CPI Security Systems

This nasty company won’t release you from your contract even if you move out of their service area. Our family was relocated to Chicago from Charlotte last year after fulfilling three years of our five year CPI contract. Before you sign with these scammers, be sure to consider other security companies which will release you if you are relocated outside their service area. We didn’t move on a whim. We didn’t move for fun or pleasure; we were required to move for my husband’s job. So here we are more than a year later, continuing to pay for a security system that we don’t need. When I called requesting a release from the contract, I offered to provide proof that we were being required to relocate for work purposes, but this was to no avail. They only release military employees from their contract. As he does not work for a branch of the military, our relocation doesn’t matter to CPI. Because no one but someone in the military could possibly be required to move out of CPI’s service area for their job. Run don’t walk from this awful company and sign with a national company with reasonable policies instead.

I have been a customer since November 2015 and was initially very happy with your service. However, we changed our Internet Service Provider this week, which for some reason rendered out outdoor monitoring camera ineffective. CPI Customer Care has instructed me to either make the incredibly dangerous climb to our roof edge to push a reset button for 4 seconds or pay $ 50 to have a technician visit our house. When we signed the contract, we were told that maintenance services were included. Switching an ISP is such a simple, innocuous, and frequent change that homeowners undergo. I see absolutely no reason that CPI cannot support this through easier means and/​or honor this support through the maintenance contract. BUYER BEWARE!
Update: After speaking with numerous different customer service reps as well as receiving instruction from the only «technician» on duty, not a single CPI employee was able to give me appropriate instruction once I was able to establish a safe way to reach the button. I was instructed to then push the WPS button on my wifi router (which doesn’t exist as I found out after talking to Apple support that it is an old and security-​flawed method). CPI then said that the only way of connection outside of WPS was by a 40 foot long Ethernet cord (yeah, like I have that handy) running from the camera at my 2^nd floor roof line to my downstairs office wifi router. After doing my OWN internet research, I came across an installation guide at
. This document finally provided a method that worked (Wi-​Fi access point mode installation instructions). Having this, it was actually pretty easy. But why, oh why did so many CPI employees have no idea of this method? This could have saved me hours of valuable weekend time and a massive headache. I am seriously disappointed in CPI support. If these cameras need complex re-​connection after any internet change (ISP change, modem or router upgrade), customers should really be told up-​front that they could be on the hook for $ 50 charges any time they upgrade their internet hardware. Also, demonstration of connection methods should be offered at initial installation for any consumer who foresees frequent equipment upgrades and wishes to understand how to DIY.

Erroneous charges. the lack of transparency and full disclosure, a customer service model designed to «get you off the phone», unkept promises to investigate and call back, unfulfilled promises to credit my account. These are all the results of our trying to become a customer of CPI security. When we complained our concerns were met with the threat of an exorbitant exit fee should we attempt to cancel our brand new service contract.

Our cable company sent us an upgraded modem that we had to use because they were upgrading Internet for free. After installing, our indoor cameras did not work. I called CPI and they gave me directions to fix the problem. After my husband tried numerous times to reset our cameras according to their directions, it still would not work. They said we would have to pay $ 50.00 for someone to come out. We are paying $ 50.00 per month to have this system. We have been with CPI for over 17 years. We’ve bought numerous products from them and am extremely disappointed that after all these years of being a loyal customer, they would nickel and dime us. We will be moving our business elsewhere. I do not recommend CPI because they will charge you for every little thing. There are other big name companies that charge alot less. In my opinion, I wouldn’t waste my money.

Great System, Great price We have had Our CPI system 5.5 years, only one issue, the key fob it was handle in 24 hours !!! Never have had false alarms !!! Over the top CSRs !!! and no I do not work for them !!!

Have been told by 2 representatives my fee would be waived. Now I’ve received a bill for that fee for the 3^rd time — I called they tell me those employees were wrong and I owe the fee and have charged me late fees. They harass my everyday with phones call. I call and talk with them and ask for a supervisor and NEVER get a call back. It’s absolutely ridiculous. They should honor their employees word. And if they’re going to harass me all the time they should call me back when I request to speak with supervisors. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE!

At some point, providing a good product has to be accompanied by providing good service. We all know that computer manufacturers and cable services are notoriously bad in customer service, while the products they provide are in general very good. Frankly I don’t understand it, it’s a practice that only serves to undermine the good that they’ve created. CPI is a company that provides a satisfactory product in security systems, backed by what in all evidence is solid support, but then decides they have to resort to certain practices that grossly undermine all the trust they have built from their customers.
The problem is their contract. We were approached by their salesperson, and distinctly remember (by more than one person) that he said the contract is for 2 years. In very small print — that they DO NOT point out — among thousands of words, the contract says 5 years. Looking at BBB and other complaint sites, just about every complaint points out this «oversight». Even when you’re selling the house, they hold you to the contract. And then for those who try their mightiest to cancel (i.e. file a formal complaint), they will «graciously, out of goodwill» reduce the contract to a more palatable but but still obligatory conditions. It’s as if they are doing you a favor, and maybe they’re convinced that they are.
Now, if I’m the quality control director at CPI, I’m thinking, «We get all this complaints about the 5 year contract and how we deceive the customers into signing it. May be we should make it a policy to have this pointed out when they’re signing the contract so no one feels deceived». Certainly they’ve had enough complaints about it, so why not address it up front? Could it be that they are purposely choosing not to do this, because they know they will get 80% less customers by doing that? So only when their arms are twisted, they will graciously reduce the penalty «out of goodwill»? Now THAT’S the definition of deceptive practice!

I was a customer of CPI for almost 9 years and during that time I received fairly good service for the most part. In 2011 we decided to discontinue use of a home land line and had to «upgrade» to CPI’s cell back-​up service in order for our system to continue to operate. I was not informed by the customer service rep on the phone or the installation tech that by doing this I was entering into another 5 year contract. During the time I had the cell back-​up it worked about 50% of the time. Most of the time if the alarm went off nobody even came over the speaker because it wasn’t working and nobody ever called our cell phones either. In November 2012 my husband unexpectedly lost his job and in August 2013 we had to move to another state outside their service area for his new job. CPI sent me a bill for a little under $ 1,000 for contract termination of a contract I didn’t even know I had entered into. In the end they «graciously» reduced the amount to $ 281 even though had they reviewed their recorded call they could have determined that I was not informed of a new contract. If you decide to use them test your system regularly to ensure it’s working and MAKE them come out to repair it and be sure you understand what you are getting into with them. They have some business practices that are questionable at best.