Gone are the days of the “safe neighbourhood” and unfortunately, in this day and age, crime rates are on the rise. As of the latest report from Victoria Police, crime rates since 2010 have risen an incredible 14.9% across total offences. This includes such crimes as theft, burglary, arson and damage of property. The most interesting of all is the theft of motor vehicles from homes, which is up by a massive 12% as opposed to the year before.
These days in order to prosecute, the identification of a person and proof of wrong doing is pivotal. Unlike America, in Australia we have the current legal system of “innocent till proven guilty” and what better way to prove a particular burglar stole or damaged your car/home/property than by capturing their image on a high definition digital CCTV system. But this isn’t the only function of a CCTV system, to tell you more, we have compiled a list of 5 reasons we believe CCTV may benefit you.
1. Who’s that ringing the doorbell now!?
Ever had those times where you’ve just settled in from a long day at work, you’ve made a piping hot cup of coffee and just kicked your feet up and suddenly, the doorbell rings… you’ve got to be kidding! Is it even worth you getting up? – Problem solved. Open up your smart phone and click on the remote viewing app to see whose car is in the driveway or who is at your front door. I personally do this all the time and save face when trying to avoiding those door to door salesmen.
2. Are the kids home from school yet?
In our day and age, keeping an eye on the kids is important but persists to be an ever present issue as parents work long hours whilst kids are getting home from school shortly after the clock strikes 3.. Or did they stroll out of school at 1 to take an early journey home? Without a teacher complaint, we don’t really know. This can be having a detrimental affect on things such as their academics and more importantly their safety. If no one knows they’ve left and where they’ve gone, who is really looking out for their safety?
With remote viewing, their movements of coming home will be detected and recorded. If you’re like me and generally in the office till ungodly hours, you’ll want to be keeping an eye on when and where your children are – and now you can. Just open up your smart phone in front of you and you now have your own personal and very portable, CCTV security system.
3. I wonder how the dog’s doing, it’s 40 degree’s today!
Most of us have pets, and like most of us with our pets comes a certain level of care that people without pets just won’t understand. We bring them into our families, bring them in out of the rain if the weather is bad, make sure their water bowls are filled and they’re out of the sun on hot days and they are fed on time. But unfortunately, not everyone can be relied upon – but luckily for you, a cctv system can. From the comfort of your artificially lit office, you’ll now be able to track the progress of your pets and what they’re getting up to.
4. Wonder if my order has arrived yet
If you’re like me and you like to order online, you either have your parcels delivered to the office or to your front door step. Now granted, we don’t always have the luxury of being able to stay at home to receive our deliveries precisely when they arrive, but at least we’ll be able to keep an eye on them until we’re able to get home or a family member arrives home to bring it in for us! Specifically when you’ve just ordered those pair of shoes you’ve waited weeks for.
5. Geez it’d be nice to know what’s going on around the home while we’re away
Don’t worry, I get it, you need a break from your day to day routine. We all do. It’s what makes us human, after all. More often than not, to escape the mundane and monotonous rut we so often find ourselves in; we escape the cold and make a break for the warmer climates of the tropic regions. But when we do, we leave behind our most important assets to us; our homes. Granted, it provides us with a little reassurance when we tell our neighbours to watch over our homes (i.e. bring in our mail, bring in the bins etc) but how do we truly know what’s going on?
Well, while you find yourself sitting in the hotel lobby 1000’s of km away, just open up your smart phone and boot the application up. Have your bins been taken in? Now you know. Are there any packages at your front door that need to be taken inside? Just send your neighbour a message.
Still Not Convinced?
So there you have it – 5 reasons why CCTV is essential. CCTV isn’t just for the sole purpose of recording wrong doing within the borders of your home, but for much more. And as always, for everything CCTV and anything else security, you know who to turn to.
If you’d like some additional info or would like to speak to someone, simply fill out the info below and we will be in touch with you as soon as we can.
