Favorite Intrusion System Survey Questions - What To Include?

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Brian Rhodes
Jul 21, 2016
IPVMU Certified

We are doing an intrusion alarms survey in upcoming days.

Below is a list of example questions to start with. These need to be open ended questions so we can gather color and insights from the community. We will be paying for each and every completed response.

  1. What is your favorite intrusion alarm system or brand? Why?
  2. What improvements would be most helpful for intrusion systems?
  3. How often are intrusion systems replaced? Why?
  4. What is the main weakness or problem with intrusion systems?
  5. For central station monitoring, do you offer mandatory or optional service contracts?

and so on...

In the comments below, let us know which questions are missing and which ones you want asked.

Please do not answer the questions as that is what the upcoming survey will be for. Right now, we just want to discuss what questions to ask and what to cover.

Thanks!

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Jul 21, 2016
  1. What is your Residential/Commerical mix on intrusion systems installed?
  2. What are the top key points/risks/features your sales staff outlines when selling a customer on an intrusion system?
  3. Are you leasing equipment, selling outright, or doing a combination? What lead you to choose the sales model you use?
  4. Do you offer promo intrusion systems below cost to gain an RMR account or upsell added points of protection, services? Why or why not?
  5. What is the mix of your installed communication protocols for monitoring--GSM, Internet, Other Radio, etc...
  6. What percentage of intrusion-only systems have two communication paths for monitoring?
  7. What are the top three features a prospective customer seeks when they inquire about an intrusion system?
(1)
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Brian Rhodes
Jul 21, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Thanks for these.

U
Undisclosed #2
Jul 22, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Of centrally monitored systems, how many are sold with video verification?

On average, how much time do you need to spend onsite per system/year to maintain?

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Luis Carmona
Jul 22, 2016
Geutebruck USA • IPVMU Certified

"What percentage of the intrusion system method (ie. beams, video analytics, fence detection) was spec'd by the customer versus you determining what method system used?"

"What do you see as being the future dominant method of intrusion detection if improvements are made?"

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Ari Erenthal
Jul 22, 2016
Chesapeake & Midlantic

It's been nearly a decade since I had anything to do with intrusion, so I don't really have much useful insight to offer, but every installation company I worked for in the nearly decade before that used Napco panels exclusively.

(1)
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Gert Molkens
Jul 22, 2016
IPVMU Certified

What percentage of intrusion systems uses IP as a main/backup communication to the alarm monitoring center?

Do you prefer to configure your intrusion panel through: specific configuration tool/software or keypad or built in web server?

what percentage of installed panels has a built in web server for configuration?

How do you remote service your panels? Dial in modem/built in web server/ none?

What percentage of your users use a smartphone app to monitor/arm-disarm/... His or her panel?

if you use remote acces through web browser and/or app, how is this configured? Port forward/ VPN, through manufacturer SaaS service,...

how often do you update your panels firmware? Every time a new one is available, every planned maintenance, ...

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Mark McRae
Jul 22, 2016
Inaxsys Security Systems
  1. Do you integrate your intrusion system with access control?
  2. Do you integrate your intrusion system with video?
  3. Do you integrate your system with building automation (to control HVAC functions)?
  4. How many zones on a typical system (resi? Commercial? Industrial?)
  5. How many areas/partitions do you typically program into a system (resi? commercial? Industrial?)
  6. How many different codes (ie user codes) does your system use?
  7. do users prefer to arm/disarm with a keypad? Reader? App?
  8. What is your most used central station communication format? (CID over PSTN? CID over GSM service? SIA level 2 over PSTN? IP?)
  9. What perfentage of your customers use add-on intrusion alarm services like Alarm.com?
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Mark McRae
Jul 22, 2016
Inaxsys Security Systems
  1. where do you purchase your intrusion system (direct? Through a distributor?) and why?
  2. what is your preferred type of keypad (LED, LCD or touchscreen? or maybe App?)
  3. what percentage of your intrusion systems needs approvals (such as UL or cUL)?
  4. Do you prefer to install wired or wireless systems? or hybrids?
  5. Do you install detection devices (door/window contacts) on all openings or do you prefer to do volume detection (motion detectors; glass break detectors) or a combination of both?
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Brian Rhodes
Jul 22, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Good stuff. Thanks.

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