Find Top-Rated Columbia Home Security Companies

Home Security System reviews in Columbia

• F

  Frontpoint

  Futile attempts when calling tech support. They always want to charge you extra for something that never really worked right to begin with. It���s not our opinion that they are really trying to offer a security system, what they really want is money��� And they���re hungry for it. Every last time. Avoid them is our recommendation. When the alarm has gone off, they have never called in 3 years.
  - MICHELLE B.
• F

  Power Home Technologies

  BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!! STOP!!!! In my opinion the worst experience ever with this "security system". Buyer beware. Was so angered by it in literally walking to all my neighbors to avoid the service. BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!! Customer service is terrible. Contact me at 803.216.5464 and I will provide you with specific details about this company with terrible customer service and detached management. I can provide you with details on horrific experience as a customer. I will begin with examples of accepted unprofessional practices.WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!! My advice pick another home security provider avoid this company. Pay the extra money with a better company.. You will not feel your family and home is safe.
  - Allen P.
• F

  Vivint Inc

  Customer service is horrible. They made it very difficult to discontinue service even though my contract had expired. They kept transferring me to different people and I had to tell the same thing over and over again.
  - Marlene W.
• F

  Broadcam Security

  Features were promised and during installation that weren't delivered and subsequently I was told "those features are no longer supported." Multiple visits required to get the bugs out of the system. All other issues get the response "contact customer service" and they can help. Once you buy the system you're on your own.
  - Robert S.
• A

  Family First Security

  These guys are just straight professionals and do a great job with customer service and follow-up. They're the first ones I recommend to friends and family that are in need of home security. I've been very pleased with their work.
  - Will P.
• F

  Guardian Protection

  I have had Guardian in my home since May 2014. Up until October 2016, I was happy with their service. Then I began having problems with the motion detector. They've now sent 4 techs out and can't resolve my problem. And the last two appointments were scheduled for 8 am to noon. Twice they have failed to show up when scheduled, never called to say they were running late, and never offer an apology. Twice they were more than two hours late. Their service has deteriorated significantly, and I no longer trust the quality of their equipment. Today I called to make sure they didn't auto renew my three-year contract. They noted my account but never asked me why I was unhappy or tried to resolve it in any way.
  - Wanda C.
• A

  Parker Electronics Video Surveillance Specialist

  The whole experience went wonderfully:  Brian Parker of Parker Electronics was on time; he understood exactly what we wanted; and the installation was professional and reasonably priced.  We have used Parker Electronics in the past for other surveillance coverage, and we will again.  He is the best!
  - Jim and Barbara T.
• F

  AVSX Technologies

  I closed on a new house in North Augusta, SC on 2/12/2016.  On 2/15/2016 we discovered advertising material from AVSX jammed through our front door.  The material ripped the door seal and compromised the seal?s ability function as weatherproofing and a dust barrier.

  On 2/16/2016, an AVSX sales person came to our new house in North Augusta to follow-up on the advertising left the day before.  I showed her the damage and requested that she have the door seal repaired to like new condition.  She indicated that she would have to check with AVSX and would let me know.  

  I called her on 2/18/2013 and requested an update.  She was unable to provide and update.  She indicated that she would check and call me back.  I have not heard from her and tried to call her back today and got her voice-mail.  I could not leave a message because her mail is full. I then left a message with AVSX at their website.  I have not heard back from them.

  On 2/26/2016 I called the sales person again and she has not been following up this issue.
  AVSX ignores issues, is unresponsive, and does not value customer service.  Their website states, "... ethical and integrity-based sales team members who realize the true value in providing our service".  Another claim, "Our service team is a true compliment to our entire model. They deliver on the promise of Excellence from the beginning ..."  From my experience these claims are false and this company should be avoided when seeking home security services.

  
  
  - Joan F. R.
• F

  MONI

  I got a warning chime that the main battery on the alarm system was dying so called on October 12, 2015 to schedule a technician to come replace it. The person I spoke with kept insisting that it was really easy to replace it myself since it would cost about $125 for a technician to come out--just buy a battery and crawl up a ladder into my attic access and replace it, which may have been true if I didn't have a disability due to a back injury and no close family to scurry up a ladder for me. I explained this and expressed my displeasure at being charged so much when I am physically unable to do it myself. The representative was very apologetic and arranged to have the technician come out for free. He was scheduled to come on the last Friday of October so I took off work since he was scheduled between 12 and 4. 
  
  

  The company called late on that Friday morning to say the technician couldn't make it. So I lost a day's work. They rescheduled to come out on November 13.  On November 6, they called to say that the technician can't make it again. Apparently there is only one technician in the entire city (possibly the state) who can possibly come out to replace this battery. I reschedule again, this time for Saturday November 14 since I pointed out that I had already had to request two days off from work and a third was just getting ridiculous, even if I would now be able to work on the 13th.
  
