Reed Security Must Reads

MEET ALEX, THE DOOR TO DOOR ALARM SCAM GUY

6. May 2018 Reed Security Calgary, Community, Feature, News, Prince Albert, Regina

Hi, I'm Alex. I'm your friendly neighborhood (well not really) summer student that works for a door to door home security company. During the school year I work pretty hard studying Business and from May to September I work hard knocking on a lot of doors - and by a lot I mean I've been to thousands of homes with my crew. I work with a crew of 20 or more reps, so it's a lot of fun!

The door to door home security company that I work for provided me with training. I'm proud to say that I have one whole week of product training. We spent most of the time on high pressure sales training and how to overcome objections. I'm pretty confident that no matter how many times you say "no thanks" or demand that I leave - I've always got a comeback. Take a look at some of my door to door sales training classes:

HOW TO NAME DROP AND MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE NEIGHBORS REFERRED YOU (WHEN THEY DIDN'T)

HOW TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE OUR "FREE" SECURITY SYSTEM IS WORTH $2,000

HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO SIGN 5 YEAR CONTRACTS AT $50 TO $80 A MONTH

HOW TO CREATE URGENCY BY HAVING NO LOCAL OFFICE "WE'RE ONLY HERE TODAY"

HOW TO OVERCOME BUYERS REMORSE WITH A QUICK, SAME DAY INSTALLATION

HOW TO TRICK THE MOST VULNERABLE - SENIOR CITIZENS

WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY SAY "NO"

WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY SAY "NO" REPEATEDLY AND ASK YOU TO LEAVE

WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY SWEAR AT YOU AND THREATEN TO CALL THE POLICE

WHEN GOING BACK 3 TIMES ISN'T ENOUGH

HOW TO USE DECEPTION - WHITE LIES ARE JUST BENDING THE RULES

Pretty awesome stuff right? I'm going to make a ton of dough this summer! I don't get a base salary, but I do make $400 to $500 every time I get you to sign up. So, I have a lot of motivation to keep bugging and pressuring you. We don't have a local office and the door to door home security company rents us a house or pays for our hotels, so I don't have a lot of living expenses. Sweet!

Sometimes I pretend that I work for your current security company and I offer you a free upgrade. "I'm Alex with (Your Existing Security Company". People can be so gullible when they think they're getting something for free. I'm actually going to trick you into signing up with my door to door alarm company and you will be left paying two bills. Doesn't matter to me though - I'm only working with my door to door security company for the summer and you will never see me again.

My all time favorite approach is to make it sound like you are doing me a favor. "I'm Alex with (Door to Door Alarm Company). We're in town for a few days and we're doing a blitz and I would like your help. If you're willing to put a warning sign in a visible location it will create more awareness and help us generate more business. In exchange I can give you a free state-of-the-art security system worth $2000. All you have to do is take care of the small monthly fee of $49.95 a month." People love to help and they love free. I can't believe how many people get sucked in.

Sometimes I offer a two week free trial. This is legit, but most people don't know there is a CONSUMER PROTECTION law that allows any consumer signing a contract the right to cancel within 10 or 14 days. It's called a Buyers Right to Cancel and it's on every one of our contracts. The darn government forces us to do this!

I often tell people it's a month to month subscription, but in reality it's a 4 or 5 year contract. You're on the hook for nearly $3000 every time you sign up. However, most people trust me instead of reading through the contract. And for the people that question the 5 year term? Easy, I just tell them they can cancel anytime (even though they can't). The collections team at my head office will deal with it. Who's going to cancel if they're about to be sent to a collection agency? I won't be here anyways so not my problem.

HOW TO MAKE ME GO AWAY

About the only thing that works is to put up your hand and firmly say "NO". I'm going to try to prevent you from closing the door, but if you just keep saying "NO" eventually I will take you off my hit list. Sometimes you have to threaten to call the POLICE. How ironic is that - calling the POLICE on a home security company.

It's also frustrating to me when people share their stories on FaceBook and other social media sites. I spent a lot of time figuring out ways to deceive people and I don't like it when I'm exposed or people advertise what area I'm working in. One lady took out her phone and started recording me - no thanks.

