The retailer reports a massive 70 per cent increase in sales of domestic security cameras in the last year. That’s a lot of missed business for professional installers.
It’s very obvious that even Mr and Mrs Gullible would rather believe what they see with their own eyes than the government crime statistics which, of course, show a healthy long term reduction (although look at the anti-social behaviour statistics).
On their web sites ordinary officers say they’d rather be out in the community preventing crime than trying to achieve politically-driven clear-up targets.
After years of this de-motivating targeting, let’s hope the Flanagan Report puts an end to what it calls the “needless drain of unnecessary bureaucracy and free up space so that officers and staff can concentrate on the important parts of their jobs”.
Thanks to the target-driven culture, you’re probably less likely to trip over a discarded apple core or be hit with a flying cucumber than at any time in history.
However, your chances of being set upon outside your own home are, seemingly, quite high (I won’t even bother to link through to the many depressing stories reported in the past few weeks).
Much easier sell
This situation is obviously sparking the uptake of home CCTV which should be a much easier sell than the do-it-yourself intruder alarm kits available.
So is this the way installers can crack the domestic nut? Could a CCTV security system lead on to customers signing up to full alarm monitoring and your maintenance?
I will never buy another piece of flatpack furniture thanks to the contrast between the smiling lady with screwdriver on the box and me, trying to beat the miss-aligned dowels and holes into submission.
Similarly, the easiest CCTV camera set-up is likely to seem too much of a challenge to some people, which is where your services could come in. You’ll be aware of DPA issues and restriction that that will prevent the cameras peering at next door’s bedroom window or causing neighbours to come to blows.
Professional installers can stop CCTV going too far, which seems to be the case with our correspondent “Alex” at the bottom of this page.
Have you been programmed?
Has your MD seen the light on a motivational course and come away convinced that all staff should share the experience? Are you that manager?
The larger your company, the more likely you are to be sent away for re-programming.
Having once, in a previous job, been drafted on to a Neuro Linguistic Programming course, I was amused to see a press release sent to Security Installer this week advertising “Nero Linguistic Programming” courses. I didn’t think it had been around that long.
For those interested, NLP is, basically (they’ll say it’s not), copying the person you’re speaking to so they buy your proposal – which comes naturally to good salespeople anyway.
My faith in the course tutor dried up after she told us to copy the breathing pattern of the person sitting next to us on the train. Next time you get some weirdo next to you, annoyingly breathing in the same rhythm, you’ll know where they’ve been.
Don’t be beaten by this stick
Memory sticks, don’t you just love them? So small and convenient and easy to lose. While you probably wouldn’t have taken home a CD data disk in your top pocket, it’s very tempting to quickly slip that bit of work or information on to a memory stick to finish off or read on your home PC. And so easy to lose it on the train or when your getting your car keys out.
Be warned. You’re likely to come back from IFSEC 2008 with a handful of these. After reading, absorbing and inwardly digesting the company’s catalogue you might even be tempted (god forbid) to delete it and use the space for your holiday snaps or even work bits and pieces.
Ask yourself – would you be happy for that to end up in someone else’s hands?
While we’re all worried by the major data breaches reported weekly, including these laptop losses reported last week this weekss embarrassing loss, the little things in life can teach just as hard a lesson.
Threat to wildlife
Haven’t so-called “feral youths” got enough to contend with these days than having to suffer an unpleasant ear ringing brought on by that rather unfriendly Mosquito device?
If they can’t intimidate elderly people outside Tesco what else is there for them to do?
With traditional feral ways increasingly under threat by suggestions that they “attend school” or “go home and watch a DVD”, is it any wonder they feel persecuted?
Are they expected to capitulate when a five foot four Blunkett Bobby asks them nicely if they wouldn’t mind moving along, please?
A little more understanding wouldn’t go amiss. Perhaps lowering the price of alcopops would be an olive branch, maybe happy slapping camera courses or giving them their own feral amenity space at the kiddies’ playground?
We’ve already got a Childrens’ Tsar but isn’t it time the government appointed a special Ferality Tsar to look at the whole question of feral rights? There’s got to be some votes in it.
See you next time
Alan Hyder
editor, Security Installer
