Tag Archive for: vivint

Vivint Smart Home Announces Vehicle Detection for Outdoor Camera Pro

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Vivint Smart Home today announced Vehicle Detection, a new smart home feature that leverages the AI technology on Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro to identify when a vehicle arrives, leaves, or passes through a designated detection zone.

Vehicle Detection enhances your security by enabling real-time alerts and recordings whenever a vehicle enters the designated area. This feature, integrated with Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro, ensures you’re informed about every vehicle’s presence – from delivery trucks and grocery vans to unfamiliar cars. Upon detection, Vehicle Detection will immediately send a notification to your phone, allowing you to view live activity outside your home. The event is also simultaneously recorded for later review.

For added convenience, simply press and hold the notification on your phone to watch a short clip of the vehicle’s activity and get immediate insight without opening your Vivint app. You can also opt to snooze notifications, ensuring you only receive alerts that matter to you.

“Vehicle Detection is an exciting addition to our Outdoor Camera Pro,” said Jim Nye, chief product officer at Vivint. “Similar to our popular Person Detection feature, Vehicle Detection boosts the intelligence and efficiency of our smart home solution, providing customers with valuable, real-time information and peace of mind. We’re thrilled to enhance the capabilities of the Outdoor Camera Pro and provide customers with more insight into their home surroundings.”

Vehicle Detection is now available to all Vivint customers with a Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro. To enable the feature, simply open the Outdoor Camera Pro settings on the Vivint app, tap on “notifications” and toggle the Vehicle Detection setting to “On.”

ASAP Expands Service in Florida

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ASAP-Concept1DRiviera Beach Police Communications went live with the ASAP program on July 23. RBPD is currently live with Vector Security, Rapid Response Monitoring, Vivint, Protection One, ADT, Tyco, Affiliated Monitoring, Brinks, Guardian, and Central Security.

Riviera Beach is the 38th 9-1-1 PSAP in the United States, and the 5th locality in Florida to implement the ASAP program.

The Riviera Beach 9-1-1 PSAP began receiving four alarm notifications via the ASAP service within the first 24 hours of operation.

Details will be added when available.

Vivint SmartHome is TMA 2017 Monitoring Center of the Year

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Dynamark, Safe, and CRC Honored with Personnel Awards

TMA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Monitoring Center Excellence Awards:

  • Monitoring Center of the Year: Vivint SmartHome
  • Monitoring Center Operator of the Year: Craig Pierce, Safe Systems
  • Monitoring Center Manager of the Year: Keith Godsey, Dynamark
  • Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year: Laura Jacobson, Cooperative Response Center

“The companies and individuals chosen as winners this year are shining examples of how seriously the monitoring industry takes its responsibility to protect life and property,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, TMA.

“Our monitoring team delivers a world-class security experience, in conjunction with our state-of-the-art smart home solutions that delight our customers every day,” said Steve Dixon, senior vice president of customer experience and operations at Vivint Smart Home, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be recognized by the profession’s leading trade association, TMA, for the work we do to keep our customers’ homes and families safe and secure.”

“We congratulate our winners for being recognized as the best of the best,” Lasko continued. “Our judges related how very difficult it was to choose the finalists, let alone the winners, from all the nominations. The applications that were submitted all told powerful stories of service, innovation, corporate culture, and the desire to constantly improve.”

“Each nominee must submit an extensive application detailing company systems like disaster recovery plan, education and training programs, technical innovations, and even community outreach,” said Lasko. “In the case of individual nominations, we ask for examples of how these employees go above and beyond their job descriptions to pursue excellence.”

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed monitoring center (TMA members and non-members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of professional monitoring services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved monitoring centers.

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence Awards Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine, which will publish a feature story detailing the accomplishments of the winners later this summer. Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon volunteer judging panel appointed by TMA. The four winners were announced at the Opening Reception of the 2017 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on Tuesday, June 13. For past winners and more information, visit www.tma.us.

TMA-Excellence-Awards-2017

Finalists for 2017 TMA Excellence Awards Announced

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Four Winners to Be Revealed at ESX 2017 on June 13

The judges for the annual TMA Excellence Awards were, once again, “simply amazed by the depth of talent, dedication, professionalism, and ability in our industry,” as one remarked. TMA is pleased to announce the twelve finalists for 2017:

  • Monitoring Center of the Year Finalists
    ADT, CRC, Vivint
  • Monitoring Center Operator of the Year Finalists
    Darlene Ardey, CPI; Dielle Holmberg, EPS; Stephen (Craig) Pierce, Safe Systems
  • Monitoring Center Manager of the Year Finalists
    Shari Wilson, ADT; Keith Godsey, Dynamark; Josh Sanders, EPS
  • Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year Finalists
    Laura Mellang, CRC; Eric Kantner, Protection Bureau; Mike Tupy, Vivint

“We congratulate our finalists for being recognized as the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, TMA. “Our judges related how very difficult it was to choose the finalists, let alone the winners, from all the nominations. The applications that were submitted all told powerful stories of service, innovation, corporate culture, and the desire to constantly improve.”

