ID cards are a universal language that everyone understands. As a result, these versatile cards are a vital part of a broad range of sectors from education establishments, commerce, industry, transport and defence. ID cards are relied upon across many sectors and industries because they have proven themselves an effective tool for improving your business and protecting it.
What’s the Purpose of ID Cards in Business?
Identification (ID) card systems enable managers to create personalised badges and cards for only authorised people on their premises. There are many examples of ID card applications. For instance, you’ll find them handed to event attendees, staff in a high street store, or engineers at an industrial facility.
The most well-known purpose for ID cards is security. Presenting a security ID card clearly indicates that the person holding it is an authorised representative of the associated business. This will create a sense of trust with any new customers and encourage positive interactions. It will also help boost your employees’ confidence to represent your brand effectively. However, customer protection isn’t the only way security ID cards look after your business. For example, it is a common practice to supply staff and visitors with ID cards to quickly note the people within the building and ensure it is limited to only authorised people.
These security measures can be improved further by limiting cards to specific areas. Additionally, most ID cards are designed with a photo ID that ensures the card belongs to the person using it, providing another level of protection for you and your customers. This increased security also helps differentiate between communal and secure work areas.
Aside from increasing security, ID card barcodes connected to barcoding systems can also support the monitoring of your business. For example, ID cards with passcodes associated with them in the form of a barcode or alphanumeric sequence will enable a facility manager to record his employees’ activities during daily operations. In addition, since each of these attached codes is unique, it is easy to track a person’s access to specific areas or equipment. These cards can also be used for timestamping working hours and automating tracking working hours, which is especially helpful for administering any complex operations.
One more subtle benefit of high-quality ID cards is advertising your business. For example, if your company works remotely, such as a home delivery or maintenance business, an ID lanyard with your company logo will not only let the customer know what company you work for but will provide a subtle level of marketing that will encourage your clients to remember your brand and potentially think of you for return business.
ID Cards for Schools and Universities
Maintaining the safety of both staff and students is vital in an educational establishment; unauthorised people must be quickly identified, whether at a university, college or school. Without clear ID cards, this can be a significant challenge as these environments will have a broader mix of people of all ages compared to most working environments.
It has become standard practice for higher education establishments such as colleges and universities to provide students with ID cards so they may be easily identified while studying. This practice is also similarly used for the building’s staff, with every working employee equipped with an authorised card, whether a member of admin, a teacher or a cleaner.
This unity creates a safe space that ensures the safety of all the students but for more than just security. For example, barcoded ID cards can monitor students clocking in and out of various buildings, such as onsite living spaces. Tracking this activity assists with fire safety, as the data on who’s actually in the building is readily available in the event of a fire evacuation. Some institutions even adopt these id cards to protect a student’s finances by employing them to pay for onsite goods such as canteen food or educational tools.
Benefits of In-House ID Card Printing
There are many benefits to investing in printing your ID cards in-house. If your premises has a flexible intake of people, then being able to create your cards will save a significant number of logistical issues regarding ordering new cards from a supplier. For example, a company that encourages visiting clients will want to be able to create visitor ID cards at any time.
Additionally, the mass intake of students at the start of an academic year demands many cards at once. Still, these are usually photo IDs, requiring a photo taken on induction day. Sending away an ID card that contains a student or staff’s personal information, such as their photo, name, and where they study or work, represents a potential risk to their personal information. Keeping this personal data confined to your premises can eliminate any potential data breach.
Whilst ID cards are a fantastic addition to your business; they can be lost or damaged over time. Waiting for a card to be replaced by an external supplier will create significant logistical issues for your security, making printing a replacement with your ID barcode printer far more efficient.
New Evolis Card Printers at GSM Barcoding
As experienced suppliers of high-quality label printers, we constantly strive to provide state-of-the-art products and services so our customers receive the best label solutions possible. To continue meeting this goal, GSM Barcoding has recently invested in a range of Evolis card printers. Increased security features such as magnetic stripes, smart contact, and double-sided printing labels from these printers will provide your workplace with the perfect level of security to suit your needs. In addition, these high-end printers are designed to operate with incredibly high fidelity for either small or large batches, perfect for supplying new ID labels for either new hires or new students at the start of the academic year.
At GSM Barcoding, we pride ourselves on supplying a broad selection of the highest quality barcode printers and label design software. Combined, these two options enable you to create single or dual-sided printed cards in either monochrome or full colour, allowing you to come up with the perfect ID card to suit your business’s needs. Contact us today to discuss how our range of printers could support your business.
