Is Your Service Provider Cheaper Or Just Cheap?

I have a question for you:

Is your service provider really cheaper or just cheap?

We understand that all businesses want to cut costs and budgets can be tight. But when emergencies happen or unexpected problems arise, cutting corners teaches you a big—and sometimes a costly lesson that not all vendors are created equal. In other words, you get what you pay for.

One of our former church clients learned that lesson the hard way. They left Brothers Fire and Security five years ago for what they thought would be a slightly cheaper service provider. When the first frost hit recently, a drum drip froze and broke a dry sprinkler head in the fire suppression system. This lead to an emergency Sunday service call at double time to replace the dry head.

They were unable to get a response from their other provider and we were able to respond quickly to the challenge. But it was a $2,000 expense that could have been avoided with just a little planning and help from their other vendor. We found out that the other service provider didn’t drain the drum drips, and never told the client that it needed to be done and how to do it. Needless to say, they have come back to us and are already scheduled for the next seasonal transition.

Whether you’re a school, church, hotel, clinic, property management company, or a new business, the quality of vendor customer service should definitely be included in your research and decision-making process. After all, it doesn’t do any good to save money in the short term when the customer service and support just aren’t there when you need them. The long-term results may not be what you expect—or can afford.

SPEAKING OF FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS …

We’re committed to making sure that you know how to prevent issues like broken sprinkler heads.

On October 15, I gave five tips to winterize your fire suppression system (https://brothersfireandsecurity.com/blog-posts/5-tips-to-winterize-your-fire-suppression-systems/). My blog explained how to prepare for winter to prevent freezing issues. Frost is now moving in and some folks are already experiencing freezing issues. Now is the time to get your systems ready for winter! Naturally, if you’re too busy to take care of your seasonal needs, we’ll be happy to make sure your systems are ready for whatever weather comes your way.

WINTERIZING CHECKLIST

Here’s the checklist to keep handy to make sure you’re buildings are ready for winter:

• Know how to operate (shut down) your fire suppression system in case of an emergency. Shutdowns are needed when a wet system pipe or head breaks due to freezing. Shutting it down and draining the system quickly will prevent damage.
• A dry system trips and fills with water. Opening the values and draining the system will prevent the pipes from freezing and potentially breaking or splitting.
• Inspect your dry valve to make sure it’s operating properly and will open in case of a fire.
• Drain your low point drains of all excess water.
• Inspect your building to ensure that all heated spaces do not have openings or holes that will let cold air infiltrate and freeze the pipes.
• Test systems that contain antifreeze to ensure the system has the proper level of antifreeze (glycol).

ABOUT BROTHERS FIRE & SECURITY

As one of the premier providers of fire and security solutions in the Upper Midwest, Brothers Fire & Security strives to build long-term, value-added relationships. We work with business owners and property management companies, as well as all types of public institutions to solve fire and security needs. By taking advantage of our integrated bundled services, many of our clients find that they can save 25-30% on their safety services, annual inspections and more. From a single location to franchises throughout the region and the country, our integrated approach saves our clients valuable time, money and stress. We provide fire protection systems, security systems, fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, 24-7 monitoring, fire extinguishers, card access and kitchen hoods.