Complaint Review: Devcon Security

I had an individual and what appeared to be someone training with him sell a security system to me on July 30th.  They introduced themselves as an affiliate of GE and had shirts with logos on them and a badge and an iPad.  They were extremely professional the entire time I spoke with them.  They have an excellent sales pitch.  They told me that I was being considered to become an advertiser for their security system and that I would get a free system out of it if I kept the sign in the yard, didn't tell my neighbors, and some other thing that I have forgotten now. 

The system that they presented to me as priced by them was extremely expensive.  The Simon XTI unit according to them costs $449 but if you check it out online you can get the exact same model for $119.  That was only after looking around for a minute or so did I find that price.  But anyway...I digress.  I agreed to the terms and conditions.  At the time I thought it was a good idea.

The installer was in my home within 5 minutes of my signing of the contract and she too was professional and courteous.  As far as I was concerned at that point, I was happy with my purchase.  I wasn't in the market for a security system but I honestly felt good about it.  The sales reps made me feel comfortable and everyone I spoke with on the phone was
professional.   Then after the installer was finished, she cleaned up her mess and took off. at around 11:00pm (Which in hindsight bothers the crap out of me).  I played around with the system for a bit and off to bed I went. 

Late that night there was a thunderstorm.  My wife left her windows down in her car.  She went out through the garage door to roll up the windows.  As the garage door opens I hear..."Beep Beep Garage Door Open" and I think to myself, oh crap, I really just spend $3,000 on an alarm system that I did not need.  Back to sleep.

I went to work the next day and my $3,000 impulse buy was nagging at me all day.  When I got home I asked my wife if she wanted me to show her how to work the alarm, she replied with "Oh, about that alarm....".  Right there I knew where she was headed. 

20 minutes later I was on the phone with Pinnacle Security LLC in Utah.  I want to cancel, I have buyers remorse.  I told them I am exercising my right to cancel and I had 5 days to do it.  Well as it turns out...you really only get 3 days.  Strike one against the sales rep.  The person on the other end says if you want to cancel you must fill out the notice
of cancellation and fax it over.  It is at the bottom of the contract.  I glance down, verify its existence, and notice that the date I had to turn this in by is illegible, but the month says July.  I bought the system on July 30th, how can 3 days added to July 30th still equal July.  Strike 2.  Now I am concerned that if they do not receive the fax tonight, July 31st, then I am SOL.  I find a Fed Ex Kinkos nearby, fax the form over, and immediately call them back.  Success they have received the form!  After some more attempts to get me to stay, the employee tells me that the person who will do the install can't make it out
until 8/8/12.  I say funny, as I was driving to Fed Ex Kinkos, I noticed the same individuals walking around the neighborhood again.  Apparently there are many in need of security systems here.  So I say why can't you just send them over to pick it up.  Well, I guess that is not how it works.  Going in, yes, coming out, no.  So I agree to the date.

I get home and proceed to uninstall the system myself.  I bag it all up nicely and place it in a very convenient spot so that when the person removing the system comes, I can hand them a bag O' stuff, sign some paperwork and chalk
it all up to a poor decision on my part. 

The next day (August 1st).  Business day 2 for those of you keeping track.  I get a call on my cell phone while at work.  Caller ID says Florida.  I reluctantly answer.  It is Devcon Security and they just want to make sure that my issue was resolved.  My IS (Image Sensor) wasn't working properly the day after the install so I contacted their support staff to get it fixed.  This was before buyers remorse had truly set in.  I tell the gentleman that I had actually already cancelled.  I faxed in my
notice of cancellation and confirmed it was received.  He is very sorry to hear this.  He asks is there anything they can do to keep my business.  I politely tell him no and the conversation ends.  30 seconds later. Devcon calling.  Same guy.  He wants to tell me about the best offer he can do.  I originally signed for 58 months at 50.88 per month.  Last night they were willing to do 43.XX per month for 58 months.  Today the offer is 34.XX for 30 months.  Almost worth it.  I concede that this is actually a fair deal.  That comes out to 1020 and for all of the equipment that they gave me, if I were to buy that on
my own (at the prices on Amazon, not on their invoice) they would only get about 400 in profit.  However, I am not in the market for a security system.  

The reason why I am writing this is because I hope this turns out well.  I gave the salesperson a voided check to perform an EFT on my bank account for about 150.  I have already cancelled so I don't think it should go through, but if it does, so be it.  I will wait my 10 days for the refund as stated on the contract and if I do not get it, I will dispute the transaction with my financial institution.  I sort of just want this documented.  As I write this, I am going into day 3 of my cancellation
period.  Oh by the way you get a discount from your homeowners insurance.  I have USAA.  I called them the morning after I had the system installed and they told me I do in fact get discount, but it is only 12 a year.  I told them wait, I thought it was 20% of my total yearly amount.  They say it is...but it is 20% of the risk for theft and fire which only amounts to $12 a year.

So the moral of the story is, look at the contract better than I did.  I should have caught the 3 days vs. the 5 days that the salesperson told me that I had to cancel.  If you do sign, maybe you should set up a date to have them install the system and not have them do it on the spot, that way you have some time to think about it. Now I have holes in my doors and walls. 
Nothing that a little patchwork can't fix, but still annoying.  Make sure what the salesperson writes on the contract is legible.  Make sure that you call the salesperson out on the price of the equipment.  Drag your laptop or whatever over to him or her and take your internet to Amazon.com and show him the true price of the system and then tell him that since they buy in
bulk they are paying even less than that.  Also, they will go down to 34 and some change per month and 30 months.  You do not need to sign for 58 months and 50.88 per month.  Please do not make the same mistake I did.  You should not feel bad if you can't afford to pay that much.  But most importantly, ask yourself if a new security system is something you truly need.

I will update this if they screw me over, but so far it has just been my fault for getting suckered into buying something for "free" that I didn't need.