Issuing identification cards to students, faculty and staff is part of keeping your campus secure. ID cards help security personnel to quickly determine if someone belongs in the building or in a specific area of your campus.

For students, campus ID cards make their everyday routine easy and convenient. From cafeteria meal payments to keyless entry to college dorms, the benefits of smart ID cards are easy to see.

But for many educational institutions, the question is not about whether a campus ID card is beneficial or not. Rather, the dilemma is between investing in an in-house ID card system or outsourcing the program to a 3rd party provider.

While outsourcing has its benefits, printing campus ID cards on-site offers many advantages in terms of convenience, cost, efficiency and security. Let’s look at the top 5.

Faster issuance and replacement of campus ID cards

With an in-house campus ID card program, you gain the capability to issue ID cards to your students, faculty and staff quickly and efficiently. You can also replace lost or damaged cards instantly. No more waiting for an outside ID provider to print and mail replacement cards! The ability to issue ID cards on-site is also particularly useful if your school employs substitute teachers and visiting professors.

Full control over the design and production process

Having the equipment on-site allows you to fully control every aspect of the design and production of your ID cards. This means that you can change card designs as well as scale production up or down, if necessary.

More secure card program

Because the cards are produced on-site, you are able to eliminate the possibility of ID cards being lost in the mail, which is a risk when ID cards are ordered from 3rd party providers. Exposure of private cardholder information will also be kept to a minimum since ID production is done in-house, which you can supervise tightly.

Ability to add or upgrade ID functionality

If the needs of your students change, you can quickly add or upgrade the functionality of your ID cards. New functionality can include access control, attendance tracking, and payment functions, among others.

Cheaper in the long run

Because an in-house ID card program eliminates the middleman, you will end up saving more in the long run. Unlike other administrative expenditures that can be safely eliminated when your school needs to do some belt-tightening, ID cards are indispensible since they serve a vital role in keeping your school safe.

By investing in your own ID card program, you are demonstrating your institution’s commitment to the safety of your academic community.