Ackerman Pricing Plans Explained
A lot of companies use low introductory prices to invite customers, but in reality, customers will need to pay more to gain access to useful security features. The same is true with Ackerman's introductory price. For $19.95 per month, Ackerman will give you access to 24/7 professional monitoring for burglary, fire, and dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. However, they will use landline monitoring, which is widely considered the least reliable communication method in the alarm industry. If you want better protection, we recommend cellular monitoring and we estimate that Ackerman charges around $30 to $35 for it. The $19.95/month introductory plan also doesn't include features like video monitoring, smartphone access, and home automation. If you choose to add these features, your monthly rate will further increase.
In conclusion, even though the introductory price is well below the industry standard, the features it offers are also substandard. If you want a monitoring plan with decent security and protection features, your monthly rate will likely be the same as with other alarm companies.
Unfortunately, Ackerman is not transparent when it comes to their complete pricing structure. They mention their introductory price on their website, but if you want to find out the cost of other features, you're going to need to contact an Ackerman sales rep by leaving your contact details on their website and waiting for a call or email from them. The same process is needed to get a quote for their equipment.
Other Fees You Should Know About
Aside from the what it will cost you to set up a security system and monitoring service with Ackerman, there are other fees you should know about before making purchases. These are the installation fees and service call fees.
Once you sign the 1-year monitoring contract with Ackerman, they will send out a technician to set up the security system. Although professional installation by a technician has its perks, it's one big downside is the fee that it incurs. According to customer reviews, Ackerman charges a hefty installation fee that could reach over $100. At least the system is up and working properly, right? Well, unfortunately, not all installations are successful. If problems with your system' starts showing up shortly after the installation, Ackerman could choose to send their technician back to troubleshoot and fix the problem for free. However, if the problems start occurring several weeks or months after the installation, Ackerman could charge you a service call fee. Reports we've gathered claim that Ackerman charges a $90 minimum for each service call. To add insult to injury, many customers claim that Ackerman's technicians don't accept responsibility if they can't fix the problem with one visit and that each subsequent visit will still be at your cost. Several customers even shared that they were charged over $100 for a single service call, which probably covers the material used and labor. Whether or not these claims are true, we highly recommend looking into these fees before agreeing to sign a contract with Ackerman.
Ways To Save
Setting up service with Ackerman can quickly get expensive, particularly if you add premium features like smartphone access and home automation or if you choose to add more security products to your system. Fortunately, Ackerman offers new customers several ways to save. You can also potentially save some of your hard-earned cash by following the tips outline below.
Take Advantage of Promotions
Ackerman is known for heavily marketing their products, especially in Atlanta, GA. If you see posters and online banners or receive emails, texts, or calls about their promotion, that's the best time to set up a service with them. However, be sure that you're qualified for the promotion and that you mention it to your sales rep when setting up service.
Ask About Lesser Known Promotions
If you want to take your chances, you could get in touch with a sales rep and directly ask about their current promotions. There's a good chance they will offer you a promotion or discount. After hearing about the promotion, then you can decide whether to take it or not.
Plan Your Security System Layout
One common mistake people make when shopping for a security system is not planning their layout. Even if you're not a security expert, it's easy to at least gain an understanding of what types of security devices you need. If you know what you need, it will be harder for the sales rep to pressure you into buying products you don't actually need. But if you go in blind and the sales rep notices that you're relying on their recommendation, then they will most likely try to upsell you.
Claim Your Insurance Discount
Finally, don't forget to claim your insurance discount. Insurance companies offer up to 20% insurance premium discount to homeowners who set up a professionally monitored security system for their homes. Once your system is up and running, request a certificate of monitoring from Ackerman and show it to your insurance agency in order to claim the discount.
