In today’s world, budget can become a major constraint for any school or organization while trying to address the safety of their students and staff.  IDSecurityOnline, the leading provider of photo identification services believes strongly in providing its customers with innovative ID card solutions irrespective of their budget.

The development of cloud-based services and mobile platforms has offered more options to organizations all around the United States in 2015. In the meantime, scare tactics have been the go-to marketing strategy for many security companies. In that context, many companies went “back to the basics,” and good security starts with a successful ID card program. It can be a $1,000 dollar investment or less depending on the facility. IDSecurityOnline’s company policy, as strictly enforced by its President, Gabriel Schonzeit, is simple: No school, non-for-profit, or any organization will ever be turned away or denied based on budget.

Now more than ever, schools and organizations are looking for high-quality ID card systems that increase safety and protect people. Due to the increase in school shootings and other emergency situations in 2015, ID badging has become top-of-mind for facilities throughout the country.

The Importance of Innovative & Cost-Effective ID Card Solutions

In 2016, there will be strong growth in the ID card space as customers look for innovative ID card solutions to complete their security system. The market will be driven by ID card companies that can deliver cost-effective solutions quickly. Integration will be a huge focal point in 2016 with a focus on integrating ID card solutions with access control technologies. In addition, hiring an outside company to issue its ID badges will be a common practice.

A growing number of small and medium size companies are opting to outsource their ID card issuance instead of doing the job in house. Smaller businesses like the simplicity of being able to farm out the job because they don’t have to worry about buying and maintaining issuance equipment and software, stocking card supplies onsite and paying employees to handle the work.

Outsourcing card production, sometimes called ID as a service, has many meanings. It can simply refer to the outsourcing of physical card production or it can extend all the way through the onboarding, lifecycle management and revocation of employee privileges. Schonzeit says there’s a growing willingness among businesses to upload employee data, which creates a market for ID issuance as a service. “The cloud is becoming a trusted environment,” he says.

ID Cost Savings For Universities

Issuers cite multiple advantages for outsourcing ID production. Schonzeit says the model can be a revenue generator in addition to a cost saving measure. For example, a university might ask its incoming students to pre-enroll in the ID system by entering their data and submitting a photo. Instead of having to buy multiple printers to produce cards for the entire student body at the start of a semester, the campus can print most IDs offsite. Students who don’t pre-enroll could be charged a fee to have the ID printed on site. Offsite issuance is also ideal for businesses that have multiple sites in different parts of the country and would otherwise need to distribute hardware to each location.

The outsourcing model is not without its risks, and protecting cardholder data while it’s in transit to and from a third party should not be taken lightly, Schonzeit says. “The pre-enrollment side of things can be scary –  what if the wrong person the gets the ID?” he asks. “You have to be very careful with service bureau work.”

Although Schonzeit believes in ID as a service, he still says in-house issuance remains the most secure option for businesses or schools. “I would prefer for a person to purchase a designated computer and photo ID printer that’s only used for the printing of IDs internally. That is still my preference from a security standpoint, but in many cases outsourcing makes sense,” he says.

Despite any drawbacks of outsourcing or budget constraints, each business or university can determine the best ID card solution that fits their needs.  It’s important to understand the various options available and select the one that will ensure the safety of staff and students now and in the future.  For further information, visit www.idsecurityonline.com.

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