Wednesday, December 22, 2010 -- Directed Electronics has announced the availability of a new feature on its Viper SmartStart that allows users to pinpoint where they parked a vehicle. The feature, SmartPark, notes a vehicle’s location every time the user presses the door lock button in the Viper SmartStart app.
To return to the stored location, a user can press the “Find My Car” button in the app to retrieve the location, accessing any additional accompanying photo or note reminder that the user may have stored. SmartPark shows a map with walking directions back to the car’s location.
“Using Viper SmartStart to control your vehicle with your smartphone has been a game changer,” said Kevin Duffy, president of Directed Electronics, “And the feature set continues to expand. When we launched Viper Motor Club roadside assistance recently, we promised exciting new features to follow – and SmartPark is the first of many. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s also useful. If you forget where you parked, SmartPark has the smarts to find your car.”
“Users can also find their car using a great augmented reality feature we call SnakeEyes,” said Duffy. “You just hold up your phone and a virtual view of your car keeps you pointed in the right direction.” Viper SmartStart users can update the app to get the new SmartPark feature. New users can download the free Viper SmartStart app with SmartPark at the iTunes App Store, BlackBerry App World, the Android Market, and at www.viper.com/smartstart.
Directed Electronics is also inviting users to enter the free “10 Day Viper SmartStart iPad Sweepstakes” for the chance to win a free iPad. New users can download the free app, click on “How To Buy” in the app and enter an e-mail addresss to register. Current users can enter the sweepstakes via the “Find a Dealer” button. Official rules are in the app and no purchase is necessary, according to Directed.
Directed Electronics unveiled Viper Window Film to a select few, by invitation only, VIP customers at an off site location at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas. The clandestine and relaxed atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of the convention center was the perfect setting to sit with key dealers and present Viper Window Film and get one on one feedback. This strategic collaborating with key partners is what keeps Directed dialed in to the street.
It’s a category we’ve been looking at for a long time…a large percentage of our existing distribution does window tinting,” said Directed Electronics president Kevin Duffy.
The aim is to bring the clout of the Viper brand to window tinting, especially now that Viper has received over 600 million impressions from the release of the Viper SmartStart that can remote start your car from a smartphone.
“What we’re trying to bring to the market is the branding to drive demand, and the training and merchandising that we think will increase the size of the market,” added Duffy. Directed is also seeking to become more important to car electronics specialists, many of whom offer window tinting as a side business
Directed's vision is to offer brand consistency with Viper Security Film, protecting you and your vehicle from the sun's harsh rays and detering window breakage. The high quality American made window tint is in line with the award winning Viper brand that Directed has become recognized for. At this year's SEMA show Directed Electronics was recognized by mobile electronics retailers across the country as the Manufacturer of the Year at Mobile Electronics magazine’s 2010 Dealers’ Choice Awards. Directed also earned awards for Best Technical Support, Best Customer Service, and Best Warranty Programs.
Directed will use its brand recognition, ability to drive deman and reputation for excellence to a niche with few recognized brands and virtually none recognized outside of industry personnel.
Directed Electronic's world class tech support team put us in the unique position. The Snake Pit team trains 5000 technicians across the country annually, Directed will leverage that resource to train and support their partners in the window film business.
Viper Ultra Film Offers comfort and elegance in a variety of shades. Significantly reduce the temperatures in the vehicle by blocking over 44% of the sun's heat. Viper Ultra films are the richest black and the truest grey to match the look of your vehicle.
Viper Security Film While car theft has been on the decline, content theft from vehicles is on the rise. Gain peace of mind while enhancing the look of your vehicle and keeping it cool. Viper Security films deter thieves from breaking your window and taking valuable personal contents
Viper Ceramic Film Is the ultimate in heat rejection, blocking more thatn 99% of the UV rays and over 80% of the infrared heat protecting you, your passengers, and prolonging the life of the interior of your car.
The Viper Tint line is non-metallic so it won’t interfere with an RF remote, or remote start or Bluetooth system Look for more details and a hard launch at CES in January.
Friday, October 22, 2010 -- Directed Electronics has announced what it calls Viper SmartStart 2.0 — a comprehensive update to its Viper SmartStart product line, which allows users to control vehicle security and convenience features using their iPhone, BlackBerry or Android smartphone.
