Were you aware that the newer Toshiba phone systems can call forward your calls to your cell phone?  You never have to be out of touch with your office - you simply have to know how to call forward your office extension to your cell phone.

On the newest Toshiba phone systems, you simply press '#6011 9 Cell Phone Number#' - and your office phone extention will no longer ring, but will transfer the call to your cell phone.  You may have to check with your phone technician to be sure of the precise code, as it can be modified or changed depending on your phone situation.  When you get back to your office, you merely press '#6051' and your call forwarding is cancelled.  These code sequences can also be entered into a button or speed dial, to automate the process.

When you use Toshiba call forwarding, it will take the incoming call and immediately pick up another line, and dial out - connecting the incoming line with the new outgoing connection.  Clearly, this would not be a good idea if you run a small office with just a few phone numbers - but if you work at a larger company with many phone numbers, using Toshiba call forwarding can greatly increase the ability of your customers to reach you.

There are many other call forwarding possibilities, and if you'd like to read the manual to solve your particular problem, all you need to know is what Toshiba phone system you have, and the manual can be read or downloaded from this website.  I haven't had a customer ask me to set up the phone system to turn on the coffee pot in the morning, but I'm sure that with just a little thought and ingenuity, it could be done.   The newer Toshiba systems are capable of far more than most customers ever use.

If you also have a Voice Mail with office paging, you could even program a button to make an automated paging announcements.  In large stores, we sometimes program arrangements like this so that each cash register need only press a single button on their phone to have "Will the Manager Come to Cash Register 6 Please?" paged over the paging system.  Sometimes, it make take a good technician a little work to get exactly what you want to happen with your phone system, but Toshiba's systems & Voicemail make many such unusual applications possible.

For example, it may be in the middle of the day - and the Central Office personnal would not immediately call the police… but should the same alarm happen at 2 am on a Saturday night - it obviously requires a different sort of response!

A monitored security alarm system is clearly the way to go if you are interested in keeping your home and business properties safe from burglars and other possibly dangerous intruders.  It's unfortunate, but we live in dangerous times and thieves, using newer technology; are becoming more and more bold and have a much lower respect and morality towards other people's property.  With crime on the rise, it can be difficult to keep a constant eye on your property without electronic help in the form of security systems.  By using a monitored alarm system, you can keep tabs on your business property and belongings while you are away, and keep a blanket of security around your home while at home or away.

Be careful that you don't settle for an alarm system that isn't monitored - particularly if you're in an isolated area.  If you need more convincing about a monitored system, think back to the last time you heard an auto alarm going off… did anyone react?  No-one is going to care if your home alarm goes off - perhaps not even your neighbor - but your security company's 'Central Office' will certainly pay attention!

A well designed home or business security alarm system will also provide effective diagnosis tools to let you to know that everything is still functioning correctly - as well as calling in routinely to the Central Office just to let them know as well that everything is functioning.  You certainly don't want to find out after a burglary that your battery was dead!

Another nifty feature of modern monitored alarm systems are video cameras.  Many new video camera systems allow you to log in while you're away, over the Internet, and check for yourself to see that everything is still under control.  This can be a fascinating technology for businesses with a great deal of inventory - you can avoid inventory 'shrinkage' with a good video camera setup.  Here at Dial Security - we have the ability to monitor your premises through video feeds over the Internet - so we are instantly aware of anyone who shouldn't be there…

The great advantage of a professionally installed security alarm system is perhaps in the peace of mind it can give you.  Knowing that your property and possessions are protected 24/7 is a powerful way to eliminate stress from your life, and can even lower your insurance premiums!  It's hard to imagine how much more comfortable you can be until you have a system put in place - and realize greater personal and property safety as a result.

This is clearly an area where you should avoid the 'Do It Yourself' syndrome… professionals at Dial Security know many facets of alarm & video systems that may not occur to you - and our help to create the perfect security solution will pay dividends in the end.

Another consideration against trying to 'Do It Yourself' is that technology in this field moves extremely fast - with new options and different types of security equipment constantly coming to the market.  We pride ourselves on knowing just what the best solutions can be for our customers, and will be happy to guide you to your perfect solution within your budget.
 

Please remember that the four greatest weapons you have to prevent theft is light, time, noise, and a good security system!

Light

Burglars hate light - people can see them, and if they can be seen, they can be convicted and serve time in jail.  Try these tips:

  Your property should be well lighted, and exterior lights should not be where a potential burglar can simply unscrew the light bulbs.

  Excellent use can be made of 'motion-sensitive' lights, that are available at your local hardware store for a very reasonable cost.

  You should also have lights inside your house - even when absent, during normal hours that lights would be on.  Inexpensive timers can be set to allow lights to go on and off at specified times.  Having all the lights inside your house completely dark at 8pm is just an invitation.