  On November 10, when I came home from work, my system had stopped working. The key pad was non-responsive and the alarm was blasting and would not turn off, even with the remote. I called the company so they wouldn't send out the police and was transferred to tech support. The guy I spoke with was very nice but also advised that I would just have to scurry up the ladder I don't own to unplug the battery from the system and then unplug the whole system to make the alarm stop going off. I explained that it was impossible and that I needed a technician. He explained that was impossible because they don't have anyone in this large city who can respond to emergencies after hours. I had to go door-to-door in my neighborhood to find someone to crawl into my attic. Luckily, I have extremely nice neighbors, even if this isn't exactly the way I want to go about meeting them.
  
  After an hour, my whole system is disabled and the teeth rattling noise finally stops (though I'm not sure when my ears will stop ringing).  I thank my neighbor and ask the technician on the phone: now what.  He advises that I already have an appointment for the 14th and there is nothing they can do so...have a nice evening!  I miss the next day of work because the reason I have the system in the first place is that I was broken into.  Twice.  It's an experience I'm not inclined to repeat.
  
  The company called again tonight because they had a communication failure and wanted to know if everything is alright. Apparently they can't see that nothing is right. I explain the whole thing to the representative, who is very apologetic and says she'll note on my account why they're getting the error messages. Great. She also advises me to call back and speak with customer service. I ask her to transfer me, because that seems like more of a customer service oriented thing to do.
  
  I spoke with customer service who can see that I've tried for a month to schedule someone to fix this issue so she comps me a month's service fee, which is great but my system still doesn't work and I'm out two day's pay. She tries to call the service company to see if the technician can come out sooner, but they don't have evening hours. She says she's left a message for them and advises me to call them myself if I don't hear back from them in the morning. So...another day of lost work while I defend my home and wait to see if someone can be bothered to come fix my system, which I'm guessing not since there seems to be a real shortage of technicians and this one poor guy is having to crisscross the city in an effort to keep all the appointments--no wonder there are no evening hours. He's probably exhausted.
  
  Here's the thing. Their response when the alarm has gone off has always been timely. The few times when I've had to call someone out to make a repair in the past, they've responded pretty fast.  They have always been unfailingly polite on the phone. This is why I've stayed with them, even though I have felt like a numbered account (instead of a valued customer) to them--you don't write, you don't call, except to take your monthly fee from my account. I can live without a "hey! Thanks for being our customer" postcard if the service provided is great so I've overlooked that. This time, though, I'm really angry with how I've been treated. Canceling a service call once is understandable when it's truly unavoidable. Doing it twice when you know the problem is a battery dying (so...it's going to actually die at some point) is inexcusable to me. Not having someone in this very large metropolitan city who can make an emergency call when there's an actual total failure of the system?  Not having more technicians to rely upon to fix systems when they go bad?
  
  I'll stay with this company until I can research others. If I find one whose can actually send out a technician quicker than a month after my initial call for help, then I'm jumping ship.
  
  Update on 11/12/15: Someone from their corporate office called me this morning in response to this review. She wanted to clear up one point in my review that I think is fair to update about: my area has at least three technicians who will not come to your house if your system has a complete failure that leaves you unprotected. She said that these technicians were very busy and couldn't just come when I wanted them to, which is why they schedule appointments--though let's not forget that they canceled my previous two appointments. Also, though last night I was encouraged by the representative to call the technician myself this morning to see if he could come for an earlier appointment (or at least confirm that he will be here for sure on Saturday), he has yet to return my call. The corporate representative called me at 12:15 and said she would call him and call me back within an hour.  It's been four at this writing. At noon, I knew he wasn't going to come early so I simply asked that they confirm that he would be here Saturday. [She never did call back to confirm that appointment.]  I guess we'll see. 
  
  Update on 11/15/15: Good news: The technician came as scheduled on Saturday and fixed the system (replaced the battery and upgraded the system). Bad news: The technician flipped the switch in my attic that is clearly labeled "DO NOT TOUCH" and turned off my heat, resulting in a $125 bill from a heating company who had to come out on a Sunday only to turn it back. (I know it's clearly labeled, btw, because my neighbor read the sign and said something about it when he was in my attic disabling the alarm.) Feels a little like he did it on purpose in retaliation for a bad review and a complaint to corporate. Definitely not a technician that I would ever welcome back into my house. Review changed from a "D" to an "F" in response since the company caused me further damage.

  - NANCY R.
• A

  SECURITY SPECIALISTS CO

  Great! They originally installed the alarm system 2 years ago in my moms 1930's house. Even with having to deal with plaster walls everything went great and we have been very pleased with the service, installation and monitoring. John and his crew are great to work with and understood that we needed this system installed with certain parameters to meet my moms needs. Those requirements were all met above our expectations. If we need something changed or tweaked they are always there to take care of our needs and when they leave after the service my mom is happy.
  
  - Tammy H.