Not too long ago, fresh out the military, I was an alarm system salesman. It was a wonderful learning experience that taught me many things. One of those lessons was "All security companies are not created equal." People assume, like they do with all major purchases, the most popular or cheaper brand is in fact the better brand. The majority of the time they learn this is not case. So, I decided to post some questions for prospective customers to ask when they begin their search for a security company. (Please note this doesn't just apply to alarm systems. You can apply these questions to camera systems, access control, locks, etc.)
- What areas will this alarm system not cover? There is an implied belief among some customers that an alarm system protects their entire property. Have you ever considered what would happen if someone broke into your neighbor's store and punched a hole in the drywall you share? Do you have a sensor that will pick up the noise or vibration? Chances are you don't. The problem with modern security systems is they advertise exactly where you have coverage and where you don't. Don't believe me? Walk into a small storefront and notice how many infrared sensors you set off.
- What's your apprehension rate in my area? This is particularly important if you're in an area where burglaries happen a lot. If someone breaks into nearby businesses who use the popular name brand security service without getting caught, should you be buying from them?
- What's your response time to service issues? What happens if some drunk rams his car into a nearby power pole and kills your alarm system? Does your system have battery backup until service is restored? If not, how soon can your company arrive to remedy the issue?
- How much do you charge per service calls? Some companies make a living by selling a crappy installation and billing you every time it breaks and they have to come out and fix it. You want a company with a good reputation for service and who makes house calls on the cheap.
- Can I cancel at anytime? One of my first sales lead I had was a lady who was opening up a small Internet cafe. She knew she had a need for the system but was concerned about our price and contract obligation. The economy was rough and she, like many small business owners, didn't know if she would be in business for 5 days let alone 5 years. Pick a company who is sympathetic to that.
- Are you developing original product lines or selling me something made by the lowest bidder? I can't tell you how many companies I see selling all sorts of "new groundbreaking technologies" that were developed by a previous competitor just marketed differently. If they'll lie about the product's origins, they'll lie about anything.
- Can I manage my account all in one place online? Some of you aren't real tech savvy nor like to handle business online. I totally understand that and encourage you to do what's comfortable for you. However, if you like doing everything online as much as possible, inquire if they offer online account management. If you're responsible for a large system and want to track multiple alarms or trouble alerts, it would be extremely helpful to have this capability.
- What kind of redundancy do you have for your alarm centers? Do they transfer alarm monitoring to another facility if the original is affected by natural disaster? Wouldn't it be a shame if where your building is at there are sunny skies, but the alarm center which is another state several thousand miles away was hit by a blizzard with no power for weeks? What happens to your alarms?
- How much familiarization do your sales personnel get with the product? Wouldn't you hate being sold a car the car dealer never drove? How can someone tell you about the quality of their installation and service components if they've never seen them in action? I would be highly impressed by any company who had new sales personnel going out on these calls with their experienced technicians.
- What separates you from everyone else? Most salesmen will attempt to answer this but usually fail. Why? Because they're focused on what their company told them makes them different. If he or she gives you an honest answer such as "We charge a higher price", he's good to go because he'll follow up with "You get what you pay for in life. If you want a free root canal, I could give it to you but you won't sleep easy. We charge more because we're worth more. We provide better service, a better product that we developed, and a commitment to protecting your business rain or shine. It took you a while to build this business. We want to ensure you have a while to enjoy it."
