Instalments

Compatibility by 1992
(Even 15 years ago, we were grappling with European Standards…)
"By 1992 compliance with the relevant EMC/EMI requirements will be mandatory. If compliance is achieved, Britain must allow the product to be freely marketed. and prohibit any non-compliant products from sale.

This is a very serious situation for our manufacturers but one of great opportunity to market freely throughout Europe. It will also be of advantage to the installers of alarm equipment, who will be able to rely on a minimum standard of electromagnetic compatibility.

One implication for manufacturers is the cost of testing their products. The regulation will require product testing. Manufacturers will therefore need ready access to specialised testing facilities and to have on their staff engineers with at least enough EMC expertise to hold a meaningful dialogue with those operating the EMC test houses."

Outlawing misleading prices
(We looked at the implications a new consumer protection act would have on the practice of cut price bargains…)
"As a go-ahead business person, you will be relieved to know that you will still be allowed to exercise your powers of persuasion and give your prospects the impression that you are offering a bargain – with controls.

For example, it will be an offence to leave people to guess whether or not a price comparison is being made. If you are making one, you will be obliged to show the higher price as well as the price you intend to charge. Statements like 'Price this winter reduced to £30' or 'slashed to £50 while stocks lasts' without quoting the higher price could land you in trouble.

When announcing price reductions, you will commit no offence by comparing present prices with what you charged earlier, but there are conditions. You will not be able to pick any old price out of the air to make a comparison; it must be the last price at which the goods (and that includes services) were on sale to customers during an earlier period.

What you won't be able to do is put the price up one day and drop it the next for the purpose of comparison."

Tann moves into CCTV
(CCTV was still in its infancy but more companies were spotting the opportunities…)
"Tann Synchronome's Paul Knee, access control General Manager, comments, 'There is a growing need for CCTV systems – the UK market is growing at 15 per cent per annum – but many potential customers have been confused by the wide variety of specialist products available and there is a lack of well-informed advice. Tann Synchronome, with many years of experience designing and installing sophisticated access control systems, is ideally placed to understand the needs of the CCTV customer."

Fledgling geeks in a new field
(This month, our Tried and Tested experts ventured into a new field, and discovered more than they bargained for…)
"Delving into the field of radio alarm equipment, our experts checked out Scantronic's 4700 Series which was accompanied by a 27-page installation manual together with a 16 page user manual, which uses a box and arrow system to take the end user through all the possible functions. From a user point of view, this system is very sophisiticated but it is more likely to appeal to the 'computer minded' customer.

The installer also needs to be computer orientated – if you're just an 'old electronics' man then you are not going to find the programming all that easy. Some installers new to 'computeronics', let alone radio systems, will inevitably consider the detailed study required, and the actual programming itself, a bit too much. All we can say is – persist."