Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Contract Central Stations

J

J Barnes

Jan 1, 1970
0
I was thinking about this the other day and am wondering? How does a
contract central station answer their phones? Do they use the name of the
alarm company or their own name? Also when they contact keyholders for an
alarm how do they announce themselves?

James
 
J

Joe Lucia

Jan 1, 1970
0
Our Operators answer "Security Control this is ...". Some will answer
with the Dealers name but we found we had to explain too often that we
were really the Monitoring Center and they would have to call their
Alarm Company for service. The customer is usually already pretty
impressed that we know who they are before we even answer the phone
(automatic caller id search against our accounts and call lists presents
the operator with a list of accounts the caller may be calling from/for
when they pickup the phone, boy that saves a LOT of time). We won't use
automated attendants, a live operator always answers, and we don't
charge the dealer $5.00 for talking to their customer directly, people
like that :)

When dispatching and calling RP's (responsible parties / keyholders) we
use the Alarm Company's name.
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
J said:
I was thinking about this the other day and am wondering? How does a
contract central station answer their phones? Do they use the name of the
alarm company or their own name? Also when they contact keyholders for an
alarm how do they announce themselves?

James

Mine uses the term Alarm Central Station.

Hello this is Alarm Central Station.

Hello, this is Alarm Central Station calling, may I have your code word
please?

Hello, I'm calling from Mr & Mrs Smiths Alarm Central Station
monitoring company and we received an alarm signal ......
 
M

Mark Leuck

Jan 1, 1970
0
J Barnes said:
I was thinking about this the other day and am wondering? How does a
contract central station answer their phones? Do they use the name of the
alarm company or their own name? Also when they contact keyholders for an
alarm how do they announce themselves?

James


Hi

How are ya

House the kids?

That kind of thing
 
F

Frank Olson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Doug said:
Can you hold please

Doug L


Heh...

I can see it now: "Due to high call volume (and Carnaval in Rio),
please email us."
 
M

Mr.Double-sided tape

Jan 1, 1970
0
When I installed 2 way panels for Monitroincs the operator's script was
"This is the central station Hello? Hello? Hello anyone there? Hello
this is Mary.... Hello? Ummm Hello? Tom please move that panel away
from the air conditioner. Tom? Tom can you hear me? Mark can you call
Tom and tell him to move that panel please?"
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yo, dis is dispatch...wazzup dood..yo wazzya passwerd?



|
| | > I was thinking about this the other day and am wondering? How does a
| > contract central station answer their phones? Do they use the name of
the
| > alarm company or their own name? Also when they contact keyholders for
an
| > alarm how do they announce themselves?
| >
| > James
|
|
| Hi
|
| How are ya
|
| House the kids?
|
| That kind of thing
|
|
|
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
No that's what the pd dispatch says.



| Can you hold please
|
| Doug L
|
| --
|
| | >I was thinking about this the other day and am wondering? How does a
| >contract central station answer their phones? Do they use the name of
the
| >alarm company or their own name? Also when they contact keyholders for
an
| >alarm how do they announce themselves?
| >
| > James
| >
|
|
|
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
we don't charge the dealer $5.00 for talking to
their customer directly

Wow! I wasn't aware that there even were central stations that
charge dealers per call. Which CS does that?

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

Bass Burglar Alarms
The Online DIY Store
http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
I was thinking about this the other day and am wondering? How does a
contract central station answer their phones? Do they use the name of the
alarm company or their own name?

It depends on the central station. I ran a small central station
alarm company for many years. In addition to our own accounts I
also monitored for a few smaller dealers. I wrote software to
display the name and account information in screen when calls
came in. We would answer the phone with the name of the
installing alarm company if Caller ID was received and if it was
a known caller. Otherwise we would answer as "Northeastern
Security".

Most of the time the CS is making the calls rather than receiving
them. When they call a protected premises or a key holder most
identify them selves using the installing company's name.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

Bass Burglar Alarms
The Online DIY Store
http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
 
J

Joe Lucia

Jan 1, 1970
0
We have hear a Lot of horror stories about COPS Monitoring charging the
dealer just because the Customer didn't use the Automated System for one
thing or another. Or, get this, they will charge the dealer $5.00 to
update the name or address of an account for the dealer over the phone
(misspelled name? better update it yourself online because if the
Operator has to do it you will get charged.)

I've not personally experienced this, but we've heard the same stories
from many dealers that are leaving COPS because the are getting
nickle-and-dimed for every little thing. Especially since the dealer
can't control when the customer might call in to the C/S and,
heaven-forbid, need to talk to a live person for anything other then
cancelling an alarm.