– Brenton
It is already nearing the end of financial year and it is an odd time for all of us given the current global circumstances…
While you are probably busy with business reporting and the headache that COVID-19 is causing, it is also a great time to get your home or business security in order.
Why you ask?
Small businesses here in Australia are entitled to a 100% tax deduction on purchases under $30,000, meaning that you have a great deal of flexibility in investing in new asset purchases, HOWEVER with recent government economy stimulation efforts, the tax deduction can be applied to purchases over $150,000.
The government has also expanded the access to this tax deduction to businesses with an annual turnover of up to $500 million (up from $50 million).
What can be claimed?
Businesses with an annual turnover of up to $500 million can claim expenses made on any item that assists in running the business. Assets that are classified under this include, but not limited to tools, software, printers, computers, furniture, etc. Best of all, you can have unlimited purchases under this scheme.
With the threshold raised to $150,000, the new depreciation rules open up a wider range of possibilities for asset investments, including high value items such as cars, high value IT hardware, and of course security installations, including security camera systems, alarm systems, and electronic access control systems.
Timing
This proposal applies from 12 March 2020 until 30 June 2020, for new or second‑hand assets first used or installed ready for use in this timeframe.
Here’s an example:
Business benefits from increased asset threshold:
Owen owns a company, Signal Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd, through which he operates a food production business in the northern suburbs of Victoria. Signal Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd has an aggregated annual turnover of $25 million for the 2019‑20 income year. On 1 May 2020, Owen purchases a new security system including CCTV, an Alarm System and Access Control for $140,000, exclusive of GST, for protection of his business.
Under existing tax arrangements, Signal Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd is not able to immediately deduct assets costing more than $30,000 and instead would depreciate the security system using an effective life of 12 years. Choosing to use the diminishing value method, Signal Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd would claim a tax deduction of $3,899 for the 2019‑20 income year.
Under the new $150,000 instant asset write‑off, Signal Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd would instead claim an immediate deduction of $140,000 for the purchase of the security system in the 2019‑20 income year, $136,101 more than under existing arrangements. At the company tax rate of 27.5 per cent, Owen will pay $37,427.78 less tax in 2019‑20.
This will improve Signal Food Manufacturing Pty Ltd’s cash flow and help his business withstand and recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus.
Conclusion
This new policy should be a boon for businesses Australia-wide and will make it easier to invest in assets which make doing business more efficient and safer for all involved. Electronic security of all kinds is a necessity for so many businesses, especially during the tough times the country is experiencing now, and we’re happy that we can offer high-security solutions which now sit under the increased threshold.
Note: Obviously we’re electronic security specialists, not professional tax advisers. Please ensure you seek professional advice to determine whether you are able to claim a deduction for such purchases and more about this policy as it relates to your circumstances. For more information, please see the Australia Taxation Office’s information on the new policy announcement here
Spring, the time of year where the real-estate market booms. Houses and apartments go under the hammer all over Australia and the demand for purchasing a new abode during this time is crazy.
Before listing your home you should consider giving it a spritz to ensure you get the most value from your property. Minor (not structural) renovations seems to be the most popular option during this time such as painting, re-tiling, carpeting and polishing floors.
Realestate.com.au suggest in order to establish a successful sale at auction for your home, the first thing you should do is make a fantastic first impression on any potential buyers. This means going the extra mile on the presentation of your home such as getting rid of that oil stained driveway with a high pressure hose or decluttering the home and making rooms more spacious.
Realestate.com.au also supports the most popular notion of making repairs to your home as required. This combined with accessorising or ‘property staging’ makes the perceived value of a home really pop and stick out in home buyer minds. Simple things like showing bright new fluffy bathroom towels, artistic pictures and contemporary furniture all play a part in increasing your home’s value.
The best part is these new trendy accessories you have used to show off your current home is that they can be reused in your new home!
By not going the extra mile to wow potential buyers you run the risk of becoming just another house in the already very crowded housing market.