With Viper SmartStart 2.0, Directed has lowered pricing, with dealers advertising Viper SmartStart as low as $199 as an add-on to compatible Viper systems. According to Mike Simmons, Executive VP of Directed Electronics, “We optimized the design and engineered costs out to put Viper SmartStart within reach of as many customers as possible.”
“We created the smartphone car integration category last year with the launch of Viper SmartStart,” said Simmons. “It’s exciting to see all the attention the category has been getting lately, with OnStar and many of the OEMs pre-announcing their products on the drawing board. It’s clear that customers are very interested in controlling their car from their smartphone, and we will continue to lead this category by being first to market with the most advanced — and most affordable — solutions.”
Directed has also introduced its new Viper Motor Club, which offers free roadside assistance with Viper SmartStart 2.0. Customers in a bind can access the Viper Motor Club with just the push of a button in the Viper SmartStart app. The company stated that this is one of many features Directed will be adding starting in the fourth quarter. “We are focused on delivering a simple and affordable smartphone solution with features that drivers really value, including the new Viper Motor Club,” added Simmons.
“It is hard to believe we launched Viper SmartStart just one year ago,” said Kevin Duffy, President of Directed Electronics. “Viper SmartStart received an onslaught of media attention, and introduced a completely new product category in mobile electronics. We expect the launch of Viper SmartStart 2.0 to drive a whole new wave of customer interest over the next few months, especially with cold weather on its way.”
The new Viper SmartStart 2.0 Module (VSM200) allows retailer to sell SmartStart capabilities to the millions of people who own cars with Viper systems installed. Most Viper remote start and security systems installed since 2003 are SmartStart compatible.
In addition, Directed introduced two new complete Viper SmartStart systems, the Viper VSS3000 Remote Start System, advertised at a price as low as $299, and the Viper VSS5000 Security with Remote Start System, which is being advertised as low as $499. For more information, including a store locator, please visit www.viper.com/smartstart.
Directed was honored as the MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR at Mobile Electronics magazine’s 2010 Dealer’s Choice Awards at the MERA KnowledgeFest show (MECP Certified Master Technician Andy Hartshorne pictured here accepting award)
Sunday, October 10, 2010 --
Mobile Electronics magazine presented its 2010 Industry Awards at the 2010 MERA KnowledgeFest show in Dallas. Texas, and announced the winners of the Dealer Choice awards for best manufacturer programs and service in a range of categories, the Retailer of the Year awards in the single-store, small chain and medium/large chain store categories and the Installer of the Year award. Parrot presented its Certified Installer of the Year award.
At the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards reception, attendees ate, drank and networked at the Gaylord Texan hotel and conference center before sitting down to honor their colleagues and find out who the winners were. Editor Todd Ramsey talked about the industry and later how the finalists in the award categories were judged.
Mobile Electronics’ Publisher Joni Owens presented the Dealer Choice Awards, which ask retailers to rate the industry vendors they work with in a variety of categories. These awards were given based on responses from retailers.
For the Dealer Choice Awards, Mobile Electronics honored companies with first, second and third place award in each category and gave an overall “Manufacturer of the Year” award.
The Retailer of the Year awards and Installer of the Year award were given based on an extensive process that involved industry nominations and voting to determine the retailer and installer finalists and then the judging of materials submitted by the retailer and installer finalists.
For those of you keeping score Directed Electronics also came home with the following awards:
• #1 in Technical Support • #1 in Customer Service • #1 in Warranty Programs • #3 in Dealer Programs
Since the launch, the new Smart Start has far exceeded our wildest expectations. SmartStart received over a half billion media impressions in the first year. This combined with Apple selecting SmartStart as a hot new featured app in TV, print, and online advertisements created an overwhelming media frenzy. SmartStart introduced a completely new product category in Mobile Electronics, which dealers, installers and consumers passionately embraced.
So what's new?
• The SmartStart Module will be advertised at $199
• New features: - Smart Start Motor Club – Free 24/7/365 roadside assistance is included with all new SmartStart Secure service plans. That’s a $79/year value included at no additional charge.
o Smart Alerts – Customers receive a text message to their smartphone if their alarm triggers (with compatible security systems).
