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More on Comcast from AZ
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Ken
Subject: Our receiver phone lines are the backbone to our business.
Yesterday I personally witnessed the danger of a communications provider being permitted to be our competition. A local dealer showed me that Comcast had blocked his local phone lines from call forwarding to his central station's receiver numbers, without warning him or notifying him. He received a call from his monitoring station saying none of his accounts were reporting. All this Dealers accounts are programmed to call the local number, provided by Comcast, and then are forwarded to central station number. The Dealer could call any other long distance number and the call would go through, but when the Dealer tried to dial his receiver numbers, nothing! No dialing or busy tone, just dead silence.
When he called Comcast, they said they could put in a service ticket and it could take up to 48 hours for someone from Comcast to get back to him. The Dealer immediately had another line ordered, on his receiver side, and forwarded his lines to the new number. Now it will be a waiting game to see how long before Comcast blocks the new number.
I suggested that he should notify the FCC and file a complaint. I suspect that Comcast blocked the numbers due to the number of long distance calls being placed. Is unlimited long distance, truly unlimited? Does a communications provider have an obligation to notify the end user before taking this action?
Note: Comcast will not email, or provide any written documentation. The best thing to do is to record all phone calls, when calling Comcast service, so you do not sound crazy when you have to explain yourself to the judge.
Thanks for keeping Alarm Dealers informed,
Roger D. Score, President
Arizona Alarm Dealers Association
http://arizonaalarmdealers.org/COX_D.O.J.html
(520) 419-4677
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Ken
ComCast competition
This seems all too much to be history repeating itself. Every time a major media firm tries to enter the security market it fails. And there’s a good reason. Who is going to service their accounts? Consider if one of your accounts wants to switch over to Comcast – or another giant. Ask them to consider carefully the full implications. If you are like most small to mid-size firms, then you offer advantages to staying with you, including individualized attention and a real caring about their security. Ask your potentially fleeing account if they really want to trust their security to a conglomerate where hundreds or maybe thousands of employees have access to all of their information.
I wouldn't. I suggest that here is where one needs to apply a little salesmanship. Even if you do lose the account, a gracious goodbye is better than burning a bridge. If history repeats, as it probably will, the company will soon exit the field. Why? Because they are picking up the cheap clients. They are getting every client that only cares about cost and not quality or even security. There’s a lot more to this business than spreadsheets can ever show. Yet, the giants still want to try. As we all know it’s a lot more than cold dollars and sense. There is a human element to this industry that ComCast, Time Warner, AT&T or any other giant will ever be able to match.
Mitch Cohen
Bric Security
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Webinar Anouncement - no charge to attend
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Title: Learn how to design sales presentations using tablets and computers.
When: October 8, 2014 12 noon to 1 PM EST. Sign in on your computer and dial in to participate. Register here (space limited so register now): https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2478859221657647105
Description: This webinar will introduce you to sales techniques and tools using tablets and computers to do sales presentations. Puffington will customize your sales tools utilizing our templates and proven sales presentations designed specifically for the alarm / security industry.
Presenter: Luke Goetting Luke@Puffingston.com; 312-620-0704 Puffingston is listed on The Alarm Exchange under Technology that increases or preserves your RMR.
Who should attend: Alarm company owners and sales managers and sales personnel
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TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REPLY TO THIS EMAIL OR EMAIL Ken@Kirschenbaumesq.com. Most comments and questions get circulated.
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Speaking Engagements
If you would like to schedule a free live video/webinar presentation for your association meeting or event contact Eileen Wagda at 516 747 6700 x 312.
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Texas Burglar and Fire Alarm Association. October 1 - 4, 2014, annual convention at San Luis Resort Spa & Conference Center, Galveston, TX. Register here: http://tbfaa.org/tbfaa-2014-convention-trade-show-attendee-registration/
For more info contact Debi at 281-859-4569. Brad Shipp, Executive Director
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Alabama Alarm Association. AAA's Fall Meeting and Trade Show - October 21, 2014 from 3 to 5 PM at DoubleTree Hotel 808 South 20th Street Birmingham, AL 35205 for more info contact AAA Executive Director: director@alabamaalarm.org (205) 933-9000
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