What may come a surprise to you is the increasing demand for professionally installed home security systems when purchasing a home. With an ever increasing crime rate and uncertainty about safety in new neighbourhoods, potential buyers may be hesitant to really bid for your home without adequate systems in place. By having a monitored security system installed or even a high definition CCTV camera system your real estate agent can advertise and sell this as a unique feature of your home.
Now buyers have no reason to hold back from really bidding hard at auction now that they have peace of mind. This also makes your home a more secure investment to buyers as it will be protected 24/7 meaning this minimises the chance for any property damages which can cause price devaluation.
If you are thinking about selling and would like to explore either adding some security or repairing existing security systems. Don’t hesitate to give our friendly security specialist team a call on 1300 73 83 93.
It’s unfortunate that today’s burglars and criminals are becoming smarter when choosing a home to target. They are becoming more attentive to little details that the average home owner often overlook.
You may not even be aware of what you’re doing that could lead to your home being a potential target for any would be intruders. Fear not though we are about to reveal the top things burglars look for so you can avoid being a target in the mind of a criminal.
Open windows or unlocked doors
It’s as silly as it sounds but as the warmer weather approaches we often leave the home with open windows. Checking all your windows and doors to make sure they’re locked before you leave unfortunately still gets ignored by the majority of home owners. They believe that a 30 minute trip down the street will be fine and that their home is invulnerable during this time. If a criminal sees an open window or tries to open an unlocked door, it’s pretty obvious that they could take a lot of precious irreplaceable mementoes during this time.
Signs of a vacant home
Criminals look for signs that you haven’t been home in a while. This could be rubbish in the front yard, no sign of cars in the driveway, overgrown trees and garden beds or even overflowing mail in your letter box. A big one to remember is not to overflow your bins with any newly purchased state of the art gear such as a home theatre system. Don’t advertise this to the public where all your bins are full of home theatre cardboard boxes. This allows criminals to easily choose your home as a prominent target as they attempt to take this extremely valuable item, especially if you have gone holidaying for a few days whilst leaving the bins out for collection.
Unilluminated homes
The cover of night is an easy reason for criminals to pick a home without any illumination. No one from the street can see who comes and who leaves the home, leaving an easy target choice for those intruders. If your family live in the rear part of the home and don’t have any lights on in the front of the home consider getting garden or sensor lights to not only brighten up your home but to deter intruder by taking away their cover of darkness. We recommend getting timers for lights which illuminate your home at random times to make it harder for criminals to guess when you are home.
Social Media Habits
Yes we love to publicise our next holiday as it’s exciting! But what you may not be aware of is who can see your social update. Once a friend likes your post your post gets shown to all of their friends who you may not even know. If you include dates you are away this invites any stranger or previous person who you may have left on unfavourable terms with in the past into your home. If you need to let people know you are away or if you wish to share photos, set up a private message with loved ones.
These simple tips will provide peace of mind so when you leave your home you know your home is safe and sound. Check your doors and windows and make sure they are locked, keep your home looking vibrant with garden maintenance, brighten up the home at night and most importantly don’t advertise to the world you are heading on holidays with certain dates.
After all who has time to worry about if their home is at risk? Go live and enjoy your life, stress free by protecting your home, your mementoes, assets and most importantly your loved ones.
You may not know it but the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) is very much underway throughout Australia, as more and more metropolitan suburbs transition across to our new digital infrastructure.
If unprepared your monitored alarm could be compromised, don’t risk the safety of your loved ones and your home, be NBN ready!
Preparation is essential to being NBN ready; it’s an easy and simple choice to make.
Today with many phone lines being made redundant coupled with the increased use of our mobiles, alarm monitoring technology has also evolved. The Australian Security Industry Association Ltd (ASIAL), the largest and de facto industry body for the national security industry, has recommended that all customers who are currently on or soon to be upgraded to the NBN service transfer their phone line monitoring to GPRS/wireless monitoring.
