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Funny how that works
May. 15th, 2009 05:45 pmI have a key fob for my home alarm system. It's nice, because I can use it remotely instead of punching in the code on the panel. It looks like those things that most people use to lock and unlock their car doors, but I don't have a one of those for my car; if I did, my key ring might be rather clunky.
When I acquired a housemate, I called the alarm company to see about getting another key fob, and was told it would cost $75 or so -- I don't remember the exact amount.
About an hour ago, a guy from Honeywell came to the door and offered me a new system, including an additional key fob, for free. The per-month fee is a bit more, but I liked the features, especially the fact that the fire alarm would be wired into the system. I'd had that in my old house, but not at this one. The whole thing is done as a bit of an ambush -- the guy comes to the door and makes the offer, you sign the contract, and a few minutes later the installers show up.
In the process of installing the new system, it triggered the tamper switch on the old system, and I got a phone call to check if everything was all right. I said it was, but that I'd been seduced away and needed to discontinue service. I was transferred to the retention department, where a nice woman asked me if there was anything she could offer to keep me. I said that since I'd signed a contract, I really didn't think so. And that was when I realized that the speed of the entire process wasn't done for my benefit, but for the new company's.
I didn't explain to the nice woman that if they'd given me a free key fob a few months ago, they might still have me as a customer.
When I acquired a housemate, I called the alarm company to see about getting another key fob, and was told it would cost $75 or so -- I don't remember the exact amount.
About an hour ago, a guy from Honeywell came to the door and offered me a new system, including an additional key fob, for free. The per-month fee is a bit more, but I liked the features, especially the fact that the fire alarm would be wired into the system. I'd had that in my old house, but not at this one. The whole thing is done as a bit of an ambush -- the guy comes to the door and makes the offer, you sign the contract, and a few minutes later the installers show up.
In the process of installing the new system, it triggered the tamper switch on the old system, and I got a phone call to check if everything was all right. I said it was, but that I'd been seduced away and needed to discontinue service. I was transferred to the retention department, where a nice woman asked me if there was anything she could offer to keep me. I said that since I'd signed a contract, I really didn't think so. And that was when I realized that the speed of the entire process wasn't done for my benefit, but for the new company's.
I didn't explain to the nice woman that if they'd given me a free key fob a few months ago, they might still have me as a customer.
