From complimentary casino surveillance software upgrades to proactive hardware maintenance services, this blog explores the unique member benefits of the industry-exclusive Maintenance-as-a-Service (MaaS) program known as the CORE Foundation Program, developed by Unity Surveillance, Inc.
Three Pillars of the CORE Foundation Program:
Complimentary Software Upgrades across the StreamView™ Video Management Software and CORE™ Software Suite for Security and Player Experience Management (SPEM).
Proactive System-Wide Maintenance Services across 100% of mission-critical resources and devices, including IP network cameras, video storage servers and more.
Direct Access to Advanced Technical Support — 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, 365 days/year, including holidays observed by Unity Surveillance, Inc.
The Crossroads in Casino Surveillance
As technological innovations continue to sweep across the North American Gaming Industry, the fact remains that no single piece of technology is designed to last forever. When the unexpected occurs, many casino surveillance professionals find themselves at a crossroads having to determine the most appropriate way to balance the desire to continue relying on existing physical security investments with the need to minimize risk to the fullest extent.
"Is this a one-time incident or a clear indication that larger system-wide enhancements may be necessary?" If it’s time for a major upgrade, how can you be sure which new hardware components and software features to invest in given the ever-expanding number of solutions that are emerging today?
For many across the gaming industry, the CORE Foundation Software Assurance and Annual Maintenance Program, commonly known as the “CORE Foundation Program,” has become not only an effective way to minimize risk but also a priceless investment when it comes to simplifying decision making at the highest levels.
The CORE Foundation Software Assurance and Annual Maintenance Program is a unique Maintenance-as-a-Service (MaaS) program, exclusively available to land-based casinos located within North America.
The History of the CORE Foundation Program: Launched in 2012
In 2012, Unity Surveillance, Inc. officially released the first versions of its proprietary casino surveillance software applications which include the StreamView™ Video Management Software (“StreamView™ VMS”) and CORE™ Software Suite (“CORE™”). Seeking to create the most highly-specialized applications available within the gaming industry, the leadership team made an early commitment to maintain a hands-on role in software development, allowing them to leverage client relationships to continuously improve upon the functionality and performance of each application over time.
However, given the rate at which new software features were being introduced, they wanted to ensure that new innovations would remain accessible to existing clients in the most cost-effective way possible. In turn, the manufacturer and security integrator introduced the CORE Foundation Program in 2012 to provide clients with the opportunity to experience complete software assurance throughout the duration of each program year in which their property is enrolled — for one single price, dependent upon the size and complexity of their system.
Part 1: Complimentary Software Upgrades
Since 2012, the Development Team at Unity Surveillance has released countless software updates across the StreamView™ VMS and CORE™ Software Suite which have incorporated both minor enhancements and major feature additions, inspired by feedback received from end users across the industry. To capitalize on these improvements, enrolled clients may receive complimentary access to all of the latest software enhancements across each application, as soon as they become available throughout the program year.
Who benefits from these updates?
While enhancements to StreamView™ may tend to solely benefit surveillance operators in optimizing day-to-day workflows and enhancing situational awareness, there have been several major changes to the CORE™ Software Suite which have been geared towards “clients” beyond those in the surveillance role.
For example, the Trends module was introduced as a license-free feature within the CORE™ Software Suite in 2015, allowing managerial and executive-level personnel to extract actionable insights from cross-departmental data involving Incident Reports, Daily Logs and more. In August 2022, the Trends module received a powerful enhancement enabling authorized CORE™ users to schedule automated email reports to track reporting trends, identify operational inefficiencies and more. For clients enrolled in the CORE Foundation Program during or after 2015, this feature enhancement became immediately available at zero additional cost, beyond the one-time annual membership fee.
With the CORE™ Software Suite being comprised of more than a dozen specialized modules, decision makers gain the assurance that their operation may access a wide range of cutting-edge capabilities, without ever having to anticipate any additional installation or support-related fees.
What happens when an update becomes available?
When an update is released, designated Unity Engineers will reach out to on-site personnel, typically within two weeks or less, in order to provide remote IT assistance. During this time, clients will have the opportunity to learn more about each of the newly-added features, as well as ask questions about any new configuration-related changes.
Unity Surveillance guarantees unlimited assistance with applicable software updates, no matter how many active surveillance workstations may be located throughout the property.
On April 3, 2024, Unity Surveillance released two major version releases across the StreamView™ VMS and CORE™ Software Suite. To learn more about Version 9.0 and Version 7.0, respectively, contact us today at info@unitycore.us.
Going Beyond "Software Assurance" Alone
While the Program was initially conceived in an effort to maximize the long-term value of casino surveillance software investments, the leadership team at Unity Surveillance quickly realized that “software assurance” alone was not enough to deliver the true peace of mind that many across the industry were missing.
After all, even the most advanced IP network cameras and access control card readers of 2024 will eventually reach the end of their useful life, opening the door to a vast array of operational, regulatory and safety risks.