Wireless monitoring is the new norm in back to base monitoring communicating via the Telstra 3G data network via a small module which is installed into your control panel of your existing alarm. The best part about wireless monitoring is your alarm systems back up battery will power your wireless monitoring service even in the event of a black out, unlike solutions that rely on the NBN (i.e. VOIP or IP).
You will experience no monitoring during the upgrade as the NBN Co will disconnect all old (analogue) phone line leaving your alarm disconnected. In some very rare cases we can connect the new landline back to the alarm system but this does have a major drawback.
If you have a power outage the new NBN landline will lose its power and lose its communication to the monitoring centre. Your home safety system will turn into a noise maker and nothing more.
There are a number of additional benefits which come from the shift to the digital wireless monitoring service:
As you can see, the NBN doesn’t terminate your alarm monitoring service. It provides you with the opportunity to upgrade your service to obtain a variety of benefits which come from a newer monitoring technology.
Preparation is key, and if you have any more questions in regard to the NBN, feel free to call our friendly security specialist team on 1300 73 83 93.
Before you start thinking about sipping cocktails by a pool in the hot European sun lets first think about why you are leaving Australia in the first place… Because it’s cold, dark, windy, wet and miserable… Right?
Well these very reasons are exactly the same reasons why we see a huge spike in burglaries and property theft over the winter months. How so? Well it’s quite simple once you think about it.
A) People are vacating their homes in doves and heading away for overseas vacations for weeks at a time which makes this very attractive for would be intruders.
B) Its darker for longer therefore the bad guys have an increased window of opportunity where they won’t be seen.
C) The cracking of thunder, the howling winds and the sound of rain pelting down makes it extremely difficult to hear if a door is kicked in or window is smashed.
And to make matters worse, unlike the good old days the reliance on neighbours is no longer a viable option. This has resulted in many families adopting the latest in home security technologies to help better protect their homes and loved ones. Let’s face it the last thing you want whilst away is to have those random thoughts about the security of your home back in Australia especially just as your tray of cocktails arrive.
Get a security alarm system professionally installed.
Most homes already have one but if yours doesn’t make sure you have a professionally installed security alarm system. Ensure you get a system that has the a night time and day times arming modes and one that has panic buttons to give you access to the Police, Ambulance and Fire Brigade. This way you can be protected whilst you head away overseas as well as whilst you are home.
Have your alarm professionally monitored.
Panic buttons are enabled when your alarm professionally monitored.
Monitoring is compatible with most if not all modern security systems (installed within the last 10 years). Having a professionally monitored alarm means you will always be guaranteed a response from a licensed monitoring professional. Our monitoring team are available to assist 24 hours a day 7 days a week and can provide immediate access to emergency services as well as Australia’s largest network of security guards.
When choosing alarm security monitoring, go wireless!
Wireless monitoring provides many benefits than compared to traditional ‘analogue’ phone line monitoring. Below are just a few of those benefits:
Remote arming and disarming via your smart phone.
Our Pocket Secure phone app
Never experience that sinking feeling again, when you are travelling to the airport and the realisation of not arming your alarm kicks in. Just pull out your smart phone, check the armed status of your alarm and if you did forget simply arm your system with the touch of a button.
Wireless monitoring checks in with us every 12 hours, so you can enjoy the scenery.
The monitoring centre will receive test signals from the alarm system twice a day to make sure your alarms wireless monitoring module is operational and communicating as it should. Should something go wrong you or someone on your emergency contact list will be notified as soon as a signal is missed.
Receive SMS and email alerts when the alarm is armed and disarmed.
Receive SMS phone alerts in the event of alarm detection
Should your neighbours need to feed your pet whilst you’re away, you will get an alert each time your alarm is disarmed and armed to confirm and show what time they arrived and left. This function is also great for verifying the time and attendance of tradesman, cleaners, gardeners and contractors whilst away.
No additional telecommunication costs.
Unlike traditional phone line monitoring that uses a local call (20c) for every signal sent to the monitoring centre. Wireless monitoring uses the data network that is inclusive of your monthly investment.
