Do-it-yourself (DIY) or not? Install your own system or have a professional system installed by a reputable security company.
We have strong opinions on this issue. Here’s why: When it comes to reducing unnecessary alarm activations, having a properly-installed system is a HUGE part of that successful equation. Poorly installed systems have more false alarms.
Additionally, having the system professionally monitored is an essential element. Our industry monitoring centers know what equipment is installed, what sensors are used and how they are programmed, and they apply techniques well-proven to reduce unnecessary dispatches, like two-call confirmation. These centers filter out roughly 93 percent of the potentially dispatchable calls. In other words, law enforcement sees only 7 out of 100 calls that are processed.
Security companies should not neglect these points as part of their sales pitch, and something their service staff speaks to customers about during the installation process. Let customers know that your highly trained people make sure the system is installed to professional standards designed to minimize any system or equipment errors. Along with specialized professional monitoring, these systems minimize aggravations to law enforcement.
No matter how easy it is to install a DIY system or how talented the person installing it thinks he or she is, that person has not gone through the training that technicians have in the security system. Quite frankly, that gives customers another layer of protection and peace of mind
Use the pitch. Add it to your sales materials and your training for customer-facing employees on your team. It will help in the ongoing battle to continue reducing nuisance alarm activations and it’s a good selling point for your business.
Interest in DIY security systems is on the rise, with 52 percent of households who say they are highly likely to purchase a security system in the next 12 months saying they plan to buy a self-installed one, according to a recent story in Security Systems