  Make sure that there are no potential hiding places near your house - shrubbery and trees should be trimmed and situated so that they can't provide any cover for any would-be thieves.

Time

Time is the enemy of the burglary - who must get in and out quickly.  You can make things more time-consuming - which will deter most burglars by doing the following:

  Make your house time-consuming to break into by installing good door bolts on all exterior doors.

  Install a double keylock on doors that contain glass - you don't want a potential burglar to just break the glass reach in, and turn the knob.

  Make sure that all windows and patio doors are securable.  This is one of the frequently overlooked areas of home security.

Noise

  There's a reason burglar's hate dogs.  While not everyone can be a good pet-owner - the security aspects of dog ownership can tip the balance if you're unsure about owning a pet.

  Home Security Systems are normally set up with a Siren - make sure that it's loud enough to annoy the neighbors!  Make sure that the siren is not installed in an easily accessable area where it can be quickly disconnected.

Other Useful Tips

  Lock up any ladders or tools that could be easily used by someone to break into your home.

  Make sure that valuables such as art, expensive electronics and guns aren't seen.

  Think like a burglar - walk around your house and see if there's anyway you could easily break in.

  Display your house number prominently - make sure that Police or other emergency personnel can find your home quickly.

  If you go on vacation - have a neighbor or friend pick up your mail.  No need to alert potential thieves that you're away.

Just In Case

  Make sure your insurance is correct for what you own. People tend to under-insure to save money.

  If you don't own your home, seriously consider purchasing a renter's insurance policy.  Landlords are not legally responsible for your belongings, and you could end up with a huge loss on your hands should a burglary occur, or a natural disaster strike.

  Keep a listing of all your expensive belongings (including serial numbers).  This will help you reclaim your property from the police when any burglar is caught.

  When you've created this inventory listing - make sure a copy of it stays with a friend, family, or at work.  It would be silly to have a complete inventory - but lose it to a house fire!

  Using a Digital videocamera or camera, videotape or photograph your possessions - it's irrefutable evidence for your insurance company that you actually owned something in case of theft or fire.

  Use an engraving tool to mark items without serial numbers, so that you can prove ownership should your possessions be stolen and recovered by the police.

Intrusion - This will largely be similar with a home security system, with such items as door sensors, motion detectors, glass-break detectors and cellular backup.

Surveillance - This is an area that home security systems have far less requirements for than a commercial establishment.  Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) to protect your business not only from burglary - but also from employee or visitor theft.

Fire - Smoke detectors are routine in homes - but businesses will add many regulatory features required by law.  This is an area where your Dial Security Representative can inform you of legal requirements.

Access Control - Not needed in home security systems, this is frequently used and needed in the commercial businesses. Dial Security can set up a software based authorized entry system utilizing key fobs or password keypads. Fob readers can be installed at all perimeter doors, and programmed with allowable usage times so that employees can readily come and go during business hours.

Because of the knowledge and expertise required for commercial security systems, and due to the greater possible loss if a security system is not installed correctly - you should be careful to deal only with security companies that have a proven track record in this field.

Feel free to ask your Dial Security Representative to offer you the names of some of our recent clients, and see how they liked our service and professionalism.

But many people never became aware of the huge battle that went on in the phone industry in the last decade - and the fact that the old AT&T monopoly has been broken means that many companies are competing for your long distance service.

The old cliche about a 'win-win' situation is truly accurate in the long distance business… just a simple phone call to Dial Long Distance can chop your long distance rates as much as 45% - and if you're in the sort of business that is forced to make large numbers of long distance calls - one call can literally mean hundreds of dollars each month in savings.

Have you checked your long distance rates lately?  Do you even know what the competitive rates should be?  I just spoke with our Long Distance supervisor, and he tells me that they still get calls from potential customers that are paying $1.17 per minute - when our current rates are around a nickel.  It's usually quite a shock to these people to realize how much they've been being overcharged.

Dial Long Distance has been providing quality service to California businesses for over 15 years.  Check out what Dial Long Distance offers:

Regular Phone Numbers	Toll Free Numbers (800, 888,877,866, etc)
No Term Contract Obligations	Free Vanity Phone Numbers
No Minimum Usage Requirements	No Setup Fees
No Fees to Switch Services	No Connection Fees
No Local Service Changes	Low Monthly Fee
No 10-10 Codes to Dial	Same Flat Rate (Inbound)

We also offer live customer service without prompts or excessive hold time.  No more manuevering through long Voice Mail menus just to talk to a live person!

If you'd like to know how much you would save by just saying "Yes" - contact us and provide us with a copy of one of your recent bills - we will compare your current rates with what you would have been charged if you were a Dial customer - if we save you money, why not say "Yes?"