No hidden costs means no nasty surprise bills in the mail from your telco provider. Isn’t it great not having to prepare for the unexpected.
If you are keeping a phone line purely for the alarm system we have good news. This can now be cancelled to save you even more money (Approx. $50 per month).
NBN Ready.
If the NBN is due to rollout in your local area whilst you are away (or whilst you are back home) the last thing you want is for your alarm to lose connection with the monitoring service. If you are on phone line monitoring consider changing to wireless monitoring so you don’t have to deal with any headaches.
And if that’s not enough to convince you to jump on the extremely popular wireless monitoring band wagon before you jet away. It’s extremely easy to operate and they say proof is in the pudding. Just set and forget, enjoy your holiday and let us look after your home whilst you enjoy your time away.
If you would like to speak to a member of our security specialist team to discuss how to better protect your home and family, please call 1300 73 83 93.
As highlighted in our previous blog we provided our top 4 tips to help protect against aggravated home burglaries and what you can do to feel safer. All of which has crawled over our social feeds and been in the news which now seems to lie with the youths of today.
The latest inside crime knowledge from Victoria Police suggest the latest car jackings and aggravated burglaries are now predominately caused by the youths of today some as young as 15. Victoria police are suggesting that this behaviour is caused by poor parenting.
It’s unfortunate that many of these youths have a “live now, die young” mentality as they have no purpose or direction in their lives. Stealing and causing crime is far easier than working hard in a job to one day live in a nice home.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton says Parents either don’t have control over their kids OR they don’t care about them.
Mr Ashton said it was time for a bold change to deal with youths. They are being “locked out” of society and are travelling along the crime treadmill and police alone will not be able to handle the spike.
At Signal Security we firmly believe that parents need to be the positive role model that gives their children purpose and direction in life.
Children always look to their parents as a way of finding their own two feet in the world whilst also modelling or imitating behaviours parents’ exhibit as it’s how they learn.
Huffington Post, Raisingchildren.net.au and Victoria’s Better Health Channel all agree on the importance of being a positive role model as a result.
Become a positive role model in 3 easy steps.
Without parents showing their children love, the feeling of worthlessness creeps in and their sense of purpose is lost. This will also hinder them becoming caring parents themselves as they won’t know how to provide that feeling.
Give them the best school education possible (not necessarily the most expensive) as they make new friends, they can partake in a variety of co-curricular activities and learn different subjects. This lays the foundations of what they might want to do later in life as a career. Don’t force them to join or learn new subjects, rather encourage them to pursue those they may like.
Teach them practical life skills, such as the value of work (pocket money for chores), manners and decorum, clean the house and how to keep to a basic budget.
If you use your phone at the table, they will too. Put it away and encourage social interaction and talk about what your child learned each day.
Explain how you deal with certain situations and actually do it, children mimic your actions. If you want to take a day off from work, don’t tell them you are sick because your child will think that lying is OK.
Above all take the time to explain why things are right and why things are wrong. If they can grasp this they will be well on the way to making you proud.
As you can see being a positive role model is the key to ensuring that the children of today grow up to live happily and allow them to differentiate right from wrong. This should guide them away from trouble and go a long way to ensure they become law abiding citizens.
Of late, it has been impossible to turn on the TV, scroll through social media or even pick up a newspaper without reading about the huge spike in aggravated home invasions and carjackings. It’s literally everywhere which is unfortunately causing more and more concern among our local communities every day. But what’s even more unfortunate… It’s reality!
Naturally this has caused many families and couples to contact us, asking what they can do to increase their level of safety. The Herald Sun’s latest article has Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana stated that ‘everyone should make their homes harder to break into’.
As we aim to provide peace of mind to all Australians, we have compiled our top tips to increase your security and provide genuine protection so you can live life with the peace of mind you deserve.
It’s astounding that with alarm monitoring rates as low as they are; there are still families who would rather risk the safety of themselves and their loved ones by trying to self-monitor their alarm (having it ring their mobile) or worse yet not having any form of monitoring what so ever.
