Are Free Security Systems Worth the Money?
July 30th, 2008 by moniesWhile the title question may be a bit confusing to some, I am quite certain that there are people reading this who understand the question completely. Nothing in this day and age is completely free of charge any more. In fact, those things that advertise their prices as free quite often make up for that and so much more in the end. Ultimately, when it comes to home and business security you will have to decide for yourself if the overall cost is worth the thrown in freebies. When it comes to security however, most competent security services will provide peace of mind that is well worth the eventual price.
One thing is certain however-read the small print before you decide to buy, especially when the price is free. Most home and business security systems will allow the equipment to remain as long as they are the monitoring service in question or you have used their service and equipment for a specified amount of time (again read the contract in order to find out the specifics of the company you are considering).
Another thing you should keep in mind is that these companies are competing for your business. If you see something you like with another company but the price is different see if you can have this as a bonus (while they’re giving away freebies and before you sign anything). They may have a standard agreement but that doesn’t change the fact that security companies offer a service and that service can be altered in order to meet the needs of the client. If not, there’s no harm in selecting the other company or attempting to negotiate with them. You may find a better deal elsewhere even if you are required to pay for the equipment.
In other words, don’t get so caught up in the idea of free equipment that you overlook the obvious price that is paid through inflated service agreements or overlong contractual obligations. The fine print will often reveal this sort of information as will the actual salesperson if you ask the right questions. First of all, you need to know what equipment is included in the ‘freebie’ package and what is being recommended or actually installed on your property. Never pay for something you didn’t agree to have installed and never sign anything with a company such as this without reading the contract completely (you could be agreeing to pay for the equipment you don’t even know is going to be installed otherwise).
While I would like to claim that all in the business of home security or scrupulous to a fault this is not always the case. In fact, many agents of these companies are out simply to get your signature and grab a commission. The larger the sale, the more money these agents bring home. The place that most of these companies get consumers however, is in the monthly service or monitoring fees. Compare these fees when deciding what service to bring into your home and that will ultimately indicate the largest of the hidden costs in your free home or business security system. Keep in mind what these fees include when comparing prices as well as the length of the term. You do not want to be trapped in a lengthy contract with a company that you do not like (especially when it comes to the security of your home or business) once all is said and done.
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