Take over thieves - should the cs monitor them

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Ken

This is the second time in a few weeks that one of my customers has called me to state that they just received a call from "the alarm company". They state that "jerry who installed the alarm is starting a new company and can they come over and upgrade and take over the alarm monitoring". I am told

they were pushy and slightly credible. Of course it is a scam. The caller ID # was 631-656-5652 and the recorded message stated the company is USA Alarm and if an emergency call 866-664-8766. That number is for Monitronics, a central station in Dallas Texas. No idea how I am being targeted,

however if you post this perhaps your readers can best be educated about this tactic - and they should call Monitronics to complain and if Monitorics won't stop enabling this thief then other dealers should move their accounts to another central station.

Please list me as anon (last time I asked this you printed my name!)

anon

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Response

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We know that some alarm companies think the best business model is to steal other alarm company subscribers. If identified should central stations refuse to monitor these less than upstanding alarm companies? Should distributors refuse to sell them material and equipment? Seems like that self regulation is well beyond the means and interest of the alarm industry. Alarm company owners sort of sit by watching one competitor pick off another, just glad it's not them getting picked off, but not really willing to take a side one way or another. As I mentioned in the November 27 2014 article, I doubt you're going to see vendors taking the high road and refusing to do business with take over artists and scammers. Of course if an organized effort is launched by other companies pressuring the vendor and threatening loss of business you might get some attention.

But as long as you prefer to remain ANON and don't make the calls yourself no point just complaining about it.

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Cancel monitoring for non payment of service call

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Ken

You've been kind enough to offer guidance before and we have another pain customer I'd like to just get rid of but not sure if possible just yet. We have used your Monitoring Contracts and Standard Security Equipment Sales Contracts that this customer has signed.

Said customer has been around since 2008, and has a problem with paying his monitoring on time, but after calls, etc. he pays eventually. His batteries needed to be changed for the system and radio so we did a service call. My mistake was that I didn't follow-up with anything written, but I know in our conversations I would state you would be billed for the batteries plus the service call, and I quoted our rate of $95/hour, two hour minimum, of course he balked and long story short Mike (Tech/my co-owner) always gives him a 20% customer discount, which he received for this. Invoices went out in September (service done in Sept) and again this month, once it was 30 days past due. He in turns send invoice back stating we need to revise invoice. I called and left him a message, which he says was rude (not rude, I just stated the facts) and now he will not talk to me, only wants to hear from Mike that is the only way he will continue to do business with us. I just want to be done with customer, but not sure if we can for non-payment for a service call, which is what my question is?

Can we get rid of customer for non-payment of service call invoice? Or am I better off, his monitoring is due in February - to wait until then and cancel him for non-payment then, as I'm sure he'll be late once again.

Thoughts?

Roberta

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Response

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Unless you tie the service contract in with monitoring they are separate agreements. Of course if you used the Residential All in One it's one agreement covering monitoring, service and lots of other things, and a default in any item triggers a default of the entire agreement. But you don't have that. [sounds like you have an old Sales contract and separate Monitoring contract].

You could be in trouble for canceling monitoring just because a service call charge was not paid. Wait until the contract term is over and don't renew - it's a 2008 contract so it's got to be in renewal, probably month to month. This way you don't have to wait for a default in payment. If renewal is not soon then when you don't get paid on time send out a termination letter. Do not afford an opportunity to cure the default by payment. Simply let subscriber know the precise date and time monitoring services will be canceled.

You can refer him to someone else. There's a phone number above for the take over artist who might deserve this subscriber.

 

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