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Mr. Whall,

I would like to express my experiences with your company. I am in charge of several quick lubes in Florida, for the last eleven years we have used your services to monitor and up keep our alarm systems. Six years ago, I elected to have Protection 1 monitor my home alarm system. I even had a cellular back up and a special smoke detector installed. Although the monthly monitoring was higher then your competition, I had always had good service and elected to use Protection 1.

Over the last couple of years, as the economy declined my finances became particularly tight and I had to re-evaluate the priority home expenses. I was in the process of trying to modify my mortgage (along with a few other Americans). Making the monthly monitoring fee was unfortunately on the bottom of the list, since food, gas and utilities were more priority. I made the attempt to have my contract cancelled and was convinced to keep it with a credit for monitoring for a couple of months, in hopes that thing would turn for the better. A Representative from your company, although I don't remember her name. was very pleasant and gave me some temporary relief.

Last year my wife was involved in an accident and due to medical expenses, and we fell a short of some of our expenses. I took over the bills and have managed to catch up on most of our finances with out affecting my credit. I'm sure you don't want to hear the details of my story, so I will give you the recent details of my Protection 1 experience.

Last year when I tried to cancel my alarm and was talked out of it, I wanted to make sure that I was on a Month-to month renewal. If was I unable to continue monitoring, I didn't want to get stuck with remaining cancellation fees. I had expressed this to someone (don't have there name or when, as I had trusted that Protection 1 was ethical) and was assured of this.

In February, the alarm system was giving me problems with a "BF" code that had something to do with the cellular back up. I spoke with phone support to try to fix the problem. The problem could not be fixed over the phone and I was told I would need a service call. A service call of $260. per hour plus parts (WOW) I was given the option to sign a new contract for 3 to 5 years and pay more on a monthly basis for a service contract. This was simply not a viable option and was not affordable in my monthly budget. I sent a letter requesting to cancel my service.

In March of 2011, I received a letter from a Representative to bring the account active, I resent the letter of cancellation to respond. I received a phone call from your company within the last few days requesting $188.28. I had not received any bills or notice of this via USPS and requested that she mail me the statement for my review. I have not, as of today, received the statement in the mail, I was truly astonished by the amount that was requested and decided to call customer service. I spoke with a gentleman named John and explained my predicament and expressed my concerns, he was pleasant and understanding and transferred me to a nice lady named Victoria. Although I understand that Victoria was simply doing her job and trying to retain my business. At this time I felt manipulated and pressured, that left me with a uncomfortable feeling of doing business with Protection 1 in the future and/or renewing our service at our business when the contracts expires.

Victoria gave me the option of re-instating the contract, replacing the cellular back-up and waiving the cancellation fee (a fee I should not have been charged for in the first place, since I was on a month-to month) or I would be responsible for the entire $188.28! As I was not pleased to hear that she was not giving me any other options or relief I asked to speak with her supervisor. I then spoke with a lady by the name of Emily, she listened again to predicament and began to lecture me how "I should read the details of the contract" Emily agreed to waive the $86.57 cancellation fee and took payment for $101.71 (confirmation #005800) and ended the contract.

I honestly believe that I should have only been responsible for the monthly monitoring fees thru the end of January. The unpleasant interaction and the outrageous service fees ($260. an hour) have left me disgusted. I will be reviewing my options In October when it comes to renewing any contracts for our business.

I am married with 4 children and understand the importance of having a monitoring system for theft and fire. I do intend to have my alarm system at my home re-activated when I am able. I guess the $101.71 and the unethical business practices of bulling people to continue service will probably affect my decision to use or recommend Protection 1 in the future.

Good day

BCC: Various people--

Location: Palm Beach, Florida

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My name is Jonathan Sturdevant. I'm with Protection One's online division and I am very sorry to hear of your experience.

I would like to offer any assistance I can. If you like, please contact me by email at jonathansturdevant@***.com , or by phone at 1-87*-***-****, and I would be more than happy to help.

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reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-287372

COur company has used Pro 1 for about a decade. Having come to the company a couple of years ago, one of my duties was security.

Protection One is probably the worst vendor i have to deal with and we're getting ready to dump them. It would appear that the company recently went through some internal changes at a national level. The are pressing clients to use their 800 # for trying to get service or their website. Might as well be trying to call the President.

This is an example of desperate people needing a job and corporations exploiting the masses and paying their call center minimum wage, and the service shows.

When I first started having to have dealings with the local Seattle office I had so many unresolved issues with a fire alarm and an intrusion system in a 400,000 SF distribution facility and all i could get were inept service techs who probably have difficulty knowing how to use a paper bag. I had to show 3 of their finest how to troubleshoot a circuit on the fire system. It was pathetic. They firmly believed that we were going to have to cut 150' trench across a parking lot to put in new conduit.

When I finally convinced them to listen to me on how to troubleshoot it... Guess what! They found some issues and their hasn't been a problem on that zone since, 18 months! I wish i could say the same for everything else.

They sold, or i should say their salesman, convinced the ownership that it would be best to go wireless with the intrusion system. We are constantly plagued with dead battery issues. We're talking more that 100 devices. The salesman has since moved on to Tyco.

In a word, go with a smaller local company.

These large entities always seem on the *** of imploding due to their size and conviction that there is no need to try and foster retention in their staffing because they can always find someone to work at the prevailing minimum wage.

Is that what you want watching over you residence or company. We don't and they are about to loose a couple a grand ($) in monthly monitoring and all our business at 8 locations.

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