When you are looking online for the best security systems, you will be inundated by 3 major players:
- Google (Nest)
- Amazon (Ring)
- Simply Safe.
I’ll let you in on a little trade secret because what these companies provide is far from being the best security systems. They just happen to be the best at spending money on advertising.
So, here’s how the three big corporations do business – they manufacture the cheapest equipment, offer it for the cheapest price, they ship it to you in the box and expect you to design and install the system yourself. Here is the reality of the situation.
If a company sells you the cheapest equipment, the old saying will ring true – you get what you pay for. If you are paying for the cheapest product and the cheapest service and installing the system yourself, the only thing you should expect is the cheapest results. They’ll literally tell you to peel and stick a motion detector to the wall or set it on a shelf. What they won’t disclose is that sticky tape will eventually fail, the motion detector will fall, the police will come.
You’ll waste essential resources and you’ll be hit with a false alarm fee. You’ll call them to tell them what happened and guess who they’ll blame? That’s right, you, because you were the installer. The same thing will happen if the equipment fails. It doesn’t really matter to these security companies because they’ve already made their money by selling you cheap equipment. Unfortunately you won’t be able to return the system, because you’ll be past the return date. They won’t care, it’s a lot less expensive for them to find a new customer instead keeping you as a happy customer!
Next, let’s talk about privacy. Our large corporate friends have decided to work their way into the security field, but here is what you need to know – they are in the business of collecting data and providing information. How much security do you really think are in these security systems? Think about the information they are collecting from you. Is privacy important to you?
Let’s talk about what it takes to be the best security system. To start, there are two ways to go about purchasing a security system; you can pay more up-front and save on the monthly cost without necessarily having an agreement, or you can pay less up front, more per month with an agreement which pays for the equipment over time.
Paying more per month with an agreement is typically how the security company recovers the cost of the equipment over time, making it more affordable for the customer up front.
The best security systems are designed to be effective, use quality equipment, are simple to use and reliable. They also require a professional technician, for good reasons. How can you be sure your system is designed properly if you are buying a one- size-fits-all product that someone sells you over the phone? Do you really know where you’re supposed to mount a motion detector, glass break, or window sensor?
There are so many variables that need to be taken into consideration such as positioning, environment, pets and lifestyle. If you get just one thing incorrect then you’re going to end up with a false alarm fee or even worse, you will end up with an ineffective alarm when you need it the most. I’m sure we can all agree that your alarm needs to work in case of an emergency.
Security is not supposed to be a toy. It is a life saving device designed to protect your family and your property. Most people don’t even think about these kinds of things. They just do what they are told by these corporations with huge advertising budgets. The unfortunate reality is they do not care about you. They care about shareholders.
Pillars for the best security system:
1.Professional Onsite Walk-Through
A professional will come to your house and do a walk-thru to design a system that makes the most sense for you, your family, or your business. This is your security and it’s important to establish a trusting relationship with the company responsible for helping protect everything that is important to you.
2.Quality Equipment
Once again, you get what you pay for. Professionals will use equipment such as DSC and Qolsys which are hands down the best on the market. It’s important to use equipment that is non-proprietary so you’ll have the ability to choose from thousands of monitoring companies. It is never recommended to purchase proprietary equipment. You’ll end up being stuck with equipment that only works with one monitoring company who has control over your rates, pricing and service.
3. Professional Installation
A professional security company will send out a qualified technician who has been properly trained. They will be trained on equipment placement and installation procedures. They’ll test the equipment and before they leave, they’ll train you how to use your system.
4.Warranty and Service
A professional company will warranty and service your system. Even when using the best equipment, you could have a problem. It does not happen very often, but when it does, you’ll want a technician to come out and fix it.
5.Monitoring Station
It’s important to team up with the right monitoring stations. The best monitoring stations have redundancy with multiple monitoring stations inter-connected. This is especially important to handle call volumes if there is a natural disaster. They’ll have the right employee to customer ratios. Also, they’ll use the most advanced technologies for integration with equipment manufactures and the features they offer.
6.User Interface
A User Interface Platform is how you’ll interact with your alarm system. It is vital to partner with the right company . An example is Alarm.com. Alarm.com is by far the best service available on the market. Using Alarm.com allows user interaction with their alarm system to arm / disarm, receive reminders / notifications and manage user codes and logins. You can also to integrate lights, locks, thermostats, garage doors, cameras, etc. into one, giving you complete control over your system and automation from just one app.
7. Value
Going with the best will not be the cheapest. However going with a company that will design, install, and service quality equipment for a fair price will be the best value.
8. Local
The only way to be the best is to be local. There is no way to professionally service your alarm system over the phone. Some out of state companies will advertise that they have local installers. However, most are subcontractors without the proper state licensing, no background checks and who don’t even have insurance.
Partnering with a local company will help ensure their technicians are employees with the required local licensing / insurance and have been properly screened. Be careful who you let in your home.
If you would like to learn more, do not hesitate to call us. We will show you what it means to be the best security system company. Click here to learn more. https://www.freedomsystemsinc.com/alarm-systems/