Alert1

Security system failed Code 14: In January 2012, my system failed. I tried to call local phone service # numerous times. On or about March 7, 2012, after two hours of waiting, someone answered the Sarasota phone # and advised me a service person would be in touch on said date. No one has called to date. On March 11, 2012, I stopped payment on the annual payment for service ($328.45). Please advise if you no longer want my business so that I can make other arrangements.

We are sorry to hear about the troubles you had with your security system.

We have checked our records and cannot find your account, which makes us suspect that you have confused us with another company. This is easy to do because many companies in the home security and medical alert system businesses have very similar names.

If, however, you have a medical alert system with Alert1, and the account is under another name and/or phone number, please contact Alert1 at 1-800-693-5433 so we can provide assistance.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

I order the best value system for my sick father. The web advertise it included a complete medical alert system with two-way voice, 30-day risk free trial, free spouse monitor, free shipping, a room and hallway button, an access lock box for $330. Upon receiving the box, the second alter button was not shipped and the hallway monitor was also not included. The fact the company couldn't complete and ship their best value products was a concern. How would they then respond to an emergency? I requested a refund and was told the shipping label will take 7 to 10 days. The refused to give me an authorization number over the phone.

I waited the 10 days for the label. Again, it didn't come. The company is located 112 miles north of my residence and unless they were walking the label to my home, it should not have taken 10 days or longer to get here. I called and they said they would send another one but it would take another 10 days. They would not credit my purchase even though the website stated 30-day risk free trial (one month free service). Beware of companies that advertise "Trust us with the safety of your love ones," but can't get orders or refunds correct. How would they service an alert call?

We have reviewed your complaint and have attempted to contact you to address your concerns. We are very sorry that you did not experience the level of customer service that we strive to deliver from Alert1. However, thank you for taking the time to write this review so that we could address the problems you experienced.

As a result of your post, we have undertaken a thorough review of our order taking and return shipment practices and have made changes to improve the accuracy of our order processing, and the speed of our return label delivery process.

We also wanted to assure you that we apply stringent quality standards to our emergency call center operations. We measure and monitor the entire emergency response process every day of the week to ensure it meets our high standards.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

I tell this company every week not to call me, yet men and women call. They are harassing me. I am not interested in their services but they won't stop calling.

I apologize for the poor sales experience that you had with a medical alert company. This approach gives all of us a bad name. We have reviewed our records, and we cannot find any indication that you ever contacted us, or that we contacted you. Our suspicion is that your complaint is really with one of our competitors.

A medical alert service can be an important part of maintaining an independent lifestyle, and we should all be encouraging the use of these systems, rather than bullying potential customers. Unfortunately, some of our competition stalks customers and calls them multiple times a day, sometimes providing incomplete or misleading information about their service.

Alert1 prefers to listen to potential customers and understand what they really need. We don't use a hard sell, we provide clear and helpful information on our website, and we have no hidden fees or costs.

The names of the companies in our industry are very similar, so it is easy to confuse us with one another.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

I ordered a unit online and prepaid for one year of service. The unit was ordered in my name and address but was to be used by my 90-year old mother at her home. Since we were planning to install the unit on a Saturday evening, possibly after customer service hours, I made several calls to Alert1 to ask questions and to make sure all our bases were covered. The day before the installation, someone from Alert1 contacted our mother directly to inquire about the status since the unit had not been activated. Since we had not yet discussed the unit with my mother, she was quite upset. Then, a person from Technical Support called me to discuss options for reprogramming the unit if it was needed. Several hours later, I received a call from another Technical Support person telling me that the previous information provided was incorrect and provided another response.

On Saturday evening, the installation went well and the test call was made to Alert1. When we left my mother's home that evening, the red alarm/status light was blinking, which we believed was an indicator that the batteries needed to be charged for 48 hours as outlined in the manual. Then, several hours later, the unit began to emit a 'chirp' sound periodically. This chirping sound was the most alarming to my 90-year old mother and we continually attempted to calm her over the phone.

At 8:00 a.m. EST Monday, I called Customer Support to discuss the problem only to find out that Technical Support would not come in until 9:00 a.m. The Customer Support was unable to provide any reasonable assistance beyond "it must be hooked up incorrectly" even though the unit was successfully tested. Also, my mother's phone, which is plugged into the back of the unit, was being used successfully to make and receive calls. We continued to calm our mother until 9:00 p.m., which allowed for the 48-hour battery charge time to complete.

I then called Customer Support but found out that Technical Support left for the day at 6:00 p.m. (Note: All the troubleshooting data in the book refers to calling 'Customer Service' if a problem is encountered and the hours are listed as M-F 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST and Saturday 9:30 to 6:00 p.m.). The Customer Service person told me that I may have to reset the battery interlock. I, therefore, requested a 'return code,' as stated in the manual, to return the unit. The person refused but, after some discussion, finally did consent to send me a UPS shipping label.

While waiting for the shipping label to arrive, another person from Alert1 called my mother inquiring about the unit which, again, upset her. My mother told the person to call me but I never received a call. And now, the wait begins. I shipped the unit back on the afternoon of August 23, it was delivered to Alert1 the next morning and now I have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for a refund. I would never recommend Alert1 because of their lack of sensitivity with the elderly and because of their poor and inconsiderate Customer and Technical Support.

We apologize for the issues you experienced with the Alert1 service and appreciate you taking time to write this extensive review.

