Keepsafe Alarms is a security alarms and CCTV installer operating in a highly competitive industry. Working with G4S Monitoring, Keepsafe Alarms has been able to  gain a competitive advantage  with access to innovative technology and a fully-managed service that allows the company to focus on its core business.

Founded in 1983, Keepsafe Alarms is based in Mullingar, Co Westmeath. The company has had a working relationship with G4S Monitoring for over 30 years. Keepsafe Alarms was founded by Martin O’Shaughnessy, and around 10 years ago Paul took over the running of the business from his father, Martin. Over the past three decades, G4S Monitoring and Keepsafe Alarms have grown together and maintained a productive partnership that is built on trust and professionalism.

“At the end of the day, we have the type of relationship with G4S Monitoring that I can simply pick up the phone at any stage if I need advice and speak with any member of the team. That’s a major plus for me,” says Paul O’Shaughnessy, Managing Director of Keepsafe Alarms.

G4S Monitoring offers peace of mind

For Paul, he has the reassurance that his customers’ alarms and CCTV systems are monitored by G4S Monitoring’s state-of-the-art Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC). “The  service provided by the G4S ARC is second to none. The specialist staff there are professional and have a thorough process for each alarm incident. I have no hesitation in connecting all my monitoring customers to G4S; I know they’re in safe hands.”

Paul says having all his monitoring customers with G4S Monitoring provides him with peace of mind. “Their competence and the processes they have in place makes sure that I have easy access to all the relevant information I need in the event of an alarm activation. And their use of technology means I can access that information instantly via reports that are emailed directly to me. I can also access detailed reports remotely should I wish to do so.” This means Paul can provide his customers and the emergency services with a detailed report as well as an accurate sequence of events outlining how an incident was handled.

Innovative technology a hit with Keepsafe customers

As well as using G4S Monitoring services, Keepsafe Alarms regularly installs several G4S Monitoring products at its customers’ premises. Paul says he has had excellent customer feedback for both  G4S Mesh Radio and the G4S iVerify, an intelligent video verification system. 

Keepsafe has installed the G4S Mesh Radio System in several commercial and residential premises. With criminals becoming more sophisticated and using signal jamming technology, systems like G4S Mesh are more in demand than ever before, according to Paul.

“What the G4S Mesh offers is reliability. One of our customers,  a local golf club, has seen the value of the mesh system first hand. Just before Christmas there was an attempted break in at the premises. The perpetrators cut the phone lines in an attempt to prevent the alarm signal getting through and despite also attempting to vandalise the G4S Mesh system itself, they were unable to prevent the device from sending a signal through to G4S Monitoring and their break-in attempt was foiled. It’s an excellent system that we are more than happy to recommend to our customers,” explains Paul.

Keepsafe also regularly installs G4S iVerify, a wireless video verification system that is triggered when its cameras detect motion. This system records a 10-second video clip once a motion has been detected. A copy of the video is sent to the ARC where the incident is assessed and the emergency services are alerted if necessary. “The iVerify is another excellent system from G4S Monitoring. It has been instrumental in helping to make several arrests on our customers’ premises where it has been deployed. And it is so easy to install, which is great news for our customers and our technicians.”

Fully-managed service means billing runs smoothly

Keepsafe Alarms has a fully-managed service from G4S Monitoring which includes a service whereby G4S handle all billing for Keepsafe monitoring customers. According to Paul, this service saves them significant time and money. “If we were to handle our monitoring customer billing in-house we would need to employ an additional two people and a lot of my time would be taken up with queries and general administration. With G4S providing this service it means I can focus on my core business, which is working with our customers to ensure their premises are protected.”

And working so closely with the G4S accounts team over the years, Paul has built up a trusted relationship with them. “I know if there are any issues or queries I can contact the team directly and they will work to resolve any queries I may have .”

With any small or medium sized business, cash flow is an ongoing concern. Working with G4S Monitoring Paul says he has the peace of mind knowing he is dealing with a global company that has financial stability, even in these challenging economic times.

Expert advice adds value to the relationship

Another major advantage of his relationship with G4S Monitoring is the training they provide, according to Paul. “With any new products they will send one of their expert technicians to our premises to train us and make sure we fully understand the products, how they work and how they are installed. This is a really excellent customer service that ensures we are confident with all the G4S products we sell and that we can answer any questions our customers may have,” says Paul.

For companies in the security and monitoring sector, changes to legislation, new legislation and licensing are an ongoing task. Over the years, G4S Monitoring have guided Keepsafe in this area and ensured they are kept up to date on any relevant industry requirements. “The guys at G4S Monitoring always keep us informed on any upcoming legislation changes or licensing requirements and if we ever need any practical help or advice we know they are always at the end of the phone for us. It’s this added value that G4S Monitoring brings to the table,” concludes Paul.