Buying security barriers for your home can be an expensive exercise and you’re stuck with them for a very long time, so do some research to avoid buyer’s remorse.
In the market for security barriers?
Nobody really wants to spend thousands of Rands on burglar gates and bars. They’re what is called a grudge purchase you know you have to do it but are a bit (or perhaps more than a bit) resentful about it.
So you really REALLY don’t want things to go wrong like locks that don’t work properly or gates that fit badly and a supplier that doesn’t want to know your problems. This is why it’s important to investigate all your options before handing over your hard-earned cash to your security barrier supplier.
Here are some points to consider:
1. Know exactly what you are purchasing
Don’t let your supplier convince you that all security barriers are the same and that you may as well go for the cheapest ones. Security barriers can often look very similar, but differ in their construction. Some will resist an attack for a lot longer than others, so visit several suppliers’ showrooms and ask to be shown exactly what makes each barrier strong. Also visit the companies websites and go through their product listing. Then compare them and make your choice based on this knowledge, not just price.
2. Don’t be fooled by overly-generous guarantees
Guarantees that over-promise and under-deliver are common in the security barrier industry. The red tape involved in getting a supplier to honour their guarantee can be mind-boggling, so read the fine print and make sure you know what’s involved. Then decide whether or not you’re prepared to go to war if your security barriers fail to do their job.
3. Check all potential suppliers credentials
If you have internet access its easy (and advisable) to check up on your supplier’s track record. Use Google, HelloPeter and any consumer forum you know of. See how they’ve dealt with complaints does everyone get a standard answer to their complaints and very little action, or are complaints dealt with on an individual basis until the customer is happy? This will be a good indication of how your own complaint will be handled, should you have one. Word of mouth is also a good indicator ask friends, neighbours, your Twitter contacts and so on who they would recommend and why.
4. Put your sales consultants through their paces
By doing your homework, you’ll know what you want and will be able to ask your sales consultants all the right questions. These could be anything from what type of security barrier they recommend for a particular window to how long the company has been in business (as an indicator of whether they’ll still be around when you need them again).
As part of your homework before calling in security barrier suppliers to quote, we suggest you do Trellidor’s security risk assessment questionnaire. It’s a quick and easy way of finding out what the risk profile of your home is and what type of security you need to help keep your family safe.
Then find your nearest Trellidor franchise and they’ll help you make your final decisions on the best security barriers for your home.
Contributor: Lindy Barry
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