The first decision you, as the entrepreneur, have to make is
what kinds of alarms your monitoring station can work with. Our advice is to
start with a smaller offer of the most sought-after alarm systems, such as
wireless or hardwired alarms, or video systems, and then expand once your
business takes off. Work out offers for each of them that will also be fair to
competitors working in the same general region, but also financially
sustainable for you.
Then go to your town hall and ask about all the permits and licenses for an
alarm monitoring business. Don’t forget to ask how often they all need to be
renewed, and also about the cost. Always keep some track of all the papers that
have been processed. Finally, acquire an EIN (Employer Identification Number)
from the Internal Revenue Service.
Next, you need your capital stored somewhere and available to cover your
business’s expenses. First, you need a business bank account in any bank.
Afterward, you can present them with your completed paperwork and file for a
merchant bank account. Choose your preferred client payment method, be it cash,
check or anything in between. Deposit your capital in this account.
Then you will have to choose an office space. Seeing how copious amounts of
electricity and electrical wires are involved, you need a sound building with
fireproof walls and a backup generator. One whole part of your chosen venue
should be signed off to hold the hardware required for alarm monitoring, for
easy access as well as easy control of people coming in and out. Next, you have to cover your future employees
by buying insurance which can prevent lawsuits.
Then you need supplies to operate your station. A phone system is a given since
you will want to have the police and the firefighters on speed dial. Video
surveillance of your workspace and means of internal communication for
employees such as walkie-talkies are necessary as well. To keep your business
financially viable and sustainable in the long run, make sure to buy only the
necessities for each job. Also, you should buy in bulk whenever possible.
Besides everything, you also need employees. Since we are talking surveillance
and entering people’s homes, you must do a background check on anyone you wish
to employ. You will need technicians to be the go-betweens between the
monitoring station and the customers, and you will need at least one on call at
all times. You will also need experienced operators to work your hardware at
the station, at least two at any given moment.
Finally, you need to advertise your business. This final step in this
comprehensive guide will depend on the kind of customers you have in mind for
your business. You can do the basics – radio, TV and newspaper ads in the areas
you want to work in. You can also establish some discount or special offer to
draw people in at first, and then keep changing them to keep it fresh and
exciting.
