Legal Brief: Customer Security Choices and Liability

Types : Bylined Articles

Consumers often make poor choices on security deployments…does that make your company liable?

Imagine three scenarios where you, an electronic security provider, have three new residential customers – John, Jean and Judy – living in very different homes. Each of these scenarios represent a different type of home and a unique customer with their own budget and preferences for a security system. Let’s learn more about each customer and their homes to later examine potential liability on the part of the security provider:

John: Recently built a large, 10,000 square-foot home. It has lots of windows and doors – all potential points of entry. John contacts you because he wants a security system. Like most companies, you offer a base package with a finite number of devices – a touchscreen, keypad, three door and window sensors and a motion detector. John orders the base package and schedules an installation appointment.

At the installation, your technician discusses John’s preferred locations for the devices that were purchased. The technician then installs the devices to John’s satisfaction in the specified locations; however, in such a large home with many doors and windows, the devices in the base package do not cover all the potential points of entry. Consequently, John is advised by the technician of the option to purchase additional devices. A discussion ensues, including of cost. John declines and accepts the installation of only the devices included in the base package.