• New service plans – - SmartStart Secure 1-Year service plan for $49.99 up front including the Smart Start Motor Club service. - SmartStart Secure 3-Year service plan for $99.98 up front (that’s equivalent to one year included FREE, or less than $3/month).
• More compatible smartphones: o Now Directed StartStart works not only with iPhone, but with BlackBerry and Android smartphones as well.
• More compatible systems - New SmartStart compatible with older Viper, Clifford & Python security & remote start systems as well as Directed's Avital line of remote start & security sytems
When you activate your SmartStart service plan, you receive a full membership to the Motor Club. Locked out? Dead battery? Need a tow? We’ve got your back with 24/7/365 roadside assistance throughout the US and Canada and our licensed, insured fleet of 30,000 service providers is constantly available at the push of a button!
SMART START MOTOR CLUB 24-HOUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SmartStart owners who subscribe to a SmartStart Secure Service Plan ($49.99/year) are eligible for a Full Membership in the Motor Club roadside assistance program. MOTOR CLUB FULL MEMBERSHIP Benefits of the SmartStart Motor Club Full Membership include: 24-HOUR TOLL-FREE EMERGENCY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE is available throughout the United States and Canada, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Coverage is provided to any driver of the covered vehicle, pre-registered with SmartStart Motor Club. Roadside assistance includes: 1. Towing When towing is necessary, the Customer's disabled vehicle will be towed (up to 5 miles at no additional charge) to the nearest qualified service facility or to any location requested by the member. 2. Battery Service/Vehicle Won't Start If a battery failure occurs, a jump start will be applied to start the Customer's vehicle. 3. Flat Tire Assistance Service consists of the removal of the flat tire and its replacement with the spare tire. 4. Gasoline, Oil, Fluid and Water Delivery Service An emergency supply of gasoline, oil, fluid and water will be delivered to any Customer in immediate need. 5. Lock-out Assistance If a Customer's keys are locked inside of their vehicle, the service will provide for assistance in gaining entry to the Customer's vehicle. Benefits listed above are subject to a "Per Disablement Limit" maximum of SEVENTY FIVE dollars ($75.00). Costs in excess of $75.00 will be the responsibility of the member and will be collected by the service provider at the time of service. Roadside assistance is available by calling 877-373-9763 or selecting the Smart Start Motor Club Member Hotline from within the SmartStart App.
Start your car from virtually anywhere with your Android, iPhone® or BlackBerry® Smartphone
Vista, California (July 29, 2010) – Directed Electronics today announced the availability of its popular Viper SmartStart app on the Google Android smartphone platform. The free app is available at http://www.viper.com/ and the Android Market.
“The Android operating system enables millions of smartphones on all major carrier networks and across a full range of price points,” said Kevin Duffy, President of Directed Electronics. “With this app release, our Viper SmartStart solution is available to more than 75% of all smartphone users.”
Viper SmartStart is available to users with iPhones, BlackBerry smartphones, and now Android smartphones. When the Viper SmartStart hardware is installed on the user’s vehicle along with a compatible Viper remote start or security system, the app allows users to control their car from virtually anywhere with their smartphone. Users with a Viper remote start system can start their engine with the push of a button, to pre-warm it in the winter or pre-cool it in the summer. Depending on the installation, users can also lock and unlock the doors, pop the trunk, or arm their security system and get an alert on their smartphone if their alarm is triggered. Users can even control multiple cars from one smartphone.
According to Mike Simmons, Executive Vice President of Directed Electronics, “Android users are a rapidly growing segment of our customer base and the overall smartphone market, and we’re excited to deliver the Viper SmartStart app to them. Many Android users are early adopters of technology, and we’re proud to be first to enable them to replace their car keyfob with their smartphone. We’ve been leading the automotive industry in smartphone integration, and will continue to deliver ‘first-to-market’ solutions to customers in the future.”
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 -- Directed Electronics has invested in a new, high-tech phone system that allows consumers calling Directed to voluntarily talk to a local dealer instead. The company said this system, called “Direct Connect,” has sent more than 40,000 consumer phone calls to local dealers since Directed implemented it.
