Kristen Plitt Executive Vice President of Marketing & Operations at Costar Technologies, Inc. explains its unique focus on video surveillance solutions.

The request heard most often from installers is the need for video surveillance products that are easier to install. Installations that consist of multiple cameras, need to be easily configured and/or updated faster and more efficiently. 

Costar Utilities allows users to configure and update several cameras at once which reduces installer time on site. Meanwhile, ConteraIP RS models, the Omni-Directional Remote-Configurable IP cameras allow remote setup in any position around a 180-degree track, saving the installer time on site as well as cost on equipment with no touch set up.

One way we truly differentiate over other camera manufacturers is by offering customization to our camera solutions. Many customers have architectural and aesthetic requirements that they are trying to meet and with the ability to customize, AV Costar can provide a solution.  We will customize colors, housings, cabling and more. We also have a team specifically focused on researching, developing and delivering these types of customizations needed for a project.

New products for a changing market

AV Costar brings the Total Video Solution to a wide range of vertical market surveillance needs across the security industry. Over the last year we have brought to market a full line of NDAA cameras adding to our extensive collection of interoperable solutions and providing customers with complete system options when paired with our cloud-enabled video management system (ConteraVMS), recurring revenue generating web services (ConteraWS) and cloud-managed video recorders (ConteraCMR). These products can also be used individually, integrated with other leading security industry software and hardware through both ONVIF compliance and use of the Arecont Vision Applications Programming Interface (API).

Solutions from AV Costar are increasingly a part of the answer for large enterprises by providing high-performance IP cameras, video management systems and cloud-managed video recording platforms at lower operating costs. AV Costar is the right solution for many applications such as manufacturing and industry, stadiums and large venues, warehouse and distribution logistics, hospitality, banking, healthcare and education. Costar brands offer a vast selection of products and solutions that can fit any application needs.

AV Costar recently expanded the product offering to include sister company, Costar Video Systems and have added the StarNet VMS and camera solutions to the portfolio. These additions provide yet another complete solution that target the Retail and Education markets.

Example of unique solutions

A major global electronics company reached out to AV Costar with a need for a custom camera housing. Our team worked with their design team to create a custom solution that met their specific aesthetic and form factor requirements. This solution is now being deployed in all of their retail stores worldwide.     

The largest cell phone retail store in North America had a unique need for custom colored camera housings for multiple form factors. AV Costar was able to customize a complete kitted solution allowing the corporate office to create a standard process that installers can replicate nationwide. The custom kits allow installers the flexibility of configurations which increases efficiency of every installation.

A well-known American multinational financial services company came to AV Costar looking for a custom solution to satisfy the cyber-security protection requirement of including encryption and advanced security certificates on all devices on their network. To help maintain this level of security on their network and provide a solution to fit their needs, we customized their system to include these features and delivered a solution that is now installed in Banking locations throughout the United States.

VMS compatibility

AV Costar has a full test lab in house where verification of compatibility with all major VMS systems takes place.  Team members are dedicated to testing integrations and advanced security options.  The Banking vertical requires additional security certificates that create an enhanced layer of security and AV Costar is one of the few manufactures that provides this level of protection. This is only one example of how AV Costar makes it easy to use our technology by integrating with more than 100 VMS vendors and other technology partners.

AV Costar’s key customer focus for the future

Over the last few years, AV Costar has created a culture that focus’ on providing world class customer service and support. Unlike other large camera manufacturers, we are dedicated to providing our customers with personalized VIP service. In order to provide this type of service and support to our customers, we’ve made vast internal improvements through investment in new systems including our Customer Support Portal powered by Zendesk and overhauling our practices and procedures.

The company has enhanced its  back-office systems for increased efficiency with the implementation of NetSuite ERP and updated Partner Portal. AV Costar also completely overhauled its global supply chain and manufacturing processes and expanded its Advanced Technology Center in Clovis, CA.

We continue to invest in our systems, processes and people, through training, the addition of more technical support and development team members and resources company wide. At Costar, our people make the difference!

Kristen Plitt‘s article is the Industry Expert section of a Special Report into Video Surveillance in the June issue of Security Journal Americas, prepared in partner with Knowledge Partner MOBOTIX.

You can read the full Video Surveillance Technology report online HERE beginning on page 37

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