COPS recently purchased ACM here in Arizona. We've been getting a lot
of new dealers because of problems with line moves and bad customer
service (dealers can't get any straight answers from COPS or ACM
regarding the move, many haven't even heard about the move and are
getting fail-to-communicates from multiple systems on a daily basis
now). Boy have we heard it all. It's amazing COPS is as big as they
are with such poor technical and customer support for their dealers.
Any, why ACM would sell to someone with such a bad reputation is beyond
me. They never even Asked Us. We get dealers moving over on a regular
basis now, they are just fed-up with the problems. ACM was bad enough
(so they say), but COPS taking on ACM is exponentially worse (so they
say). We don't advertise or do any sort of marketing, we just let them
come over as they see fit and they wonder why they waited so long.
We've had dealers say how nice it is not having constant calls from the
C/S for one thing or another (undefined signals, incomplete information,
etc.) because we take care of things for them (our supervisors actually
Understand the way things work and can handle most any problem without
bothering the dealer).

I'm not trying to bash or brag, just telling you what I've heard from
the Dealers that have switched over to us during the COPS-ACM "partnership".
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
Read their dealer agreement...there's a scary one.

Maria is a big muckity muck there you know - ran into her at ADI last
summer.



| We have hear a Lot of horror stories about COPS Monitoring charging the
| dealer just because the Customer didn't use the Automated System for one
| thing or another. Or, get this, they will charge the dealer $5.00 to
| update the name or address of an account for the dealer over the phone
| (misspelled name? better update it yourself online because if the
| Operator has to do it you will get charged.)
|
| I've not personally experienced this, but we've heard the same stories
| from many dealers that are leaving COPS because the are getting
| nickle-and-dimed for every little thing. Especially since the dealer
| can't control when the customer might call in to the C/S and,
| heaven-forbid, need to talk to a live person for anything other then
| cancelling an alarm.
|
| COPS recently purchased ACM here in Arizona. We've been getting a lot
| of new dealers because of problems with line moves and bad customer
| service (dealers can't get any straight answers from COPS or ACM
| regarding the move, many haven't even heard about the move and are
| getting fail-to-communicates from multiple systems on a daily basis
| now). Boy have we heard it all. It's amazing COPS is as big as they
| are with such poor technical and customer support for their dealers.
| Any, why ACM would sell to someone with such a bad reputation is beyond
| me. They never even Asked Us. We get dealers moving over on a regular
| basis now, they are just fed-up with the problems. ACM was bad enough
| (so they say), but COPS taking on ACM is exponentially worse (so they
| say). We don't advertise or do any sort of marketing, we just let them
| come over as they see fit and they wonder why they waited so long.
| We've had dealers say how nice it is not having constant calls from the
| C/S for one thing or another (undefined signals, incomplete information,
| etc.) because we take care of things for them (our supervisors actually
| Understand the way things work and can handle most any problem without
| bothering the dealer).
|
| I'm not trying to bash or brag, just telling you what I've heard from
| the Dealers that have switched over to us during the COPS-ACM
"partnership".
|
| Robert L Bass wrote:
|
| >>we don't charge the dealer $5.00 for talking to
| >>their customer directly
| >>
| >>
| >
| >Wow! I wasn't aware that there even were central stations that
| >charge dealers per call. Which CS does that?
| >
| >--
| >
| >Regards,
| >Robert L Bass
| >
| >Bass Burglar Alarms
| >The Online DIY Store
| >http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
| >
| >--
| >
| >Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large
| >groups.
| >
| >
 
R

Robert L Bass

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm not trying to bash or brag, just telling you
what I've heard from the Dealers that have
switched over to us during the COPS-ACM
"partnership".

Don't you just love it when outfits like that drive their
customers to you? I get a lot of customers from installing
dealers as well as other online DIY stores. Today I spoke with a
gentleman whose alarm company charged him $150 in materials to
replace a smoke detector that was still under the manufacturer's
warranty. I won't identify the person but he has posted here.

When the gentleman objected to being dishonestly charged for
replacement of an in-warranty item his alarm company sent the
matter to collection. Dealers like that make my job so much
easier. It's unfortunate that they also give the industry a
black eye with their crooked behavior.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

Bass Burglar Alarms
The Online DIY Store
http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
 
J

Joe Lucia

Jan 1, 1970
0
Maria is the reason most dealers were fed-up with ACM in the first
place. They were happy to see her leave. Now they have to deal with
her at COPS. We have heard many things about Maria's ability to manage
a Monitoring Center (from ACM employees as well as the Dealers), none of
it good.
 
