Are you selecting a new type of fire alarm system for your facility? Then, you’ll want to know all the information about the difference between a proprietary and open fire alarm system. After all, you wouldn’t purchase a car without doing a little research on its strengths and weaknesses; well at least I hope you wouldn’t. Knowing the pros and cons of proprietary and open fire alarm systems will help you to make the right choice for your facility.
Key Difference
All addressable fire alarm systems are proprietary to some extent. But the following is the main difference between an entirely proprietary versus an open system. In a closed proprietary fire alarm system the manufacturer, authorized service provider, and distributor are generally the same fire protection company. Whereas in an open system they can be different. With a closed proprietary system, only one company can service the system. An open fire alarm system, allows the customer to choose from a variety of authorized fire alarm service providers.
Fire Alarm Pricing
When it comes to cost, proprietary and open systems strive to offer the best pricing on fire alarm installation projects. Although, in the long run, a proprietary system ends up costing more than an open fire alarm system. The main reason that proprietary systems become more expensive as time goes on is because of the lack of competition. These companies give you a good price to install the system. After that, they don’t need to give the customer the best pricing because they’re already locked into using that company. Open system providers must have competitive pricing from install through fire alarm service because there are other firms that could do the work at similar or better rates.
Customer Service
As a whole customer service is generally equal between companies that service proprietary or open fire alarm systems. The best way to determine their level of customer service is to ask local facilities how satisfied they are with their fire alarm contractor. This will give you a good idea of who is the best in your area.
If you’re in the market for a system knowing the difference between a proprietary and open fire alarm system and their pros and cons will help you make a decision between the two. The best thing to do is to talk to people in your area to find out how satisfied they are with their fire alarm contractor and system. Getting some honest feedback should help you decide which type of system is the right fit.
Check out these two blog posts to learn more about selecting a fire alarm system for your facility.
Types of Fire Alarm Systems: Conventional vs. Addressable
What’s the Cost of a Fire Alarm Installation?
Categorized in: Fire Alarms