A few weeks ago, the car of a friend of mine was broken into while we were attending a charity committee meeting at a restaurant, then yesterday I received an alert from a Portland restaurant I frequent with a warning about vehicles in their area being targets of “smash and grab” theft.  These events prompted me to revisit the subject of a previous blog, how to protect your car from being burglarized.

Use the locks
Most prowlers are looking for the path of least resistance and an unlocked car serves up a temping target.  No matter how quick you expect to return to your car, always, always, always lock the doors.

Clean up your act
Something that has little or no value to you (an empty Nordstrom bag, an old pair of hiking boots) may not appear worthless to someone outside your car.  Remove unused items and hide any items you choose to keep in your car.

Don’t dangle bait
Hide electronics AND their accessories.  When car prowlers see things like phone chargers cords, iPod adapters and windshield suction cup mounts as evidence electronics may be in the vehicle, but just out of view.  Every time you park, either hide these items or take them with you.

Timing is everything
Don’t wait to hide items you plan to leave in the car AFTER you park.  Car prowlers troll busy parking lots for opportunities and you don’t want one to see you stash a collection of items in the trunk before you walk into a restaurant for dinner.  Instead, stow items in their respective hiding places when you get in the car.

Make a tight seal
Close all windows and other potential entry points.  A slightly cracked window or sun roof leaves the car vulnerable and can even compromise a car’s alarm system.

Be alarming
If you have a car alarm system, use it.  If you don’t, get one.  Again, burglars are looking for the path of least resistance.  Obvious indicators of a car alarm will deter most.

Friend the factory
An “aftermarket” stereo system is far more valuable to a prowler than the factory system.  If you can make friends with the system originally installed in your vehicle, you’ll reduce your risk.

Go into the light
Look for well-lit parking spaces in open view of lots of people.  Avoid park near large shrubs or cars larger than yours.  Prowlers want to keep hidden from foot and vehicle traffic.

Just can’t get enough
Put many prevention steps into action, don’t stop with just one.  By putting multiple measures in place you significantly reduce your risk.

Sonitrol Pacific doesn’t provide vehicle burglar alarms, but crime prevention of every kind is important to us.  We live and play in the communities we serve and helping make those communities safer is a priority.

Wayne Ohlemeier, Sonitrol Pacific’s Chief Technical Officer, forwarded the “Seven Habits Of Highly Resilient Organizations” from Security Products to me and I want to share it with you a taste of the information the article delivers.  Visit the Security Products website for the complete article.

Tips: Seven Habits Of Highly Resilient Organizations
Secure Products Online
February 10, 2010

Small and mid-sized organizations are especially at risk when disaster strikes, since few have the resources or knowledge to develop full-scale continuity plans. Often, first actions are directed toward the protection of physical property. But more important than an organization’s physical property is ensuring the integrity of its data, communications capabilities and the information technology infrastructure to support both — regardless of the circumstances surrounding a disaster.

Here are seven habits that CDW Government LLC, a provider of information technology solutions to business, government, and education, advises organizations adopt to ensure they are prepared for any business contingency and that they remain resilient in the event of unplanned interruptions.

These habits can help organizations prevent costly downtime, reduce inconvenience to customers and minimize damage to an organization or agency’s reputation. These habits are provided by CDW-G’s team of technology specialists and systems engineers, who are experts in evaluating and designing technology solutions for government agencies, educational institutions and healthcare facilities.

1. Conduct a business impact assessment.
2. Take steps to protect data.
Tape Rotation
Data Replication
Appliance Backup
Data Vaulting Facilities
3. Review power options.
4. Identify and appoint a cross-functional preparedness team and a recovery team.
5. Document, test and update the disaster preparedness plan.
6. Consider telecommunications alternatives.
7. Form tight relationships with vendors.

Read the full article

Sonitrol Pacific is proud to be an active member of the Sonitrol National Dealers’ Association (SNDA).  Members  support each other in ongoing growth and challenge each other to ever greater levels of excellence.

Each year the SNDA holds a contest for employees of the franchises.  We were thrilled to learn Anne Ogama, Sonitrol Pacific Seattle Admin Support, is a winner, and team members Allan Bray, Gordon DuCette, Scott Stevanus, DeJa Irving, and Amanda Dittebrandt earned honorable mention.

