No-Fee Monitoring is Always a Bait and Switch
Posted By Michael GorisAt some point or another, you may have come across some type of "no-fee" monitoring service that promises home or business protection at absolutely no cost. Like most things that are too good to be true, this one is as well. Any type of "no-fee" monitoring service is a bait and switch.
So how do these scams work? Well, it is usually as simple as a classic bait and switch tactic. A company may offer a product, such as a home alarm system or a security camera, that promises certain functions and features at no additional cost beyond the initial purchase price. Although there may be advanced and additional features available beyond this base level, there's still a level of trust put into place here. The customer bought the product expecting to be able to use it for certain functions and features, without having to pay any type of additional cost or fee.
However, the switch occurs when the company decides to convert these free features into a "premium service". Suddenly, what was once free now costs a monthly or yearly subscription plan. In other words, cold hard cash. It goes without saying that many of the early customers would not have purchased the product had they been aware of the company's plan from the beginning. Unfortunately, they now have sunk cost involved in the product. The customer might feel obligated to pony up money for the reoccurring subscription service, even though this was never their original intention. While "no-fee" was the original promise, the customer received the exact opposite.
The truth is that "no-fee monitoring" is impossible. It is a myth. It can't exist because monitoring services cost money. Also, data and information storage costs money. A company is not going to offer these services to a customer without receiving something in return. A recent lawsuit proves this exact point. One company thought they could lure in customers with "no-fee" promises that they ultimately couldn't maintain. Now their customers are upset because they were wrongly promised something that was too good to be true.
Countless people would love the possibility of receiving monitoring services at no cost. But this will never happen. Remember, it costs money to maintain central monitoring stations and to keep data servers operating. At the end of the day, these costs will always trickle down back to the customer. The best thing you can do is get on board with an honest, transparent alarm monitoring company that will treat you right and provide you with the services you need. That is where Alarm Grid comes into play.
If you are interested in Alarm Grid monitoring services, please press the orange "Alarm Monitoring" button at the top of this page. You may also email us any time at support@alarmgrid.com. If you would prefer to speak directly with a security professional, please call (888) 818-7728 during our business hours of 9am to 8pm M-F. We look forward to working with you and keeping your homes and businesses safe.