As a standard practice, Alert1 does contact the customer if the service has not been activated, because the senior can be in jeopardy if he or she believes the system is connected, but in fact it has not been set up or set up correctly.

We encourage customers to notify us if there any sensitivities or concerns around the medical alert system installation so we can customize the follow up process to take these into consideration.

In an effort to avoid this type of problem in the future, we have made several changes in our customer service processes. We are committed to delivering excellent service and take customer input very seriously

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

When my father died, I called to cancel the service and was told to ship (express) the box back to them because the billing would not stop until they received it. They also instructed me to insure the box for $350.00.

The charge to ship the box to them was $45.00 with the insurance. The box was delivered and signed for on 12 Aug 11 but on 18 Aug 11, they billed me for another three months on my credit card. I called Alert1 and they said that they would credit my card back. There was no apology that my dad had passed or for their billing error, though.

Good thing I was able to review my card bill closely. I wonder what would have happened if I had never called them. I would never recommend them or do business with them again.

Let us begin by extending our sympathies for the loss of your father. We apologize for the unsatisfactory experience you had when cancelling your service at that difficult time. In this instance, Alert1 clearly fell short.

In an effort to avoid this type of problem in the future, we have made a number of changes to improve the accuracy and speed of our returns process. We strive to provide excellent customer service, and comments like yours help us identify areas of needed improvement.

Thank you for taking the time to voice your frustrations.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

Did Alert One put one over on you? In your article on home medical alert systems, you state that Alert One is your top choice. One of the reasons being that they are cheaper by charging only $19.95 per month, and that one can save hundreds of dollars using their service. On their web site, they refer to your article as an endorsement, and link the reader to it.

But on closer examination of their site one finds that the $19.95 is good for only three months... then the monthly charge goes to $27.95 if paid quarterly or $29.92 if paid monthly. The same as most other home alert companies charge. This is deceitful on their part, and your article makes you a part of that deceit.

Thank you for taking the time to write up your feedback on Alert1. When Consumer Affairs reviewed Alert1 a few years ago, they praised Alert1 for low prices, clear terms, friendly and helpful customer service, no contract required, and no activation or cancellation fees.

While Alert1 no longer offers a $19.95 per month service plan, we still offer service charges that are significantly lower than other leading national providers. Additionally, we do not charge cancellation, activation, installation, or other hidden fees. Our terms are still clear and stated upfront. We still do not require long term contracts.

During the past few years Alert1 has invested in infrastructure and services that improve our customer's experience. For example, unlike some of our competitors, Alert1 stays on line with customers during an emergency until help arrives. We also have two certified and completely duplicated emergency response centers, so we can continue to provide monitoring services even if one of our centers goes down.

You can read about the difference Alert1 has made in our customers' lives at www.alert1.com/testimonials.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

The company was as advertised. Their prices were reasonable; their service was straight-forward. There was no high pressure (didn't even have to talk to someone unless I wanted to). Equipment arrived timely and was easy to set up. When we tested it, they called back within a minute. It's refreshing to have a company do what they say they will and not have 100 disclaimers in their contract. So far, we are very pleased.

After reading your assessment of Alert 1 while I was in the process of researching and purchasing an alert system for my mom in Florida, I contacted that company and two others. Alert1 was unable or unwilling to give the locations of their "emergency call reception centers". They were unwilling to answer questions about their size, location, approximate servicing clients or approximate number of individuals servicing those centers. Their costs were higher than those you mentioned in your article (30%) or so but still in the same ballpark, so that was not an issue for me. Citing "security" issues, they refused to give information I mentioned above. I can see no logical reason for me, the consumer, not to be given that data. It makes me suspicious about the adequacy of the system when information is not presented openly and routinely. Obviously, I will subscribe to another service but I do feel since it was your "endorsement" that initiated my consideration of Alert1, I should convey my concern to Consumer Affairs.

We apologize that Alert1 did not provide you with clear answers when you contacted us. Alert1 is committed to being straightforward about our terms and our services to our customers, so we appreciate your feedback.

Alert1 has worked with AvantGuard Monitoring to create a network of highly reliable emergency response centers, located in Utah and Washington. The two centers are full duplicates of each other, so if one center goes offline, the other center still provides emergency coverage. Both monitoring centers are CSAA Five Diamond Certified, which means they undergo a rigorous certification process each year, commit to tough quality standards, and agree to random inspections by UL, a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

Alert1 and AvantGuard Monitoring work closely together to deliver service our customers can count on.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012

February 16, 2001, I entered into a contract with Alert One, Inc. Within a couple years, a new company purchased Alert One, then there was another buy-out and yet another buy-out. Now, I get stuck with Devcon Security Services Corp. Initial contract was for 3 years and renewable thereafter. The service provided by Devcon Security is substandard, and I want to know if this contract is still binding. Devcon refused to release the contract and requested a buy-out from me. I am totally against this and now seek your assistance

We are sorry to hear about the issues you experienced with Devcon Security Services. Please be assured that Alert1 is not, and never has been, affiliated with Devcon. We are an independent company, based in Williamsport, PA, and focused exclusively on the medical alert market for nearly 25 years.

The names of the companies in the medical alert and security alarm industries are very similar, so it is easy to confuse us with one another. We hope you were able to resolve the issues to your satisfaction with Devcon Security Services.

Alert1 on April 21, 2012