Believe it or not, the overwhelming reason why people are risking it all is to save as little as $1.50 a day.
By having a professionally monitored security system in place you will have trained professionals ready to assist in the unfortunate event of a life threatening emergency e.g. home invasion. Depending on the situation at hand these professionals can quickly respond and where required deploy emergency services and or private security guards to assist you.
Most mainstream security systems installed within the last 10 years are compatible with professional monitoring and can be connected with little or no upfront investment. Once activated monitoring will open up numerous life saving features previously not available to those systems that were un-monitored or self-monitored. These life-saving features include fixed panic buttons, silent duress codes and wireless panic pendants all of which designed to alert those that are most capable of assisting you in your time of need.
Maximise the value of your alarm system by enabling stay at home arming mode. Most modern-day security systems allow you to use your alarm when you are home by turning some devices on whilst leaving others off.
Most families are unaware that their alarm systems even had such a function but once educated there was no hesitation and they immediately looked to arm parts of their home like door/window switches or even outdoor movement detectors whilst at home. This provided the freedom to move around the home, whilst still keeping their home safe, sound and secure from any unlawful entry especially whilst sleeping at night.
With technology evolving and the demand for higher levels of security increasing, CCTV is rapidly finding its way into homes all over the country. In addition to a monitored alarm system, CCTV is the perfect companion allowing home owners to verify any alarms from their smart phones as well as providing a continuous record of events, enabling police to piece together a time line in order to catch and prosecute those who are doing the wrong thing.
We recommend having a professionally installed High Definition CCTV system with night vision cameras and remote viewing function to give you the best chance of quickly identifying any incidence of concern.
The higher the definition of cameras you install the better chance there will be of capturing the finer details such as number plates, tattoos and facial features to assist with any police investigations.
Video intercoms provide a fantastic way to stay safe inside your home whilst speaking to any unknown visitors who arrives at your front door.
In some cases you may have a front gate which you can grant access to a visitor from the comfort of your own home.
Some video intercoms also have the ability to record snap shots and or video of all missed calls throughout the day. This is particularly important if a potential intruder is casing out your property more often than not they will ring a door bell numerous times to ensure no one is home. Unbeknownst to them, their face is being recorded at every attempt of ringing the doorbell.
There you have it, our four top tips to increasing your level of home security without costing the earth.
We understand that no two homes are alike and no two family’s requirements are the same, therefore our team of security specialists are readily available to thoroughly understand your requirements and provide the best possible advice available.
If you would like to speak with one of our friendly security specialists please don’t hesitate to call our team on 1300 73 83 93.
The National Broadband Network (NBN) has been rolling out across the country for a while now and is expected to be completed by 2021, well so we are told anyway.
Most people know the NBN is designed to increase communication speeds for phones and internet. But what I didn’t know was the impact it had on my monitored alarm system whilst my entire street was being upgraded.
How does my monitored alarm get affected?
I’ve had a monitored alarm for as long as I can remember and when I was advised of the NBN coming through my area, I thought great I can stream and download even more, faster! What I didn’t know was the NBN Co disconnects the old home phone line from my alarm and never connects it back up.
After receiving a call from my monitoring centre saying they were no longer receiving signals, I started to panic. The NBN technicians had disconnected the phone line. Great just what I needed. This meant I could no longer have my home protected without the reliance on my neighbours, hoping they were home whilst I went to work each day.
I called my security company to ask what options I had to get my alarm back online. They suggested I upgrade to wireless monitoring so if the phone line ever gets cut or street works happen again my monitoring service will never be stopped. This is awesome; I never want to have any down time again especially as I just purchased a new TV and speaker system for the lounge room!
Wireless monitoring is the national change as phone lines are being made redundant
With the use of my mobile, I never really used the landline. I was paying a phone line connection fee only for my alarm system to be monitored; this allowed me to save money by having my phone line connection stopped.
