Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  WESTCO has been my alarm monitoring company for over 14 years after they repaired the system that my former company wanted to repair. Besides repairing the alarm system, WESTCO programmed the alarm system with the new telephone number that would alert the WESTCO monitoring station. Last November, when I tested my system, it failed to communicate with the monitoring station. A WESTCO technician promptly came out to diagnose the problem and found that the telephone number that they had programmed for the alarm system to call was no longer correct: it had been a seven-digit number but now had to be a ten-digit number. Effectively, although I was paying a fee for this monitoring service, I had had no service for over a year. Since WESTCO is the keeper and programmer of that telephone number, a number not disclosed to me, I requested that WESTCO do two things. First, alert other customers with similar alarm systems that their telephone numbers need to be reprogrammed. Second, refund the amount of money that I had paid for the monitoring service for the time that the alarm was not being monitored. After an exchange of two letters, WESTCO has refused to take either of the actions that I requested. Their position is that if a customer were to test their alarm system monthly, as they recommend, they would have discovered the problem much earlier. My position is that even one month without being monitored is too much. Moreover, I fear that like me, there still may be customers whose experience with the reliability of their alarm system is such that they don’t test very often. Indeed, we have had no alarm system failures since it was repaired in 1997. I believe that WESTCO's refusal to alert their customers about this potential problem shows an egregious disregard for their customer’s safety. How many of their customers are still not being monitored and what will happen in an emergency situation?

  

  Business response

  02/07/2023

  I am sorry with the dissatisfaction you have experienced with your alarm system service.  I misstated that in my past correspondence.  I absolutely appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention.  Equipment failures such as yours are the reason we put an emphasis on testing the systems monthly, so much so that it is on every invoice we send out.  As I stated before, your safety and the safety of all our customers is extremely important to us.  We need both the end user and our monitoring center to provide the proper level of protection. 
  
  Because your system is over 25 years old, we must rely on you in helping stay on top of your system functioning properly by testing on a regular basis.  I understand your frustration with the telephone dialing change, however, if you would have tested your system weekly as the manual states or even monthly as we have recommended, you would have found that the system was not functioning properly well before the time you had called us.  We are unable to monitor diagnostics of the older systems in the field as they do not have the technology the newer systems have to provide us diagnostic data upon a trouble and or failure.  While we cannot get parts to support your system any longer, we continue to provide service when called.  We do the same for all our customers.  We offer service plans that provide testing of your system on a periodic basis and based on the plan selected will send a technician out as well.  
  
  We no longer use phone lines for new alarm system installations, all systems are digitally monitored via the cellular data network and / or the internet.  Older analog systems do have and will continue to have issues communicating over the current IP based telephone network.  As technology evolves, updating equipment becomes required more often than not. 
  
  Our monitoring center is ready to accept any signal it receives from your security panel on a 24 hour / 7 day per week basis.  Alarm monitoring fees cover this on-call reactive service.  When a legitimate signal is received from your security panel, our central station will take the appropriate action.  I must go back to the testing requirement stated above.  Our monitoring center was ready and able to handle your alarm signal, had a signal been sent.  For this reason, I am unable to provide a refund of the monitoring fees.
  
  I am saddened to learn that you have lost faith in our company, but I can tell you we are on top of the latest technologies to provide the safety and peace of mind for your home and that of all our customers. I am unable to see where you find a “callous disregard for the safety of your customers” in my last correspondence.  I respectfully disagree with you on this point.  The safety of our customers and employees is of the utmost importance.  We have been providing that type of service since 1983.  If you choose to leave Westco, I respect your decision.   If you choose to contact the Better Business Bureau and ****, I respect that as well. 
  
  My offer to split the service call cost with you or apply the entire service call cost to upgrade your system is still available.
  
  Please feel free to call me to discuss this further.

  

  Business response

  02/10/2023

  The customer owns their equipment.  It is the customer’s responsibility to test their system as stated in our previous response.  We recommend monthly testing to all our customers.  This is requested on all invoicing from our office.
  
  A yellow trouble light appears on the keypad in the customer’s home letting them know of an issue with the alarm system.  Had Mr. ******** contacted our office at the first sign of the trouble light, we could have assisted him immediately. 
  
  Due to the age of the system (25 years old) it does not have the ability to send diagnostics.  For customers with older systems, we rely on them to test and contact us when alerts appear on their keypad so we can help ensure their safety.
  
  Alarm systems developed within approximately the last 15 years can send 2-way diagnostic information if the system has an upgraded digital IP or cellular communicator added.  We act on all alerts received (low batteries, loss of signals, etc.).
  
  We are available from 8 a.m.  to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday to answer all questions and dispatch technicians to help ensure the safety of our customers.  In addition to this we have on call techs 24/7 to cover after hours and weekends.  Our monitoring center also has live representatives answering calls 24 hours a day 7 day a week.
  
  Mr. ******** has not had any maintenance to his system from Westco Security since having the equipment installed in 1998.  We take the safety of our customers very seriously.  It is our business, but it is a partnership between us and the customer.  We need to work together to be successful. 

  Customer response

  02/10/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There are likely other people, like me, who have found that their alarm system is so reliable that they don't test very often.  Our has worked perfectly since 1998.   A company that valued customer service could easily send an e-mail to customers warning them of my experience.  Specifically, that since 10-digit numbers are now required for dial-in alarm systems, those alarm systems that WESTCO programmed with seven digits won't be able to contact the monitoring station until they are reprogrammed.  Their refusal to do so speaks volumes.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

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