MY name is Averyl-Ann van Heerden who resides at 40 North Street, Oakdene, Johannesburg South. We subscribed to ADT Security a year ago. On Thursday November 6 we noticed our security system was completely dead, no life to the system at all.
It must have taken until Monday November 10. I called ADT to enquire about how it was possible that they had not picked up our system was not working. We could have been lying dead; bodies decomposing while ADT had not picked up a problem or tried to make contact with us.
The call centre agent said she picked up that our battery signal was low. I asked, so what did they do about it? She asked if we had received a SMS from them. “No,” was my response, not one! She went on to say ADT would send us a new battery. The battery was faulty.
Tuesday, no sign of a battery delivered, not a word heard from ADT either. It took me calling in again to query what the problem was. ADT promised to deliver a battery the following day.
Wednesday midday, a battery arrived at our home address, my husband installed the battery and we waited for eight hours as instructed by the call centre agent, only to be disappointed, no alarm system worked by Thursday, and my stress levels were high, I hardly slept at night.
We have a lane opposite our house and most nights the homeless sleep there. Housebreaking and cable theft is extremely high in our area.
Friday morning was enough I felt I was losing my mind. ADT had not called once. Every time I called ADT, all they made was empty promises that had not solved our problem, and we still had no alarm system.
While I was the one who had to call them around the clock, on Friday November 14, I called SOS Armed Response Security in the South of Johannesburg. A well-spoken lady answered my call whose name was Lucritia, I told her my story about ADT Armed Response and wondered if SOS could assist me. She took my contact details down, within seconds I received a call from a gentleman called Mr Vicks Wessels, After chatting to him about my unhappiness with ADT, he immediately identified my fear and frustration and spoke with a very calm kind gentle voice, assuring me that he needed to speak to his control room to see how they could assist me. Once he spoke to his control room, he asked for our details, physical address and contact numbers and assured me SOS would patrol that Friday evening until we were able to resolve our problem with ADT or find a solution to the problem.
My husband witnessed SOS patrolling at night. The next morning the patrol car arrived from SOS, the driver came to our door to ask is all was well with us. We found three slips in our post box signed by the patrolling car. They patrolled three times during that night, can you believe this? Friday night was the first night I slept like a baby; my subconscious knew we were safe.
This service is outstanding. Where does one find a company offering their services, without one entering into a contract? SOS puts the lives of others first.
They understand the true value of life. Our alarm system was only fixed on Monday, a new transformer installed. As soon as my contract ends, we move over to SOS. For now, I would like South Africa to know SOS is a force to be reckoned with.
To the staff at SOS your service is untouched; your high standards set your company apart from the rest.
To Lucritia, the woman who took my call, a million dollar words of thanks to her.
Mr Vick Wessels, your level of professionalism stands out. As a country, South Africa needs more people with the skills and character you have.
Thanks for everything.
Mrs Averyl-Ann van Heerden
ADT responds
A faulty alarm system is of serious concern and should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
All our clients’ alarm systems are automatically tested through the radio transmitter on their premises, every 48 hours.
We will immediately notify a client via SMS if the test is not received in our Monitoring Centre. This SMS requests the client to contact us in order to run a check on the system and, if needed, book a service call. However, in order for the client to receive this SMS notification, we need to have their correct keyholder information.
In this instance, our records show that our Monitoring Centre’s SMS notifications were being sent to an incorrect cellphone number as the client’s keyholder information had not been updated. When the client contacted us to report a fault with her alarm system and to request a new battery we were able to obtain her correct contact details and correspond with her thereafter. As mentioned, updated keyholder information is vital to us being able to protect our clients.
A battery was issued to the client, but we determined that the system was still faulty. A technician was booked and visited the premises the following day. He discovered the transformer was faulty and that this was the main reason that the alarm system wasn’t working. The transformer was replaced. Although we provided the client with the battery free of charge, a call-out fee was charged for the technician’s visit. This is standard practice when a technical service call is booked. The client did not approve of the call-out fee and expressed her dissatisfaction at this.
We are pleased that this client took the responsible action of having her alarm system tested when she realised something was faulty. It is very important to test your alarm regularly and to always inform and update your keyholder information with your security provider should any of your information change.
Clive Humphery, Managing Director, ADT Central Region
