Brinks Home Security

[Ben J. Gromicko]

What do you think of Brinks Home Security?
Do you offer a Brinks home security analysis to your clients?

[mnahrgang]

Yea, I like it. It's not without it's problems, but nothing is.

[Greg Bell]

Yes I do offer it.

It works great with the American Home Warranty.

[Ben J. Gromicko]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

Yea, I like it. It's not without it's problems, but nothing is.

Do you actually schedule an evaluation of the security system by a Brinks representative? Or do they do that?

[mnahrgang]

If I know there is a system in place prior to the inspection, I let them know and they show up while I am there. If I show up and discover there is a system in place, I can usually call them directly and they try to send someone out. In my area they are extremely accommodating, and try very hard to make sure they get there when I am there if possible.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I offered them for a time, several years ago. After receiving several complaints from clients, I dropped them like a bad habit.

It was enough that I will never offer this type of service again - not from Brinks or any other vendor wanting to contact my clients.

[Ben J. Gromicko]

What were the complaints? Do you recall?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

The field service reps (sales people) were too "high pressure," almost insisting that the client signs a service agreement before they left the property.

In one case, the service rep told the client they had to pay the $50 service-fee for his visit if they did not sign up for a service plan. My clients called me from the property where they felt like they were being held hostage.

The regional rep told me that he has "little or no control over the FSR's. They work on commission and use techniques offered in their training classes."

[Darren Spencer]

I used them for about a year, easy call and Brinks guy shows up within time frame... I just am too busy to fill out the paperwork so I stopped the program... maybe get back into it now that I have an automated reporting system that can do most of the work for me.

[mnahrgang]

Originally Posted by jpope

The field service reps (sales people) were too "high pressure," almost insisting that the client signs a service agreement before they left the property.

In one case, the service rep told the client they had to pay the $50 service-fee for his visit if they did not sign up for a service plan. My clients called me from the property where they felt like they were being held hostage.

The regional rep told me that he has "little or no control over the FSR's. They work on commission and use techniques offered in their training classes."

I was personally told by the Brinks VP in charge of the program that this shouldn't ever happen, and if it did I was to call him directly. Where I am at the inspectors don't sell. They just work. The reps call the client later on the phone.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I can't say that this is still how they operate the program, because I don't know. It did, however, teach me a valuable lesson. . .

[Scott Gilligan, CMI]

I have called in several times to have a Brinks Rep meet me at an inspection and never had one show up. I even contacted the main dispatch office in Dallas a couple of time to have the guy they send out confirm that he was going to be at the inspection. Again, No Show!

I don't offer the option for Brinks to come out to inspections anymore. I simply supply Brinks with the client information so they can buy the American Home Warranty. I downloaded the warranty from AHW website and include it as an attachment to my inspection report.

No more problems with Brinks.

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by sgilligan1

I have called in several times to have a Brinks Rep meet me at an inspection and never had one show up. I even contacted the main dispatch office in Dallas a couple of time to have the guy they send out confirm that he was going to be at the inspection. Again, No Show!

I don't offer the option for Brinks to come out to inspections anymore. I simply supply Brinks with the client information so they can buy the American Home Warranty. I downloaded the warranty from AHW website and include it as an attachment to my inspection report.

No more problems with Brinks.

What is a good alternative to AHW? Look like they don't offer warranties in MO.

[Scott Gilligan, CMI]

Originally Posted by bboerner

What is a good alternative to AHW? Look like they don't offer warranties in MO.

See if Ben covers your area with his Mountain Home Warranty through NACHI. There is another company out there that covers appliances too, but I can't remember the name off the top of my head. There are a couple more home warranty companies cropping up within the last year, you might want to do a search for them on the site here.

[Billy Boerner]

Does the home warranties make a difference at all when trying to book new inspection clients in your opinion?