SOS Home Systems
Is This Your Business?5.0
Author: Kalicia Bateman
SOS Systems is headquartered in Topsfield, Massachusetts and serves the surrounding communities. The company offers its customers home security, automation, and home media installation and maintenance. Its partnership with Honeywell Total Connect 2.0 and Rapid Response Monitoring Services allow its customers to receive top notch equipment alongside an international leader in home monitoring.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- More Transparent About Pricing than Competition
- Home Automation
- Z-Wave Home Automation Protocol
- Optional Personal Emergency Response System
Customers are given information about a home security package with monitoring for 36 months. The company discloses the price for its service ($49.95/month), a rare practice in the industry. The package offers customers 3 door contacts, motion sensor, touchscreen control panel, keypad, and indoor siren. SOS Home Solutions uses Honeywell Total Control 2.0 as its control app so that customers can monitor and control their system remotely from any internet browser session or via the app, which is available for iOS, Android, or Windows devices. SOS Home Solutions' home automation uses Z-Wave as its protocol, which is widely used and highly regarded in the industry. Adding devices to be controlled by the app is reported to be straightforward and simple by most customers, similar to getting a new device connected with a new router. In addition to these services, the company offers home media installation as well as personal emergency response systems (PERS) for those with limited mobility or other chronic medical conditions.
The Bad
- Lack of Transparency about Products
- Reports of Poor Customer Service
SOS Home Systems is not particularly transparent about specific information about any of its products or services. The company only publishes generalities about the devices that are included in its package and basic price. Customers are left to wonder pricing to upgrade by adding video cameras, doorbells, etc., which is frustrating. The practice of nondisclosure is common in the industry, but compared to even some of its competitors, SOS Home Systems gives little information about its products. Customers have reported that they have not received prompt customer service responses when contacting the company. It is important to note that these reports are anecdotal and that reports of delayed responses are for administrative questions and not for the company's monitoring services, which are managed by Rapid Response Monitoring Services, completely separate from SOS Home Services, and very highly rated.
The Bottom Line
Monitoring Provided by Industry-Respected Rapid Response Monitoring Services Customers Use Honeywell Total Connect 2.0 for Controlling Systems Company Needs More Online Transparency SOS Home Systems has partnered with industry leaders to give its customers the best experience. The company could easily improve its rating by BestCompanys.com by increasing its online transparency about packages, add-on components, and its monthly monitoring contract.
