ESA establishes resolution to support alarm dispatch reduction by adopting technology

The Electronic Security Association’s Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution on August 24, 2022, to support efforts to reduce false alarms through more efficient and effective notification methods. 

One of the greatest threats to the electronic security and life safety industry is the high rate of false alarm dispatches. This threat can cause many problems, including jurisdictions pushing for “non-response” or “verified response,” which would drastically alter the value and the operations of many security companies across the nation.

Better communication solution

The ability to directly message customers when verifying alarm signals is a significant enhancement that the ESA Board supports. “At ESA, we have a long history of working with our members, other associations, and our public safety community to reduce false alarms,” says ESA Chairman and president of LOUD Security Systems in GA,” John Loud.

“Now, monitoring centres are investing in modern technology so that we, as an industry, can partner with them to create a better solution for communicating with our customers and as a result, reduce attrition by meeting our consumers where they are.”

Group chat for verification

By leveraging effective communication methods, our monitoring centre partners are more efficient"

“People tend not to answer their phone if the number is unknown and are more likely to respond to text or chat,” he continues. “By using group chat for verification, we're able to connect quickly with the customer and verify the alarm signal and in many cases, we can cancel the dispatch.”

“By leveraging more effective communication methods, our monitoring centre partners are more efficient, our public safety community will respond to far fewer false dispatches and, ultimately, our subscribers are happier which leads to lower attrition.”

Adopting alarm dispatch reduction technology

The mission of ESA’s resolution is to encourage mass adoption of this innovative alarm dispatch reduction technology, creating better communication with consumers in how they connect during a potential emergency.

“I want to encourage our ESA members and all security integrators to start a dialogue about how this investment from monitoring centres could help them reduce their attrition and enhance their customer experience,” says Loud.

ESA statement

The ESA Board of Directors unanimously supported this resolution, stated in full below:

• WHEREAS the electronic security industry has widely relied on voice communication as the primary method of communication when verifying alarm signals;
• WHEREAS email is a broadly used communication method, but it is better suited for non-time sensitive communications;
• WHEREAS the increase in unwanted robocalling has resulted in increasing consumer reluctance to answer calls from unknown numbers, which delays or diminishes the effectiveness of multiple verification attempts of alarm signals to customers;
• WHEREAS there is a need to expand beyond traditional telephone contact with responding parties and customers to reduce unnecessary alarm dispatches, which will benefit ESA members, customers, and responding public safety agencies; and
• WHEREAS utilising these alarm management best practices will likely improve customer satisfaction and reduce attrition;
• THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, The Electronic Security Association (ESA) Board of Directors supports reducing false alarms through more efficient and effective notification methods to our customers and first responder agencies to diminish unnecessary fines or other proscriptive measures by responding agencies such as non-response or verified response policies;
• BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ESA Board suggests electronic security integrators, dealers, and monitoring stations use communication methods such as short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS) when verifying alarm signals; and
• BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ESA Board urges electronic security integrators, dealers, and monitoring stations to adopt best practices when implementing communication methods to verify alarm signals. 

In doing so, ESA will achieve:

• Faster notification and verification through the use of texting or chat.
• Reduced attrition and increased customer satisfaction.
• More efficient use of monitoring centre resources.
• Further the long-standing partnership and trust of the public safety community.
• Improve the use of public resources through the reduction of false dispatches.