That's why the second aspect of the CORE Foundation Program is designed to maximize “hardware assurance” from the initial procurement phase all the way through the entire lifecycle of each system component, including 3rd-party resources and devices which may have been deployed prior to the program’s effective activation date.
The leadership team at Unity Surveillance, Inc. understood that even the most advanced physical security products would eventually reach the end of their useful life, opening the door to a number of operational, regulatory and safety risks.
Part 2: Industry-Leading Product Warranties
Meet Proactive System-Wide Maintenance Services
When sourcing enterprise physical security products has rarely ever involved dealing with “the source,” the leadership team at Unity Surveillance, Inc. led by Samir Sihan (CEO) and Jonathan Terauchi (President), have taken it upon themselves to vet hundreds of manufacturing facilities and thousands of products to deliver the highest quality components required for gaming applications, at a fraction of the traditional cost.
To date, the company offers industry-leading advanced hardware replacement warranty guarantees for 100% of Unity-branded products, including X-Stream™ IP Network Cameras, StreamStor™ Video Storage Servers, and various other products across its specialized portfolio.
For properties enrolled in the CORE Foundation Program, this means that if any applicable resource or device critically malfunctions within the warranty period, Unity Surveillance will ship a replacement product with expedited shipping, at no additional cost, in order to mitigate any potential operational disruptions that may occur until the product in question is returned for analysis.
Plus, for maximum protection, properties enrolled within the program may opt to receive a comprehensive range of proactive system-wide maintenance services each month throughout the respective program year.
By utilizing a combination of advanced diagnostic tools and manual review processes, Unity Engineers apply a stringent System Health Checklist to detect performance-related issues, report anomalous trends and provide specialized IT support, in many cases, before essential physical security and video surveillance operations are disrupted.
Having performed countless installations across the North American Gaming Industry, Unity Engineers bring vast experience working with many of the most frequently deployed products from major manufacturers such as Pelco, HID, Dallmeier, and many others.
Once an issue has been detected, clients can expect to receive timely notification of the investigation with many issues being resolved within 5 calendar days or less, including those occurring on or around holidays observed by Unity Surveillance, Inc.
Part 3: Direct Access to Advanced IT Support, 24 x 7 x 365
In 2024, there is an ever-growing disparity between the quality of service experienced by security and surveillance professionals seeking quality IT support from their respective integrators. For many, one of the most valuable benefits of membership is direct access to the highest level of technical support — 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, 365 days/year.
Whether it's collaborating with the developers of their mission-critical applications or building direct relationships with the Unity Engineers who installed their system, many clients have come to find that Unity Surveillance delivers a quality of service that few others across any other industry can match.
Having adopted an “always-on” approach towards customer support for over a decade, the team at Unity Surveillance has gained a distinguished reputation as a trusted solutions provider which boasts one of the fastest client-to-technician response times in the industry — minimizing the amount of hours, if not days, spent required to resolve technical issues.
With each project, clients gain the peace of mind knowing that each solution provided is not only customized to meet their precise operational requirements but also backed by a team of professionals with the technical expertise required to troubleshoot a wide range of issues, anytime day or night.
Their team is available by phone, email or through their dedicated Customer Self Support Portal which can be used to track ticket resolution data over time and assess the value of program membership from year-to-year.
Building Relationships that Last in 2024 & Beyond
As of April 2024, Unity Surveillance, Inc. is offering one year of complimentary membership within the CORE Foundation Software Assurance and Annual Maintenance Program for all first-time clients falling within their unique classification of properties defined as “Gaming Enterprises” (i.e. Casino Resorts, Native/North American Casinos, and Sportsbooks).
After the first year, clients may opt to renew their property’s membership for one single price, billed per annum, which is dependent on the size and complexity of their system, in addition to various other factors which may influence the depth of services provided throughout the program year.
During the renewal phase, the President of Unity Surveillance, including other top Unity Engineers, will personally visit your property to assess the effectiveness of the program, while taking into account any new expansionary components which may impact the cost of new-year membership. Program membership is not required in order to utilize existing versions of the StreamView™ Video Management Software or CORE™ Software Suite.
Always Forward: More Than a Company Slogan
The CORE Foundation Program serves as one of the greatest testaments towards Unity’s commitment toward continuous innovation and client satisfaction in 2024 and beyond. When sourcing enterprise-grade technology is only one aspect of forward-thinking management, the value-driven program takes “looking ahead” to an entirely new level.
Since its inception, the CORE Foundation Program has been strategically designed to deliver both long- and short-term value to Gaming Enterprises looking to maximize the impact of their security and surveillance investments while simplifying maintenance processes and reducing system-wide risks over time.
To learn more about the CORE Foundation Software Assurance and Annual Maintenance Program, contact us at info@unitycore.us or call (866) 412-8134, today.