different policies and procedures so make sure you know how your central station handles signals, all signals. And, make sure your customer knows how signals will be handled.
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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301
ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
www.KirschenbaumEsq.com
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