#meetalex #justsayno #alarmscam #doortodoorsales

*Alex isn't a real person. If you know an Alex please be kind to him.

For more information do yourself a favor and do a Google Search of "door to door alarm scam" and always get 3 quotes. Please share.

Author: Virgil Reed
Owner of Reed Security
20+ Years Security Experience
Family Man
Community Leader

AND THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN CANADA 2018 IS...

1. May 2018 Reed Security Calgary, Feature, Guides, News, Prince Albert, Regina

Let’s start with the good news. Over the past decade the crime rate in Canada has plummeted by 25 per cent. Since 1998, the earliest data available, crime has been cut by a third. In 2016 the crime rate across the country sat at 5,904 incidents per 100,000 people—that’s the second lowest rate recorded by Statistics Canada.

Now for the bad. The severity of the crimes committed in Canada is on the rise. Although the crime severity index, the measure of all police-reported crime that takes into consideration both the volume and the seriousness of the crime, touched a low of 66 in 2013, it has been creeping higher ever since.

AND THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN CANADA 2018 IS...

According to Maclean's.ca North Battleford, Saskatchewan with a CSI of 353 has the worst crime record among Canada’s cities and municipal police districts.

The crime rate in this industrial and agricultural community is four times higher than the rest of the country. That alone isn’t alarming. Smaller communities tend to be more susceptible to inflated crime rates, with one or two incidents getting magnified when they are recast for a population of 100,000.

Data source/methodology: The report ranks communities according to the Crime Severity Index, which is a Statistics Canada measure of all police-reported crime collected through the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey that takes into consideration both the volume and the seriousness of the crime. The index uses 2006 as its benchmark. The 2016 data is the most current available and was released July 24, 2017. Maclean’s collects the annual crime data for police services categorized as municipal by StatsCan and having populations of at least 10,000 people. Some police forces may cover larger areas then their name suggests, and populations for each police force were provided on request by StatsCan. Locations without a crime severity index were not included. Nor were communities with no provided population numbers included. For the crimes of assault and sexual assaults, assault level 1 and sexual assault level 1 were used.

If you would like more information on Smart Home or Business Security & Automation please Contact Us for a Free Security Evaluation.

SASKATOON SECURITY INQUIRIES
Reed Security Headquarters
Call 306.653.3200 or 1.844.384.SAFE (7233)
SuRe InnoVations
Call 306.974.0888
PRINCE ALBERT SECURITY INQUIRIES
Call 306.922.7200
CALGARY SECURITY INQUIRIES
Call 587.393.2800
REGINA SECURITY INQUIRIES
Call 306.206.0700

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS DOES NOT STAY IN VEGAS 2018

17. Apr 2018 Reed Security Alarm Systems, alarm.com, Calgary, Feature, News, Prince Albert, ReedHD™ Security Cameras, Regina, Trade Shows, Video Monitoring Service

Every year 30,000+ Security Geeks (oops...Gurus) attend the biggest security expo in North America. Check out this year's security innovations.

We connected with suppliers to negotiate the best pricing and brought the latest crime fighting technology back for our Clients and Dealers. Would you rather deal with the Dinosaurs that never change or the People that believe in Innovation?

The next generation DSC iotega is Secure, Simple and Scalable. The iotega is not designed to be mounted to a wall like a traditional security system. Instead this unit can sit on a counter or entertainment system rack or cabinet. It's designed to be keypad free and controlled with the ALARM.COM smartphone app (July 2018). You can arm/disarm from the built in keypad or add a wire free keypad.

We've been selling the award winning Qolsys IQ Panel 2 for the past 6 months and our clients love them! Comes with a beautiful 7" HD touchscreen, built in ALARM.COM radio and training videos. You won't find another security and automation system with more features.

COMING SOON. The IQ Panel 2 will have three different versions - all with Power G wireless that has an incredible range of 1.6 km. Choose from Power G + ITI 319.5, Power G + Honeywell/2GIG 345 or Power G + DSC 433. It's never been easier to upgrade to an IQ Panel 2 no matter what security system you currently have - we can use your existing wireless sensors.