Who would want to go back to the old days?  However, the requirements needed to install and service the old technology was within reach of kids fresh out of high school.  However, the newer technology requires a great deal more knowledge, since digital solutions are far more complex than analog solutions.  Installers must know how to install and route network technologies such as CAT 5 or CAT 6 cable, Routers, Switches… they must understand IP protocol and network masking.  A far greater knowledge of computers, operating systems, and networking is required in today's security camera industry.

The entire area of video cameras, how to install them, how to network them, and how to record their output - is such a technical area that you can be easily snowed by security company salesmen that really don't know what they are talking about.  It's in this area, where detailed knowledge of the field is so critical, that mistakes can occur if you haven't leased or purchased your CCTV system from a reliable and knowledgeable company.

This is also an area where you really do get what you pay for.  Be sure that the image quality and focus is adequate for what your intended purposes are.  You can easily purchase a 'cheap' system that simply doesn't have the power and ability that you need.  Ask your salesman to explain the differences between the 'cheap' video systems and the more complete solutions that they may be offering you.  Here at Dial Security, we will be happy to tour your premises, and give you our best quotes to install a video system that will do exactly what you need.

So Dial decided to go with only one manufacturer.  After a great deal of research into the different phone systems available - Toshiba was chosen for a number of different reasons.  They are a leader in the field, meaning that their phone systems will be competitive both price-wise and feature-wise with anything else available.  Toshiba always try to ensure upwards compatibility - meaning that you can continue in most cases to update only the necessary components, and not your entire system to gain new features.  Toshiba phone systems are built in a modular way - any components that go bad can be quickly swapped out.

For example, a recent electrical storm took out the power supply of one of our Bank customers… and it took the technician just 15 minutes to swap out the bad power supply, and replace it with a new one.  This means that downtime is minimal, all of the customer's unique phone programming is still in place, and the cost was low.  Needless to say, this customer took the advice of the technician, and their phone system is now plugged into a UPS - which would have prevented this problem in the first place…

Another customer is expanding their business, and needs to have IP telephone capability - they will have a sales staff that is working in different areas apart from the main company location.  So we have upgraded their phone system - and the phones remain the same - the programming was all saved and moved to the new system, and their Voice Mail programming was completely transferred to their new system.  Total 'downtime' - about 10 minutes.  This would have been difficult, if not impossible, on other phone systems… since many phone system vendors require a different type of phone for each of their phone systems.

In addition to Toshiba's great modularity, it's reliability has been quite noticeable.  The bank, for example, that needed to replace their power supply after an electrical storm, hasn't called us for 15 years.  That's how long they've had their phone system.  (I know, I'm the technician who installed it!)  When you understand that phone systems are nothing more than highly specialized digital computers, it's actually amazing to consider… after all, can you point to a computer at home or at your business - that's been there for 15 years?

Toshiba's reliability reflects well on Dial Communications - customers who do decide that they want to upgrade invariably decide to upgrade to a newer Toshiba model, rather than any other phone system.  That makes us look good, and it keeps us in business.   If you don't have a Toshiba phone system, ask your business associates who do - what their opinion is… then give us a call to see how a Toshiba phone system can improve your business.

Not too long ago, I was involved in doing an emergency installation of a phone system at a local business.  They had some disgruntled ex-employees who simply backed a truck up to the building, and removed EVERYTHING from the suite. All the desks where taken, the phones & phone system taken, they even ripped the wall jacks out!  The entire room was virtually vacant with the exception of some of the partition dividers.

This burglary would have been impossible if this company had employed a central office monitored security system.  The time lost and expense of this burglary would have paid for a decade of monitored service.  While I'm sure that they had some sort of insurance coverage - I doubt if it covered their actual losses…

Some people have never stopped to think of just what they could lose if a determined burglar were given access to their home or business for the evening.  Look around - just what would be the replacement cost?  Does your insurance coverage cover more than a fraction of what your loss could be?  Does your insurance company offer discounts for employing a good security system?  (Most do!)

A good security company can also point out simple and cost-effective ways to improve your security… after all, security companies are in this business, they have to know the tricks of the trade.  Be sure to take advantage of their expertise - when you ask a security representative to conduct a security tour - ask questions, and listen to what they say - they are, after all, going to save you potential loss.

Plus too, the comfort and security of mind that you'll have with a well-installed and monitored security system is something that is hard to put into financial terms.  You could even say that there are health benefits to a good security system - after all, you'll have less stress worrying about the safety of your home or business!

Dial Security would be happy to help you if you live in Ventura, Santa Barbara, or Los Angeles County.  Give us a call and let us help you with your security needs!