The company said that the system works as follows: The caller selects their brand (Orion, Viper, Clifford, Python or Avital) and then enters their zip code. Their call then routes to a dealer in, or closest to, the zip code the caller entered. The phone will then ring in the dealer’s store.
According to Glenn Busse, Senior VP of Sales and Customer Care, “There is no better way to serve our dealers during the economic recovery than to send them more business, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Dealers are increasingly focused on service, helping consumers out with replacement remotes, and making customers for life.”
“No one else in the industry currently offers this level of consumer-to-dealer connectivity,” said Jeff Burt, Director of Technical Support. “No robotic message, no more go to the web and look it up, and no frustrated consumers waiting on hold. Instead they call Directed, and the phone rings in the dealer’s store — with a motivated new customer on the line! The program is working, consumers are using it, and our dealers are taking the calls.”
For more information about Directed’s new “Direct Connect” telephone dealer locator, you can talk to your Directed Sales Manager or call (800) 876-0800.
Apple recently unveiled their newest iPhone television ad titled "Family Man" which features the Viper Smart Start as one of the featured apps. In the ad the Smart Start is shown opening the trunk of a VW Toureg revealing a trunk full of camping or picnic gear. Directed Electronics is estatic over being featured in an Apple commercial and preliminary reports state that after airing on Tuesday (April 20th) night in the 9pm to 10pm prime time slot on popular shows like ABC's Lost, CBS's NCIS: LA, & TNT's NBA Playoff, Directed received more than 5000 hits on the Viper dealer locator page.
If you haven't checked out the Viper Smart Start for yourself already, Directed has scheduled a national "Start Me Up" campaign for consecutive Saturday's in May (15th & 22nd). Factory Sales managers will be performing live demo's in select Viper dealer showrooms and giving away entry cards for a free drawing to win a complete Smart Start system.
Mehdi Narimanian, President of Delaware-based Sound of Tri-State and Chairman of the Vehicle Security and Remote Start Category for MESA, said, “Directed has evolved through the years and is the clear leader in the Security and Convenience category — they have stepped up their game recently and our members have voted!”
According to Glenn Busse, Senior Vice President of Sales and Customer Care for Directed, “We are proud to be associated with a top notch, pro-business, smart marketing and promotionally focused retailer group. On many fronts, MESA is ready for action, and poised to be a think tank for the future of mobile electronics specialist retailing.”
Directed and MESA intend to work closely together in 2010 and beyond, to grow their authorized retailer base and work with members to drive awareness of the category, boost store traffic and attachment rates, increase accessory sales and decrease returns, according to the company.
ABOUT M.E.S.A.
M.E.S.A. (Mobile Electronics Specialists of America) is the industry’s first and only member-owned retailer marketing and selling group. Retailers meeting the criteria for membership and vendors, whose business practices support the independent channel of distribution, make up the backbone of the group. Retail and vendor members are those who have demonstrated the highest level of business principals and acumen. Retail members are comprised of dealers representing the finest installation available to consumers and are winners of multiple industry awards every year.
M.E.S.A. provides members with a wide variety of marketing materials including fully produced TV commercials, radio advertising & printed material. Unlike most marketing materials made available to groups which only offer the member the ability to “tag” a generic commercial, M.E.S.A. marketing deliverables allow retail members to customize their ads to the needs of their individual organizations. This allows members to benefit from national quality advertising layouts and media production at a cost they could never acquire individually.
M.E.S.A. also provides members with group VIR programs, pre-planned product buys with pre-produced marketing materials to support sellthrough of these items and opportunity buys of vendor overstocked or closeout products. Due to our members’ geographic isolation, vendors also benefit by being able to move products in a manner that does not affect dealers across the entire nation.While members will continue to negotiate their own programs and continue to purchase through their individual representatives, the M.E.S.A. programs further enhance their profitability and bring new opportunities through the group’s dynamic.
M.E.S.A. members share their best practices, internal forms, sales staff incentive information and other business information. Group forms for RTV, employee manual templates and sales contest templates are other examples of the ways that group members can save time by benefitting from group membership.