Over 5 million people trust ALARM.COM installation partners such as Reed Security to protect their homes and businesses. From one single smartphone app you can control your smart security system, smart lights, smart locks, smart garage doors, smart thermostat, HD cameras, wi-fi doorbell camera and more...

Lower cost and easier to use access control is here. After a year of testing with installation partners ALARM.COM is making a big push into commercial access control. No expensive PC/Server costs or up front software costs. Instead clients will subscribe to a monthly plan and use the ALARM.COM Windows and iOS smartphone apps to add/delete users, create locking schedules and review user history. It's easy to integrate with alarm systems and ALARM.COM cameras. This is a game changer!

COMING SOON TO CANADA. Self monitoring of People and Vehicle Detection analytics. Video is stored locally and to the Avigilon Blue Cloud. Receive instant video alerts to your smartphone when you have an unwanted intruder. A monthly subscription is required.

Avigilon Unusual Motion Detection (UMD) technology is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology that brings a new level of automation to surveillance, by revealing events that may have otherwise been missed.

Without any predefined rules or setup, Avigilon Unusual Motion Detection technology is able to continuously learn what typical activity in a scene looks like, and then detect and flag unusual motion.

Hikvision’s DeepInMind Series NVR is the first embedded NVR based on a deep learning algorithm executed by its GPU, making it faster and more accurate than conventional CPUs. This NVR effectively filters out alarms triggered by animals and inanimate objects, with greater than 90% accuracy.

Hikvision is the largest video surveillance company in the world and has over 25,000 employees. We toured their 2 million square foot factory in China last year and met with Jeffrey He - the President of Hikvision North America at the show. (He's a pretty big deal in the security world.)

To see all the 2018 Security Innovations please visit our FaceBook Page.

DRUGS ARE FUELING A 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN BREAK-INS

22. Jan 2018 Reed Security Feature, News, Public Advisory, Tips

The Saskatoon Police Service has a Crime Mapping Tool that you can use to learn about all the criminal offences and traffic collisions that have occurred in our community.

In 2017 Saskatoon had 2543 property crimes (break-ins) which is a 10 percent increase over the 2292 property crimes we experienced in 2016.

What's causing the increase in property crime?

One of the reasons is that our city is growing. As of July 2017 Saskatoon's population was estimated at 271,000. As our city grows so do the social problems that go along with it.

Another reason is we now have a synthetic drug problem - specifically with fentanyl and crystal meth. People are addicted and need money to fuel the addiction. There's also a big increase in theft of vehicles, theft from vehicles and armed robberies.

Check out this 2016 interview between former Saskatoon Police Chief, Clive Weighill, and Global News. (the video quality is poor ,but the explanation is good).

What can you do to combat break-in's, vehicle theft, theft from vehicles and robberies?

1. USE COMMON SENSE

DO NOT advertise on Facebook or Instagram that you are on vacation. Social media is the equivalent of a diary in a glass house.
You may think you’re letting your friends and family know you’re having a great time, but people often forget to change their privacy settings. Thieves will also know you are travelling.
If you like to post photos - post them after you get back.
If you lose a key, then get the locks changed. A better alternative is to eliminate keys altogether by installing an alarm.com smart lock with built in keypad.
Ask all strangers for identification. The person who is “lost” and looking for directions could actually be a burglar checking to see if someone is home.
Never hide an extra key outdoor - especially underneath a mat or on top of a light fixture. This is the first place the bad guys look. Leave an extra house key with a friend or a neighbor. Again, a better alternative is to eliminate keys altogether by installing an alarm.com smart lock with built in keypad.
For insurance purposes take photos of the contents of your home and keep all receipts in an off-site location. Great options are Google Drive, Microsoft Cloud and Dropbox.
Write down the model and serial number of all electronics. This will come in handy for a future Police report and insurance claim.
Do not leave valuables such as your wallet, loose change, electronics and expensive clothing in a vehicle.

2. MAKE IT DIFFICULT

Door chains are easy to bypass. Install deadbolts. We have alarm.com smart lock options with built in deadbolts.
Install window bars on all basement windows. They are a great visual deterrent and can be connected to a monitored home security system.
Install a stopper or stick on all sliding doors and windows. You can find these at your local hardware store such as Home Hardware, Canadian Tire or Rona.
Make sure all doors and windows are locked. Many burglars go door to door looking for targets that forgot to lock their front doors.
For cabins, consider installing roller window and door shutters. Visit kimbel.ca to see samples.
Do not leave unattended vehicles running
Do not leave keys in a vehcile
Make sure you lock the doors on your vehicle

3. MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU ARE AT HOME

Burglars target unoccupied homes so keep your home well lit at night. Install timers that turn lights, radios and televisions on at different times. This gives the appearance that someone is home. A better option is to install alarm.com smart lights and smart appliance modules and setup on an alternating schedules.
If you’re taking an extended vacation of more than a week, hire a student or service to shovel your driveway.
Cancel the newspaper and have a friend or neighbour pick-up your mail.
Park a vehicle in the drive-way. Don’t forget to lock the doors and remove any valuables.

4. INSTALL A MONITORED HOME OR CABIN SECURITY SYSTEM

The insurance companies agree. You are 400% less likely to have a break-in and can qualify for an insurance discount of up to 25%.

NEW! $0 Equipment, $0 Installation Plans
No Phone Line required
24/7 Monitored Protection from intrusion, fire, flood, low temperature, and carbon monoxide
Includes Police / RCMP and Fire Department dispatch and Call List notification
Optional ALARM.COM - control your smart lights, smart locks, and smart thermostat with *free apps
Optional ReedHD™ Wi-Fi Doorbell - Know Who's at the front door, record audio and video onto the cloud
A monthly subscription is required for all service plans

5. IN CASE YOU DO HAVE A BREAK-IN

If it looks like a door or window was forced open, DO NOT go inside. The Burglar may still be on site.
Call the Police from your mobile phone and wait.

6. ALWAYS GET 3 QUOTES

Do NOT Sign Up with Door to Door alarm companies with Limited Time Offers. Before you know it you will be on the hook for thousands of dollars with a company that doesn't have a local office.
Many door to door alarm companies have summer programs (May to September only). After that good luck.
Be sure to search Google for reviews and ask friends and family who they use for home security.

If you would like more information on Smart Home or Business Security & Automation please Contact Us for a Free Security Evaluation.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS DOES NOT STAY IN VEGAS

11. Apr 2017 Reed Security Alarm Systems, alarm.com, Calgary, Feature, Guides, News, Prince Albert, ReedHD™ Security Cameras, Regina, Trade Shows

TOP 25 COOL SECURITY SOLUTIONS FROM ISCWEST

Would you rather partner with a cutting-edge security LEADER that brings the latest and greatest crime-fighting technology back for their Clients? Or would you like to partner with the Dinosaurs that like to FOLLOW?

Every year we head to Vegas to attend ISCWest. With 1000 exhibitors and 30,0000 security geeks it's the largest Security Expo in North America.

The near future is all about smart security cameras and video management software with Artificial Intelligence (AI). It's getting close to what you see on TV shows like CSI. One example is Face Appearance Search by Avigilon. The software is so smart it can quickly search for the Face of a Person at a site. In the example below the Avigilon representative chooses a thumbnail image of the person he wants to find and the recorded video with the persons face displays immediately. If you look closely, the person he is looking for is on the far right and has an identification box. This is ideal for high traffic locations such as schools, airports, hospitals, government and office buildings.

With over 1000 Exhibitors and 30,000 Security Geeks, ISCWest is THE PLACE to find the latest and greatest security innovations.

Our Sales Manager Ken Spence checked out the Qolsys IQ2 Smart Security & Automation system. This is by far the SMARTEST home and small business solution we've ever seen. Coming to Reed Security mid 2017.

The Qolsys IQ2 Smart Security & Automation system has a few unique features you will not find on any other system. The built in 5MP camera takes photos every time the system is Armed or Disarmed and e-mails it to you (on DisArm). Coming to Reed Security mid 2017.

