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TIME FOR NEW CONTRACT
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    Here it is mid January 2015.  This year is going to fly by as quickly as last year and the year before.  If this was the year that things were going to be different, better, bigger, more successful, more sales, more RMR. more money.  Different?  Then what have you done to make that happen.  It's not going to happen on it's own.  I hope your plan isn't to get "lucky".  
    OK, you know where this is going.  Are you using our latest Standard Form Agreements?  You're still thinking about it?  [even worse, not thinking about it].  These forms will:

  • protect you from lawsuits and claims against you
  • structure your sales
  • aid in pricing your services
  • build equity in your business

    How?  The forms identify and separately price your services.  The parts add up to more than the whole.  It gives your subscriber an opportunity to see all the available services the subscriber is not getting.  It reminds you to ask about those services.  How can either of you miss it.  On the face of the contract you offer alarms, video, monitoring, inspection, verification, service and lots more.  A choice has to be made to exclude these items by not selecting them.  
    I can't help but say this too.  You happy with the contract you prepared or your lawyer prepared?  Does your lawyer check for changes almost daily?  Are they getting new ideas almost daily?  Do they have feedback from hundreds of alarm company owners, some with great ideas and some with less than great ideas.
    You think the Standard Form Agreements are expensive?  Compared to what, something you stole from a competitor or put together yourself after 20 hours of work?  If I spent 20 hours installing an alarm system it still wouldn't work.  Neither will your home made or stolen contract.  That's not a way to start off this year, not if you want this year to be different than last year.  
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Question:  font size
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Ken
    One of my partners asked about the minimum font size on a residential contract.   I’m not positive and don’t want to provide incorrect information.
Can you help me with that?  By the way I referred him to you to buy your All in One.
    Thanks
Ken Renko, Vice President – Acquisitions
Alarm Funding Associates
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Answer
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    We provide contracts in 50 states and more than one providence in Canada; yes Louisiana too. [guess I should also say, yes, in CA and PA too - those states are a pain in the butt].  Every state has at least two font sizes, some have more.  While the entire contract should be readable without a magnifying glass, there is at least one provision that has larger font size requirements and often more than one.  And, not only is the font size specified, but the location in the contract is dictated by statute.  
    Contract font, format and requirements for execution are constantly changing.  It's not your business to keep up with these changes or even know them in the first place.  At Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum we review the requirements on a regular basis and because we deal with so many alarm companies we are up to date.  We're here to be your lawyers for contracts, acquisitions, consultation, employment issues, defense cases, mergers, collections in NY, NJ and soon CT [Florida one day].  "Quick questions" usually responded to without charge; just call or email in.  
    To answer more directly, good rule of thumb is 8 point lower case, 5.5 point upper case, 10 point upper case and sometimes 12 point upper case, and sometimes in different color or bold.  
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