Protect America Review: Customer Service, Call Back Issues; Updated

I have had dealings with PA since Katrina struck our area. The area was devastated and largely depopulated so I wanted protection. At first everything went very smoothly. Yes, it is easy to self install and avoid an exhorbitant fee for that--they walk you through the process by phone very well. I signed a three year contract which expired this past October. Unlike so many complaints which seem to center on a contract expiration, (I tend to agree with an earlier poster who said you should be familiar with those terms beforehand--I know I was, and that is NOT my complaint).

Mine is simple customer service. It's abominable. If you call them, you have to listen to this muzak for an untold amount of time while some robotic tape keeps telling you that you can "chat live" on the internet. Those kinds of condescending messages drive me up a wall. If I wanted to "chat" on the internet with someone who had to type in everything--I'd be there. I wanted a PERSON to talk to. Often their customer reps don't know a hill of beans about what they tell you because what one assures you of, another will come back later and tell you that such a statement was wrong--and THEY will now tell you how it really is. Also if you get the recorded message that they're receiving a "high volume" of calls, so just leave your name, number and time/reason for the call, and they'll get back with you as soon as possible. I tried that TWICE... and on neither occasion did ANYONE ever call me back. And people want to put their lives in the hands of these INCOMPETENTS? It boggles the mind.

What was the straw that broke the camel's back for me was when I got this new (I don't recall some fancy alphanumeric name) base unit, for renewing with them in October. Occassionally my dog will trip a motion detector, or I might forget I had a door on "no delay", and the mechanism tripped into "alarm"--and up to this point, I always received a phone call to see if everything is alright within a few seconds--and THAT made me feel secure. I had a secret password, and if a false alarm were tripped, it was no big deal to cancel before they dispatched. The issue I began having was when a nephew of mine accidentally tripped the alarm late one night. I eventually made my way through the blaring noise to enter the cancel code--and was waiting for the call--and waiting--and waiting. It never came. So I tried it again-- waited about a full minute and then cancelled. No call!!!

I called the monitoring service and they said they received a cancel so they didn't call. I stated I WANT the call just as an added security--deterrant, call it what you will. The next day checking my e-mail, I noticed a message from alarm.com (I guess their monitoring service) showing a "pending alarm status"... and I was flabbergasted! Upon reading further, it stated that to avoid false alarms when an alarm is triggered they automatically put it into a "pending" status...then wait for a follow-up cancellation before it will be handled as a true alarm, and here's the kicker, IN WRITING, they said "THIS CAN TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES"... Excuse me!!!! "Several Minutes!!!" And THEN if they don't get a cancel, it goes into alarm status where they CONTINUE TO WAIT a designated time before handling it as an actual alarm. So to the guy who wrote about protecting his family's LIFE. UH.... How safe is it when the call to see if you're all right could take SEVERAL MINUTES! Believe me, I have kept the emails to document this FACT. I want a call, and I want it PRONTO!

Upon calling to have this addressed I finally connected with someone who at least sounded educated and polite--who said he'd fix the matter. We tried it -- tripped the alarm... and I received a call. Problem fixed, right? WRONG! A couple of months later, an accidental trip of the alarm got NOTHING... I went directly to the email, and there was the hideous "alarm pending" notification all over again. Needless to say I could not get back to my previous rep, and the new one advised me that with the panel I have, this was the only way they could handle them--which was a bold-faced LIE because #1, I know they get instant notification, hence a phone call is strictly policy...nothing prevents that call, and #2, when they put in a request by me FOR a call the first time I noticed this drivel email, they DID correct it and I received an immediate call. Now, it appears they are being bone-headed about it, and all I can hope for is that IF anyone should break in (God Forbid!) the sound of the alarm will prevent them doing any further damage because sure as he** there won't be a phone call for "SEVERAL MINUTES". And you would trust your LIFE with this outfit?

No my gripe has nothing to do with contracts--it has to do with incompetence, and TRUST. They have entirely too much of the former, and virtually NONE of the latter. I do NOT trust these people to protect me and my family any more--and since I have NOT allowed them automatic pay from my bank, will switch to another server (one who actually CALLS BACK) immediately. They can take all their threats about collection and stick them in a "payment pending" email which I will give all the consideration it justly deserves.

Forget the contract--this is about SAFETY--and this "alarm pending" for "several minutes" is most DEFINITELY DANGEROUS. And don't think the lifetime burglars won't be too far behind the news to KNOW this. Protect America should change it's name to Protection PENDING America.... what an unfunny JOKE!

Update:
You can directly contact the CEO of PA now, and he DOES seem to get action moving. Since (my) critical review, I've had a lot of good feedback from PA, and have actually decided to renew with them--they DID correct the "pending" drivel, but you DO have to insist on it, or you will still get the pending stuff.