Beware of Door Knockers!

As we emerge from quarantine into the new normal, aggressive home security system sales agents have returned to the streets with renewed fervor. While everyone respects another's right to earn a living, these sales agents use unscrupulous tactics when pushing their sub-par products. The problem has gotten so bad that the nation's consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and state Attorney Generals have all cautioned homeowners to beware of security system sales agents. Here are some ways to identify and door knocker sales agents and how you can combat them.

Sonitrol of Lexington prides itself on selling home security systems in an honorable and dignified manner. We do not engage in door-knocking and we do not use deceptive and high-pressure sales tactics to recruit customers. Sonitrol will have you schedule your consultation either in person or utilizing a video consultation. Do not believe the sales pitch that a generic home security sales agent makes at your front door. Before you consider the merits of his words, you should do some vetting. Ask for identification and a business card with a real @companyname email address. Look up their company on the Better Business Bureau website. Check for their vehicle to see if it is marked with the company's name or logo. Remember, you have every right to question sales agents and you do not have to let anyone into your home.

Be especially cautious of sales agents who make time-limited offers that require immediate action. These are almost always scam. Even if they promise that the equipment is free or the first six-months are offered at a reduced rate, there are likely some nasty strings attached like long-term contracts and poor service. Anything that is offered by them should be cross-checked with your current provider. There are many promises that these companies make that they have no intent of keeping. These companies are not local and cannot service you as well as a local provider can. 

In some cases, these sales agents will provide false information about their current system in order to persuade folks to switch companies. Other unsavory sales agents will use scare tactics like speaking about a string of burglaries in your neighborhood or town over the past few weeks or months. Unfortunately, many unethical companies train their sales agents to lie about such events in order to pressure homeowners into paying for a home security system.

There are even home security sales agents who will search out homes that have signs or stickers indicating that there is a competitor's home security system installed on the property. This is an especially disturbing tactic because they are targeting unsuspecting homeowners who assume that the representative showing up at their door is from their current security company. The sales agent will then state that they are there to replace or upgrade the security system. For our customers, these sales agents will identify themselves as Sonitrol representatives and offer to extend current security system contracts only to switch the equipment over to their own and have the homeowners sign new contracts on the spot. Unfortunately, unsuspecting homeowners think that they will continue to do business with Sonitrol Security or their current security system provider and sign the extension without hesitation. In reality, they are there to install a totally new system and have you sign the paperwork to switch over to a new home security company.

At Sonitrol of Lexington, we take pride in doing business in a highly ethical manner. We hire only the best professional sales agents after extensively checking into their backgrounds. We also randomly drug test our employees throughout their employment. You can recognize each of our sales agents by either their ID badge or their Sonitrol branded vehicle. If you do not see these forms of identification and the salesman claims to represent Sonitrol, decline his sales pitch and close your door.

We even go as far as e-mailing a profile sheet of our sales agents to customers before their scheduled appointments. The profile sheet will have the agent's photo, biography and contact information. This way, you can rest easy knowing that the sales agent who shows up to your door is legitimate. We are also proud to be members of numerous local and national organizations like the Better Business Bureau, Commerce Lexington, NAHB, the Electronic Security Association, NFPA, Bluegrass Crime Stoppers and more.