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==Criticism==
==Criticism==
Vivint has faced criticisms regarding the highly agressive tactics of the company's door-to-door sales people, as well as their minimum contracts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.securityinfowatch.com/Alarm+Systems/1290641?pageNum=1 |title=APX Alarm plagued by misconduct allegations &#124; |publisher=Securityinfowatch.com |date= |accessdate=2011-06-15}}</ref> The company was fined $60000 and required to stop using aggressive sales tactics in a settlement agreement in Oregon in 2010. <ref>{{cite web|title=Settlement requires security alarm company to pay $60,000 and stop misleading and aggressive sales tactics|url=http://www.doj.state.or.us/releases/2010/rel042810.shtml|author=Oregon Department of Justice}}</ref> Similar actions found in consumers' favor in California (2011) <ref>{{cite web|title=Vivint fined $425,000 in Civil Settlement, required to refrain from sales practices|url=http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=7009}}</ref> and Arkansas (2010).<ref>{{cite web|title=Government Actions involving Vivent inc.|url=http://www.bbb.org/utah/business-reviews/burglar-alarm-systems-dealers-monitoring-and-service/vivint-in-provo-ut-4002276|author=Better Business Bureau}}</ref>
Vivint has faced criticisms regarding the highly agressive tactics of the company's door-to-door sales people, as well as their minimum contracts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.securityinfowatch.com/Alarm+Systems/1290641?pageNum=1 |title=APX Alarm plagued by misconduct allegations &#124; |publisher=Securityinfowatch.com |date= |accessdate=2011-06-15}}</ref> The company was fined $60000 and required to stop using aggressive sales tactics in a settlement agreement in Oregon in 2010. <ref>{{cite web|title=Settlement requires security alarm company to pay $60,000 and stop misleading and aggressive sales tactics|url=http://www.doj.state.or.us/releases/2010/rel042810.shtml|author=Oregon Department of Justice}}</ref> Similar actions found in consumers' favor in California (2011) <ref>{{cite web|title=Vivint fined $425,000 in Civil Settlement, required to refrain from sales practices|url=http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=7009}}</ref> and Arkansas (2010).<ref>{{cite web|title=Government Actions involving Vivent inc.|url=http://www.bbb.org/utah/business-reviews/burglar-alarm-systems-dealers-monitoring-and-service/vivint-in-provo-ut-4002276|author=Better Business Bureau}}</ref>

==Access to Wrong Account==
In December 2012 the CBC reported that a St. John's Newfoundland customer claimed to receive footage of the inside of some other customers home sent to his account on more then one occasion. One video clearly shows footage of an unknown man in his underwear walking around an unknown house. <ref>{{cite web|title=Video security system shows wrong house to customer
|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/12/11/nl-video-vivint-security-error-1211.html?cmp=rss|publisher=CBC News|accessdate=2012-12-13}}</ref>


==Vivint Solar==
==Vivint Solar==

Revision as of 07:08, 13 December 2012

Vivint, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustrySecurity Systems, Fire Detection
Founded1997
HeadquartersProvo, Utah
Websitewww.vivint.com

Vivint, Inc. (logotyped as vivint.) is a privately held full service residential security company, providing home security and energy conservation services throughout the United States and Canada. [1] Formerly known as APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc. (APX Alarm, or APX), Vivint is headquartered in Provo, Utah [2] and has more than 700,000 current customers and approximately 9,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada. On August 16th, 2011 the company completed its 1 millionth installation.[3] Following its shift from exclusively home security to a broader range of products and services, Vivint changed its name from APX Alarm in February 2011.[4]

History

Vivint entered the home alarm service industry in 1997. During its first year of operation the company installed 1,000 alarm systems. A year later, Vivint announced its new business partnership with investment banker Goldman Sachs. Vivint also received funding from private equity firm Jupiter Partners in May 2006, where Jupiter's stake is still invested into Vivint's business.[5] Also in 2006, Vivint expanded its services to Canada offering security services to residents of Toronto, ON. Vivint now offers services to most major cities in the U.S. and Canada. On October 5, 2009, Vivint created a $440 million credit facility led by Goldman Sachs.[6] On Nov 1st of the same year, Vivint acquired a central station from CMS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Protection One, along with 83 new employees.[7] This central station is located in St. Paul, Minnesota.[7] On Dec 3, 2009 Vivint opened a new corporate headquarters, in Provo, Utah.[8] This building also houses an internal monitoring center which began operation in April 2010.[9] In September 2012, Vivint announced that they had entered into an agreement to be acquired by Blackstone Group for in excess of $2 Billion [10].

