When your alarm company is asked to provide a proposal for a security system, do you take into consideration the risks and vulnerabilities of a customer and/or premises instead of just giving the customer a price? There are two fundamental concepts that you should consider in this process: a security survey and a needs analysis.
How many alarm contractors go through the motions of getting the sale, but repeatedly fail to customize each security system that they design? A security survey is an exhaustive search for all risks and vulnerabilities. As professionals in the industry know, risks and vulnerabilities come in all shapes and sizes.
A needs analysis is to learn from the customers what their motivation is for wanting a security system now. Often, the person has already been burglarized, or they know someone who was a victim of a burglary or crime, and/or they are concerned about another risk. Finding out about the risk they fear is critically important because, just like alarm systems, risk is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Understanding The Customer’s Needs
By way of example, please assume that the customer states that she is a victim of domestic abuse and/or someone has been stalking her, and while she has contacted the Police and has a restraining order, the police tell her that there is not much more that she can do until something happens.
Under these circumstances, the design of this security system is much different because we have a foreseeable risk that could lead to serious personal injury and/or death. At the same time, physical security of the premises needs to be fortified, and other special tactics may need to be added on top of the alarm system.
If you do not offer these services, make sure to let the customer know so that they can have these matters addressed. Along those same lines, the responses that you receive from the customer should help you better navigate the particular type of system that meets those needs.
If you cannot provide the proper type of security system, you should not accept the job.
A one-size-fits-all approach to security, without the alarm contractor performing a site visit, can leave a significant gap in the standards applied, and/or it may be a recipe for disaster, which, but for properly performing a security system and needs analysis, would not have occurred.
Therefore, what an alarm company does not know may impede the ability of the ultimate security system recommendations to be commensurate with the specific risks of this customer.
Sales Calls By Phone
Many companies do all of their sales calls over the phone, whereby they ask the customer the number of doors and windows that “they want” to have protected by the alarm system. The salesperson may also ask, by the way, “do you want a fire alarm system? How many smoke detectors would you like? Or should I just have the installer put a smoke detector in the best location in your home? Where is the best location for a smoke detector?”
As you should know, there is no best location for one smoke detector unless you know where the fire is going to start and you mount the smoke detector directly above it. To that end, once the count is completed, it’s on to pricing, trying to close the deal, possibly offering a free smoke detector, and scheduling the installation.
Given that, the way these systems are sold is premised on generalized template questions and thus based on what customers say they want, which is all that matters. While this may “work” for some, it is not the proper way to design a security system.
Nor should an alarm contractor avoid visiting the actual premises, because nothing replaces a site visit for the accuracy of how the system should be properly configured.
It should also be recognized that since these types of package alarm systems are “designed” over the phone, many times the installer ends up having to make recommendations to this new subscriber after they arrive, since he/she believe that the newly sold (over the phone) alarm system is just not sufficient.
Of course, this instantly increases the installation costs. To that end, the inspection of the premises provides the alarm professional with a heightened sense of awareness, which in turn should help the designer of the system get the proper cues from what they learned during their visit to the premises.
Consequently, this should result in an alarm system that is commensurate with the customer’s needs and wants. Coming full circle, the business of electronic security and life safety is a serious one, and based on what you design and offer, assuming the customer is willing to pay for it and/or you properly design the system, it could be the difference between life and death.
Jeffrey D. Zwirn, CPP, CFPS, CFE, SET, ITFAS-I, ITFAS-II, CHPA-IV, NFPA 3000 (PS), MSYL, MBAT, SSI Hall of Fame, is the president of IDS Research and Development, an alarm and security consultation, expert witness and training authority providing nationwide services on all issues related to alarm and security matters. He can be reached at 800-353-0733.
