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MORE ON HIDING COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS UNDER RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTS - PROBLEM FOR PHOENIX POLICE FROM ARTICLE ON AUGUST 14, 2015
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Det. Robinson – thanks for your warnings about intermingling commercial and residential alarm accounts.
Per your request … we have helped you “get the word out.”  It will also be posted at our sister publication Security Sales.
http://www.cepro.com/article/security_dealers_dont_you_dare_hide_commercial_accounts_in_residential_cont/
    As always, Ken … thanks!!
Julie Jacobson
founding editor, CE Pro
co-founder, EH Publishing
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Ken,
    The article by Detective Robinson in Phoenix about commercial accounts being written on residential contracts is very disturbing.  I was also unaware that this problem existed.  I have been in the residential/commercial alarm business for 26 years and for about 12 years was a dealer for two national alarm programs.  The idea that the credit scores are easier to obtain for residential vs commercial has some merit but there is a bigger issue at stake here.  
    The national dealer programs usually pay 3 to 5 more multiples for a residential contract over a commercial contract.  An unscrupulous dealer has a profit motive to deceive the national company.  Not only should the sales person be responsible but the Qualifying License holder could also be held liable.
    There are License holders that qualify for multiple dealers for a fee in these national programs.  They are probably clueless that this type of problem exists.  I don't know what the regulations are throughout the country but in Florida the License holder is responsible for just about everything that goes on in the companies they qualify.
    Thank you Detective Robinson for shedding light on this issue.
Dale Burger
Access Code Technology, Inc.
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Ken
    So let me get this straight. The Phoenix PD has to know what shape a building is that they're looking for…otherwise they can’t find it?  ….”Yep Chief, that’s right, we saw two guys carrying out everything in the building…. Yep the address matched…..but we thought we were looking for a house for Mr. Kirschenbaum, not a business named Kirschenbaum…..”
    And exactly how does the “installer” “program” the alarm to be a residential account….. the alarm panel doesn’t know if its installed on a business wall or a residential wall, and it doesn’t care either. It has nothing to do with the install… if anything that info would need to be corrected at the central station.
    I may be wrong, but I believe in Texas we dispatch based on an address, and that’s where the police department sends the officer. I didn’t know not having the name or type of business or residence was that big of a problem. When you get out of your police car and do 2 minutes worth of work investigating the alarm you can usually tell if you’re at the right place because the alarm is still “going off”…. Unless you didn’t show up for 3 hours, then decide it must have been a false alarm.
    I’m not trying to be against the police, but this argument seems to have some holes in it.
anon
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 Ken
    On the same topic, but in reverse...
Customer has a residential property  (vacation condo, summer home, etc) that is "owned" by a LLC. Customer asks that both the contract and account name be written in the LLC's name. Property is residential so would you recommend the LLC be named on a residential contract or should it be a commercial contract since the customer is technically an LLC?
Jessica Webb 
GEN-TECH
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RESPONSE
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    I confess that I didn't believe this to be a problem, at least advising the PD if it's a commercial or residential account.  Seems to me both are entitled to a PD response.  But perhaps there are different considerations when responding to commercial or residential accounts, or there might be different registration fees.  
    Tomorrow we will hear more from Detective Robinson on this issue.  I am disappointed we haven't heard from any central stations on this issue.  I don't want to put any of my clients on the spot but surely someone can contribute to this discussion.
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