The TMA Central Station Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed monitoring center (TMA members and non-members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of professional monitoring services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved monitoring centers.

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence ATMA-Excellence-Awards-2017wards Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine, which will publish a feature story on the winners later this summer. Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon volunteer judging panel appointed by TMA. The four winners will be announced at the Opening Reception of the 2017 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on Tuesday, June 13. For past winners and more information, visit www.tma.us.

 

 

— Elizabeth Lasko, TMA, May 3, 2017

Rapid Response is the 2016 CSAA Central Station of the Year

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Vivint and Vector Also Honored at ESX on June 9
CSAA is pleased to announce the four winners of the 2016 Excellence Awards:

Central Station of the Year
Rapid Response Monitoring Services, Inc.
Central Station Manager of the Year
Michelle Lindus, Vivint Smart Home

Central Station Operator
of the Year
Amy Cerney, Vivint Smart Home

Central Station Support Person of the Year
David Carter, Vector Security, Inc.

Excellence Winners with Pam June 2016

From left: Vivint’s Amy Cerney and Michelle Lindus, CSAA President Pam Petrow, Rapid Response President Jeff Atkins, and representing Vector’s David Carter, Vector Central Station Manager Sal Calafato following the presentation of the 2016 Excellence Awards. Photo by Elizabeth Lasko.

 

Rapid Response’s core belief is three-pronged: people, training, and technology. The Excellence Awards judges determined that this outstanding company proved to deserve the spot at the pinnacle of our industry. Rapid’s application detailed extensive plans for disaster recovery, false alarm reduction, education and training, technology innovation, customer relations, and community outreach efforts including charitable activities. Its leaders are heavily involved in bettering the industry through volunteering with industry associations to advance important issues such as standards, public sector engagement, and legislation.

Michelle Lindus is Central Station Manager at Vivint, where she leads a team of 140. She participated in the establishment of Vivint’s HOME Quality Service policy to ensure world-class customer service and heads the team that specializes in false alarm reduction. A perpetual student who is always reading, researching and testing new ideas, Michelle has a passion for service in the alarm industry that compels her to work holidays alongside her team and volunteer her off time to CSAA education programs.

David Carter is East Central Station Tech Support Leader at Vector, where he started in 1997 as an operator in data entry. He is a key member of the Disaster Recovery Team and excels at quickly troubleshooting and solving phone carrier issues. Always striving to expand his knowledge, David is known for his willingness to travel to other sites for technical projects and to stand in as an operator or tech support representative whenever needed, and for his commitment to ensuring no piece of equipment ever fails.

Amy Cerney has been a Monitoring Representative at Vivint for ten years. Her responses are frequently featured in company-wide reports of exceptional service; she ably mentors new representatives; and is known as a comforting voice of calm for customers. She is a shining example of Vivint’s and the security industry’s core values to protect lives – last year, she donated a kidney to save the life of a Vivint co-worker.

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed central station (CSAA members and non-members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of central station services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved central stations.

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine.

Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon judging panel appointed by CSAA. The four winners were announced at the 2016 Industry Excellence Awards Breakfast at ESX in Fort Worth on Thursday, June 9. For past winners and more information, visit csaa.org/csaa-excellence-awards.

CSAA-Excellence-Awards

 

Finalists for 2016 CSAA Excellence Awards Announced

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Four “Phenomenal” Winners to Be Revealed at ESX on June 9

Once again, the nominees for CSAA’s annual Excellence Awards were, in the words of one of the judges, a “simply phenomenal” group of companies and individuals. CSCSAA-Excellence-AwardsAA is pleased to announce the twelve finalists for 2016. They are:

Central Station of the Year
ADT LLC; Rapid Response Monitoring Services, Inc.; Vector Security, Inc.