Monday, March 08, 2010 -- Directed Electronics has announced the introduction of its all-new Directechs Knowledgebase online resource, which is designed to provide proven field solutions 24/7 to installers, sales associates and other Directed business partners. The Knowledgebase is designed as a support tool for Directed dealers and includes more than 1,500 documents, basic and advanced search options, FAQs, troubleshooting guidance, tech tips and how-to guides, the ability to download articles and more.
According to Jeff J. Burt, Director of Technical Support, “We see the Knowledgebase as a huge step forward for Directed dealers and installers. The vast breadth and easy searchability of the thousands of documents means we can now offer a proprietary resource unique in the industry. Installers – dive right in! Put your problem vehicles and parts in the search engine and you will see that the Knowledgebase should be your first line of defense and the first place you look before picking up the phone. It will save you time and money from the very first time you use it.”
“The new Directechs Knowledgebase is a game-changer that could revolutionize the mobile electronics industry,” said Glenn R. Busse, Senior VP of Sales and Customer Care. “If you have a technical question, it’s very likely you will find the answer in the Knowledgebase. With a solid track record of leadership, Directed is taking technical tools to the next level!”
The new Knowledgebase is located on www.directechs.com, and is available only to Authorized Directed Dealers and partners. “Please visit and comment on the new Knowledgebase on the home page,” added Burt, “and your feedback will further enrich this fantastic new resource.”
For more information about the Knowledgebase, please contact your Directed Sales Manager or call The Snake Pit at (800) 753-0800.
Back in January we first got news of the Viper SmartStart app for BlackBerry. The app lets you control a compatible Viper system in your vehicle and allows you to start the car, turn on/off the alarm and more. The system is now available for purchase with a MSRP of $299, and works with compatible Viper, Clifford and Python systems.
"After we introduced Viper SmartStart for the iPhone, we quickly heard from our dealers and customers who carry BlackBerry devices. They are just as passionate about their choice of smartphone and they have been anxiously awaiting Viper SmartStart for BlackBerry," added Simmons. "By leveraging their smartphone user interface, Viper SmartStart introduces a whole new value proposition to customers. From operating key functions on their vehicle without using their key, to remote unlocking if a family member is locked out of their car, to the most advanced vehicle security features ever available, Viper SmartStart is truly creating a new paradigm for the future of the remote start and car security category."
The app is working with the Storm, Curve and Bold series on release. For more information on the Viper SmartStart system, head to viper.com/smartstart. Check out the full press release after the jump.
DIRECTED ELECTRONICS' AWARD-WINNING VIPER SMARTSTART NOW AVAILABLE FOR BLACKBERRY
"Start Your Car from Virtually Anywhere with Your BlackBerry" Vista, California (February 23, 2010) - Directed Electronics announced that its award-winning Viper SmartStart, which allows users to start their car remotely with their iPhone, can be used with most BlackBerry smartphones starting today.
According to Mike Simmons, Executive Vice President of Directed Electronics, "Viper SmartStart is now available for BlackBerry devices through a free app, available for download now at http://www.viper.com/BlackBerry and soon on BlackBerry App World, providing BlackBerry users all of the great features that iPhone users have been enjoying since the product was introduced in October."
Particularly popular in cold weather climates, remote start allows users to start their vehicle by remote control to defrost the windows and pre-warm the cabin in the winter or pre-cool the car in the summer, so they get into a comfortable car that's ready to drive. Most remote start systems use a small remote control on the user's keychain to activate remote start, but these "keyfobs" typically have limited range. Viper SmartStart has virtually unlimited range - an important feature to remote start users.
"After we introduced Viper SmartStart for the iPhone, we quickly heard from our dealers and customers who carry BlackBerry devices. They are just as passionate about their choice of smartphone and they have been anxiously awaiting Viper SmartStart for BlackBerry," added Simmons. "By leveraging their smartphone user interface, Viper SmartStart introduces a whole new value proposition to customers. From operating key functions on their vehicle without using their key, to remote unlocking if a family member is locked out of their car, to the most advanced vehicle security features ever available, Viper SmartStart is truly creating a new paradigm for the future of the remote start and car security category."