Here’s the official announcement of all the winners and honorable mention recipients:

We are pleased to announce this year’s winners of the Sonitrol National Achievement Award.  The top winner for each category will be announced on Awards Night in Memphis, Tenn.   Please join us in congratulating:

Technicians
1. Fred Beatty, Sonitrol of Charlotte
2. Jeff Searls, Sonitrol of Rochester
3. Dan Silvestro, Sonitrol of Buffalo

Operators
1. Jonathan Carr, Sonitrol of San Jose
2. Elizabeth Morris, Sonitrol of Toronto
3. Jeff Wilson, Sonitrol of Toronto

Administrative/Support
1. Rebecca Broach, Sonitrol of Tallahassee
2. Dean Furlano, Sonitrol of Toronto
3. Anne Ogama, Sonitrol Pacific – Seattle

Achievement Award Honorable Mention
We are pleased to recognize the achievements of these individuals.  We wish them and everyone who participated the best of luck in next year’s contest.   Please join us in congratulating:

Technicians
1. Dwight Knight, Sonitrol of Anderson
2. Allan Bray, Sonitrol Pacific – Tacoma
3. Gordon Ducette, Sonitrol Pacific – Portland
4. Scott Stevanus, Sonitrol Pacific – Portland
5. Mark Howell, Sonitrol of Las Vegas

Operators
1. Michelle Resendiz, Sonitrol Chicago West
2. Amy Penkauskaus, Sonitrol of Richmond
3. Karl Maier, Sonitrol of Buffalo
4. Jim Burka, Sonitrol of Buffalo
5. Darren Ziemba, Sonitrol of Buffalo

Admin/Support
1. Maureen Wilson, Sonitrol of Las Vegas
2. Deja Irving, Sonitrol Pacific – Tacoma
3. Amanda Dittebrandt, Sonitrol Pacific – Everett
4. Kathleen Dee, Sonitrol of Buffalo
5. Robin Pegg, Sonitrol of Buffalo

I love it when a member of our team delivers service that blows away a customer.  Sarah Shroyer, Sonitrol Pacific Portland Customer Service Representative, received this letter from long time client Barklen, LLC/WatchTV today:

February 11, 2010

Sarah Shroyer
Customer Service Representative
Sonitrol Pacific
8220 N. Interstate Avenue
Portland, OR 97271

Dear Miss Shroyer:

I wanted to thank you for the visit you made to our office the other day.  I appreciated you stopping by and checking to see how Sonitrol was working for us.  We have had a very healthy long term relationship with Sonitrol and your attention to our business was greatly appreciated.  I especially was impressed when you took a quick note about our keypad that needed to be replaced, not because it was malfunctioning, but because some of the numbers were wearing off.  I was quite surprised when a few hours later a Sonitrol technician appeared at our door and installed our new keypad in a manner of minutes!  He was very pleasant and I asked him to thank you for your super speedy handling.  So often these days the experience of “customer service” can be less than inspiring … I thank you not only for your professional attitude, good service, and being attentive to our needs, but also for your kind and enthusiastic manner.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Steve Hale
Operations Manager
WatchTV Incorporated

I’ve always known Sonitrol Pacific delivers the best value in security systems, but now I have a full year worth of statistics to prove it.  In 2009, Sonitrol Pacific’s Commitment to Service saved our clients more than $1.3 million.

Beau Bradley started Sonitrol Pacific with the Mission “to provide our customers with the highest level of security for their dollar invested and to provide customers with more than they feel they are paying for.”  A big part of delivering on this promise is our Commitment to Service – a guarantee that covers performance, satisfaction, equipment & labor, emergency service and false alarms.

Our full equipment and labor guarantee ensures our clients’ security always works and if anything goes wrong, we do what it takes to make it right.  We have a fleet of service technicians who perform routine maintenance, preventive inspections and troubleshoot issues to our customers with no fee attached.

Last year we provided $1,358,510 worth of service, maintenance, replacement equipment and repairs to our clients at no charge.  These are services that would have resulted in a bill from other burglar alarm companies.  When the other guys see a billing opportunity, Sonitrol Pacific sees a service opportunity.  Our integrated systems deliver a phenomenal value in security.

And we’re always looking for new opportunities to deliver a higher level of service and exceed our clients’ expectations.

Once upon a time, if a family didn’t want anyone to know when they were away from home, they would simply tell a few people and set timers on lights inside the house.  Today, it’s not so simple.  A couple key strokes on a cell phone or keyboard informs an unknowable number of people of a family’s daily routine, weekend agenda or vacation plans.

Trolling public sources for burglary targets isn’t new.  Burglars used to check newspapers for funeral or wedding announcements to find dates homes would be empty.  Now, social media provides a rich resource for that information.  With social sites like Facebook and Twitter and photo sharing sites like Flickr, people broadcast to the world when they are at soccer practice, where they’re going for dinner, detailed travel itineraries or pictures taken of the family at grandma’s house, Disneyland or a ski resort in Austria.

By applying caution and a little common sense, you can stay connected to friends and family through social media and still protect your home’s security.

The Basics
Most social network platforms offer privacy options allowing users to restrict access to posted information.  However, often the default settings are open and few people set up the increased security settings.  This privacy protection loophole is exacerbated by the social media companies’ frequent changes to their security policies.
• Never post any information or pictures you wouldn’t be okay with seeing posted on an interstate billboard.  No matter how secure your privacy settings, if someone wants to get access to information on the Internet, hacking is possible.
• Take the time to activate the security settings and regularly review them.  This is even more important now that Facebook and Twitter have opened the status updates of their members to Google’s real-time search.
• If your kids use social media, keep control of their security settings, know their “friends” and talk about safe online behavior.

