HON is no longer compliant with any of our programs.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 11/26/2014 11:23 AM EST

At some point we'll send an email out, but I wanted to get some sort of statement to many of our clients regarding the "Home Owner's Network" aka "HON".

It has been brought to our attention that HON will be engaging in phone calls to clients to sell anything and everything, utilizing "One Source" to do so- that means everything is on the table from utilities to alarms to satellite TV. You name it. Don't allow them to insult your intelligence by suggesting it's not a "sales call", why else would you have a salesperson do it? I saw this coming, I called it, and when I did there were some that thought I was being harsh...I don't fault them for that.

The program we resurrected from the Brink's days that has served the inspection industry so well, focusing on one simple service at a real discount and literally netting inspectors tens of millions of dollars in cash and value-added services to clients, is being bastardized by the desperate. The latest trick they're pulling is to charge inspectors hundreds of dollars for their valueless service, only to turn around and offer a "discount" on that service by allowing non-compliant calls to be made to home buyers...and still charging the inspector hundreds of dollars.

I won't stand by and watch. Nick Gromicko was absolutely right about this one.

I'm committing to you today to have a TOTALLY FREE replacement for HON in your hands by February 23rd, 2015- with one very important twist. Rather than hand the relationship with your client over to a third party, you're going to be included in all communication.

Now if HON is just your favorite thing in the world, I have a few solutions for you:

1. Absolutely do NOT allow phone calls to your clients. Get it in writing from them that they will not sell your clients anything on the service you paid to submit your clients to.
2. Make it an option- many inspectors are doing this since it is already on their promotional materials. Simply offer it and if someone actually wants the service then manually submit. I'm getting reports that it is in the single digit percentages (and the low ones at that).
3. Demand fair payment- just for our alarm leads program alone the net benefit to most of our clients is around $15 per lead. With HON allowing One Source to sell alarms, satellite TV, and utility services (all for a profit), I think $20 per lead is more than fair.

Hmm. What does this do to your relationship with Dominic and Kevin?

FYI, I still don't see the value of it for the inspector, the Realtor, or the consumer. Why spend resources to make a similar product?

RD Welch wrote:Hmm. What does this do to your relationship with Dominic and Kevin?

FYI, I still don't see the value of it for the inspector, the Realtor, or the consumer. Why spend resources to make a similar product?

There's a small number of inspectors that like offering this, I don't want to disappoint them. I think it can be done better but I agree with you- very little value.

Dominic is fine, this isn't his baby. Kevin probably hates me, but it's not my problem. He chose his path and created a program that violates the terms and conditions of a program that thousands of inspectors (and nearly every one that does any respectable volume) is participating in. It's a bad business decision, he can blame himself for the consequences or me, he'll probably choose me.

It's okay, I've been mistakenly blamed for worse.

Nick Gromicko just emailed me- apparently OneSource has approached him about making calls to everyone on InterNACHI's newsletter, and he turned them down of course for the same reasons I suggested this was all bogus above.

Kevin wanted me to offer all of their clients services including utilities and satellite TV- and I turned him down.

The whole thing stinks and basically One Source is now Kevin's Daddy. I doubt it will pay off like he thinks it will, but time will tell.

Funny thing I just remembered.... I turned down One Source too.

Oh, and then they tried to sue me for telling inspectors that their program was problematic, and guess what went nowhere?

Thanks for the info!
Can't wait to see what you have in store!

The writing was on the wall from the beginning

Thanks Nathan

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 11/26/2014 11:57 AM EST

Stopped sending info to them a month and a half ago

greenvalley wrote:Stopped sending info to them a month and a half ago

I don't think you're alone. I've heard from around 50 inspectors the same.

A part of me feels bad, my intent here isn't HON's demise, I just think they've been led astray by OneSource in a moment of desperation. The concept behind HON isn't bad, I told Kevin the first time I saw it I was jealous he though of it first and I was sincere in that. The execution has just been exhaustingly terrible.

I could never see the true value, myself. I wish them well anyways. Thanks for having our backs, Nathan!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 11/26/2014 01:02 PM EST

Is there somewhere on their site that states this is the new procedure that we can review?

I'm not sure how much my clients utilize it, but they definitely love the idea and is a great USP.

Troy Pappas wrote:Is there somewhere on their site that states this is the new procedure that we can review?

I'm not sure how much my clients utilize it, but they definitely love the idea and is a great USP.

I love the idea as well, I think the USP will work just as well in this case with a "if you would like" approach.

On their new procedures, email them. I've had some communications forwarded to me that are downright scary, which prompted me to begin development of a new similar product, which will be totally free forever.

The main difference will be inspector inclusion. Every time your clients ask a question, make a request, etc., it is run by you first. You can choose to let us answer or answer yourself or even review the responses.

Nathan wrote:

Troy Pappas wrote:Is there somewhere on their site that states this is the new procedure that we can review?

I'm not sure how much my clients utilize it, but they definitely love the idea and is a great USP.

I love the idea as well, I think the USP will work just as well in this case with a "if you would like" approach.

On their new procedures, email them. I've had some communications forwarded to me that are downright scary, which prompted me to begin development of a new similar product, which will be totally free forever.

The main difference will be inspector inclusion. Every time your clients ask a question, make a request, etc., it is run by you first. You can choose to let us answer or answer yourself or even review the responses.

That sounds like a better idea although not many of my clients ever used it

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 11/26/2014 01:22 PM EST

Kevin Moore wrote:

That sounds like a better idea although not many of my clients ever used it

How do you know? or how did you find out?

When it comes to discounts and such, I can't speak to how many clients use HON. When it comes to mechanical advice, it's utilized hardly ever...Kevin has told me so directly and it stands to reason. How many people are going to be in their kitchen, experience a disposal leak, pull out their phone and take a picture of it? It's far fetched. It's a gimmick, but a good one.