This topic is very close to my heart, as a technician, I have always felt many alarm sales people lacked integrity, honesty and the basic technical knowledge to properly represent a security alarm
installation company. Of course, in the eyes of many, sales has more to do with the ability to close a deal than actual knowledge of what you are selling. After all, if the average consumer knew anything about security alarms, they would probably try to install them themselves or,
at the very least, they would not fall for these crap sales oriented companies. This is by no means saying all security alarm sales people are douche bags, just enough of them to make the industry look bad.
So who is my target today? In the past, I have exposed several alarm companies including
ADT,
Alarmforce and other Discount alarm companies for either their crap systems or their marketing
misrepresentations. Today the topic is much more urgent and really quite serious. Although several companies, including
ADT, have been known for their "Summertime Sales" promotions. This is when a company hires students right out of high school (and often in high school) to do door to door sales of their security alarms. Although door to door sales is often a
necessity in many home service type businesses, there needs to be a line drawn in the sand.
If there was in fact a line in the sand,
APX Alarms would have long stepped all over it and kicked sand in the eyes of the person drawing the line. I am by no means saying every
APX alarm sales person is a douche, but from what I have heard and read many of them are severely lacking in knowledge and scruples. I have been personally told,
APX Alarms instructs their sales people that nothing is sacred with respect to closing the deal.
How do I know this, well it is quite an interesting story. About a week ago I heard a knock at my door. When I answered it a very young male dressed quite nicely was at the door with some
pamphlets. As I have security alarm stickers on my window, and a keypad right by my door it was obvious I had a security alarm system. His first words were, "Hello, I am from the alarm company and I need to talk to you about your security system." Having heard of
APX Alarms and their sales techniques, I withheld my anger and
disdain and let the young punk in (fully knowing he was not from my alarm company as I am the owner.) After a few
prodding questions and comments about an apparent "Crime spree in the
neighbourhood" it became evident he was in fact not from my security alarm company and was in fact from
APX. He went on to say how the owner of the company who was taking care of my alarm system was in fact being charged with stealing from his customers (Odd, did I miss something)
Still withholding my anger, I played along for
abit. The sales person went on to say the security system I had installed was old and out of date and did not provide sufficient protection.
Hmmm, fully automated home with a hardwired security alarm system consisting of
glassbreak detectors, motion detectors, contacts on every window, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on every floor plus a water sensor by the hot water tank, with cellular,
landline and
IP alarm reporting... ya
ok that is out of date and full of holes.
He went on to say
APX Alarms was
affiliated with Honeywell Security Systems and was therefor able to get better equipment than anyone else in the industry. That is odd, Honeywell is no longer in the
alarm installation business.
This
APX alarms sales person went on to say he could replace my "out of date security system" with a "High Tech Wireless Honeywell Security System." Now that was funny. With-holding my laughter, I played dumb and asked what was so wrong with the security alarm system I had. Now this is where it gets really funny. Without missing a beat, this
teen aged punk continued on to tell me how the APX system was superior because it talked and how my system was garbage and could be bypassed by someone simply cutting the wires.
Hmmm, what wires I said (not telling him my system also had voice control and could be accessed and controlled over secure internet.) He quickly responded "The wires going to your doors and windows." Keep in mind, all the wires are hidden in the walls. Furthermore, he said, "criminals now have code scramblers and they are able to disarm your particular alarm system by putting a special black box next to your keypad."
At that point I could not hold back, I informed the little punk
APX alarm sales person that he was completely full of crap and requested to see his security alarm sales licence. Of course, he did not have one. When I told him I actually owned the alarm company he was bad mouthing, he quickly switched gears and tried to suck up for a job. This
APX alarm sales person said he was simply trying to get into the alarm sales business and responded to
APX alarms "No Experience required"
advertisement. He told me they taught him everything about how to close a deal and how he would be able to help my company make millions.
Being a little interested in their "techniques" I inquired a little further. He went on to say, the sales trainer at
APX alarms told me all I need to do is induce fear because fear is the biggest reason people choose to install security alarm systems. He was gloating about how the area sales manager for
APX alarms listens to a police scanner to target certain area's which have been hit by a recent break-
in's. He seemed really excited and wanted to go on further but I kicked him out of my house.
Unfortunately I forgot to get his name as he needed to be reported.
As if that wasn't enough, I heard my brother and a family friend in another city have also had similar experiences. When I first got into the security alarm industry 25 some-odd years ago, I found it hard to believe a company would be running the risk of bold faced lying to get a sale.
Unfortunately this is still a practice used by many security alarm sales people in the industry.
APX alarms is not the first and I'm sure they will not be the last. What is truly scary is that this appears to be a practice used on a national basis. Normally I try to stay away from slamming a company as hard as I just did and I try to skirt around the issues. This time I felt it was important to out-right explain my experience in detail. Fear should NEVER be used to sell anything. This is a very cruel thing to do to a person and I am beyond angry that
APX Alarms is doing this.
I am located in Eastern Canada, I do not know how far
APX has gone with their Summer Promotion, however their website indicated they are
targeting most of Canada and pretty much all of the United States. They do not appear to have service departments set-up and
utilise contractors on piece work. What this means is, if something goes wrong with your alarm system or you have a simple question which requires a technician to visit. Your service will be taken care of by the lowest bidder in their pool of sub-contractors. I don't know what
APX Alarms' service policy is however you will most likely be billed well over $150 per hour for any technician visit. A battery change could end up costing you as much as $500.
If you feel comfortable with the
APX alarms sales person who visited your home and you decide to go with them, please read the contract in detail. Make sure you understand what you are getting into and ask clear and
concise questions. If possible, get any promises in writing signed by someone within management of
APX Alarms. This also applies to any consumer purchase, especially ones which involve door to door sales.
Good Luck, and I hope I answered all of your questions. FYI, the alarm system APX Alarms is offering for "FREE" is on promo at the wholesalers this month for $97 CAD. This is quite easily covered by the first few months of monitoring fee's. Remember, nothing in life is free.
I just stumbled across what at the very first moment I saw it screamed "Toilet Alarm" When looking through the spec's of the uber hyped "Ismart Alarm" the first thing which concerned me was, of course, the wireless aspect. Oddly enough, I did really give the ISmartAlarm an honest look through as far as the specs went, so here is what I discovered in my review of the ISMART ALARM.
