As dealers, it’s important that your customers keep their equipment in tip-top shape. It helps if they know where to call if and when they need to put their accounts on test and when to do so.
- Monthly or Quarterly Alarm Test – Encourage your customers to call the central station to place their accounts on test so that they can make sure their alarms are sending the information to central station. Not only does it ensure the system is working, it gives your customers peace of mind.
- Cooking or Fireplace Accidents – We all know that everyone is going to burn something in the kitchen sometime. Or forget to open the flue when lighting their fireplace for the first time. It doesn’t necessarily mean the fire department is needed to respond. If it’s under control, make sure your customers know they can ask the Central Station operator to place their system on test for an hour to clear the smoke rather than chance an accidental dispatch if it goes off again and they don’t hear their phone.
- Sensor or Alarm Malfunctions – The reality is that sensors can go bad. Alarms can malfunction. If your customers know that this is the case and it’s going to take some time before they can troubleshoot with a tech or schedule a service call, it’s okay for them to ask for those zones to be placed on test. Not only will it same them frustration and possible fines, it will also ensure that the Central Station is handling actual alarms.
- Service Workers, Pets, or House Guests – It happens all the time. Grandma came to visit, but can’t figure out the alarm, and the homeowners are at work. Or Fido is wandering the house and setting off motion sensors while mom and dad are at work. Or maybe service people are there to paint the living room and the alarm was never disarmed. Whatever the case may be, it’s okay for your customers to ask the dispatcher to put the alarm or the zone on test for a period of time.
- Construction – Construction dust has been known to set off fire alarms. If customers know that they’ve got active construction going on let them know to request the alarm be placed on test.
Even better, if a customer anticipates that any of the above may happen, we gladly encourage you to welcome them to call the Central Station and proactively place the accounts/zones on test and save themselves both hassles and fines!