ADT CEO: My Daughters Better At Installs Than Most 20 Year Techs

Do women cook better than men? Can an apple be an orange? Whall is correct and incorrect depending on your perspective versus Whall's minds eye. If we lived to be 1000 years old why not say; "My 20 year old daughter installs a lot better than a 500 year tech". I would love the hear what that Babel fish in Whall's ear is not telling him. Another note is that the correct terminology is Technician, Specialist, Engineer with a preceding identifier such as Systems, Project and Applications. Show some humility Whall, I am quite sure your daughter is emotionally intelligent, we all are; however which method are you using to measure it?

One day she is an apple, the other day she is an orange but never both.

Now, back to those wireless residential installations with plug n play hardware. Is ADT actively training new "Emo Intellect-nicians" to do the future trade off in your residential sector and if they are how are you taking care of that 20 year veteran?

It is true that, thanks to wireless everything being far more reliable today, that you can lick-and-stick a small resi job and have it come out looking and working fine.

It is also true that installers are the alarm company employees who the subscriber probably sees the most, and is in a lot of cases the person who teaches the subscriber how to use the alarm. It follows, then, that 'soft skills' and being a people person probably leaves the subscriber in a better position to use the alarm correctly with fewer false alarms due to user error. It also follows that friendly and communicative installers probably leads to more upsells and service contract agreements.

But I feel that artistry is and always will be required for everything but the lowest end of the market. High security jobs, larger residential, and high end residential all require the installer to hide the wires and make the devices look good. Alarm companies charge real money for those jobs- they have to, if only to pay the techs.

We're seeing the same trend in technology. The lowest end keeps getting better, affording access to security to those who previously couldn't afford it. But those with more complicated needs still have to get high end product, and that includes technicians with the skills to install it properly.

I don't think he was insulting anybody. I think most are missing the point he is making by getting sucked into the PC rabbit hole of gender. ADT is facing the same problem many tech-sector companies face: the technical/physical install person is generally not suited to do customer service, and those suited for customer service are generally not particularly willing to climb ladders, drill holes and crawl through attics ( yes I stipulate there are exceptions). But now that the actual physical portion of the install is greatly diminished, that creates a problem - they are in effect sending the wrong person to the house.

So what he is really getting at is that the next generation of "installer" in the residential market will be more of a customer service/ PR rep than a technical/physical installation person. Whether that person is male or female is immaterial.

I agree, most of these installer's are just trying to find a way to make ends meet. We have people calling us for the SAME PROBLEM on multiple installs... That's why the market is going to Costco and the DIY people. The specialists are dead.

Wireless alarm system are not the cakewalk people think. Motion detectors can be misapplied generating false alarms. Door and window sensors can be improperly installed in null spots or interfering with window coverings, can be installed in a way that can be tampered with, destroyed or prevent window maintenance.

Wireless alarm systems, many times, do not include outdoor audible devices, relying on indoor sounder and reporting. Law enforcement response in many jurisdictions can be delayed for long periods, enabling intruders to work their crime indoors while neighbors hear nothing, see nothing. I think this is a big problem with the lick and stick alarms.

This is the era of "Bring Your Own Device". They just want to plug it in and have it work, and aren't interested in the alarm guy being there all day or multiple days carefully installing and explaining complex pro-grade intrusion systems.

The day of the average customer willing to pay for expert installs and/or be locked into multi-year contracts to subsidize said expert install is on its way out. Of course we decry this because we know it will be a lesser product but unfortunately we don't get to control what people want. This is what the ADT CEO is trying to say.

As with everything, the high end is the only way to insulate yourself from this seemingly endless process of commoditization in the tech sector. There will always be high-end houses and condo's in which the owner is not only willing to pay for expert installations and service, but expects and demands it. And of course the commercial intrusion client remains.

Mr. Whall's comments dovetail perfectly with the ADT notion that home security installations are now nothing more than 'Lick 'em and Stick 'em'. If you can't do it with double-sided sticky tape the job simply can't be done! What he doesn't say is that quality employees cost money. If you want a technically competent employee that also has a personality that makes the customer 'feel' good about the installation - well then you're going to have to pay more to find them and to keep them. Personally, If I hire a professional to work in my home my FIRST expectation is that he/she has the knowledge and experience to complete the job to my satisfaction. As long as they are not outwardly rude, I could give a damn about their personality! I also feel Mr. Whall could be called on the carpet for the sexist nature of his comments. Women are much better at emotional skills, where as the traditional installer is just a bunch of guys in trucks. What?