*before considering service with pinnacle security, read the below*
It saddens me to have to write to you that Pinnacle Security is the most unethical company in the 'business' of home security. It is true, they lie. It is true that they mislead. It is true that they do not care about the customers, only the amount of money they will line-their-pockets with. As a former employee, who *recently* departed Pinnacle for several troubling reasons (mainly their lack of ethics while conducting business), I want to concur with all of the complaints on this helpful site that this company is the worst in the industry. Let me explain a few reasons why.
They stink from the head down. Frankly, leadership is everything in our day-and-age. Unfortunately, when character is compromised for selfish money-making, people—regular people—suffer the consequences. Imagine suffering the consequences when it comes to home security. This company has leaders and managers that actually ENCOURAGE lying. For example, many people on this site have stated that the Pinnacle employees stated that he or she was a so-called 'advertiser.' This tact is dead wrong and unethical. Every Pinnacle representative is plainly no more than a 'sales person.'
Moreover, in Pinnacle Security's training manual (for sales reps), the one with the shaded man on the front (which I have in my possession), they actually tell every representative 'not to tell them [the customer] that you [the sales rep] are a sales person.' Why do they utilize this fine bit of lying? They compare it to 'wrapping a present.' They do not want to risk telling the customer that they are a sales person because they do not want to be rejected—their strategy is to use trickery at your door so that you will buy what they are offering. Unfortunately, people have to look passed all of the token phrasing they use in their deflections.
What a Pinnacle Rep is not, according to the truth (not the manual):
1. An advertiser.
2. A marketing director.
3. A advertising director.
4. A manager.
If they tell you, 'We are just setting up a few houses today, ' they are using deflection. What they want you to do is to feel a 'sense of urgency, ' as one of my New York City managers told us, in order to force a customer into a 'no option scenario, ' only because the deal must be 'too good to be true.' America, this is too good to be true because it is an utter fabrication. The point of 'summer sales' at Pinnacle Security is to set up as many homes in the area as possible—you ARE NOT the SPECIAL few that is getting a SPECIAL break. If Pinnacle Security could set up your entire neighborhood, they would do it. With people absent or sharper than Pinnacle's immoral strategy, they will not land every house. Nevertheless, there will indeed be people that will fall victim; thus the reason why I must write to everyone I can and share this very important information.
It is dissatisfying to know that the managers in the office I worked with, in New York City, actually taught us some really troubling strategies to gain entry into a person's residence. The awful misrepresentation at Pinnacle Security should be the conclusive 'red flag' for anyone considering their 'service.'
At Pinnacle Security's morning meetings (a pound your chest engagement to get excited for selling), the lying strategies come to fruition. Mainly, managers (the office manager, Gabe, Coltt, and others) were instructing Pinnacle Reps to PRETEND that they were WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC or HONEYWELL. This is no 'typo;' management was instructing the office reps to inform the customers that they are 'FROM HONEYWELL or GENERAL ELECTRIC.'
Subsequently, the erroneous concoction of sales absurdity happens at the peoples doors.
For instance, I'll give you a scenario:
A Pinnacle Rep is dropped off into a neighborhood they are tasked to sell to. As they scope out the neighborhood, sizing up how they will manipulate the homes, they are taught to look for SECURITY SIGNS from competitors (i.E. ADT, Slomins, Brinks, First Line Security, and APX, to name a few). The homes that have signs are the homes that obviously have home security systems. One of the main objectives for Pinnacle Security is to accomplish what they call 'the takeover.'
The slimy corollary is a terrible set of circumstances innocent homeowners fall victim to. A Rep, let's just call him Coltt, will come to an ADT home knowing a few things. First, most ADT homes have HONEYWELL equipment. Second, many of these homes are 'out of contract' (some are not, but that is for another discussion). As Coltt approaches the door, he says something to this effect, 'Hi, I am with HONEYWELL. We are in the neighborhood checking BATTERIES on systems.' His objective is to get to the security panel, this allows him to substantiate himself by building phony credibility. Once Coltt gets to the panel, he then says that 'his company, ' HONEYWELL, is 'updating panels' in the neighborhood. As he slips and slides past the truth, many people are suckered into the belief that HONEYWELL is doing THEM a SERVICE. FALSE! This is not a service to you, this is PINNACLE SECURITY committing a 'takeover!' Pinnacle Security is in NO WAY related to HONEYWELL—it does not matter if they tell you a million times that they are (nor are they with First Line Security or Monitronics).
