Monitoring alarm tips

Don’t call 911. It’s illegal to set your security monitoring alarm up to call 911 if the system is set off. Doing so can result in a large fine and possibly jail time.

Beneficial savings. While a security monitoring alarm is required by most insurance companies, it’s not without its benefits. Business owners can save as much as 10-20% on their insurance by verifying they have a monitoring alarm in place.

Change is good. If changes need to be made to your security monitoring alarm system – such as new passcodes – most alarm companies will either make the adjustments for you, or allow you to make changes on your end. This is very important if you decide to terminate an employee who is caught stealing or trespassing and need to eliminate that person’s access.

Have no fear. Ask about security monitoring alarm systems with a duress signal option. If you are ever forced to let an intruder into your business and you have to disable the alarm, entering a duress code indicates to the central monitoring station that you were forced to provide access into your company.

Training your staff. Once your security monitoring alarm is installed, you need to make sure that everyone in the company knows how to use it. In most cases, it’s very easy and a matter of learning a few buttons. Most vendors can train those in the company in charge of the alarm in just 10-20 minutes. They can then get the rest of the company together and show them how to use codes and how to arm and disarm the system – all in about 45 minutes.

Authorized personnel only. You can assign individual passcodes to allow different internal and external groups to enter your business. This allows you to track which people come in and when. It’s also beneficial, for example, when a cleaning crew might come in after everyone has gone home for the evening.

Communication is key. Security monitoring alarm vendors are required to ask about your communication system and find out if you use a system other than POTS. If they don’t, they could be liable for any losses you experience should the security monitoring alarm signal not go through. But communication is a two-way street. If you make changes to your system, such as converting your company’s POTS to VoIP, it’s only right that you let your monitored alarm company know so they can test the system.