STATE ALARM SYSTEMS

 

Customer Information Guide

 

CENTRAL STATION

NATIONAL

USA TOLL-FREE

1 (800) 321-7400

 

CUSTOMER SERVICE

NATIONAL

USA TOLL-FREE

1 (888) 726-8111

 

INTERNET ADDRESS

www.state-alarm.com

 

E-Mail ADDRESS

Information@state-alarm.com

 

 

CORPORATE OFFICES

5956 MARKET STREET Ÿ YOUNGSTOWN

 

NATIONAL SALES OFFICE

1220 W. 3RD STREET Ÿ CLEVELAND, OHIO 44113

 

 

 

 


Welcome to State Alarm:

 

 

It is a genuine pleasure to have you as a STATE ALARM customer.  We would like you to know that selecting STATE ALARM as your security company is no mere formality with us; it represents your goodwill towards us and that is a matter of great importance.  Please know that we will endeavor to deserve your confidence and friendship.

 

Friendship might seem an overstatement but it has been the tradition of STATE ALARM, since the day the doors opened over 50 years ago, to conduct our business in the manner of friends; our personnel are chosen for their innate pleasantness and trained to give courteous, dependable service.

 

We hope it never happens, but should STATE ALARM fall short of your expectations, we would consider it a personal favor if you would let us know about it.  I may be reached 24 hours a day by calling your local STATE ALARM number or our toll free number 1-800-321-7400.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Donald P. Shury

President

 

 

 

 

 


Table of Contents

 

 

INSTALLATION

1

 

 

ELECTRICAL POWER

2

 

 

SERVICE

3

 

 

TESTING

4

 

 

CENTRAL STATION MONITORED

5

 

 

CENTRAL STATION MONITORED WITH OPEN/CLOSING SCHEDULES

6

 

 

SYSTEM CHANGES

7

 

 

INTERNET ACCESS

8

 

 

REMOTE SYSTEM CHANGES

9

 

 

CCTV and ACCESS CONTROL

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Installation

 

 

You should expect your installation to be conducted in a professional manner with the installer cleaning up as he goes along.  Should this not occur for any reason, please notify our Office immediately.

 

Please follow all instructions carefully.  It is advisable to have all who will be using the system see the installer or your security consultant for instructions.  If there are a number of users of the systems, we recommend arranging a time when all users can be present for a demonstration.

 

The alarm service or purchase agreement is based on installation payment in full on or before the time of completion of our work.  Please remit any installation balance directly to the installer or security consultant so that he may be authorized to connect and finalize your system.

 

We request service/monitoring charges be made on time.  All monthly charges are due by the 1st day of your billing cycle.  The obligation of STATE ALARM to service and monitor terminates when the subscriber is in default of payment by 30 days or more.

 

We look forward to serving your security needs.

 

 

 

2. Electrical Power

 

 

For proper operation of your security, fire, CCTV and/or access control system, it is necessary for electrical outlets or connections to the electrical panel be provided by you.  Our security consultant will advise you of what may be needed.  We suggest you have the security system main control outlet separate from your other electrical outlets, switches and breakers.

 

In special situations, we will provide a temporary grounded plug for testing and familiarization with the system until permanent connections can be made.

 

Should you have any questions, please feel free to discuss them with your security consultant, installation or service technician.

 

 

 

3. Service

 

 

1. We provide twenty-four (24) hour response to your service concerns.

 

2. In most cases, the Central Station Operator (CSO) can be of assistance to you.

 

We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the coverage you receive under your maintenance contract or the warranty on your purchase contract with us.  They are as follows:

 

1. Labor – Labor includes all hours spent servicing your system including travel time.

 

2. Equipment – Which is available as necessary, repair or replacement of equipment and wiring which may become defective through normal usage, wear and tear.

 

3. Programming – Any programming changes we can do remotely from our offices.

 

Service contracts are available after your warranty has expired.  Otherwise service will be done on a time & material basis with service charges due at time of service.

 

We would like to advise you that your alarm service contract or your warranty purchase contract does not cover the following:

 

1. Changes in the system due to remodeling.

 

2. Additional work.

 

3. Customer error.

 

4. Damage caused by the perils of lightning, windstorm, fire, smoke and hail.*

 

5. Unnecessary service calls.

 

6. Attempted or actual burglaries for repair or replacement of equipment.

 

7. City, municipalities, state and/or local government/police department charges for undetermined alarms.

 

8. Phone company service charges.

 

*Please clarify insurance coverage with your insurance company or contact us for a quote on a monthly service charge to include this addendum coverage on your service contract.

 

 

 

 

4. Testing

 

 

Testing your system is vitally important to its operation.  We advise you test the system at least once a week.  If you feel you have a problem, please call.  To properly test:

 

1. Call our office with a code and advise that you will be testing.

 

2. Arm the system as you normally would do.

 

3. Walk through the area of detection and/or open the doors that have the detection on them.

 

4. When completed, disarm your system.

 

5. Call our office to advise that you have finished testing.

 

If you feel any of the components are not functioning correctly, please make our office aware of this.  Service will be provided at your request.

