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more on wages
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Ken
    I would love to hear anonymously [from June 18, 2012 email article]  how much people are paying their techs in Texas!
Donnetta Byrd, Office Manager
Security One, Inc.
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Ken
    Good comments on employee wages and commissions. I can only add that communication is important part of doing business. Every company big or small has some unhappy employee(s) who have nowhere to turn to bring it to attention, or are afraid to get fired for bringing it up. There are many employees (in any business) without initiative, interest. "I just work here". That puts bad image on the company and affects sales. The owner or manager should find time to listen and be open to suggestions. It gets employees motivated. Happy employees are more productive and show good image of the company to customers. Forget "corporate brainwash meetings". That's just waste of time. People hate these meetings. Talk to people one-on-one friendly level.
Dusan
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Ken
    In response to “how much is too much salary” I can tell you from my own experience that sometimes a tech will want to just go out and start his own business. When you get the hint that this is what is on his mind, no amount of money will keep him a dedicated employee. It’s time to just let him go, to possibly return if he fails in his efforts. The real question is how to dissuade him or her into starting on that thinking process. I believe that nobody will work as hard as a partner. Profit sharing or possibly a piece of the business are incentives, as is a great benefit plan. It’s the benefits more than a salary that keeps employees. If you can convince the employee, and rightfully so, that the more dedicated he is, the more company profit and more money he personally makes, the thinking turns into “my” instead of “they”.  You can also check union scale in your area to see what top end salary is.
    Sometimes, no matter what you try to reasonably do, the tech is unrealistic in his desires. I once had a tech that was very good, enough so that I offered him a considerable piece of the business. He insisted on 50%, without paying in. Of course that didn’t fly, and besides it turned out that he was dishonest, trying to steal equipment and accounts. Things work out the way they are supposed to in the end. It’s all a learning process and hopefully you don’t make the same mistake twice. Provide excellent benefits and a real incentive and I think you will keep the employees that are honest, reasonable and intelligent enough to realize what they have.
Mitch Cohen
Bric Security
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unlicensed alarm companies
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Hi Ken,
    "4- If they took over an account from another company during this time could the dealer sue the alarm company for loss of income
    What I meant by this question.......
    The unlicensed alarm company took over an account of a licensed alarm company.  Could the licensed alarm company sue the unlicensed alarm company for loss of income?
Thanks
Mike
CSS
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Response
    Yes if it could prove tortious interference of contract.  Being unlicensed doesn't really make a difference in that kind of case.
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Hi Ken;
    In regards to the question about the "unlicensed" alarm company, even if the state could "yank" a company's license, it sounded to me like the grounds for yanking it was something other than criminal.  Does the state have the power or authority to prevent someone from making a living?  I liken this to letting your driver's license lapse.  You don't automatically forget how to drive while you are unlicensed.  What should that company have done, refer all of their repair customers to another company?  You wrote about attrition rates recently.  When you start referring work out like that, I would guess the attrition rate would run close 100%.
    This is the problem with licensing in general.  It was designed to raise the professionalism of the industry and to weed out alleged "trunk slammers."  When you let the state step in and wield power like this, I think it degrades the industry as whole.  If this continues, I can foresee the state telling us what color uniforms we can wear, and right down to what type of socks.  Excuse me Mr. Commissioner, the rule was unclear,  can I wear boxers or jockeys?  This over-regulation has to addressed by us in the industry and STOPPED.
John from NJ
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Ken,
    It appears to me from reading many comments from your readers they have too much time on their hands since they have too many concerns what others are doing in the industry.   There seems to be a lot of resentment if they lose a job to another firm either because they had a better line of bull s**t, were better at what they are doing or just outright liars.   There is too much concern how others run their businesses.   They need to just get over it and move on instead of looking for sympathy from you and the other readers.   Have an issue with another company?   Use the tools available such as an attorney or file an official complain and don’t expect others to do your dirty work such as association to file complains that you don’t want to be associated with and hang your name on.
    Also the writer from California should know what he is talking about before commenting about things on the east coast which apparently he know nothing about.   If he took the time to read the FDNY requirements to be a T-97 Certificate of Fitness holder he would realize that to hold this certificate you are require to have three years of on the job working experience in the New York City fire alarm industry.   Since eighteen is the official minimum age you can get any CoF, eighteen plus three equals twenty one.    So next time west coasters comment they should be diligent before opening their mouths on east coast issues.  Also don’t respond with nonsense of what if a person worked for the firm as a son, daughter, relative or friend before eighteen for three years.
Yours truly,
Name withheld by request
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Response - everyone is encouraged to contribute to this forum.  Try and keep it productive.
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more new RMR opportunities - Linked24 June 5, 2012
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Ken
    There are many free apps which don’t cost anything to use them, all you have to type in the app search is: friend stream, gps track or tracker etc etc, many are free with no monthly fees etc,
HSS
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