Business owner sounds alarm over sales tactics
0 Comments | Brandon Sun, The, Jul 2, 2010 | by Hitchen, Ian
Two American home security companies reportedly going door-to-door to make sales have raised the ire of at least one local competitor.
Allegedly, residents who already have alarms with other companies are being told their systems will soon be outdated.
“Which is bull,” said Darren Hossack, alarm manager for Brandon-based Allen Leigh Security and Communications. “They’re coming up with any kind of an excuse to scare people into thinking that their system is no good anymore.”
Vigilon Security and APX Alarm have been accused of going door to door and using high-pressure sales tactics to convince residents to sign up for the systems they offer.
For example, Hossack said, residents have been told they’re vulnerable because they live in a high-crime area when their area isn’t actually high risk.
In the past, Vigilon has been accused of telling its new customers they’d install an alarm the next day, only to call the client back a short time later to say an installer is in the area and the new system can be installed immediately.
That’s allegedly done to catch the new customer off-guard so they don’t have time to change their mind about their purchase.
A year ago, the Manitoba Consumers’ Bureau, now the Consumer Protection Office, issued a warning about Vigilon because the company wasn’t licensed for direct sales.
However, Consumer Protection Office director Nancy Anderson confirms that Vigilon is now licensed to conduct direct sales in Manitoba
home security alarm system