What’s the Difference Between National and Local Alarm Companies
Choosing between a national and a local security alarm company can be tough. However, does it really need to be so difficult? Large national companies often offer catchy “free” systems that local companies don’t. On the other hand, local companies usually offer lower monthly rates. Consequently, this is where the decision becomes hard. Fortunately, you can figure it out.
All You Have to Do Is a Little Math
First, check the value of the national company’s “free” system against their monthly fee (usually under $300). For instance, they make you pay for that offer with higher monthly costs than local companies. Compare yearly costs, but also consider the 10-year average life of a system. You’ll see national companies cost more early on.
That puts that catchy free system offer into perspective, doesn’t it?
Here’s an example:
A national company installs a $300 security system in the home. Initially, the installation fee is $99, and the monthly fee is $48 per month. Now, let’s say they waive the $300 equipment fee. Consequently, that leaves you with the $99 installation fee and the $48 per month. Therefore, the cost is $675 in the first year and $576 for every year after.
The local alarm company charges $300 for the equipment, along with a $99 installation fee, and a monthly charge of $30 per month. Therefore, the first year costs $759, but the cost every year after is only $360. As a result, you begin to see the cost savings of a local security company over the national company in just the second year. As you can see, the chart below reflects the 10-year average of this scenario:
| National (year 1 cost plus $576 per year for total cost over 10 years) | Local (year 1 cost plus $360 per year for total cost over 10 years) | |
| Year 1 (includes initial costs) | $675 | $759 |
| Year 2 | $1251 | $1119 |
| Year 3 | $1827 | $1479 |
| Year 4 | $2403 | $1839 |
| Year 5 | $2979 | $2199 |
| Year 6 | $3555 | $2559 |
| Year 7 | $4131 | $2919 |
| Year 8 | $4707 | $3279 |
| Year 9 | $5283 | $3639 |
| Year 10 | $5859 | $3999 |
| Total savings = $1860 |
The Service Level of Local Security Alarm Companies vs. National
Furthermore, the differences between national companies and a good Rochester security alarm company keeps going. The home-town touch gives you the following:
- Faster response time –When you use a national company, the signal from a triggered alarm most likely goes to another part of the state or even somewhere else in the country. In contrast, a local company usually has a 24/7 monitoring center much closer and can therefore call the local police or fire department much faster. As a result, the typical response time when using a local alarm company is 20 minutes faster than when using a national company.
- Your neighborhood isn’t foreign – neighborhood can seem like a foreign land to a national company. However, using a company that specifically serves Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo means your neighborhood is familiar territory to them. Therefore, it’s good to have a local company that knows when a rash of break-ins is happening in the area.
- The dollars make more sense – Both national and local companies have their customers sign contracts, but the national company is more likely to have longer contracts with higher monthly charges. Moreover, those contracts usually say the rate can be increased at any time. Additionally, you often have to deal with automatic renewals. On the other hand, local alarm companies are easier to negotiate with, so you can get more out of every dollar.
A Local Alarm Company Serving Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo
When working with a local security alarm company, you get more personal customer service. Furthermore, you gain more control and benefit from better rates. Additionally, you experience faster response times and work with a company that knows your neighborhood and uses a knowledgeable monitoring center. To learn about SPS Fire & Security’s great prices and services, call 585-770-0348.
