We Can Monitor Your Alarm System 24/7

Small & Local Vs The Big & National Security Companies

After opening FoxCrest Security in 2017 there were some questions I was asked frequently. One of those questions was, “How does a small, local security company monitor my alarm system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?”.

There is a misconception by consumers that a smaller security company doesn’t have the resources to provide reliable service. Customers may think that the bigger company will provide the best service since they have more resources. This thinking is simply not true.

Central Stations – Your Local Security Installer’s Helping Hand to Monitor

The vast majority of security installers, big and small, use Central Stations to monitor their customers’ alarm panels. Central Stations are professional 3rd party companies that monitor customers’ security systems 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When your security system goes into alarm, it sends a signal to a Central Station. They see the signal, and then respond appropriately. This could be just simply contacting you or calling the local authorities to dispatch to your property. Your local security installer should also be notified that their client had an alarm/issue. Your local company should have 24/7 emergency service if you need your installer to resolve an issue with your equipment.

These Central Stations go through strict regulations to ensure their services are extremely reliable. Similar to a Hospital, they must have properly trained staff, back-up procedures (including for power-outages) and the right technologies to monitor your alarm system. Many also set-up redundant sites that they can route signals to whichever station can best service your signal.

What the Large Companies Might Offer

Some larger security companies have their own “central station”. Their central station is comprised of their own employees who are alerted by an alarm panel. Other than using their own employees, there is no difference in level of service. There is also no difference in price for you the customer. In fact, many times you end up paying more. The never-ending quest to bring in profits for their stakeholders will never allow you to be their highest priority.

So how does the local security company monitor my alarm system 24/7? Just like the national companies. It really is a non-issue. What your next worry should be is the reliability and cost when comparing your local security company against the national companies. In the next blog article, I’ll tell you how the local guys are way better in both.