Falcon Direct - We keep you connected

There are all kinds of terms used to define the task of taking care of a customers needs being used today. Maintenance, service, and warranty do NOT have the same meaning. We have our own technical facilities in Birmingham, Alabama. In our technical facility we manufacture and support our exclusive Just4Cops, SaferCommunities, and SafePass products as well as providing diagnostic services and minor repair on other wireless products. We also coordinate services with sub-contractors who assist us in the installation of local area vehicular installations as well as tower work anywhere within a 300 mile radius of Birmingham.

Due to the complex nature of modern electronic design, a local service shop is generally limited in the scope of service provided. Some products, such as the Motorola Minitor IV and V are not field serviceable. As a matter of fact, opening a Minitor V pager voids the warranty and invalidates the Intrinsically Safe rating associated with this product. Accordingly, shop service is mostly a matter of diagnostics, minor repairs (replacement of antennas, batteries, cases, clips, etc.), then coordinating repair at a designated factory repair center.

What to do if things go wrong

Sometimes things go wrong. Generally any problems relating to programming or operational issues will occur within the first week after delivery. There are two things you can do to help you get started the right way. (1) Upon receipt of a new portable radio, turn it off, put it in the charger, and let it charge for 72 hours before using. (2) Read the manufacturers operating manual and review the programming printout provided with the radio. If you have any questions, call us at 800.489.2611.

Non-warranty maintenance can be handled in a variety of ways. For additional information of available service plans, please click here.

If you have an equipment failure during the warranty period, do not send the defective radio to Falcon Direct. Call the manufacturer as applicable at the numbers listed below to let them know you are sending in your radio for warranty repair. They can give you instructions for return and answer any questions you may have regarding your warranty.

Our Blog is a valuable resource for information on a variety of topics. Some of the more significant postings include the following: For 2012 our focus is totally on providing the highest levels of professionalism, cost effectiveness, and a caring attitude. One of our recent posting on this subject is available by clicking here. We also have some comments on the difference between maintenance and service that may be of interest. Then we have an example of what can happen if you don't get a good understanding of service right up front and the benefit of dealing with a company that puts you FIRST!

Our ACR Plus, Companion, CrimeBuster, and CrookCatcher series products are covered by a one year warranty with repair or exchange made at our facility in Birmingham, Alabama. Other products are covered by the respective manufacturer's warranty which is typically one year with the exception of Hytera, Midland, and US Alert who offer standard five year warranties on many products. TecNet offers a standard three year warranty and ICOM offers low cost option to extend warranties for up to six years.. A warranty does not cover wiring associated with installation, shipping costs for return to the manufacturer, on-site service, or use of an exchange unit while services are being made by the factory. Normal turnaround time for factory repair is three weeks after receipt at the factory. User pays shipping cost to the factory with the exception of Motorola products (Motorola sends a prepaid shipping label by email or fax when you call a toll free number for warranty service). Other manufacturers pay return shipping cost via UPS ground. Overnight return shipping is available at extra cost. Damage caused by lightning or abuse is not covered by warranty. We strongly recommend installation of lightning and surge protection on all associated AC lines, phone lines, and coaxial cables associated with radios. Whenever possible, we also recommend the purchase of the manufacturers extended warranty program. See www.falcondirect.com/Warranty for additional information.

The difference between services applicable to delivery of equipment (contractual services), and services provided after delivery (post-sale services) can be a confusing issue. This guide has been prepared to provide a better understanding of the applicable terms.

Contractual Services

Contractual services involve the conditions of normal delivery. Unless specifically stated in the sales agreement, it is understood that the equipment provided is sold with the understanding that it meets the manufacturers published specifications, but carries no guarantee for fitness of purpose of unknown customer expectations. Installation of equipment in vehicles or on customer premises, unless specifically stated to be a part of the sales agreement, is not included nor are taxes and transportation. Errors in equipment selection or programming made by Falcon Direct will be corrected at no charge. Errors in equipment selection or programming caused as a result of specified instructions by the user will be corrected at normal labor rates. See Post-Sale Services for additional information.

Post-Sale Services

The word most commonly associated with post-sale services is maintenance. This is sometimes confused with warranty. They are NOT the same! A warranty is a guarantee to repair a defective product by the manufacturer, at the manufacturer’s designated point of repair. Suffice it to say, that the repair depot is NOT your local radio service shop. Accordingly, the procedure for handling a warranty claim is between the user and the manufacturer – not the seller of the products. In a warranty repair situation, the manufacturer has the option of repairing, replacing, or declining to make the necessary correction.

Several important points to remember: The manufacturer is under no obligation to provide a replacement (i.e. loaner), or to adhere to any particular time schedule. They make the repairs as quickly as possible. That could be a couple of days, a couple of weeks, or in some cases, a couple of months. Further, if the manufacturer makes extensive repairs or replaces the radio, your programming will be lost. It will be your responsibility to reprogram returned equipment. You can either purchase programming equipment and software to do this yourself or pay a servicing dealer to do it for you. If it becomes necessary to travel to the user site for programming, normal hourly rates of $75 and travel charges ($75 per hour and $.50 per mile) would apply

Maintenance Service – Time and Material (Private radio systems)

Time and material maintenance charges apply for service performed on user equipment, whether in or out of warranty. If a call for maintenance is issued by the user, the normal service procedures apply. This will involve a minimum shop charge of $37.50 for any unit brought to our shop. Labor is billed at $95 per hour plus parts. On-site maintenance is also billed at $95 per hour plus $.60 per mile and $95 per hour for travel time if services are performed between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.