Making Cents of Remote Services

Recently I was talking with a friend of mine about the new services that the security company he works for is offering. This company is following the big market players like ADT and Comcast in offering automation services with remote connection to their home alarm.  For a reasonable installation charge and an additional monthly fee their customers will have the ability to turn on and off lights set thermostat controls unlock doors set the alarm etc. all from a smart phone or computer.

I was quite amused with his excitement over all “new” technology coming out, and informed him that I have been installing this exact type of system for the past ten years. The biggest difference between the two is that the Automation Systems I have been installing can incorporate security as a part instead of having the security system as the main controller and the remote services that come with my automaton systems are, well, free.

My friend looked quite bewildered at this concept and asked, “Why would you offer remote services for free when you could make money from them every month?”  The entire security business model is based on reoccurring monthly revenue charges for monitoring alarms, and it is a very effective model. So it is natural for someone in that culture to think of ways to increase their RMR, myself included, but there is something else that drives my thoughts as well -I genuinely like to do this stuff!

I do not worry about how much money I can make from each and every person I do business with, and I am not concerened with building a huge customer base through which I receive small checks from every month. No, for me it’s about the joy of the experience. It's about the experience that systems like this offer. It’s about offering my customers solutions that may have been unobtainable otherwise. And that makes it much easier for me to do business by the Golden Rule.

Yes, I said the Golden Rule. You know, that one you learned on the play ground in grade school.  To treat others the way you would want to be treated. I personally like it when I’m given the option to save thousands of dollars over the life of my system. And I like it when I am offered more advanced features and functionality for the electronic systems in my home.  If I like those things I do not see any reason why I should not offer them to my clients.

I’m not saying that security companies shouldn't offer monthly services for turning on and off lights, or having control over thermostats or locks, instead what I am saying is when professionals provide those services they should treat the customer how they would want to be treated and not like another little bit of padding for their pocketbook.