Home security monitoring companies utilize computers, dedicated phone lines, and trained staff to keep an eye on your home security system
Contact the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association. Request copies of their literature as well as a directory of their member companies in your region. Read the literature and become knowledgeable regarding the basics of home security and what to expect from industry standards. Then surf through some security websites for more information.
Contact some of the companies in the directory that you requested. Also check with your insurance agency, your friends and the neighbors. Find out if the company’s employees are trained and licensed, and if they are registered with a quality certification program. Also check that any home security monitoring company you are considering dealing with has the proper regional or local certification. Find out as much as you can by reading reviews about the company.
Get in touch with the crime prevention unit of your local police service. Also request some information from the relevant consumer protection agencies, certifying agencies, and the Better Business Bureau to find out the standing of the company.
Next, phone the company and arrange for a visit from a representative at a time when everyone in your family will be around. The rep will need to know the family’s habits in order to best recommend the components that should be included in the security system. It’s also important that everyone in the household fully understands how the system works.
Find out from the rep how long the company has been in business. Ask whether their product line is Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed and if the monitoring center itself is UL certified. Get some information about their training programs. Are the operators, technology advisers and sales reps trained in how to use the operation and knowledgeable about installation. How about knowing how to design a custom system and what their policy is on dealing with your concerns and issues? Make sure the home security monitoring center is constantly on call.
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