Don't Use Scare Tactics with Me!

[C99]

Ugh. I just have to vent about this. About 20 minutes ago, our doorbell rang. It was a guy from ADT, the home security system company. He saw the ADT sticker on our front door and wanted to know more about our experience with it. We don't actually have ADT; it was just left over from the previous owners and I couldn't peel it off. I told him so and he started trying to pitch an ADT system to me. I told him that I wasn't interested. Then he tried to get me to let him put a yard tag in our yard, in exchange for a $1200 system. I told him he'd have to ask my husband (who is patently rude to door-to-door salespeople and money-grubbers), who wasn't home. He asked when my husband would be back and I made the mistake of telling him that he was out on a walk with our son. So the guy tries to scare me into wanting a security system by saying that I have a family now and I need to protect them. WTF? If I want a security system, I will get one. Don't try to scare me into getting one, jerkoff! GRRRR

[wagner36]

We just got the free $1200 system! I knew that we wanted a security system when we bought our house - my parents have had nothing but wonderful things to say about ADT (they had the free system installed a few years ago - and it has prevented a couple of break-ins, including one where my sister was home alone), so I was thrilled when the free system guys called!

I agree that the scare tactics are ridiculous though. That would infuriate me - totally uncalled for....

But, we've had our system for 3 weeks and I'm totally thrilled with it - I LOVE It. Our installation guys were prompt and helpful, the system is easy to use, and we just had to pay a $99 installation fee, $49 for an extra keychain and $34.99 a month. Since I was going to have one installed anyway, I am happy as a clam about saving $1000...

[Sarah1]

Caroline,

Ugh, SALESPEOPLE!!!!!! Aggressive salespeople who use scare tactics. They suck, I agree.

BUT...getting a $1200 system FOR FREE just by allowing them to put a tag in your yard? Sounds good to me. (I assume you would still have to pay the monthly monitoring fee, though).

We have a security system (through a different company) and I have to tell you Caroline, it's pretty nice to have. I agree that the guy sounded obnoxious, but....something to think about!

[C99]

I suppose that if I were going to get one anyway, I would be thrilled to save the money and get the yard tag. But I'm not interested in a security system. And even if I was interested, there's no way I'd get one because someone tried to scare me into it. One of my friends went to a security thing given by the Naperville police and they said that 99.9% of the security system calls they get are because people trip their own alarms.

[khakismom]

UGH, I can't stand overbearing salespeople at my door either. Everyone is my neighborhood has "no soliciting" signs in the door and then isn't bothered. And I agree, scare tactics are no way to get me to buy something.

We have a security system but it's one that just makes obnoxious loud alarm noises if someone tries to break in. I wouldn't want to pay the monthly monitoring fee, it seems like a waste of money to me.

[lmariana]

I had a bad ADT salesperson experience too. We actually called them to get an estimate on a sec. system for our house. The lady they sent over seemed really nice. She was giving us the whole sales pitch, and it sounded great until she threw in the scare tactics.

She went completely overboard selling the system and used some body language like holding a fake gun to her head, simulating like she was cutting the phone line to our house, and mimicing how burgalars would break into our house and hold us hostage. It was ridiculous.

Well, we did get a security system, but it wasn't with ADT. :) Our system covers every door and window on all the floors and basement with fire and flood monitoring too, for $22/mo. They have always been really great too, very short response time on all our false alarms.

After that horrible sales pitch from ADT, I knew they would be getting our money!

Mariana
www.heinzandmariana.com
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[starrynight]

Even if I wanted a security system, scare tactics like that would have turned me off from them totally. And I know a few people that have adt and hate it because it gets tripped so easily. They are constantly setting it off or their kids or animals are.

[deborah_r]

>She went completely overboard selling the system and used
>some body language like holding a fake gun to her head,
>simulating like she was cutting the phone line to our house,
>and mimicing how burgalars would break into our house and hold
>us hostage. It was ridiculous.


What a crack-pot! Was she trying to win the Academy Award? :)