Connected Car Innovator Zubie Launches Exclusive Perks Program for Customers

CHARLESTON, SC--(Marketwired - Dec 18, 2014) - Zubie, a leading company in the emerging connected car space, today unveiled its new Perks program to offer timely and targeted automotive savings to drivers. The Perks program is the first of its kind to use connected car technology in order to offer drivers relevant savings on items such as insurance, services or accessories through qualified third-party vendors. By gaining insight into driving or vehicle data, vendors are able to determine specific owner needs and effectively tailor and deliver discounts.

Perks increases the relevance of connected car technology to consumers whose interest is primarily saving money on car ownership; according to a 2013 AAA report titled 'Your Driving Costs' it costs $9,000 annually to own and operate an average size sedan in the U.S. Additionally, more than 82 percent cite price as the most significant factor in selecting an automotive service provider. With Zubie Perks, drivers can use their driving or vehicle data to qualify for special discounts and significantly reduce automotive expenses. For instance, if Zubie diagnostics finds your car has a weak or dying battery, Perks can search for battery deals from partner merchants and you will be notified if any are offering discounts on car batteries. And while some Perks may ask for driving or vehicle data as part of redemption, it is always based on the user's consent. User-controlled privacy is a core element of the Perks program.

Zubie simply alerts the user to promotions they might qualify for, sending notifications through its mobile app to notify them of an opportunity. To redeem specific benefits, users review the terms of the Perks offer, provide consent to data if requested, and then proceed to redeem the offer in-app or at a physical location. Several of the current categories offered in the Zubie Perks program include: insurance, service & repair, car battery discounts, warranty, roadside service and new car and resale financing offers. Auto service providers and insurance companies such as Progressive, CARCHEX, Sears and Urgent.ly have already signed on as partners to offer deals to Zubie users who consent to sharing their data through the Perks program. 

"CARCHEX is excited to partner with Zubie, an innovator in the connected car space, on new value-added services such as Zubie Perks," said Jason Goldsmith, CEO at CARCHEX. "We look forward to this unique opportunity to provide Zubie's customers with special automotive offers directly to their inbox, even while they're on the go."

For third party vendors like CARCHEX & Progressive who join the Zubie Perks program, the platform accelerates intelligent, context-sensitive targeting and marketing in the automotive services realm. This allows service providers to target highly qualified leads at the right time, for example, sending a X% discount on a battery for a car owner with a dead battery. In addition, the ability for in-app redemption, support for additional data collection and easy directions to nearest locations makes Perks a compelling opportunity for a variety of automotive-related service providers.

"The introduction of Zubie Perks will usher in a new age of collaboration in the connected car ecosystem among auto-related service providers," said Tim Kelly, CEO of Zubie. "We are confident that the Perks program will bring in a healthy marketplace of vetted, quality partners so that our users can maximize their savings while staying safe on the road." 

About Zubie 
Zubie is a connected car service focused on making driving safer, easier and less expensive for consumers, small businesses and business verticals including automotive, insurance, and mobile/telecom operators. The company was formed in 2012, and is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, with operational offices in the Minneapolis area.