Know your “friends” … and your friends’ friends
• If you post personal information on a social networking site, make certain you know and trust everyone who has access to it.
• Talk to your friends about their security settings.  If Aunt Fran posts pictures and “tags” your family, you want to know who she allows to see that information.
• If a member of your family or a friend does post information that could be a security risk, ask them to remove it immediately.

While you are out
• Wait until you return from activities or vacations before posting information about it, including pictures.  Pictures uploaded while on your dream vacation in Italy lets everyone know you’re far from home.

From Sonitrol Pacific Boise client Preferred Community Homes:

“Feb. 2, 2010

To Whom it may concern:

Sonitrol has asked that I share my experiences with you regarding their services.  I would be pleased to.  When I began working in the Meridian area, we chose Sonitrol for our security services.  We loved working with them.  I loved the monthly reports and access to data regarding the ins and outs of the building.  In addition, the few times when the alarm was tripped, the response time was immediate.  We utilized their services for several years until we changed locations.

At the time that we changed locations, we decided to go with another security company.  This decision was solely based on price.  After utilizing the other company for about a year and having issues in security, we decided to return to Sonitrol.  Our current system with Sonitrol is much more advanced than our previous system.  It provides additional security that we went without when using the other company.

We truly have enjoyed working with Sonitrol and are grateful we made the decision to return to their services.  Regardless of the price point, their service is well work the additional cost.

Thank you,

Renee Naylor
Regional Representative
Preferred Community Homes”

A HUGE thank you to the Portland team for the wedding shower they gave me yesterday.  Benjamin and I greatly appreciate all the well wishes.

Home and business owners have many options when it comes to securing a facility and choosing the “right” security company can be difficult.

The challenge is that “right” varies from facility to facility.  Work works great in one application, may not be so great in another.  The important thing is to do your homework, find a company focused on service and support, and one that installs custom designed systems.

During your research, here are a few questions you’ll want to investigate:

Ask where their monitoring center is located.  Is it local?  In the NW?  In Texas?

• Many security companies are downsizing and/or consolidating their monitoring centers.
• Sonitrol Pacific is locally owned and operated.

Ask how they verify an alarm is valid.

• Motion sensors and door contacts deliver great results in certain applications.  However, the operator monitoring the account has no way of knowing what set off the motion sensor or door contact and no means to verify a valid alarm through technology.
• Sonitrol Pacific uses audio sensors and monitored video to give our operators ears and eyes.  This delivers 360 degree coverage and a means to verify alarms.

Ask the operator to account ratio.

• It’s not unusual to find a central station that assigns one operator to watch over 10,000 customers or more.
• Our operators monitor fewer than 2,000 customers each.  This ensures our clients get the attention and focus they want.

Ask their average police response time.

• Nationally, the average police response time to an unverified burglar alarm is a little over an hour.
• Nationally, the average police response time to a Sonitrol audio detection is seven minutes.

Investigate their guarantees and warranties

• Before signing any contract for security services, make sure it includes a 6-month money back guarantee, a full equipment and labor warranty, a one-hour emergency service guarantee, a false alarm fine guarantee (they pay the false alarm fines the city will charge), and a performance warranty (they pay you compensation if they miss a break-in).  These guarantees are the only way to ensure you’re truly protected.

“Project Impact” is the Everett Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit and they are doing some impressive things.  They’ve packaged a suite of tools to help home and business owners  improve facility safety and security.

“The bad guys network and communicate more effectively and without restrictions,” said Crime Prevention Officer Aaron Snell.  “We want to develop the program for the good guys.”

As part of accomplishing this goal, Everett Police partnered with marketing experts to create and promote crime prevention as a brand.  They now have a collection of editable resources they give away to other police departments and anyone else who wants it.

“Steal it, put your logo on it, change the color.  Use all of it or just parts of it.  Whatever you want,” Snell said.

One of my favorite pieces is the “Business Watch Program Security Assessment.”  This four page survey gives people a simple checklist to evaluate their current security by various criteria on a scale of 1 to 5 and find opportunities to improve it.  Putting a priority on landscape, lighting and locks, the assessment focuses on natural surveillance, behavior deterrence and natural access control.

The survey first looks at landscaping.  “Security starts at the curb,” Snell said.  “What does the bad guy see?”

Next, consider lighting.  Snell discussed the challenge of finding balance between “ID lighting and light pollution.  You want lighting bright enough to be able to identify a trespasser or burglar, but not so invasive that it disturbs neighbors.  He recommends lighting on a timer with motion sensors.

Then, turn a critical eye to locks and consult an expert if you’re unsure of the solidity or yours.

“We always recommend security systems designed for the specific needs of the homeowner or business,” Snell said.  “If they’re determined to get in, they’ll get in.  A security system can minimize the damage they do.”

Sonitrol Pacific is proud to have worked with the Everett Police Department for more than 30 years.  They know the value of verified alarms and do a great job of catching the criminals we detect.  We commend them on their crime prevention efforts.

“Project Impact is due to the vision and insight of Chief Scharff,” Snell said.