Captain
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5.2K Messages
Open Editorial: Simplisafe Expansion for Direct Monitoring
First, let me state for those of you who don't know, I am firmly in the pro Simplisafe camp. Being a customer of going on ten years, I obviously like, endorse and live the Simplisafe experience. While not without areas of improvement, Simplisafe has, and is, the best overall value and most effective in the home security sector, that is, in my humble opinion.
A key component of that customer proposition is the selection of world class, quality company partners to provide professional monitoring. Without it, the Simplisafe security system is little more than a noise maker. In those almost ten years, whatever company Simplisafe has selected, I have experienced nothing short of excellent, world class, error free service. Companies that are specialists in their field, with an aggressive focus in providing monitoring services. That translates into peace of mind, you know, the thing that lets you sleep well at night and enjoy your days and nights away from home, or in it, for that matter.
I will be the first to admit the new management team leading the rebuilding of customer support appears to have gotten their arms around technical support and customer support and have a high degree of comfort that it will continue with more and better trained agents, chat support, technology (gee, they will actually get their phone system to work and allow customers to schedule callbacks), a real CRC etc. etc. And here's the point: when it comes to customer service and technical support, if you drop the ball, you get another chance at bat and can call or email back.
Not so much with monitoring service. For that, you have to be 100% on time, on target. Period. Another "at bat" will not be possible if you are injured, house burning, or worse, dead. COPS, and those monitoring companies before it, in my experience, have been 100%.
At this time as Simplisafe is actively hiring to staff its first center (https://careers.simplisafe.com/job/?job_id=3374363) I am concerned about Simplisafe's efforts in this area. Very highly concerned. With the history of SS technical support and customer service, I truly believe that concern is warranted. I want to communicate it here in the forums. Why? Because I am a dedicated Simplisafe customer and supporter and want to see it done right, as if customer's lives and property depend on it. Especially since they do.
A key component of that customer proposition is the selection of world class, quality company partners to provide professional monitoring. Without it, the Simplisafe security system is little more than a noise maker. In those almost ten years, whatever company Simplisafe has selected, I have experienced nothing short of excellent, world class, error free service. Companies that are specialists in their field, with an aggressive focus in providing monitoring services. That translates into peace of mind, you know, the thing that lets you sleep well at night and enjoy your days and nights away from home, or in it, for that matter.
I will be the first to admit the new management team leading the rebuilding of customer support appears to have gotten their arms around technical support and customer support and have a high degree of comfort that it will continue with more and better trained agents, chat support, technology (gee, they will actually get their phone system to work and allow customers to schedule callbacks), a real CRC etc. etc. And here's the point: when it comes to customer service and technical support, if you drop the ball, you get another chance at bat and can call or email back.
Not so much with monitoring service. For that, you have to be 100% on time, on target. Period. Another "at bat" will not be possible if you are injured, house burning, or worse, dead. COPS, and those monitoring companies before it, in my experience, have been 100%.
At this time as Simplisafe is actively hiring to staff its first center (https://careers.simplisafe.com/job/?job_id=3374363) I am concerned about Simplisafe's efforts in this area. Very highly concerned. With the history of SS technical support and customer service, I truly believe that concern is warranted. I want to communicate it here in the forums. Why? Because I am a dedicated Simplisafe customer and supporter and want to see it done right, as if customer's lives and property depend on it. Especially since they do.
Official Solution
davey_d
Community Admin
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4.6K Messages
2 years ago
This is one of those things where there's a lot of pieces still in the works, so we're not able to give more info. What I can say is that we understand the concern, and we're not going to launch anything that would negatively impact our service - in fact, the goal is opposite; to improve the service and support our future growth. Rapid response to your emergency events is the core of what we do. So we're going slow and deliberate, so we can make sure that we do it right.
- Davey D.
Community Development Manager
SimpliSafe Home Security
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ronsec
182 Messages
2 years ago
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davey_d
Community Admin
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4.6K Messages
2 years ago
There is nothing we hold more sacred than our Mission of making every home secure. For us, the moment of truth is when a customer's alarm triggers a response from our monitoring center. As you point out, in that moment, seconds count and accuracy and immediacy of action are paramount.
It is true that we are making preparations to begin the very gradual process of opening our own dedicated monitoring operations. This long-term goal will be achieved according to the same exacting, industry-leading standards applied to other such operations, including our current partner. We will spare no effort in this endeavor, building a dedicated team led by industry veterans and experts to create the best possible experience for our customers. We'll communicate more with you over time as these plans take shape.
- Davey D.
Community Development Manager
SimpliSafe Home Security
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sevensiamesecats
Advocate
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2.2K Messages
2 years ago
It might be better if you had a reliable customer service system before moving to a monitoring service. I'm sure we'd all feel a bit more secure if you proved you had a phone system which did not drop in the middle of a call, and a system which did not have us waiting on hold for an undetermined length of time (estimated time and ability to be called back without losing our place in line), and a system which would not be disabled by local problems (I think this is in process).
And make sure that all the monitoring personnel is completely trained to the same standards before letting them on the phones. Variable support is marginally tolerable, but variable monitoring is not.
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coltmaster1
Advocate
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2.8K Messages
2 years ago
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worthing
Advocate
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561 Messages
2 years ago
What's the motivation to change this up? Is the aim to provide better service? If so, in what ways? If the aim to simply save money? (Which I don't have a problem with, conceptually, for the record.) If so, how can you assure us that quality won't suffer as a result?
I'll be honest, there are reports of people who had incidents where a phone call should have happened but didn't here and on reddit. I've experienced a few of these myself which is why I have a back up for some functions you all provide and why I desperately want a way to break out the important notifications on my phone (there's a fire, there's a water leak, the actual siren went off, etc.) from the "noise".
This is definitely not the time to go with, "I can't speak about future plans" by the way. That is not what any of us want to hear when it comes to questions about changes to inarguably the most important function your service provides.
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worthing
Advocate
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561 Messages
2 years ago
Bump for a response to my question from 2+ weeks ago.
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