We recently connected with Alan Ross and have shared our conversation below.

Alan, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success is what we all strive for and that may look different for us depending on our stage of life. Before I started my company, Texas Alarm Pros, I had been a freelance security technician for various national companies. I traveled quite a bit to the metroplex and would drive about 150 miles a day. I would solve problems and make customers happy. I found that I had an ability to trouble shoot issues and communicate effectively with customers.

I began to dream about having my own customers, my own relationships and building my own business. What if I started a company right here in my hometown? Maybe I wouldn’t have to drive so much, maybe I could slowly build my own customer based locally.

I finally pulled the trigger, started my company and envisioned that maybe I would only have to drive into the metroplex only 3 days a week freelancing and work for my own company the other 3 days.

A few short months later I found myself no longer freelancing and focusing 100% of my time locally with my own customer base. This was my first feeling of “I made it”. This is what I thought success looked like.

5 years later I have discovered what true success is, having customers that are real members of the community and turn into great friends. My life has been blessed more with the value of friendships that I have developed through customers and not the value of my bank account.

These customers, turned friends, have changed my life forever and have brought many opportunities to me that I never would have imagined.

When you can shop in your hometown, see a customer and have a laugh together….. you’ve made it!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started in the security alarm industry as an alarm installation technician. I would travel with the company each summer to different cities installing alarm systems. I was newly wed, working at a gas station, going to college when a buddy asked if I wanted to make some money that summer…. never having seen or used an alarm, I signed up.

After a few years of the summer gig, I realized I was good at it, but didn’t want to travel. I reached out to some companies in my area and began to work as a freelancer alarm technician and now owner of my own alarm company.

We offer alarm monitoring, camera systems, speaker systems and other various low voltage installations.

The alarm industry has a stigma of pushy door to door salespersons that can’t take no for an answer, high pressure sales and often times shady sales practices. We pride ourselves on educating the customer on options, how things work and what solutions we can provide. We don’t need to pressure anyone and we strongly believe that we will do business Now or Later…. either way, we’ll be here.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

As a local, small business we don’t have deep pockets for advertising, so in order to combat the national companies we focus on our clients to be our sales department. We make sure we invest in each customer, that they are happy and that there are no issues. Most of all, we treat them like real people and not numbers.

We are 95% referral based, we have no advertising campaigns, no billboards, no flyers…. purely word of mouth. We stay active on our company Facebook page and try to focus on posting real, on the job videos and pictures.

I have a good sense of humor and love to make people laugh…. and I stay true to myself while with our customers. They see us as a local family versus a no face corporate company.

Be real, be who you are and that’s what customers want.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

Running a business can be one of the toughest roller coasters you can ride. One moment you can be busy and the next slow. We have had our share of scary moments and sacrifices. We have lived in our office and showered at the local gym all in the name of limiting our expenses to grow the company. Looking back now at that time, I never want to forget it. It makes me love even more what we have and where we have been.

When a customer knows exactly how much you’ve sacrificed to grow your business, they will be more inclined to sign up. They know that a customer signing up goes to paying bills and groceries instead of buying more fuel for the company jet.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.texasalarmpros.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/texasalarmpros
• Other: tiktok: texasalarmpros