BlackBerry users with most security or remote start systems from Viper, Clifford or Python will now be able to download the free app, have SmartStart professionally installed on their vehicle, then activate their account. Depending on installation, users will be able to start their car, lock and unlock the doors, arm or disarm the security system, pop the trunk, or panic the siren, (which can also be used as a car finder) - all using their BlackBerry. Users with a compatible security system will also be notified on their smartphone if their siren has been triggered by an attempted break-in.
According to Kevin Duffy, President of Directed Electronics, "Today we have made Viper SmartStart technology accessible to tens of millions of BlackBerry users - a significant and distinctly different market from the iPhone, whose users are likely to be just as receptive to the innovative features offered by our product."
Retailers already carry the necessary hardware - either the VSM100 Viper SmartStart module, or the equivalent DSM100 Directed SmartStart module, each with an MSRP of $299. Besides the free app, users will also need a compatible Viper, Python or Clifford remote start or remote start/security system, available at thousands of authorized retailers nationwide including Best Buy stores.
"We will continue to develop the Viper SmartStart product roadmap in 2010 and beyond," according to Duffy, "with new products and features enabled by software, on a variety of hardware platforms and in new markets around the world. Viper SmartStart truly is a game-changing product."
Directed Electronics has launched a customer support website geared towards helping the consumer find information on Directed product. It's chocked full of training videos, install tips and guides, FAQ's and much more! For those of you that need more help or want to know where the right place to go to get more info there's a convenient dealer locator. Already have an alarm or remote start and just want professional installation? Directed has gathered an army of qualified installation centers that will be more than happy to provide you professional installation. Having trouble with an old remote and need to replace it? Directed has step by step videos to walk you thru troubleshooting to programming a new remote. Alarm too sensitive? Did you know that some systems can be adjusted right thru the remote control? Directed has a video to show you how. Lost your owners manual? Directed has posted hundreds of manuals in PDF format to download. Directed has also set up a interactive knowledge base of questions and answers to hundreds of questions. Can't find the answer to your question? Register for knowledge base, post it online and have it answered by other members. As the community grows, it will be an excellent source of information for 12V electronics. Be sure to visit Directed Support
Best of Innovations Award-Winning Viper(R) SmartStart(TM) will Launch on BlackBerry App World in Q1 2010 Using Existing Hardware
'Start Your Car from Virtually Anywhere with Your BlackBerry'
VISTA, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- (CES) - Directed Electronics announced that its award-winning Viper SmartStart, which allows users to start their car with their iPhone, will also work on most BlackBerry Smartphones starting in Q1 2010.
According to Mike Simmons, Executive Vice President of Directed Electronics: "Viper SmartStart will soon be available on BlackBerry devices through a free app in BlackBerry App World, providing BlackBerry users all of the great features that iPhone users have been enjoying since the product was introduced in October." Particularly popular in cold weather climates, remote start allows users to start their vehicle by remote control to defrost the windows and pre-warm the cabin, so they get into a warm car that's ready to drive. It can also be used to pre-cool the car in the summer. Most remote start systems use a small remote control on the user's keychain to activate remote start, but these "keyfobs" typically have limited range. Viper SmartStart has virtually unlimited range - an important feature to remote start users. BlackBerry users with most security or remote start systems from Viper, Clifford or Python will be able to download the free app from BlackBerry App World, have SmartStart professionally installed on their vehicle, then activate their account. Depending on installation, users will be able to start their car, lock and unlock the doors, arm or disarm their security system, pop the trunk, or panic their siren, which can also be used as a car finder - all using their BlackBerry. According to Kevin Duffy, President of Directed Electronics, "We are making Viper SmartStart technology accessible to tens of millions of BlackBerry users - a significant and distinctly different market from the iPhone, whose users are likely to be just as receptive to the innovative features offered by our product." Retailers already carry the necessary hardware - either the VSM100 Viper SmartStart module, or the equivalent DSM100 Directed SmartStart module, each with an MSRP of $299. Besides the free app, users will also need a compatible Viper, Python or Clifford remote start or remote start/security system, available at thousands of authorized retailers nationwide including Best Buy stores. For more information, please visit www.viper.com/smartstart
