Plastic cards can be an excellent way of easily and conveniently providing a wide range of critical information directly to staff members. Having been in the business of producing photo ID cards on a continuous basis for over 15 years, our team has seen a lot of clients using the backs of cards to provide their employees with key information that they need to have at their fingertips.
Aware that many clients do not want to be limited by the limited real estate on the back of an ID card, we have developed a new service specifically to address the requirements of organizations that must expand the important information that their employees need readily at hand. We are now pleased to announce a service to provide printed PVC cards which carry this information, and can be kept side-by-side with each employee’s ID card.
Photo ID cards compared to Plastic Information Cards
Whereas each card we produce for our traditional photo ID badging clients is different, for this card information service the graphics printed on each card are identical. As a result, each employee receives an exact copy of the critical data they need to effectively do their jobs. The card can be printed on both sides, in full color, giving ample opportunity to communicate complex information succinctly.
For example, most hospitals and health care organizations have a strict system of emergency codes which are extremely important for their staff to adhere to. To make sure that every staff member understands these codes, they print cards that indicate exactly what “code red” or “code yellow” means, so everyone has a constant reminder of these critical indicators. Other organizations want to ensure that every employee is reminded of key values or principles that underly their company’s philosophy, so they distribute pre-printed cards with those key dictums to every staff member. Other companies want everyone to always be reminded of key phone numbers to call in case of different situations or emergencies.
And many industries have their own specific requirements unique to their business. For example, we have produced safety cards for electrical contractors which remind their electricians of the critical steps required to execute an important safety procedure in their operations, called “Lock-Out/Tag-Out”.
These cards can be carried in the employee’s wallet, but more often they have a slot punch to allow them to be hung on a lanyard, or a belt clip, along with their photo ID card. This way, employees have an easy way to immediately reference key information, when they need it, so they follow appropriate procedures with certainty. Attached to their ID card, it can be an effective daily reminder of key points that each employee should keep in mind while on the job.
Procuring Small Batches
Obtaining these cards has typically been challenging for smaller organizations with only a few hundred employees, or even less. Large hospitals or universities, with thousands of employees, have options because of the volume of cards they are able to order. But small and medium businesses have always had difficulty obtaining a limited number of these cards at a reasonable cost.
InstantCard has now implemented advanced new technology which allows us to print these cards at a very reasonable cost, even for volumes of just 25 or 50. The print quality of the cards is excellent, and they are highly durable, able to resist daily wear for years and years. We can generally turn around your order in two or three business days, providing you with an excellent source for your requirements for small batches of information cards.
InstantCard has specialized in short runs, with a highly flexible service to meet the needs of a much broader set of companies than the traditional high-volume print shops. Using smaller, more flexible printing equipment, we are able to set up jobs quickly, and offer advantageous pricing even for a low number of cards. Our flexibility and our willingness to bend over backwards to meet client requirements is attested to by our 4.9 (out of 5) star rating on the third-party independent review site TrustPilot, where all reviewers are verified as actual customers.
Card Artwork
Guidelines for artwork can be found here, which provides information you will need for your graphic artist if they are designing your card for you. This information includes canvas size, bleed requirements, location of the slot punch, and other useful information. They can submit artwork in various formats: PhotoShop, AI (Adobe Illustrator), .pdf, etc.
Alternatively, you can request artwork by one of InstantCard’s professional graphic designers. In this case, we’ll take your graphic elements, like a logo and color guidelines, as well as any special requests you have, to create a draft design for your approval. You can then make tweaks and adjustments until you’re perfectly satisfied with the card layout.
Customized Quotations
If you have a unique requirement for a limited series of ID cards, just give us a call! Or send us an email outlining your project to [email protected]. Whether your needs entail a unique design, recycled plastic cards, RFID or other auto-ID technologies, or a particular distribution model, we’ve probably encountered it before and would be happy to provide you with a quotation.
