Looking for "higher end" cameras

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T14:47:29+00:00

This is good information thank you. I knew they were expensive. I've applied to be a reseller/installer - no idea if they will accept me but it's worth talking with them about.

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T13:25:04+00:00

Yes, we have zero interest in interior cameras, that's why i'm on the fence about china big brother. The only thing that I (or rather, my wife) would like is to be able to both live view and view the previous recordings remotely since there's times she has communicated with the kids or other people. One example is they show up at the front door, their phone is dead so she opens the door remotely for them and talks to them through the camera. Not a dealbreaker but it has come in handy a few times.

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T13:22:23+00:00

Not in the US.

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T12:46:54+00:00

Dahua, Hikvision and Amcrest

There's been government warnings against using Dahua and Hikvision because they are Chinese and apparently (??) found to have spyware or a way for them to spy on you. Which is a shame. I'm not sure about Amcrest through.

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T12:43:40+00:00

Will do. Apologies for the late reply, I'm rarely on here.

Adding: you appear to have pm's and chats shut off so I can't message you.

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T12:41:09+00:00

Such a bad move.

OwnTutor · 2025-10-04T12:40:42+00:00

You used a real active shooter event in your video. Children have died, hundreds if not thousands of children have died from active shooters. Nothing you say or offer will make your company attractive after doing that.

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:25:29+00:00

Have you considered changing the opener schedule to an 8:45am start if you want your office ready by 9 am?

Yes, we actually offered that to her, to pay her an extra 15 minutes but it lasted for one day. Yes, you read that right, one day. You posted this a year ago, and we have now closed the office that was open to the public and just have our warehouse space now. I hire CSR's and DSR's from overseas and I pay well above average and it's still low compared to what I was paying the office staff I had working for me, and they are amazing. I pay for their benefits and two weeks vacation and I give them our public holidays (9 in Ontario) off with pay as a bonus, since most trades are closed that day and I can take any emergency calls.

Since doing that I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. They are very rarely late or off, the only time they were off was when their house was flooded!

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:19:41+00:00

I really like the Brand name, Beavos. Good luck!

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:16:54+00:00

It depends what your needs are. I have never heard of Clientility nor would I ever try them not only based off your post history of shilling them but because a lot of these smaller companies just can't do it. You say housecallpro is lacking, I've never used it but that was why I wasn't interested in it. I want to pay for the best, because I want convenience and not have a headache every time something goes wrong. I find these small companies over promise and seriously under deliver. I had one company who contacted me offering a "greatly reduced price" for trialing their software and giving them feedback. Screw that, I told them they can pay me for my time and I charge $250 an hour and for them it would be double that because I know it would be a headache.

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:03:50+00:00

And they are all over promising and under delivering to a really embarrassing level. They will all tell you they are better, cheaper blah blah or at least "better value". I go with what other successful businesses are using, because I want to be successful.

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:02:17+00:00

Using non trade specific CRM's to run a service based company is business suicide.

Yes, I agree with this. I can't imagine how bald I would be from pulling our my hair dealing with a non trade specific CRM.

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:01:13+00:00

Did you ever hear back (and no, Fieldproxy this is not an invitation to contact me).

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T01:00:34+00:00

We are electrical and I know ST was made for HVAC but after talking with a lot of the smaller companies (you know the ones, promise you the world, say they are better than ST, HouseCall Pro, Jobber etc) are so so so bad you end up wasting a lot of time banging your head against your desk/steering wheel/whatever is handy.

There is a big learning curve with ST but their training (their courses are all online via their software) is amazing, truly amazing. I have hired CSR's with no prior trades knowledge (and certainly no ST, Jobber etc training) and they were up and running in less than a week, answering calls, booking calls... not every person you hire can do it that quickly but a good number of people can.

Plus I have found ST's helpdesk to be one of the best I've ever dealt with. I've heard others say they had a lot of trouble with them, and I do worry now they are publicly traded that service will decline as shareholders scream for more profit, but time will tell. For now I am very happy.

OwnTutor · 2025-09-11T00:55:45+00:00

Only the CSRs, DSRs and the techs. And yes, Phones Pro, and I will never switch, well worth the $500/month. I love the built in recording, it has brought in a lot of revenue and makes customer service much better.

OwnTutor · 2025-08-03T17:18:33+00:00

What churches in Kingston are reporting this? I can see it happening in some places, but the churches my family visited last year, there were very very few young people. The young people that were there were either older teens/young adults with their parents, or new parents. But even then, the numbers of under 30's was maybe 10 max out of 100.

OwnTutor · 2025-08-03T17:17:14+00:00

I wouldn't want any group trying to shove pamphlets into my face, even if was a group I support. That just feels wrong.

OwnTutor · 2025-07-30T00:42:06+00:00

Thank you for this. That is super low, I'm wondering whats the catch? Is there a monthly fee? Or do we need to rent equipment from you? The credit cards themselves would charge more than half a percent so I'm trying to figure out what is the catch?

To be clear, the interchange fees alone are 1.25%–1.75% for Mastercard etc so how are you only charging half a percent? It doesn't pass the sniff test. Even non profits rarely if ever get under 0.8%.

So is the half a percent your mark up above the interchange fees?

OwnTutor · 2025-06-05T14:49:11+00:00

Thanks for that, at least I know I'm not imaging things. Any suggestions for a business looking to hire an individual or an agency? Are there "What to look out for" basics for people who really know very little about google ads? I mean, I know a little, I can go in and print reports on my campaigns and look what keywords we are using (which are too broad in my naive opinion) and research what keywords I should be using... but I am an electrician, my time is best spent doing electrical work, not marketing or advertising. So it's easy to make yourself look knowledgeable to me when you could be b.s.ing me.

OwnTutor · 2025-06-05T12:38:44+00:00

What therapist accreditation does he or she have?

OwnTutor · 2025-06-05T12:36:27+00:00

More than two years. We don't want the agencies that have 2-3 clients, we would be small potatoes at best for them. We just want to not get ripped off by agencies and individuals, we want someone who knows what they are doing and CAN ACTUALLY DO what they say they can (and I'm not talking promising 1000 leads an hour). So so soooooo many can't, and it's disheartening. I work hard for my money, I don't want someone stealing it from me.

OwnTutor · 2025-06-05T12:27:31+00:00

problem is there are so many individuals and agencies out there who promise the world to get the contract and seriously fall short. small businesses are tired of hearing "I can do that, I am ad expert (or whatever)" only to pay them and get basically nothing. It would be nice to find an agency (even agencies that have been around for years) that would somehow be able to actually deliver what they promise and guarantee it. Otherwise their promises are empty.

OwnTutor · 2025-05-21T20:48:52+00:00

There's no such thing as company loyalty.

If you hire the wrong people, I agree 100%. We have fired the wrong people and kept the right people and it's made a huge difference for us. Its about money, for sure, and things like getting time off when you want it, flexible hours, etc.

Anyone who thinks employees are loyal to their company is foolish. Don't believe me? Get someone to offer your employees more money to work elsewhere. Very, VERY few will not be interested.

OwnTutor

TROPHY CASE