 

 

 

5. All Central Station Monitored Systems

 

 

1. Each subscriber must provide names, personal identification codes (PIC) and telephone numbers of persons who upon notification by STATE ALARM of an alarm or trouble condition affecting the alarm system, will at anytime go to the premises.  It is strongly recommended that you have more than one person on your call list.

 

2. It is understood that STATE ALARM will notify only one key holder and will attempt in the order listed.  Once any key holder is notified, it will be their responsibility to go to the premises or contact another person to go to the premises and advise STATE ALARM of the situation.

 

3. Insurance coverage:  Be sure that the alarm equipment is covered by fire and electrical surges of any type as they are not covered in your contract.

 

4. Control of customer errors is necessary to maintain harmony between you, STATE ALARM and the responding authorities.  Please take an active part in preventing these alarms.  The most common errors are a result of:

 

a.      Accidental tripping of the alarm and NOT calling our Central Station with a CODE to advise it was an error.

 

b.      Heating or air conditioning units activating motion detectors.

 

c.      Loose fitting doors, windows, glass panes, cracked windows and wind cause false alarms.

 

d.      Animals: Birds, cats, rats (chewing wires) can set off motion detectors.

 

e.      Turning power off at the electrical main panel or disconnecting transformers.

 

f.         Workers – Construction, babysitters, house sitters, maintenance having access to the security system without having a personal code.

 

g.      Decorations, especially around the holiday season, causing motion detectors to activate.

 

 

 

6. Central Station Monitoring with Open and Closing Schedules

 

 

Certain procedures must be followed to maintain proper security.  They are as follows:

 

1. Early or Unscheduled openings.  MUST call if earlier than scheduled opening time.  (See #4)

 

2. Late closings:  Notify our office if later than your scheduled closing time.

 

3. Cleaning Personnel:  If cleaning personnel enter at nonscheduled hours or stay late, a code must be given by them or an authorized person.

 

4. If you have user codes, a letter must be sent to our office advising us that unscheduled openings at anytime are permissible by certain, or all users, if you wish us to follow this procedure.

 

5. All personnel authorized to enter must have a code (PIC). These persons shall have the authority to enter the protected premises at any time or as so directed.  If it is necessary to enter the premises during the closed period, a code holder must call in advance or immediately upon such entry and give the system number code, and state the approximate time that the premises will be opened and closed.  Under these circumstances, the police or guard will not be dispatched.  Please see #4 optional procedure.

 

Please take an active role in preventing unnecessary alarm.  Instruct employees, maintenance and other personnel in the use of the system.

 

Avoid additional service charges by preventing unnecessary alarms.  If any of the items are due to customer error or damage, an additional charge will be made.

 

 

 

7. System Changes

 

 

Our Central Station Operator (CSO) or Customer Service Manager (CSM) personnel will take all changes pertaining to your system.  These changes would include code holders (additions or deletions), changes in order or phone numbers, opening and closing times and any temporary changes.  These changes will be taken Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.

 

Emergency changes will be accepted after our normal business hours.

 

All permanent changes will be accepted over the telephone with the proper authorization, but must be followed by written authorization either by mail, fax or e-mail.

 

8. Internet Access

 

State Alarm uses revolutionary alarm handling software, called Manitou. Manitou is a state of the art system developed by BOLD Technologies. Manitou allows State Alarm to provide superior customer service options, including new features such as:

Web access: Login and access your alarm account information (account activity, contact information, emergency call lists, etc.) from the internet.  This feature is called ManitouWeb. 

 

Automated Activity reports: Activity reports can be automatically faxed or emailed directly to you, at intervals that you choose (Monthly, weekly, etc.)

Automatic E-mail: Have an E-mail sent to you as an alarm event occurs on your system detailing information you specify.

Cellular Phone Messaging: Have messages sent to your e-mail enabled cellular phone when an alarm event occurs on your system. For example, a message such as: “Acme, Inc. :10/23/2005 21:43 :Burglary” will be sent to your device in real time!

 

For more information about Manitou’s special features and pricing, please feel free to contact us.

 

 

9. Remote System Changes

 

 

With many of the systems from our Central Office, it is possible to do some remote functions in your control panel.  These include:

 

1. Arm and/or disarm your security system.

 

2. Bypass zones.

 

3. Add and/or delete user codes.

 

4. Do diagnostics.

 

Certain restrictions do inhibit us from doing it on all systems.  These include voicemail, some answering machines, and some fax machines on the same phone line as your security system.

 

If this particular feature is of particular interest to you, we recommend you have your system connected to your least used telephone line or have a separate phone line for the security system.

 

If you are a service customer or under installation warranty, there is no charge for the remote accessing of your system.  If you are a monitoring only customer, there is a service fee to do any changes.

 

 

 

10.  CCTV and Access Control Systems

 

The coverages as outlined under 3. Service apply to all CCTV systems and access control systems when leased or purchased.

 

 

CCTV

 

If you are experiencing problems with your cameras, pan/tilt units, scanners or monitors, please do not attempt to adjust them yourself.  If service is needed please call our office and we will provide an experiences technician, familiar with the operation of closed circuit equipment.

 

 

Access Control

 

If you are experiencing difficulties with your card reader, code pad station or printer, you may need service.  We have trained technicians to service and repair your system.

 

 

 

If there are any questions we may not have answered, please call STATE ALARM.  We are here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS!