Home security is a really weird thing. You want the absolute best you can get, but deep down you hope you never have to use it.
As a single adult with a disability who lives alone, I'm definitely not paranoid about my safety but after having had a couple break-ins at my home I also committed myself to at least doing what I can do to maintain a safe environment.
After the ending of my contract with my previous provider, I opted to explore the market a little bit given recent advancements in home security and the growth of the digital revolution in the industry. I initially opted for AT&T's Digital Life given my positive history with AT&T in terms of U-Verse, but after a couple of false starts and failures on their part I decided to go a different route.
While I'd certainly heard of Guardian Protection Services, it wasn't until I saw their sign at a local business I particularly respect that I decided to explore them further. The timing was good with Black Friday and the holidays leading to special offers galore. While Guardian isn't an advertising heavy company, they do have a pretty strong web presence and I was able to find a deal that sounded intriguing and would allow me to provide my home with the security I desired. I
I submitted an e-mail inquiry to find out more. I submitted the request on the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and was contacted the following Monday afternoon. I consider this to be excellent timing - it's not obsessive as I despise companies that call you right away, but it's also not a significant delay that allows you too much time to explore other options. The person I spoke with was friendly and helpful, but not pushy or doing an incredible hard-sell.
We arranged an appointment for the next evening and Vernon, one of Guardian's local representatives arrived on time and in an "unmarked" vehicle (but they did have I.D.). Vernon was friendly and helpful. He was aware that I'd responded to an online ad, but wasn't aware of which one (which I think is a good thing - it allows him to suggest what will work rather than going with the expected). He checked out my home, made suggestions, and we discussed pricing. He made a couple extra recommendations, I accepted one of the two, and he did his best it seemed to get me a system that would meet my needs within my budget. He created an option with medical alert that truly was helpful given my health challenges, though he presented it in a way that was not condescending. He was friendly, personable, and professional. He talked about being with Guardian for a considerable period of time and his affection for the company was obvious.
After discussing pricing, options, the system itself, and time commitment, I opted to go with the offer despite my having reservations about a five-year commitment (which is my only true concern with Guardian - five years is simply unreasonable given the changes in technology and service limits).
They primarily install during the week, but do have some weekend options. I scored a Saturday morning install within a week and the person did as arranged by calling me 30-minutes before arrival. The installer took between 3-4 hours to install the system and spent the needed time to ensure I understood everything. When I wasn't quite happy with the positioning on one system option, he changed it without hesitation. He was friendly, helpful, and obviously knew his stuff. He also knew how to explain the system in a non-technical way that made it all user friendly. I was genuinely impressed. He also spoke highly of the company in a sincere way.
I am incredibly happy with Guardian and if I could, it would easily be a 4 1/2 star rating. However, I can't quite justify a five-star due to a couple of administrative issues that I think do matter. While I am a believer in "you get what you pay for," I truly think the five-year agreement is a bit extreme as it doesn't allow for advances in technology and/or simply changes in life circumstances. I realize there's a cost to systems, but it seems like there would be a more customer friendly way to address the need to be fiscally responsible. I was also informed that after 90 days there's a deductible on equipment/service issues. This seems contradictory - I have to pay on the equipment for five years, but you'll only guarantee it for 90 days? That bugs me. Admittedly, the deductible is only $25 (I believe) but I think it sends the message that you don't stand behind your equipment.
These are minor quibbles. I'm definitely a fan and excited to have the new system in place. With this system, I feel far more secure in my home than I did previously and I appreciated that from the first phone call to Vernon to install, I feel like everyone went above and beyond and did so in a way that was upbeat, friendly, helpful, and caring. I have a system that will be monitored for less than $50 a month and my home and health are much more protected. read more