Central Station Manager of the Year
Ernie Cole, Doyle Security Systems; Michelle Lindus, Vivint Smart Home; Tom Tardiff, Kastle Systems

Central Station Operator of the Year
 Hollie Smith, Universal Atlantic Systems; Morgan Dieterle, Tyco (Fifth Third Bank); Amy Cerney, Vivint Smart Home

Central Station Support Person of the Year
David Carter, Vector Security, Inc.; William Sims, Kastle Systems; Dave Mann, Kings III

“Our finalists are to be congratulated for being recognized as the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, CSAA. “Our judges related the extremely difficult time they had choosing not only the winners, but just the finalists from all the nominations. There were some amazing stories of customer relations, innovation, and corporate culture.”

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed central station (CSAA members and non-members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of central station services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved central stations.

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine.

Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon judging panel appointed by CSAA. The four winners will be announced at the 2016 Industry Excellence Awards Breakfast at ESX in Fort Worth on Thursday, June 9. For past winners and more information, visit csaa.org/csaa-excellence-awards.

 

Volunteers Collaborate to Update CSAA Online Training

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Training Group 1 small

From left: Mary Jo Lakhal, West Safety Services; Caryn Morgan, Bold Technologies;  Laurie Mitchell, Siemens Building Technology; Julie Webber, CSAA;  Kate Brickner, Vivint. Photo by Elizabeth Lasko.

 

Over three days last week, members of the CSAA Education Committee met at the CSAA office to review and update the CSAA Level One online training course. Updating this course is a high priority for the committee and the association in 2016.

“Education and training is so important to the industry and to every company,” said Laurie Mitchell, Operations Director for Siemens Building Technology, a CSAA Five Diamond-certified company. “Keeping training programs current with technology and other changes is challenging, but critical to the success of our operations.”

Siemens was joined by Kate Brickner, Corporate Trainer, Vivint; Mary Jo Lakhal, Senior Program Manager, West Safety Services; and Caryn Morgan, Operational Excellence Specialist, Bold Technologies, meeting in the Alarm Industry Museum conference room with CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn and CSAA Vice President of Education Julie Webber. In addition, Michael Gelvin, Assistant Central Station Manager, United Central Control, participated by phone.

“It was great to gather face-to-face with a group of dedicated subject matter experts from different companies to work on such an important project,” said Lakhal. “We tackled the course module by module to shape the Level One training into a current representation of our industry. It was exciting to incorporate important technology trends in the industry like ASAP to PSAP and IoT.”

“The collaboration over the last few days has been excellent. We really needed to meet in person to get this project done,” continued Mitchell. “The first module took the longest. As we’ve proceeded, we’ve all gotten on the same page, started speaking the same language, and the result is going to be a much-improved training tool for central stations.”

“Without the support of the industry we would not be able to bring together a team of learning professionals to tackle this major revision,” noted Webber. “Their efforts will benefit CSAA members and our industry overall.”

More than 20,000 people in 30+ countries have registered for CSAA Online Training. The new Level One course is planned to launch in May. Watch for updates from CSAA.

Training Group 5 small cropped

Michael Gelvin, United Central Control (pictured below), participated by phone. Photo by Elizabeth Lasko.

Headshot-MikeG

Michael Gelvin. Photo courtesy of UCC.

 

 

New Year’s ASAP® News: Vivint is Latest Company to Connect

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Implementation of the “Automated Secure Alarm Protocol” is Building Nationwide;
Boca Raton is First Connected PSAP in Florida

VIENNA, VA (January 12, 2016) – Vivint, one of the largest smart home technology providers in North America with more than one million customers, is the latest national alarm company to go live with ASAP®.

“We are very pleased to announce that Vivint has completed testing and officially is live with ASAP messaging,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow. “They join the ever-growing list of companies actively participating in this technology and further increasing our accuracy and speed at getting emergency information to the first responders.”

“We are excited to be live with our first PSAP—Richmond, VA,” said Amy Becht, Vivint Director of Central Stations. “We plan on steadily adding additional PSAPs in the coming weeks.”

CSAA announced in December that Vector Security and Rapid Response went operational in production with Boca Raton on December 16, followed by Monitronics on December 17. This is the first ASAP implementation in the state of Florida. “We had great momentum throughout 2015 and look forward to the continuation of added PSAPs and connected alarm companies in 2016,” said Petrow.

ASAP-Concept1DASAP was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, designed to increase the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). ASAP utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).

With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed more quickly, through the Nlets system of state-to-state PSAP communication, insuring that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program has the potential to save PSAPs and emergency services millions of dollars.

For more information on ASAP or to access ASAP resources (videos, webinars, training and outreach materials), contact CSAA at asap@csaaintl.org or 703-242-4670, or visit csaaintl.org/asap.