*********
Hi Ken,
I have to comment on Richard Jacksons Email. [see http://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/earticle409.htm ]. I get tired of hearing the phrase truck slammer. 1st the majority of us have started out as small one man business and did not have a van. We had to use our own cars in the beginning to install alarms. 2nd a large majority of customers I have taken over from both national and mid size companies did not have the RJ31X jack wired properly to do line seizure. It is not just the “trunk slammers.” Just because a one man operation does not use a 25000.00 van does not make the operation a fly by night operation. STOP Blaming the Small Guy when you find an alarm not installed correctly. The majority of the small companies strive to do it right.
Eric Schrowang
Gatekeeper Fire and Security LLC
*********
Ken
I agree that the size of the company is not necessarily a guarantee of permits and total compliance with state law or municipal ordinance.
Sometimes the company that mass markets cheap or free alarm installs does so by subcontracting the INSTALL to some guy that has a truck and a ladder. Sometimes they sub it to a reputable sub who does things right. It is a crap shoot but you can rest assured that the trunk slammer does it cheaper every time.
There are also some very small companies that always pull permits to the chagrin of the company they sub too. After all a permit adds cost to the job and that is a pass through that the customer was not told about even if it is in the customers contract that a permit fee is a pass through. THIS WAY THE BIG COMAPANY IS COVERED.... WE TOLD HIM TO GET A PERMIT wink wink.....
Well that's my 2 cents for Friday......
Joel Kent
FBN Security Co LLC.
********
Hi Ken,
You wrote : "I think the large companies probably do get the permits they need. These companies didn't get to the top and successful by shoddy work and disobeying the law."
My opinion is, that the Nationals first became successful by not doing shoddy work ignoring codes, standards and disobeying the law. THEN, once successful ...... they began doing shoddy work and disobeying code and standards and maybe even the law. Not directly, of course. But, because their "free" installations are primarily residential and is being done by local subcontractors and dealers. Even though it's the responsibility of the local dealer to work within the bounds of standards and the law, there is no evidence that the Nationals "make" them do it or even "care" if they do. No ground wire, no RJ31X jacks, splices behind the wall, sensors located where it's convenient to wire rather then where they will detect intrusions, sirens that do not meet or are not located where they meet the minimum db level for fire alarms, direct connection to the telephone lines with no line seizure protocol, visible wiring, unprotected openings, little training for the customer in use of system, long delays in central station verification calls, weeks before responding to service calls. And the list goes on.
Don't get me wrong on this, I know that the Nationals are not the only ones doing things like this, but it does seem to pervade their work. So, with that in mind, I think it's only fair to say, if it wasn't for the fact that they are Nationally recognized organizations, they would be known as "trunk slammers " ------- wouldn't they?
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't see much of a difference between them.
Gene,
Reliable Alarm
*******
In RE: What’s wrong with this business model? (FREE SYSTEM)
I would have to disagree with they did get to the top because they don’t do shoddy. Many of times the free system installers will in still there alarm systems and don’t bother to install a simple RJ31X jack, why because they first don’t understand it, second it cost another $4.00 dollars. Yes the free alarm people do what there pennies very tightly, onetime I had ask a manufacture why don’t they put a faster chip in there panels so when down loading it does not take forever to accomplish this. I was told that the free companies won’t spend another $1.00 to get this because of the cost.
As far as getting to the top again! What about the deceitful tactics we all know they use to get there. Recently a small village where I come from just past a statue on they can no longer do door to door sales unless they register whit the local municipality and prove they are registered through the state and meet there requirements because the majority are not or had back ground checks. One of these sales people was in his past life was convicted for theft twice.
So again I don’t believe they all reach the top by the code of ethics and who they employ.
Norm K
*************
Line seizure
*******
Ken
I have taken over hundreds of ADT systems that were installed by subcontractors. There wasn’t any line seizure. The home owner could understand why they could here the security system dialing out when they were on the phone at times. When we told them how the system was connected—you could see that they realized at that moment what that would have meant if there had been a life threatening situation.
Thanks
Phillip
**********
Regarding New York's proposed legislation re exculpatory and limitation of liability clauses:
***
Ken
Just a reminder ------please use the state of Michigan in your presentation since we have quite a positive history through the state appeals court on the limitation of liability clause ------also I would point out that there is no business in existence that can have a 100% record of no mistakes and have to be "right" 100% of the time -----keeping in mind the authorities "police and fire departments and medical " cannot perform their duties without mistakes 100% of the time as we are expected to do. as an industry I think we are very close to that goal in view of the fact that we monitor millions of businesses and homes, and save many lives in the process ------insurance companies sure want our services by offering major discounts for having monitored alarms installed.
if I can help please call ---good luck (I know you don't rely on luck) ----but, what could it hurt???
thanks
hank luks
controllor security systems
*********
I'd like to thank Hank for his comment and also Dennis Stern, an exceptional alarm attorney, for his invaluable assistance suggesting why and how the NY legislation should be opposed. At the request of the Senate Republican Conference I have submitted a position statement explaining why the proposed legislation should be defeated.