Subscriber Discussion

Direct Print ID Vs Separate ID Card

DL
David Lieberman
•May 09, 2016
IPVMU Certified

I use iClass cards and print the employee's ID directly onto the card. My counterpart in the eastern region uses Prox II clamshell cards and a separate, non-programmable ID card, with both cards inserted into a plastic pouch. He does so to save the cost of disposing of programmable cards when employees leaves the company.

I'd love to hear thoughts on the pros and cons of each.

CW
Caleb Weir
•May 09, 2016
JAARS Inc. • IPVMU Certified

David,

Here are some thoughts:

  • Cost- his solution saves $ for sure, and those savings go up as volume of printed cards go up. But small volume = small savings.
  • Environment- his solution may be more effective for a harsh environment, as the clamshells tend to stand up to abuse a little better.
  • End users- Often times, employees balk at wearing badges (unless it is an actively enforced policy) and will resort to stuffing their access card in a wallet, pocket, or purse. Bulky clamshells and a secondary picture ID make it tougher to tuck away, but only marginally.
  • Management- if the clamshells arent recovered at offboarding, then money is still lost. If they are collected, but not edited or removed from the system, then confusion can occur at the time of reissuance. Staying on top of reuse of credentials is paramount because things get messy quickly.

Caleb

DL
David Lieberman
•May 10, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Caleb: Thanks so much for your comments. The attraction of the iClass card, and printing directly to it, is simply that it's less bulky and more convenient. Employees like it more; but, particularly in light of your comments, it's almost a toss-up between the cost savings and giving employees what they prefer.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

David

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