Talking intruder & dont want to tempt providence (esp as I'm on call this week) but we dont get many call outs on "our" systems (ie fitted by us).

Choosing good eqpt and fitting appropriatly & correctly should "design out" f/a's due to eqpt.

Spending time with the eventual users (all users, not letting the blind lead the blind) before quote and after installation should design out f/a's due to users.

That may sound condecending or even naive but as a small business with engineers doing the quoting/fitting/RM & c/o's It's in our interest to get it right first time (yep we have mishaps).

Big firms with their own manufacturing (or with minimum purchase agreements) are at a disadvantage (in this respect) as they have to spec their own gear regardless. Install guys trying to make fit the surveyors spec, maint guys picking up the agg, customer picking up the tab.

We bought out another firm a few years ago. Accounts for 10% of our business, yet over half the c/o's. A fool and his money...........

With access, the smoking ban has increased c/o's considerably we never used to have door closers & hinges in stock! Though on the plus side we're getting more enquiries for repairs to other firms systems as we can sort problems out of hours.

CCTV. Not much change there, customers wait until office hours before calling, unless there is something recorded they want access to NOW. (very rare tbo).

The one single thing with call out that niggles me is that everyone waits until I'm on call before they decide they've got a problem.

lol agree with you on equipment im sure most of us are the same, but the smoking ban has caused us more callouts for people not closing fire doors correctly.

ppffftt

bloody smokers should get paid 1/2 & charged double!

C.

lol agree with you on equipment im sure most of us are the same, but the smoking ban has caused us more callouts for people not closing fire doors correctly.

yer, have had a few probs with fire doors but most now on chime or tamper where poss.