The Qolsys IQ2 Smart Security & Automation system has a few unique features you will not find on any other system. The 7" touchscreen displays HD video cameras. Also has a built in glass break sensor. Coming to Reed Security mid 2017.

Alarm.com has a few new HD camera options. Above is a Bullet style security camera and below is a Dome style security camera. Comes with Alarm.com cloud recording (no local storage required) and the ability to view with your smartphone. Works best when integrated with a Reed Smart Security & Automation system. For example, when a door opens a video clip of the event is stored to the cloud.

With Amazon Alexa you can use voice commands to control your IQ2 Smart Security & Automation system. This is similar to Siri or Google Assistant. Unfortunately this is NOT available in Canada yet.

The Qolsys IQ2 Smart Security & Automation system has a few unique features you will not find on any other system. You can DisArm your system with your SmartPhone (without even using an app). Coming to Reed Security mid 2017.

This is a GAME CHANGER. Alarm.com released a System Enhancement Module that attaches onto older DSC Power Series version 4.2 and higher and Honeywell/Ademco alarm systems. It turns your existing alarm system into a Smart Security & Automation system. Control everything with your Smartphone. Coming to Reed Security April 2017

DSC has some great video verification solutions. When your alarm triggers a photo is taken and sent to our Emergency Operators. The Emergency Operator ONLY dispatches the authorities if an intruder is present. This security solution is ideal for back yards and fenced compounds. If you are having a lot of EXPENSIVE false alarms, then this is the right solution for you.

nVidia had 20-odd demos displaying the latest robotic guards and security drones. They have Object Recognition software so accurate it personalizes retail experiences or speeds up law enforcement investigative work. It also has the capabilities to identify cars and pedestrians to keep traffic moving.

The future of video surveillance is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Search by Example, Super-human image classification, pedestrian detection (in the rain), 5x faster license plate recognition, 10x faster vehicle attribute classification, 11x faster investigation productivity, 30x faster people and attribute detection...

Artificial Intelligence - People Detection

Our security partner Avigilon previews Artificial Intelligence - Face Appearance Search

Many security companies are investing into Drone technology and developing an integrated security solution. Imagine a smart camera that detects a Person and Drone launching to follow, record, a talk to an unwanted visitor. Our friends at Saskatoon-based www.draganfly.com were way ahead of their time!

Drones can be used to deliver and detonate explosives. But not if you have a DroneSheild gun. DroneSheild is a counter-measure that allows you to safely take control and jam video frequencies.

This isn't R2D2. It's the Knightscope Autonomous Data Machine (a security robot). It's microphones, cameras, and analytics are designed to detect threat and alert the proper authorities. The founders created the ADM in response to school shootings and the Boston marathon bombing.

Our security partner Hikvision is the largest video surveillance company in the world. Reed Security gets a tour of their retail, education, government and traffic solutions with Hikvision management. — with Christopher Zenaty, VP Sales, Hikvision USA, Virgil Reed,Jeffrey He, President, Hikvision USA, Ken Spence,Jeff Augustine, Senior Sales Manager Western Canada and Barry Paisley

Hikvision has released a Specialty Camera Solution line for coastlines, marinas, ports, food processing sites, mines, oil and gas facilities, airports and solar farms.

Hikvision has expanded into vehicle surveillance applications and body worn cameras for law enforcement and security guards.

Hikvision launched an affordable microphone to record conversations. Audio + Video provides the best evidence to convict a criminal. *Audio recording is not legal in all jurisdictions.

Schlage has a wireless access control solution for applications that are hard to wire. Comes with a built in proximity reader.

SASKATOON
Reed Security Headquarters
Call 306.653.3200 or 1.844.384.SAFE (7233)
SuRe InnoVations
Call 306.974.0888
PRINCE ALBERT
Call 306.922.7200
CALGARY
Call 587.393.2800
REGINA
Call 306.206.0700
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New & Noteworthy

MEET ALEX, THE DOOR TO DOOR ALARM SCAM GUY

AND THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN CANADA 2018 IS...

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS DOES NOT STAY IN VEGAS 2018

DRUGS ARE FUELING A 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN BREAK-INS

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS DOES NOT STAY IN VEGAS

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