C

Crash Gordon

Jan 1, 1970
0
So Bob sold ACM eh?


| Maria is the reason most dealers were fed-up with ACM in the first
| place. They were happy to see her leave. Now they have to deal with
| her at COPS. We have heard many things about Maria's ability to manage
| a Monitoring Center (from ACM employees as well as the Dealers), none of
| it good.
|
| Crash Gordon wrote:
|
| >Read their dealer agreement...there's a scary one.
| >
| >Maria is a big muckity muck there you know - ran into her at ADI last
| >summer.
| >
| >
| >
| >| >| We have hear a Lot of horror stories about COPS Monitoring charging the
| >| dealer just because the Customer didn't use the Automated System for
one
| >| thing or another. Or, get this, they will charge the dealer $5.00 to
| >| update the name or address of an account for the dealer over the phone
| >| (misspelled name? better update it yourself online because if the
| >| Operator has to do it you will get charged.)
| >|
| >| I've not personally experienced this, but we've heard the same stories
| >| from many dealers that are leaving COPS because the are getting
| >| nickle-and-dimed for every little thing. Especially since the dealer
| >| can't control when the customer might call in to the C/S and,
| >| heaven-forbid, need to talk to a live person for anything other then
| >| cancelling an alarm.
| >|
| >| COPS recently purchased ACM here in Arizona. We've been getting a lot
| >| of new dealers because of problems with line moves and bad customer
| >| service (dealers can't get any straight answers from COPS or ACM
| >| regarding the move, many haven't even heard about the move and are
| >| getting fail-to-communicates from multiple systems on a daily basis
| >| now). Boy have we heard it all. It's amazing COPS is as big as they
| >| are with such poor technical and customer support for their dealers.
| >| Any, why ACM would sell to someone with such a bad reputation is beyond
| >| me. They never even Asked Us. We get dealers moving over on a regular
| >| basis now, they are just fed-up with the problems. ACM was bad enough
| >| (so they say), but COPS taking on ACM is exponentially worse (so they
| >| say). We don't advertise or do any sort of marketing, we just let them
| >| come over as they see fit and they wonder why they waited so long.
| >| We've had dealers say how nice it is not having constant calls from the
| >| C/S for one thing or another (undefined signals, incomplete
information,
| >| etc.) because we take care of things for them (our supervisors actually
| >| Understand the way things work and can handle most any problem without
| >| bothering the dealer).
| >|
| >| I'm not trying to bash or brag, just telling you what I've heard from
| >| the Dealers that have switched over to us during the COPS-ACM
| >"partnership".
| >|
| >| Robert L Bass wrote:
| >|
| >| >>we don't charge the dealer $5.00 for talking to
| >| >>their customer directly
| >| >>
| >| >>
| >| >
| >| >Wow! I wasn't aware that there even were central stations that
| >| >charge dealers per call. Which CS does that?
| >| >
| >| >--
| >| >
| >| >Regards,
| >| >Robert L Bass
| >| >
| >| >Bass Burglar Alarms
| >| >The Online DIY Store
| >| >http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
| >| >
| >| >--
| >| >
| >| >Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large
| >| >groups.
| >| >
| >| >
| >
| >
| >
| >
 
J

Joe Lucia

Jan 1, 1970
0
Well, the letter ACM sent to their dealers called it a "strategic
partnership" but COPS is now calling it an "acquisition".

po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe
 
J

Jim

Jan 1, 1970
0
Robert said:
Don't you just love it when outfits like that drive their
customers to you? I get a lot of customers from installing
dealers as well as other online DIY stores. Today I spoke with a
gentleman whose alarm company charged him $150 in materials to
replace a smoke detector that was still under the manufacturer's
warranty. I won't identify the person but he has posted here.

When the gentleman objected to being dishonestly charged for
replacement of an in-warranty item his alarm company sent the
matter to collection. Dealers like that make my job so much
easier. It's unfortunate that they also give the industry a
black eye with their crooked behavior.

Hey, there's not too much that the rest of us can do about people like
you and their crooked behavior. You just fade in with the rest of the
unsavory and unethical bastards that ruin this industry.
 
B

Bob Worthy

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Robert L Bass" wrote in message
Today I spoke with a
gentleman whose alarm company charged him $150 in materials to
replace a smoke detector that was still under the manufacturer's
warranty.

How are you going to handle warrantys now that you have to back the product
you sell yourself, since the distributors won't back your resales?
When the gentleman objected to being dishonestly charged for
replacement of an in-warranty item

That is the gentleman's story or yours, which is probably less believable.
How do you know what was wrong with the detector. The problem may have not
been covered under warranty. More evidence that you just like to flap your
lip and shows just how far removed you actually are from the industry. Fact
is that the guy probably took a hammer to it because he couldn't make it
stop sounding. Bad or not, if he took a hammer to it, all bets are off. You
can't truefully say you know what the circumstance was.
his alarm company sent the
matter to collection.

Yah...that is what usually happens to dead beats
Dealers like that make my job so much
easier.

Your clients are usually the ones that are to cheap to pay anyway or can't
get past the credit check run by the alarm company. You can have them.
It's unfortunate that they also give the industry a
black eye with their crooked behavior.

I don't think a multi-billion dollar industry is to concerned there Robert
if someone gets sent to collections.
 
Top