Productivity
6 Tips for Improving Alarm Company Office Communication
Security dealers usually have different departments—sales, service, administration, accounting, and so on. Because these departments are in regular contact, interoffice communication is a crucial factor for success. Technology tools can facilitate easier office communication. Cornerstone Billing Solutions, as a cloud-based company, has used a work-from-home office model for over 20 years. We understand that poor…
Read More3G Upgrades: Good Process can Ease the Pain
Security dealers have worked very, very hard for their base of loyal subscribers. Every year, it takes work to KEEP those subscribers. This year, it’s going to take more work than usual. Major wireless companies like AT&T and Verizon are sunsetting their 3G networks, as you know. What a pain in the butt! Ignoring this…
Read MoreMaking Sense of Your Numbers – Part 3
In Parts one and two, we outlined a simple model that helps to easily understand how you’re doing, and to set minimum sales & margin levels based on your goals. This final post will cover owner compensation, followed by a look at how a “zero overhead” view of your financials can reveal your true margins.…
Read MoreSoftware For Alarm Companies: Little Differences Matter!
A question for our security dealer friends–do you agree with this statement? “Your security company is just like any other contractor business.” Nearly all our customers would shout: “NO WAY! Our business is unique!” Cornerstone has served this industry for over 21 years, and we completely agree. In fact, our business probably wouldn’t exist if…
Read MoreAlarm Industry Service Software is like a Supermarket
When was the last time you visited a butcher shop to get your meat and poultry? Then a bakery to get your bread and rolls? Followed by a farm stand visit to stock up on vegetables? If you’re like most people, not recently. Instead, people get nearly all their food at a supermarket. Why? Because…
Read MoreVacation? Stay-cation? No-cation?
We hope you enjoyed July 4th, especially in a year when most fireworks, parades, and celebrations were canceled. For most people, July and August are vacation season. This year, most of us will need to settle for some version of a stay-cation. Wikipedia defines a stay-cation as “a period in which an individual or family…
Read MoreAlarmPayments.com Success Stories
“The Alarmpayments.com portal makes us look much more professional to our subscribers,” says Paul Allen, owner of Protective Security Services.
Read MoreQuickBooks vs. Alarm Company Software: What’s Best for You?
If your security company mainly uses QuickBooks to manage your subscriber accounts and jobs, you’ve probably asked this question: “Would we be better off with more industry-specialized software?” The answer depends on your company’s situation, and how much friction you are encountering while trying to use QuickBooks to manage things. It’s possible, maybe likely, that…
Read MoreCovid Quiet Time: A Silver Lining?
As we navigate this really tough stretch of the Covid crisis, can we at least look for a silver lining? Nearly all of our security dealers have told us that their service and installation work is way down. Many have had to reduce hours or even lay off staff members. There’s just not much work…
Read MoreMaking QuickBooks Quicker (Webinar)
Watch and learn as we dive into the practical ways to use software to help save you time and money. We will discuss the role that QuickBooks plays, and how valuable it is to integrate specialized software with services that make security companies run smoothly. We will show you how to provide great service—better, faster…
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