What Does Free or Cheap Security Mean?

You may have seen the ads:

• Get your FREE Security System.
• Get your FREE Yard Sign and State of the Art Security System for FREE.
• Get an $875 Security System Absolutely Free.
• Business Security System for $99

Sounds like a great deal, right? If you honestly think you’re going to get proper protection for your home or family for ‘free’ or cheap, you’re going to be disappointed. Let’s set the record straight about cheap or ‘free’ security.

When considering a security system for your home there is always a cost for the hardware and installation. In our capitalist world, people do not work for free. If they do, we call them volunteers.

Most businesses operate for a profit. So why are these security companies giving you all this security for free? Simple – you as the consumer end up giving up service or quality or both to get that free or cheap system. What you often gain in free you gain even more in headaches later.

FREE Systems Lock You In
Ever buy something and never ever own it? You may lease your car or rent your home…but most people don’t buy a television to never own it. You want to own your alarm equipment don’t you? You should. What happens with the alarm company you are with drops the ball and you want to switch monitoring companies? With a free system you can’t! If you’re not happy with their service, or want to shop around for a different company you can’t. With a “free” system that company owns the rights to that system. It is “locked out” preventing you from changing. You’re stuck. Congratulations! You are now married to “Dewey Screwem and How Alarm.”

Protection vs. Peace of Mind
The difference between protection and peace of mind in today’s security market has become fuzzy. A lot of alarm companies use these terms interchangeably. We don’t. What is the difference between Protection and Peace of Mind?

• Peace of mind:  buying an alarm system with one motion sensor and two door sensors and telling yourself you have an alarm. You can easily buy a security system with one motion sensor for a 1300 sq ft home but that doesn’t even come close to having adequate protection against and intruder. There will be huge gaps in your security protection, allowing an intruder to easily enter your home and get into areas of the house before the alarm actually goes off. You may even come home to the burglar still in your home.

• Protection: a security system in your home should be like an onion. Layers of security that begin with the perimeter protecting doors and windows with more protective devices such as motion sensors on the interior. The purpose of all this protection is to pick up on any movement inside the home to make it more difficult for the intruder to get past the system. Most homes that we see need more than one motion detector and should also use glass break detectors as an additional layer of protection. In addition to intrusion protection, you should monitored smoke and carbon monoxide detection sensors that can alert you and our Alarm Dispatch Center immediately in the event of a fire or dangerous levels of CO detected. You now have a Protection System that will keep you home and family safe from the burglar and fire or CO.

Still unconvinced? What about service after the sale? What happens if your alarm system stops working or needs repair and you want it now?! Many companies are betting that you may never need service and when you do, they drop the ball. We often meet homeowners who for over a week are trying to get someone to fix the alarm, yet the bills keep coming. Ever try calling the cable or phone company for service? What’s that experience like?

FREE = Economy Staff
These free or cheap systems are often entry level or economy systems that require little to no skill to install. Most of the programming is done ahead of time at the company  so the “installer” (loosely) that puts the system in can get the job done as quickly as possible so he/she can move to the next install. We call them ‘lick-and-stick” as most of these systems use double-sided adhesive tape.

Many of these installers have little to no skill because their employers pay them as little as possible. Many of these installers don’t have the ‘soft’ skills required to work with customers. These “free” alarm companies do not attract the best technicians. Really talented installation technicians are paid well because they are surprisingly rare and are a valued commodity in the industry. A skilled installer is considered a craftsman.

There are many deceptive and not-so-deceptive sales and marketing tactics that security companies use to lure you into a quick sale. You nibble on the bait and they have you hooked into a purchase you may regret later.

Do you research online, call your friends who have security systems and most of all buy from a local company that is licensed and has a reputation for quality and dependability.