In addition my security company told me I would receive two extra benefits by having wireless monitoring. I could arm and disarm my alarm system via my smartphone. Just the other day I rushed out the door and whilst on the train my heart dropped knowing I forgot to protect my home with my alarm system not being armed. I need not worry; at the touch of a button on my smart phone I’ve armed my system.
I could also receive email and text message alerts when my alarm was armed and disarmed.
I usually work late and knowing when my partner comes home from work by disarming the alarm puts my mind at ease, especially when she forgets to text me.
In short I wish I had wireless monitoring before the NBN rolled out in my street. The stress of having my home not protected during this time was not worth the toll it took on me. If you want to provide your home with extra security I strongly recommend you explore wireless monitoring, especially if the NBN is coming through your area in the near future.
If you would like to find out more about what security products or services are available to home owners affected by the NBN Click Here.
If you wish to speak with our friendly home NBN security specialists don’t hesitate give us a call on 1300 73 83 93.
You cannot put a price on the lives of your loved ones. It goes beyond price. Some would say it’s something money cannot quantify, but for the purpose of this exercise let’s say it could. This begs the question: How much would you pay to bring back a loved one from the grave?
So what is the correct answer? Well there is no right or wrong answer but considering the lowest figure that you could choose has six figures it would be one extremely expensive investment to bring a loved one back however as I’m sure you would agree it would be well worth it… right?
So if we agree on this and would be prepared to shell out in excess of one hundred thousand dollars to bring back a loved one then why do most of us look to skimp in part or even worse in whole on life saving systems and services that are designed to one day save the people in our lives that we care about the most?
In my employment at Signal Security as an electronic security and monitoring specialist it is really interesting to see what motivates those looking for security. To my absolute surprise, price is still one of the most influential factors. So much so that I see customers choosing unlicensed installers who run their entire businesses out of a van over reputable security businesses for a saving of a couple of hundred dollars. How is it possible that we have got to the stage where we are risking the safety and wellbeing of our families for peanuts… It’s crazy!
Below I have provided a number of key areas that one should be considering, in order of priority, when looking for a reputable security company… and price is last!
1. Licensing & Accreditation
Ensure you engage with a security company that is licensed by Victoria Police and is an active member of the Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL).
The Victoria Police and ASIAL provide protection for consumers by ensuring that specialists and installers who are licensed by their respective organisations meet stringent police checks and technical competencies. Always ask to see the consultant/installer’s security licence before letting them into your home. An electrician is not the same as a security technician, nor is a security technician an electrician, so be careful of those who claim to be able to assist you without the appropriate accreditation. After all, you are placing yours, and your families, safety and well-being in their hands.
2. A Company’s Rating and Reputation
With the internet now a big part of life and social media consuming a large part of it why not use it to your advantage when selecting a security product or service. Google reviews and social media are great because they speak the truth. They indicate a real person’s experiences both good and bad that can help guide your decision making process. Where possible, utilise reviews from third party websites as they can’t be altered like testimonials on a company’s own website can. Such review sites can include, but aren’t limited to Google, Facebook and True Local, to name a few. If a company doesn’t have reviews, BUYER BEWARE!!!
3. Price
Off course price plays a role in any purchasing decision however, long term return should be thought of before short term investment.
My experiences have indicated that although there are cheaper products on the market, they are cheaper for a reason. These solutions normally appear to be significantly cheaper initially but if they don’t work correctly or in some instances don’t work at all, can soon turn out to be the far more expensive option. Therefore, choosing a security provider that ticks all the boxes but requires a slightly higher initial investment will go a long way to ensuring you have a system that lasts the test of time and if maintained correctly could you save hundreds, if not thousands, in the long run.
Just remember the three fundamental areas outlined above when deciding on a security company. As you can see there are more important factors that come into play before price does so try and use price as the last indicator to ensure that in a time of need you have a system and a response that you and your loved ones can rely on.
You cannot put a price on that can you?
Lambros Katopothis – Customer Relations Specialist