Once Colt has finished his perpetration on veracity, he makes his way to a comfortable spot in the home and pulls out the contract (which is usually passed off as a work order). The next thing a potential customer realizes is that they are signing a three plus year contract with only a few days as a 'trial period.' If a homeowner becomes somewhat keen to the circumstance, they might ask Coltt whether or not they will still be monitored by ADT. His response is 'priceless': *Nobody cares who will do your monitoring; it is the equipment that everyone cares about.* Are you serious? Everyone should care who is doing the monitoring! The equipment is nothing without the monitoring—and ADT has been doing monitoring a lot longer than Pinnacle Security. With that, the infamous 'takeover' takes its nasty root.
The same strategy is used on 'new doors, ' homes that have no security systems. Mainly, Pinnacle Security management tells their reps to SAY THEY ARE FROM GENERAL ELECTRIC (GE). If you have already heard this at your door, RUN FROM THIS PERSON. This is utter misrepresentation by Pinnacle Security. They do sell GE products, but they are not at all affiliated with GE.By stating that they are from GE, the unethical rep is hoping to gain credibility (apparently because Pinnacle Security cannot do this on its own merit). Who has not heard of GE before, right? Either on a 'takeover' (explained above), or a new home, GE and HONEYWELL, have been taken advantage of by misled Pinnacle Security sales reps—this company is NOT related to Honeywell or GE (a partnership does not mean affiliation). Why does Pinnacle do this? To make a buck off of you. This disorderly salesmanship must end—it will have to start with you.
Even more daunting, but is more so 'off the map, ' are some of the darker strategies by 'experienced sales reps' or managers. These tactics are not expressed in morning meetings—like the above—but they are still strangely used at people's doors. I experienced by observation, first hand, the absolute lie of telling people the following:
1. I am from the Police Department.
2. The Police Department sent us out to your neighborhood.
3. There have been break-ins in the neighborhood (even with no knowledge of the facts).
4. The City (New York City, in this case) has new standards for home security—we are providing the updates.
5. The future is digital, so we are upgrading people to digital systems. (Most of the systems that are in people's homes are already digital.)
6. The City will enforce the new laws on security systems, so you might as well just get it done through our company now.
These are bottom of the barrel, dirty deeds.
It gets even worse. Many of the sales reps for Pinnacle Security have informed customers, during 'takeovers, ' that they would cancel their old provider (like ADT, for instance). Many have canceled for them, which, to my knowledge, is illegal (I cannot pretend to be a person I am not). Nonetheless, some have not cancelled at all—leaving customers to sort out the nightmare of figuring out what went wrong in the process. After the trial period has passed, however, nothing can be done to get a customer out of this jam. The sales reps at Pinnacle Security have full knowledge of their ridiculous conduct.
When it comes to monthly rates, this is a broad window of flexibility that is at the disposal of the Rep. They will more than likely charge you more than they actually have to—if they start you out at 44.99 (two way voice) or 49.99 (cell primary), they are charging you the max. The rep gets paid $25 more for every dollar they charge you per month (39.99 for two way voice and 44.99 for cell primary are the minimum prices for every customer). If you are at the max or in between, they duped you.
Noteworthy information regarding the monitoring is quite important, as well. It is yet another lie from the Pinnacle Rep if he or she tells you that you are 'JUST PAYING TO STAY CONNECTED to the Police Department, Fire Department, and emergency outlet.' The Police and fire departments charge ZERO dollars to you for just staying connected. This is just dark Pinnacle strategy, once again. They want you to believe that YOU are paying for the connections, but, in reality, they are making you agree to pay for the monitoring (accomplished by Pinnacle Security). A home secured by Pinnacle Security is connected to ONE entity: Pinnacle Security.
Lastly, but even more importantly, are the type of technicians utilized by Pinnacle Security. These individuals are probably the best individuals working for the company, but they are not experienced in the least. They are young kids who are trying to make some money for the summer, but their experience is as limited as the word indicates. Most offices are run by one very experienced person (the person running the New York City office of Brooklyn is a stand up gentleman), but the rest are mostly first year summer interns. Most do not have credentials and the speed in which home security systems go into houses is intense (at least at Pinnacle Security). With that, one could only imagine the innumerable complaints and anomalies that occur with installation. It is true that a trial period exist on the equipment, but room for error in reference to securing a home is not something that should ever be compromised.
I hope to write under every response or complaint on this important consumer site. These sort of companies are the reason why people lack trust in businesses. We must be educated thoroughly to know the spoiled from the fresh, the manipulators from the genuine. Pinnacle Security is full of money-grubbing manipulators who play games with a very important process: home security. Do you dare take the risk with your family with people that use fabrications to get your business? I chose not to work for this company because I drew the line—there is not a dollar amount that can purchase my principles. I would rather be poor with my ethics than rich and without them.
Stay far away from Pinnacle Security.
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