Company Overview

Vivint was incorporated in 1999 by Keith Nellesen and Current CEO Todd Pederson. Vivint provides monitored Fire, Burglar and other security options to residential customers.[4] The company's main business strategy is to deploy geographically focused teams of sales representatives and installers.[4] Vivint uses a variety of Honeywell Security equipment, and has announced it would be using 2GIG Technologies for panels and peripherals starting in late 2009.[11]

In 2011 Vivint was ranked #3 in the SDM list of the largest 100 security installation and monitoring companies.[12]

Criticism

Vivint has faced criticisms regarding the highly agressive tactics of the company's door-to-door sales people, as well as their minimum contracts.[13] The company was fined $60000 and required to stop using aggressive sales tactics in a settlement agreement in Oregon in 2010. [14] Similar actions found in consumers' favor in California (2011) [15] and Arkansas (2010).[16]

Access to Wrong Account

In December 2012 the CBC reported that a St. John's Newfoundland customer claimed to receive footage of the inside of some other customers home sent to his account on more then one occasion. One video clearly shows footage of an unknown man in his underwear walking around an unknown house. [17]

Vivint Solar

In 2011, Vivint launched the subsidiary Vivint Solar[18]as a solar electricity provider that designs, installs, and maintains residential solar panels. Vivint Solar is currently operating in 4 states: New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and California[19][20]. The company seeks to make solar power more accessible by offering customers a power purchase agreement (PPA)[21]. Vivint Solar owns, installs, and maintains the panels on customers’ homes in exchange for customers agreeing to purchase the solar energy their panels produce. Customers avoid upfront costs for the equipment and lock in their rate, typically 20–30% lower than their local utility companies, for the life of their contracts[22]. Vivint Solar is similar to other direct-to-consumer solar companies like SolarCity, SunRun, and Sungevity.

Awards and Charitable Contributions

[full citation needed]

APX Alarm's call center was Certified for "Providing an Outstanding Customer Service Experience" by J.D. Power and Associates for 2008 and 2009.[23][24] The company has also been named SDM Dealer of the Year Honoree for 2009.[25]

Vivint participates in local charity, including food, clothing and holiday contributions through their charitable organization, the APX Family Foundation. In 2008, ninety Vivint employees went to Galveston, Texas to aid Hurricane Ike victims.[26]

In April 2010 Vivint's Monitoring station in St. Paul Minnesota received a Five Diamond Certification from Central Station Alarm Association.[27]

Two of its systems—the Home Automation Package and the Advanced Security package—received a “Best Buy” rating in the July/August 2011 issue of Consumers Digest magazine.

According to Consumers Digest’s review of Vivint’s Home Automation Package, “No other system that uses a wireless (cellular) transmission system that’s in this price range packs as many security and home automation components in one package as this package does.”

References

  1. ^ "About Us". Vivint. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  2. ^ "Vivint | simple, affordable home automation". Apxalarm.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  3. ^ "one million". Vivint. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "About Us | Vivint". Apxalarm.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  5. ^ {cite web|url=http://www.jupiterpartners.com |title=Jupiter Partners, LLC Website|publisher=Jupiter Partners|date=2006-5|accessdate=2011-06-15}}
  6. ^ "APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc. Increases Credit Facility to $440 Million". Business Wire. 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  7. ^ a b "APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc. Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Operating Control of Monitoring Center in St. Paul, Minn". Businesswire.com. 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  8. ^ "Let the private sector flourish, Romney says". Deseret News. 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  9. ^ "APX Alarm Opens Second Central Monitor Station". Business Wire. 2010-04-26. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  10. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443816804578004762456374942.html
  11. ^ "Welcome to Security Systems News". Securitysystemsnews.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  12. ^ http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/86558-2011-sdm-100-the-list
  13. ^ "APX Alarm plagued by misconduct allegations |". Securityinfowatch.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  14. ^ Oregon Department of Justice. "Settlement requires security alarm company to pay $60,000 and stop misleading and aggressive sales tactics".
  15. ^ "Vivint fined $425,000 in Civil Settlement, required to refrain from sales practices".
  16. ^ Better Business Bureau. "Government Actions involving Vivent inc". {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ "Video security system shows wrong house to customer". CBC News. Retrieved 2012-12-13.
  18. ^ http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2011/10/19/home-security-firm-enters-solar-market-with-75m-fund/
  19. ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2012/07/27/vivint-solar-to-hire-40-in-san-francisco.html
  20. ^ http://www.cleanenergyauthority.com/solar-energy-news/vivint-solar-expands-ppa-into-massachusetts-051512
  21. ^ http://www.vivintsolar.com/why-vivint-solar
  22. ^ http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/18/vivint-solar-us-bancorp/
  23. ^ "J.D. Power and Associates". Jdpower.com. 2008-08-01. Retrieved 2011-06-15.[dead link‍]
  24. ^ "J.D. Power and Associates". Jdpower.com. 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2011-06-15.[dead link‍]
  25. ^ http://www.sdmmag.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000714844
  26. ^ Sam Scorup - Daily Herald (2008-09-27). "APX Alarm employees sent to aid Ike survivors". Heraldextra.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  27. ^ [1][dead link‍]
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